If you’re going to be transporting mostly one thing or anything that won’t fit in a box, bag, or basket-say a kayak, fishing poles, or bike-you’ll want to get a carrier built for that object. Baskets are also hardy, and cheaper than boxes. Plus, the low profiles mean that, once you unload the gear from them, they’re more likely to fit into a garage without needing to be removed. But their lack of solid bodies make them relatively aerodynamic and less likely to drag down your miles per gallon. Baskets also demand cam straps or at least a rope to tie down whatever you carry in them. They leave your gear open to the rain, sun, and wind, making them better for transport but worse for all-weather storage. They also get pretty blocky when stuffed, presenting a wide, drag-increasing surface to the wind. Downsides include faster wear, damage to the window weather stripping over time, and the higher likelihood of scratching your car’s paint. Soft-sided bags are typically lighter, easier to store, and flexible enough to accommodate bulky or oddly shaped items. These lash down to the very top of your roof using straps that either attach to mounting points on your rack or loop through your windows. If your car doesn’t have a roof rack and you can’t justify altering your vehicle to accommodate one, or it does but you want to keep things simple, consider a soft-sided carrier. They also tend to be the most expensive kind of cargo carriers. For the drawbacks: Despite fairly aerodynamic designs, boxes will stick out into the wind, impacting your gas mileage and noise levels with the increased drag. A box can take some fiddling to get on your car’s roof, but once it’s up there, it’s easy to use, requiring no tying of ropes or cinching of straps to keep your stuff from flying away. Many of them also have lockable lids and rack/bar attachments. They provide the most safety for your gear, keeping it in an enclosed shell and out of the elements. Also called rocket boxes (technically a model name used by Yakima that has become the Kleenex of the rooftop cargo space), these are hard sided, often heavy, and secure. This is what most people picture when they think of a cargo carrier. A waterproof cargo bag that works with any rack or bare roof Types of Rooftop Cargo Carriers Box

Proz road tripper roof cargo box