This article is for:
- Anyone searching for ways to increase the cargo capacity of his/her SUV.
- Anyone trying to find the best roof box, roof bag, roof basket, and roof rack to choose for an SUV.
- Anyone searching for the latest SUV roof cargo world.
Table of Contents
Best roof cargo boxes for SUV (roof rack required)
SportRack Horizon Cargo Box
This roof box is the perfect combination of cost-effectiveness and a great look.
Its design gives it a premium look from the outside and a strong and durable structure inside.
It is available in black, black is a timeless color that suits a lot of SUVs out there.
SportRack Horizon is made out of a combination of ABS materials that are resistant to impacts and shocks. these materials give this roof cargo box sturdiness and durability.
This durability and strength make this box the best roof storage to protect you belonging while traveling with your SUV.
SportRack Horizon is available in 3 sizes:
- Alpine: with a capacity of 11 Cu Ft and a weight of 29 lbs and capable of having skis of a length of 210 cm.>
- L: with a capacity of 16 Cu Ft and a weight of 43 lbs and capable of having skis of a max length of 180 cm.
- Xl: with a capacity of 17 Cu Ft and a weight of 44 lbs and capable of having skis of a max length of 217 cm.
But now for the big question, is this roof cargo box compatible with my SUV’s roof rack? The answer is yes, because of its high compatibility to attach to most SUV roof racks available on the market right now.
Some of the SUVs that we tested this roof cargo box on are Jeep Wrangler, Toyota Tacoma, Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Its compatibility is not limited to these vehicles, but these are the ones we tested in house.
And it is compatible with the majority of SUVs available on the market right now.
The shape of this roof box is aerodynamic and it is optimized to have a low fuel consumption as well as low fuel consumption.
One thing that might be inconvenient about this roof box is that it can only open from the passenger side, it is safer to use this way, away from road traffic.
But if you like to have a dual opening roof box then check the other options below.
You can store many items inside this box from skis to camping items or cargo bags to carry whatever you like.
And it comes with everything you need to get it working, and the best thing is that you’ll have a lifetime warranty with it.
We like
- The low cost.
- The Durability.
- The high compatibility with a lot of SUVs.
We don’t like
- The one side passenger opening.
Thule Motion XT Cargo Box
In our previous review of the Thule Motion XT, we praised the capacity of this high-end roof box to carry many items like skis and camping items and gear. its 110 lbs capacity allows it to free up space from the inside of your SUV to leave you with some space that is very valuable if you are camping alone.
you can sleep inside your vehicle and have enough space to have many camping gear with you like a heater or a dehumidifier.
With its measurements of 84.5” x 36” x 17”, the Thule Motion XT can fit on any SUV roof rack that you can think of.
And like the other SUV hard shell roof storage boxes on this list.
Thule Motion XT has a very sleek design. and an aerodynamic structure that allows air to go around it so it doesn’t lower the speed of your vehicle and keep the noise levels as low as possible.
Thule Motion XT is available in sizes:
- L: with a capacity of 16 Cu Ft.
- Xl: with a capacity of 18 Cu Ft.
- XLL: with a capacity of 22 Cu Ft.>
It can also carry 4 to 7 snowboards and keep them protected by its high resistance hard shell.
We like
- The security system.
- The sleek design.
- The dual side opening.
- The universal mounting system.
We don’t like
- Everything about this roof box is great, and it is the best roof box for SUVs.
Rhino-Rack Master Fit Cargo Box
We believe that the Rhino-Rack MasterFit roof cargo box is the best roof storage for SUV, it can be used to carry a multitude of camping items or luggage and protect them against harsh weather elements like snow and rain and strong wind.
It can accommodate skis and fishing poles inside it, which makes it a great option as a roof storage for an SUV.
Besides its large storage capacity, the Rhino-Rack is made from high durability materials (the ABS plastic / Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).
Like the before-mentioned roof cargo boxes, the Rhino-Rack has a great design that was conceived to lower air resistance and by result lowers the SUV mileage, and its front side doesn’t produce any noise above the acceptable levels.
The usage of this roof box is pretty simple, twist the locking mechanism to lock or unlock it, everyone can use it without the need to go back to a usage manual, and most, it will not fail when you need it.
If you have an off-market or an ordinary roof rack, it is very likely that you can install this roof box on it, because of the fact that most roof cargo boxes (most of the good ones) can be adjusted and modified to fit on any roof rack, but you need to make sure that the crossbars of your roof rack have a min spacing of 620mm and a max of 930mm and leave the rest to the “Masterfit” technology that gives the roof box great flexibility to attach to roof racks with various sizes.
Opening it from both sides is possible, a great option when traveling even if it doesn’t seem so when you’re thinking about buying a roof box, dual side opening allows you to pack and unpack your roof box much faster in comparison to one-side opening ones.
We like
- The universal mounting system.
- The low noise levels.
- The dual side opening.
- The universal mounting system.
We don’t like
- We like everything about this roof cargo box.
Best roof cargo bags for SUV (AKA Roof box without roof bars)
Many people don’t have roof crossbars, in that case, they have two choices, either buy a pair of crossbars or get a roof box that can be mounted without roof bars
KEEPER 07204 Black Premium Waterproof Cargo Bag
This is the best roof cargo bag to have if you don’t have crossbars on your SUV, an easy storage boost for any SUV needed in an Overlanding trip.
The KEEPER 07204 can improve the cargo capacity of an SUV by an extra 15 cubic feet of space. this extra cargo space is completely waterproof and can resist many weather elements like rain and snow, and also the harmful sun rays that can change the colors of your luggage.
It is also suitable for small sedans and pretty much any vehicle with a limited cargo capacity.
Being a soft shell roof bag, the Keeper 07204 can contain many items with different shapes and sizes, and when you finish with it. you can fold and store it anywhere in contrast to hard shell roof boxes that need special tools and a large place dedicated to their storage.
You can use the included straps to attach this roof bag to the roof rails of your car without the need for any roof rack.
The dimensions of the Keeper 07204 are approximately 44x34x17.
Rightline Gear 100B90
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSTwqxWqL8gIn The world of roof storage for SUVs, the Rightline Gear 100B90 offers a huge cargo capacity increase of 13 cubic feet of storage.
A dual seam technology weld the zippers of the bag to prevent water from getting inside it, these zippers do a great job even against heavy rain and extreme weather, the zippers are also coated with urethane that provides further weather conditions.
The zippers are also coated with a Urethane layer that is located under the hook and loop close zipper flap that prevents water from leaking inside.
a 1 Year warranty is provided for the right line gear bag to remove concerns about its quality, but during our test, the bag worked without any problem.
You can attack this softshell roof cargo box without a roof rack, the only thing that you need to do is to strap it to the vehicle’s roof rails or to the SUV’s rear clips and attach the straps to the rear hatch door.
Placing a softshell roof bag in the back of the SUV is the best way to cut its drag and by result the noise and fuel consumption.
The bottom of the Rightline 100B90 is reinforced using pole frames that can be broken down in case you need to store the bag in a tight space.
RoofPax Car Roof Bag roof storage for SUV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_97neqLnv8The RoofPax made a bag with two targets in mind, to provide a huge storage capacity to SUVs. and to keep both the bag’s items and the SUV completely safe even at high speed.
This bag contains 6 door hooks that can be used in the place of straps to attach to the bag. These hooks are safer and will not be in the way of the vehicle’s airbags.
Note: the straps of roof bags are illegal in some US states, if you are traveling to one of those stats, you need to get this bag.
Available in two sizes, the RoofPax roof storage bag can either have a 15 or a 19 cubic feet, the right choice depends on how much you need to carry on your trip, but the most thing we like about this bag is its manufacturing quality, it is built with military-grade materials with waterproof seams that are coated to give a high-grade waterproofing ability, it also includes a built-in mat with extra protection and 10 restrainers for the straps to prevent them from flapping.
RoofPax can be used on any SUV, with or without a roof rack, it can be installed in minutes (less than 5 minutes in general).
The best thing about this bag in comparison to the other ones on this list is the lifetime warranty, if you have any problem with the zippers or the bag itself, all you have to do is return it and you will get a new one.
Reese Explore 1041100 Rainproof Car Top Carrier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHM7Qra8zSoThe Reese Explore is designed to fit most roof racks out there, no matter what dimensions they are, it was designed to store a high number of items and luggage and keep them secure during the most difficult trip, either ordinary or camping or Overlanding.
The installation and the setup of this roof bag is easy and doesn’t need any manual or complicated procedure, the only thing that you need to do is to use the straps to secure the bag with the crossbars or the roof rails and you are good to go.
Your belongings are protected against rain and harsh weather which makes it a great choice for people who like to camp during winter.
Its high cargo capacity of 15 cubic feet makes this roof bag a great roof storage for SUVs with different roof dimensions, the high quality of this bag allows it to withstand the weight of the items inside during tight turns and its wall will not tear or deform.
The straps of the Reese Explore can adjust to fit any roof storage for SUV and it is in result compatible with any vehicle on the market.
The dimensions of the Reese roof bag are 38” x 38” x 18”.
Vault Cargo Roof Bag
If you need to keep everything dry, this roof bag is a good choice for you, it while providing all the protection needed to you luggage during a long-range trip with you family and free up more space inside your SUV to sleep in it or to store more gear and luggage, with this bah, you don’t have to make the decision of what things to take and what to leave.
It provides an extra 15 cubic feet of space to solve storage space, and its canvas is strong enough to withstand harsh elements, rain, dust, the sun, and many more.
And just like the other roof cargo bags here, it has some straps and ratchets that can attach to the SUV, you can also use the included mat to provide more protection to your cargo bag.
These straps make the bag easy to use for anyone, no previous experience with roof storage for SUVs is needed, but if you are going for a long trip, it is recommended to install and remove the bags at least once to make sure that you can do the same thing while traveling even in low light conditions.
The Vault Cargo bag weighs 6 pounds or 2.7 kilograms.
Best roof cargo baskets for SUV
This guide will not complete without talking about SUV roof racks. roof racks are a must to anyone willing to install a hard shell roof cargo box on his SUV.
Rooftop Cargo Basket by ROLA
Rola is an Australian company known for its high-quality SUV accessories. it manufactures different types of products for more than three decades.
Rola roof racks are stylish, compatible with a large number of SUVs, quiet, have a high durability, and very innovative.
In this list, I chose to include the Rola V-tex rooftop cargo basket, the reasons for this choice are many.
This roof basket will free up your SUV’s interior cargo space to allow you to carry more storage. you can put the most valuable items in the trunk of your SUV while leaving everything else on the roof basket.
The V-tex cargo basket is 48” long and it is engineered in a way to reduce its noise emissions. while the vehicle is at high speed, and the result is a better traveling experience.
The durable construction of this roof basket allows it to withstand most of the shocks that can occur while traveling (placing heavy cargo, heavy rooftop tent, etc…).
A good choice for all road trips. V-tex is coated with a finish to protect its steel structure from weather elements that can corrode it and also to improve its design. while its structure is strong and considered heavy-duty.
The adjustable brackets of this SUV cargo basket gives it more compatibility to attach to most SUV crossbars.
If you have more cargo to carry, you can expand this roof basket by using the 59505 V-tex expanding part to have more roof storage on your SUV.
Rola offers a five-year warranty with this roof basket, a great thing to have for the price.
The dimensions of the V-tex Rola roof basket are 33.5″ L x 45.75″ W x 7.75″ H (including packaging), it weighs 57.8 lbs and it can carry a max weight of 130 lbs.
YAKIMA LoadWarrior Rooftop Cargo Basket Roof storage for SUV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoquXG3JpLM
Yakima is a brand that produces some of the most advanced and durable accessories for SUVs and sedans. They manufacture roof cargo boxes, roof racks, and roof baskets.
When Yakima creates a new product, it gathers all the feedback they receive from clients to improve their existing products. and innovate new ones with a higher quality than any other company.
And for roof baskets, we chose the LoadWarrior, a cargo basket that needs roof bars (roof rack) to install. and no worries, this cargo basket can attach to pretty much any roof rack available.
The LoadWarrior can carry a wide range of cargo, from bikes to skis and Kayaks, roof boxes, cargo bags and many more types of cargo.
What we like about this roof basket is its ease of installation.
We installed it on our SUV (a Jeep Wrangler) in less than 15 minutes. even if it’s your first time handling a roof cargo basket, you can attach it to the roof of your SUV in 25 minutes.
Noise is a serious (and annoying) problem while transporting cargo on the roof of an SUV, and not exclusive to roof baskets. this problem can happen also when you carry a roof box or a rooftop tent.
To solve this issue, Yakima included a custom wind fairing to cut noise emissions at high speeds. but if you still get some noise you can check our guide on how to reduce the noise of racks.
This is a steel basket, which means that it is prone to corrosion. that is why it has a cover that protects it against water and the other weather elements.
LoadWarrior’s shape allows it to accommodate different types of cargo. This is the main reason it is the best roof basket for SUVs.
And what makes this basket even better is a lifetime warranty, not 2 years, not 5 years, a lifetime warranty.