I like this Yakima SkyBox Skinny, however you will not consider why

I’ve written loads of opinions about roof rack equipment or road-going gadgets at this level in my travels. In truth, I might go so far as to say that it is my favourite modification that I’ve ever made to any automotive I’ve owned. Nonetheless, for the previous week, a brand new toy has lived up there, and it did so throughout my most up-to-date 1,000-mile highway journey to bay-fish in South Texas. Its identify is the Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny, and it is nonetheless there as we communicate.

I’ve had different roof packing containers earlier than, however regardless of all the Yakima products I’ve indulged in over the previous few years, this one takes the cake as my new favourite for a motive that I by no means actually anticipated — gasoline economic system.

My common MPG did not budge

Not even Texas velocity limits may make a distinction

After I first put in the field, which was a surprisingly straightforward course of (extra on that later), I assumed that I’d lose some gasoline economic system. That is the everyday trade-off with roof packing containers, and has been the trade-off for my complete time, proudly owning and utilizing them on completely different automobiles. You get the additional area, however not the gasoline economic system you are used to. Checks and balances, and so forth., and so forth.

This is because of the truth that you’ve got now received an extremity protruding out into the air that was not current when your producer examined the automotive in its wind tunnel. These are apparent info that I beforehand regarded as unavoidable.

Therefore, I went with the Skinny SkyBox versus a bigger mannequin. In my head, I assumed “possibly this may save me half a mile per gallon, possibly even one if I am fortunate,” however nonetheless thought I’d reside within the low 20s-per-gallon and be stopping a number of occasions alongside my route. That was not at all the case, and I noticed the identical mileage that I used to be used to with out the roof field as I did beforehand.

I averaged round 28 miles per gallon coming and going, which was a shock to say the least, on condition that the Texas velocity limits did not see my common velocity drop beneath 75 miles per hour the complete journey.

How a lot does it really maintain

Spoiler alert: far more than you may suppose

I used to be in a position to match three luggage the scale of airport carry-ons within the SkyBox, one small bag, some collapsible fishing poles and a collapsible plastic stool (which I extremely advocate discovering room for in case your automobile has a raise package) very comfortably. When you journey with super-large luggage which might be the identical measurement as checked baggage, they is likely to be too tall for the Skinny, however for those who’re a bag individual, the SkyBox Skinny may simply be your jam.

The graceful arduous plastic lining inside seems like it might be straightforward for issues to slip round on, however with my rack loaded down nothing moved an inch. Even my fiancée’s arduous plastic-covered bag confirmed no indicators of scuffing or vibrating. I may see one thing sliding if it was saved up prime by itself, however for those who’re a fabric bag traveler like me, that should not be an enormous difficulty.

Set up was a breeze

Hats off to whoever designed this method, as a result of it really works

The SkyBox arrived in a single piece, and amidst the Texas warmth, I forgot to take pictures of the field itself, however it measured about eight toes lengthy. The product ships complete, so there isn’t any extracurricular constructing after the actual fact.

It comes unlocked, with just one facet designed to open at a time. The keys are saved contained in the field throughout delivery, together with the round instrument pictured above. That is the one instrument you want to take away or connect the field to your roof rack, which makes the method straightforward sufficient for only one individual to perform. Compared to the universal roof rack I own, the field was simpler to put in than the rack itself.

You first need to unscrew 4 clamps from contained in the field, which is what I am doing within the first photograph. This loosens the clamp and its sliding mount to be able to modify them to your wants and specs. Then, after you’ve got positioned the field on prime of your automotive within the desired place, tighten those self same clamps down till you hear a click on, after which it is hands-off. It truly is that straightforward.

I’ve put in packing containers earlier than that required three completely different units of Allen wrenches, and it was an hours-long affair typically if I used to be on my own. This took all of 20 minutes, and that was with a West Texas water break combined in.

Why would you purchase the Skinny?

For these of us who want to make use of their storage, it makes probably the most sense

I’ve already been requested by loads of buddies why I’d moderately have the thin than a bigger, much less compact roof storage field, and my reply is straightforward — hail. Consider it or not, we get our fair proportion of it right here in West Texas, and as such, it is a gamble to go away any automotive parked on the street. I wished a field that may comfortably slot in my storage whereas mounted and would not make me sweat pulling out and in on my method to and from work or touring.

My 2022 Volkswagen Taos is a bit taller than it was from the manufacturing unit because of the raise package, and the tires do not assist in that regard all that a lot, both. Couple that raise with the roof rack being elevated from the roof itself, and the bottom of the SkyBox Skinny is a good quantity larger than if it have been laying flat on the roof of a standard Taos.

Regardless of that, nonetheless, I nonetheless have loads of room to open the SkyBox and retrieve no matter is likely to be inside with out the concern of hitting my storage door when it is open and above me. On bigger packing containers I’ve had prior to now, this was not the case, as I’d both need to shut myself within the microwave that’s my storage to get something out, or unload exterior earlier than pulling in. All in all, the SkyBox Skinny simply makes this complete course of simpler, and it earns critical brownie factors for that.

And in fact, that is most likely what I like concerning the SkyBox skinny greater than anything — its ease of use. It was straightforward to put in, it is simple to reside with, and it is simple to make use of. Yakima merchandise may not be the most cost effective available on the market, however they’ve hit one other dwelling run with this one.