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The X Cargo Roof Top Carriers and bugging out

By Joseph Parish

Often times we drive down the highway and make a mental note of one of the cargo roof top carrier which appears on many of the vehicles that we pass. At once we start to wonder as to the value of these items during a possible bug out situation. Would they benefit us? Do they have any sort of merit in survival? These are questions which we need to answer.

The cargo carriers usually come in various colors including white and gray which would tend to hide the items more so then the brighter colors would. I once had one installed on my BOV that was painted olive drab but we must keep in mind that the BOV was actually camouflaged also.

The sizes of many of them are approximately 18 cubic feet while some of the more streamlined units are now a bit smaller. The smaller units tend to be more aerodynamic in contrast to the older and larger carriers.

The sears units generally run around $250 dollars while the streamlined ones are just about the same price. Unlike the unit which I installed on my BOV the new units come with straps and hooks where you can remove them when you no longer need them. Mine was simply permanently attached.

As for weight – the larger unit will hold about 100 pounds while of course the streamlined one holds a little less. The nice part of the streamlined ones is that they take up less space on your rooftop and thus you could perhaps place two on there – one on each side. You can readily store Bug out equipment inside, duffle bags and luggage, or just about anything imaginable. The units have provisions for locking them to secure the contents from theft.

The carriers when purchased are completely assembled and you have basically nothing to do to them other then to secure them to your vehicles roof top. They are made of heavy ABS plastic and are extremely durable.

On a bit of a negative aspect of them I did experience some rather difficult driving times during periods of high wind. There was also an increase in wind sound as I drove along however it doesn’t take long before one gets accustomed to the wind sound.

I certainly plan on installing another of these units on the new BOV as soon as I can. I will more then likely use the smaller and more sleek streamlined ones this time. You owe it to yourself to investigate the possibility of using these cargo carriers during your planning of your BOV.