Skip to main content

Get Organized On The Road With Yakima Rack System

Yakima rack system
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Road tripping for an extended time demands organization – that is, unless you get enjoyment out of constantly searching for clean clothes, your campground kitchen gear, and that missing bike pump. For the rest of us, getting organized means having a good system of packing up camp on the go, and maximizing space both in and out of the car. When you’ve got multiple people, dogs, bikes, and other toys to haul for hundreds of miles, don’t leave your trunk and racks to chance. We spent more than four thousand miles testing some of the latest gear from Yakima this summer, and no matter whether you’re hauling bikes for a post-work spin or a full load of gear for a multi-week adventure, they’ve got everything to keep you on the road and worry free. From crossbars to cargo boxes, the newly redesigned Yakima rack systems are the ultimate road trip gear organizing tools.

Related: 3 Must-drive Road Trips for 2016 | Nomad Life: Our Favorite Road Trip Gear

The Base Rack

Yakima Base Rack
Quite a few SUVs and adventure oriented vehicles come standard with factory racks. If you’re retrofitting your car, or upgrading for better weight distribution, Yakima has a fully redesigned line up of towers and cross bars for every type of roof mount imaginable. By mixing up four different kinds of towers (so you can mount your new rack on any kind of car roof from smooth roofs to factory installed side rails) to sets of all new crossbars, you can create a custom system to your needs. If you’re a little hazy on exactly what you need, Yakima has a “Rack 101” guide that will answer almost all of your questions.

Roof Space: ShowCase 20

ShowCase 20
On our roadtrip, we had to fit camping gear for three weeks, our mobile bike repair kit and stand, an inflatable SUP, and foldable kayak in the car (along with two pups). No matter how long we played gear tetris in the back of our SUV, we couldn’t come close to fitting it all. Enter the new ShowCase roof box. We sprang for the largest version of the box and weren’t disappointed. At just over three feet wide, it took up much of the space on our roof, but was easily accessible from either side of the car. It swallowed the kayak, SUP, and a couple of plastic totes of non-essential gear with ease. The lock and push-button opening system is fool proof: you can’t open the box without inserting the key, and it won’t fully close without the key either, ensuring you never forget them or worry about the box flying open on the highway. The ease of use is what has us reaching for the ShowCase for every weekend trip now. with four easily maneuverable claws that latch on to any crossbar, beefy locks and hinges, and aerodynamic body, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without the extra space. For smaller cars, the ShowCase also comes in a fifteen cubic foot version, perfect for smaller cars.

Bikes: HoldUp 2

HoldUp 2
We originally picked up the HoldUp late last year as we prepared for our first Adventure Race. Since then, it’s taken road bikes to Arizona for winter training, mountain bikes around Utah, and on our big summer trip through the Pacific Northwest. The 2-inch hitch version we have has proven to be incredibly stable, and given us real peace of mind while carrying bikes everywhere. Bike retention is accomplished by a front wheel swing arm and rear wheel ratchet. This takes the guesswork out of trying to fit your bike’s geometry to a frame mount style of rack – we’ve fit everything from kids’ 24-inch wheeled road bikes to burly downhill rigs with no problems. The hitch mount comes with a barrel lock for the lynch pin, and each swing arm has a built in cable lock for added security. The bottle opener on the end of the rack is a nice touch for a post ride beer. Yakima made this bike rack as versatile and convenient as you could possibly imagine.
Yakima

Preview: SkyRise Rooftop Tent

Yakima-SkyRise-Rooftop-Tent
We didn’t get to take this one on our big trip (for one, we didn’t have the roof space), but did get a preview at the Outdoor Retailer Show earlier this month. Rooftop tents are gaining popularity, but there are some definitely weight drawbacks with some of the popular models (they can push north of two hundred pounds, killing aerodynamics and gas mileage). The SkyRise 3-man tent will come in under one-hundred pounds, with the ability to remove the rainfly and open extra vents that many rooftop tents lack. We’re excited to see Yakima venture into this market, and can’t wait to see a SkyRise in the wild when they hit retailers early next year.

Editors' Recommendations

Austin Parker
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Austin Parker is a former contributor at The Manual Parker is a powder skier and sport climber and is no stranger hauling…
CBD 101: A doctor tells us how to use CBD for sleep, anxiety, and pain
CBD is great for a variety of use-cases
CBD Hemp oil, Doctor holding a bottle of hemp oil, Medical marijuana products including cannabis leaf, cbd and hash oil, alternative medicine

In recent years, CBD (cannabidiol, for those of you wondering what does CBD stand for) has emerged as a popular natural remedy for a range of health concerns, from sleep disturbances and anxiety to chronic pain. But how do you use CBD effectively to address these issues? 

We spoke with Dr. Chris Adlakha of Elevated Wellness to get expert insights into the world of CBD. In this article, we'll explore what CBD is used for and provide guidance on its usage. 

Read more
What UFC champions Sean O’Malley and Aljamain Sterling eat while cutting weight in fight week
Spoiler alert: There's a lot of protein
Chicken breast and broccoli

Whether you're a fan of mixed martial arts (MMA) or just curious about the behind-the-scenes routines of professional fighters, you might be wondering how UFC champions "Suga" Sean O'Malley and Aljamain "Funkmaster" Sterling get ready for fight week.

One slightly controversial part of their prep is cutting weight up to the fight. Weight cutting is a common practice in most combat sports and refers to dropping weight before a competition to compete in a specific weight class.

Read more
Shohei Ohtani all but gone, MLB franchise LA Angels may also lose Mike Trout: Report
Our GM hopes they both move to Chavez Ravine to play for The Dodgers
Shohei Otani playing baseball

The Los Angeles Angels may be on their way to a major team overhaul. Shohei Ohtani, who is one of the best and most innovative two-way players in the history of baseball, has already made it clear that he wants to leave the team, and now, news has broken suggested that Mike Trout, the team's other major star, could also be on his way out the door. Needless to say, losing both of their major stars could have an enormous impact on what the Angels look like moving forward.
Shohei Ohtani is almost definitely leaving
At the end of this season, during which Ohtani has been riddled with injuries, the phenom will be a free agent, and those closest to the league suggest that he's likely to sign with another team. Everyone from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the New York Mets is expected to pursue him this off-season for understandable reasons, and Ohtani has previously made it clear that he's not necessarily thrilled with the way this season has gone for the Angels, who are set to miss the playoffs completely.

Ohtani has yet to formalize any sort of deal with another team, but the question seems to be more about where he'll end up than whether he'll stay with the Angels. The team did choose to hold onto him past the trade deadline, a move they say they don't regret, so it's still possible that the two sides find some way to come to an agreement. In all likelihood, though, Ohtani's time with the Angels is done, and he'll be in a new uniform when the next season starts.

Read more