Whether it be a camping excursion or a long, cross-country road trip you are preparing for, the best rooftop cargo bag will make the perfect travel buddy, allowing you to store all your traveling essentials more effectively. The only problem is finding the best rooftop cargo bag, and that’s exactly where this guide will come in handy. It’ll not only cover some of today’s top models, but it’ll provide you with pertinent information as to what to look for when shopping for the best rooftop cargo carrier bag.
Contents
Best Rooftop Cargo Bags Compared and Review
Our Top 3 Picks
Last update on 2024-07-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1. Car Top Carrier Roof Bag
First up on the list is the Car Top Carrier Roof Bag. This long-lasting cargo bag with specifically designed material was constructed to last trip after trip thanks to its rugged and durable waterproof design. Cheaper bags might fall apart after repeated use and exposure to the elements, whereas this specific carrier will thrive.
In fact, it comes backed with a 2-year warranty and 100% satisfaction guarantee saying that it will. Within the first two-year if you experience problems or simply don’t like the bag, all you have to do is return it and get your money back or get a replacement. This is a guarantee that you can’t beat or one that a lot of manufacturers aren’t willing to offer.
Bonus Protective Mat
This Car Top Carrier Roof Bag was designed to provide complete convenience and that’s exactly what it does. In fact, it can be installed without the use of a roof rack, making the installation versatile and this bag one of the top car top carrier without roof racks. You don’t have to spend extra money on a roof rack, but what’s even more impressive is that the bag comes with a protective rubber mat that can be placed between the bag and the top of the vehicle to provide protection against scratching and marring of the paint.
2. RoofBag Rooftop Cargo Carrier Bag
With 15 cubic feet of storage and manufactured right here in the United States, you can rest assured that you are getting quality when you invest your money in the RoofBag Rooftop Cargo Carrier Bag. An investment, that’s exactly what this bag is because it was specifically designed to last trip after trip.
The 100% waterproof design will provide the durability that you need to keep all your essential safely stored in a variety of weather conditions. Come rain, sleet, shine, or snow, you won’t have to worry because the bag also resists extreme heat conditions. This bag has also received one of the highest customer ratings among soft car top carriers, which should tell you something about its reliability and dependability.
Heavy-Duty Safe Fabric
You just learned that the RoofBag Rooftop Cargo Carrier Bag is 100 percent waterproof. And, this is because it is designed of specifically formulated heavy-duty polyester liquid-coated vinyl on both sides. Most bags are only laminated, which leads to eventual rips and tears. This one is heavy-duty vinyl, which specifically prevents against these conditions. In addition to all this, the bag is constructed from non-toxic and non-harmful materials. You can clearly see that this soft cargo carrier has all the essentials and more!
3. RoofPax Car Roof Bag And Rooftop Cargo Carrier
The RoofPax Car Roof Bag offers 19 cubic feet of storage whereas the RoofBag only offers 15 cubic feet. Not only does this specific bag boast more storage space, but it is one of the only bags available on the market today that was engineered specifically for safety. It was designed for maximum safety, as it comes with 4 free door hooks. These hooks allow you to hook the bag to the vehicle rather than strap and tie like traditional carriers.
Tying down roof bags might be effective, but can be highly dangerous as they have the potential to interfere with airbags. This is something you won’t have to worry about with a carrier like this.
Military Quality Waterproof
In addition to the safety design, this bag was not only also designed for quality and waterproof capabilities, but it was designed with military quality. That’s right, the military quality materials are waterproof with dual seam technology and water repellent double coating that’ll come in handy while providing pertinent protection in a variety of situations.
The RoofPax Car Roof Bag also includes a built-in protective mat and 10 elastic Velcro strap restrainers that prevent flapping. Some of the other safety features included are heavy-duty zippers, 10 strong straps with NIFCO buckles, and 8 Velcro straps.
4. FIVKLEMNZ Car Roof Bag Cargo Carrier
You can read all the roof bag reviews you want and you likely won’t find anyone saying anything bad about the FIVKLEMNZ Car Roof Bag Cargo Carrier. This is not to say that it doesn’t have some negatives, but the positives far out way the negatives. In fact, one of the negatives is that it only offers 15 cubic feet of storage, but this really is still quite a bit.
However, this rooftop carrier bag makes up for the lack of space with its versatile installation. It was not only designed to install easier than ever, but it can be installed with or without racks, making it more than suitable for all makes and models while also eliminating the need to purchase and install an additional rack.
30-Day Guarantee With 24/7 Support
When you invest in the FIVKLEMNZ Car Roof Bag Cargo Carrier you are basically getting to try the product before fully investing. Sure, you’ll have to spend the money upfront, but if there is anything you don’t like about the bag or experience problems, you have 30 days to return it and get a full refund, no questions asked. Couple this with the 24×7 available support, and you are looking at one company that is on top of their game.
They are also on top of their safety as well, as the FIVKLEMNZ Car Roof Bag Cargo Carrier utilizes 8 reinforced adjustable straps to keep the carrier in place. Couple this with the anti-slip mat and you’ll never have to worry about flapping or slipping at high speeds with this cargo roof bag.
5. Smashier Car Rooftop Cargo Carrier Bag
With 16 feet of cubic storage offer, the Smashier Car Rooftop Cargo Carrier Bag is somewhere in the middle as far as storage capacity goes. However, when it comes to other aspects with this luggage bag for top of the car, you can say that it excels in its own right. In fact, there are many areas where you could put it in a class of its own. First off, just look at the military-grade nylon Cordura fabric. This is a fabric that is strong enough for the US military, offering protection against extreme weather conditions as well as dust, wind, and rain.
Safe Driving
While this bag might feature superior weatherproof designs, it was also designed with complete safety in mind. The upgraded 6 secure connection pads utilize advanced high-frequency seaming technology to prevent against tearing and leaking. It also features night-reflective strips that offer visibility during complete and total darkness.
Most importantly, the 10 included Velcro straps will keep the Smashier Car Rooftop Cargo Carrier Bag completely restrained to the roof at all times while also preventing flapping and reduced noise. Combine this with the additional non-slip mat, and you are looking at one of the best waterproof root cargo bag kits available today.
6. Rightline Gear Sport 2 Car Top Carrier
With its affordable price, 15 cubic feet of storage, and completely waterproof design, it is more than hard to beat everything that the Rightline Gear Sport 2 Carrier has to offer. Combine this with the fact that they are constructed and manufactured by one of the most trusted names in the industry right here in the United States, and you are looking at a quality bag that’ll serve all your traveling needs.
The one-year warranty should be enough to give you peace of mind knowing that you are investing in quality. Within the first year if you experience any problems whatsoever, just contact the manufacturer and they will rectify the situation. Whether it means replacing the bag or repairing it, they will be more than willing to do so for free.
Easy Installation
The Rightline Gear Sport 2 Carrier literally includes everything that you need to get started and finish the installation. In fact, you can attach the bag and have it fully loaded with all your essentials in just a matter of minutes. You’ll be ready to hit the road in no time with this impressive cargo carrier. Upon initial purchase, this carrier includes 4 attachment straps, 4 car clips, and a stuff sack with a sewn-in set up guide.
7. SANHiMA Roof Cargo Carrier Bag
Offering the norm of 15 cubic feet of storage, the SANHiMA Roof Cargo Carrier Bag is not only spacious, but it boasts a beautiful eye-catching design that won’t greatly impact the overall look of your vehicle. If anything, it will only enhance the appearance. Regardless, the heavy-duty construction of these roof bags for cars is unlike anything that most people have ever seen.
You’ve already seen some impressive designs, but this luggage carrier for car without roof rack offers something entirely different. It offers a heavy-duty PVC coated mesh construction with 500D PVC fabric that offers nearly double the protection of traditional designs.
Advanced Seaming Technology
Not only does this already impressive bag boast a design that is two times more durable than the traditional models, but it utilizes what is known as advanced seaming technology. This is a type of high-frequency technique that is applied to the seam throughout the entire carrier as well as the connecting pads, providing the ultimate protection against seam tearing and ripping.
The SANHiMA Roof Cargo Carrier Bag is affordable and durable and also offers excellent protection against the elements, corrosion, UV, and scrapes. Back with one of the most competitive prices on the market, it really is more than hard to beat everything that this impressive cargo carrier has to offer.
8. Car Top Carrier Waterproof Cargo Carrier
The Car Top Carrier Waterproof Cargo Carrier might be the last on the list, but that in no way reflects its design, craftsmanship, or quality. In fact, this bag boasts the largest storage capacity out of all the bags mentioned here. With 20 cubic feet of storage, you won’t have a problem bringing along all the essentials and more on your next trip.
Whether it be a camping trip or a road trip, you’ll have plenty of room for everything that you need and more. This will make your trip all that much more enjoyable by providing more room inside that cabin or trunk. Never sacrifice interior space again with the Car Top Carrier Waterproof Cargo Carrier, but this is just the start.
Waterproof Design With Durable Materials
Any time you are going to invest in a cargo bag, you must make sure that it is waterproof. Given that it will be installed on the outside of the vehicle and exposed to the harsh elements, it would be virtually useless to invest in anything less. Luckily, these are all things that you’ll never have to concern yourself with when you invest in the Car Top Carrier Waterproof Cargo Carrier. That is because it is not only constructed with some of the highest quality materials known to man, but it features a complete 100 percent waterproof design that will keep your belongings and essential safe in a variety of weather conditions.
Whether it be rain, sleet, snow, or extreme heat, all your personal belongings will be safe at all times. And, this is mostly in part thanks to the rubber laminated nylon and waterproof PVC material. This material not only covers the entirety of the bag, but it also covers the sides as well as the zipper, meaning that the Car Top Carrier Waterproof Cargo Carrier offers the utmost in protection and quality.
Types Of Rooftop Cargo Bags & Boxes
When you are out there perusing the market for the best rooftop cargo bag, you’ll no doubt find that there are literally thousands available. Different makes, different models, different manufacturers, different colors, different styles, and different names. Regardless of the situation, there are going to be a lot of differences to wade through. While having choices is always a good thing, it can sometimes make your decision all that much more difficult. The best place to start and narrow down your search is by knowing all the different types of cargo carriers that are available to you. That’s exactly what you are going to learn about right now, and later you’ll learn how to choose the best rooftop cargo bag.
While there are tons of different makes and models available today on the market, there really are only two major kinds of rooftop cargo boxes, depending on the materials used during the construction process. This would be the hard model design and soft model design. You probably already have a good idea as of the major difference between the two.
Hard Model – The hard model design is without a doubt the most commonly purchased today. These models are usually constructed from hard, robust materials like ABS plastics, which offer extreme resistance to pressure and weather conditions. They usually also feature a tough and rigid design that can be defined as a bulky to some users.
Soft Model – The soft cargo bags are obviously going to be constructed from softer materials even though they are just as robust as their counterparts. They are just as sturdy too, providing adequate protection that you need from wind and flapping. The only major difference is that they don’t offer that same kind of rigidity that you’d get with the hard models. These models are generally less expensive but are not really viewed as long-term products. Some designs do feature heavy-duty materials and constructions, but they’ll never outlast their counterparts with their plastic and PVC designs.
What To Look For When Choosing A Rooftop Cargo Bag
It goes without saying that choosing the perfect rooftop cargo bag isn’t easy. And this is in part due to all the options available. As you can already clearly see, there are tons and tons of makes, models, and manufacturers to choose from. Couple this with the sizes, designs, styles, materials, and colors, and it only makes the situation all that more confusing. That being said, it really comes down to your specific needs. What do you need from your cargo carrier? Figure this out, and you’ll be well on your way to finding the perfect carrier.
Size
Your first and most obvious consideration is going to be the size of the carrier. If the carrier won’t safely hold all your essentials, you are simply wasting your time and money. That being said, you do have to base the size of your carrier on the size of the vehicle that you are driving as well. Just because you might need a 20 cubic feet bag, it doesn’t mean that your vehicle will accommodate it. You might end up having to go with a 15 cubic feet bag.
To know exactly how much your vehicle can handle you’ll have to scour through the owner’s manual or do some research online. Carrier boxes do come available in a wide range of sizes and weights, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding one to fit your specific needs once you know exactly what they are. Factor in this with the storage capacity you need, and you’ll be well on your way to finding the best cargo carrier bag for you and your family.
Aerodynamics
Not only do you want the cargo carrier to complement your vehicle aesthetically, but you want it to complement it aerodynamically as well. Luckily, this won’t be too much of a problem today thanks to all the technology available. In the past, most cargo designs were bulky with not aerodynamics whatsoever. That really isn’t the case today. In fact, just about every carrier you’ll find on the open market today features some kind of aerodynamic design.
Mounting System And Safety
While these bags come available in a variety of varying features, they do have one unique thing in common. Do you know what that thing is? They all attach to the top of the vehicle. They might attach in different manners with different gear and accessories, but they all attach to the top of the vehicle. That being said, this is just one another of the many things that you’ll want to consider when choosing a make and model. You’ll want to consider how the carrier attaches to your vehicle. Some carriers might not even be suitable for your vehicle, as there are some models that require racks and other pertinent accessories.
Whatever the situation, you’ll want to make sure that the carrier you choose in viable for your vehicle. A lot of today’s models feature hooks, straps, and Velcro designs that make them suitable for just about any type of vehicle.
The Warranty And Manufacturer
Many might not think it’s important, but the name attached to the carrier could make all the difference in the world. As with most products, you’ll no doubt pay more for a more popular name, but that’s not the important thing here. The important thing is going with a name that is recognized in the industry for providing quality and dependability. A name that’s been around for ages and ages. This will guarantee that you not only get quality, but it will guarantee that you get a warranty and guarantee. Most reputable names in the cargo game today offer at least a one-year warranty on all their products, meaning can get a complete refund if something goes wrong within that first year. You’d be surprised at just how important this is.
