car top carrier
I was pleased with the car top carrier, except for one thing. I had left the carrier on overnight & it rained. The water pooled in the middle & soaked through. We just took it off & left it to dry, but now I know that you cannot leave it on, if it rains. I did drive through some very heavy rains & the inside stayed dry, so it is OK while loaded, just not empty.
Good quality, strong, but SMALLER than expected
I usually don't write reviews for items. If you are looking for a rooftop bag please pay attention to size. I was VERY disappointed when I hooked it up to my Toyota 4-Runner and found I couldn't pack as much stuff as I had planned. I once borrowed a friends rooftop bag and his no name bag must have been twice as big. The quality of this Thule bag is EXCEPTIONAL, packed it tight and drove 150 miles with no problems. I was able to pack one flat folding chair, a couple of chairs that were rolled up in those carry bags, a sleeping bag, a blanket and some tightly rolled towels, plus a few other small items tucked into the sides. I am only giving it four stars due to the small interior size of this bag. Hope this helps.
only leaks when it rains
I bought the Thule Escape II rooftop soft carrier bag for a trip from Atlanta, GA to Denver, Co. I decided to pay the extra money for a deluxe bag that wouldn't leak. I got it thru orsracksdirect for 136.75 including shipping. It has padded sides and a padded bottom to help hold its shape. The straps worked fine and the zipper looks sturdy- the defect is that it leaks water into the bag so everything in the bag was slightly damp and I got about a cup of water in the bottom. Since this was a two day trip each way I discovered it only leaks if it rains. Both days on the way back from Denver it rained 3 to 4 hours of drive time each day on the highway and it leaked both days. It is a simple bag that has a flap to keep water off the zipper and the front of the bag doesn't open so it seems like it shouldn't leak. I talked to Thule and after waiting on hold for 20 minutes they said the lifetime warranty doesn't cover leaking and that all the rooftop bags they sell would leak if it rained. So they were sorry it leaked!
I wasn't shocked it leaked (I put some of my stuff inside a tupperware container) but I am very disappointed with it and that customer service doesn't replace it or mail out a seam sealer. Since the product says on the box "holds up to mother natures toughest conditions" I asked them what that meant - they couldn't say. They did note the fine print in the warranty that says it doesn't cover leaking. So the best thing to do for warranty replacement is to carefully cut some of the threads on a seam so it doesn't look torn then call for warranty replacement, but of course the replacement may also leak.
I should have just bought the cheap bag at Walmart for .00 and used trash bags on my stuff inside it, which is what I guess I'll have to do anyway.
It has label inside that says "made in China" - not Sweden, not USA.
So Far So Good
Bought this cargo bag instead of a hard cased carrier, really for price and for storage options. We also only need something like this once or twice a year on family trips.
We just used it for the first time (3hr trip to the beach). I've got a 2002 Pathfinder with a stock roof rack.
* Simple to install, everything fit fine.
* Comes with a storage bag when not in use thats about 2.5 ft by 3 ft.
* My vehicle drove perfectly, no extra noise and I didn't know that we were toting something on top. I had to remember before heading into the drivethru so I wouldn't bust it off.
* I didn't try to pack it full on this first use, but we were able to get a baby stroller in there (a big travel system thing, not an umbrella stroller). I also put in a regular sized roller-board bag, along with a couple of other smaller bags that I could contort a bit.
* Only took 20 minutes to open box and get up, and now it will probably take 5 going forward.
Great product so far, if something starts to fail I will repost.
Reliable, Good Option for Soft Carrier
I used this to travel 2700 miles from Atlanta to San Francisco and it was worthwhile carrier. It is pretty spacious and fit lots stuff for a soft carrier (15 cubic feet). Most soft carriers are smaller and more flimsy. This is a tough piece but totally light and portable. Its made of thick canvas covered by thick plastic covers/flaps for water protection. It also has a lot of padding. Per a friends suggestion, I put a few rubber kitchen drawer liners between the carrier and my roof to protect my roof in case it moved but it did not. It rained on part of the trip and my stuff was safe.
It can be put on by one person and fits to all racks. I have a vibe hatch back and many of the hard top carriers do not fit on my car because the roof rack is short compared to SUVS. This could easily fit from an SUV or a small car
If you are looking for a soft carrier that is tough this is a good option.
Product Description:The Escape cargo back offers box like protection with the convenience of a compact storage.
Product Description:The Thule 866 Escape II Rooftop Cargo Bag has a great new styling with the same great weather protection. With Thule's Escape II your next adventure is within your reach, no matter the size of your car or your budget.
The Escape II has a rugged, updated styling that is consistent with Thule's cargo bag family, and mounts directly to most after-market and factory-installed roof racks. This cargo bag features an oversize rain flap to protect its zippers from weather, easy-to-grab handles for easy bag handling, and internal foam-insert construction that helps maintain the bag's shape for easier packing. Constructed of heavy-duty tarpaulin with taped seams for solid water resistance, the Escape II provides you with the storage capacity of a cargo box without the storage dilemma. This rooftop cargo bag is equipped with interior cargo-management pockets and netting, and has a load capacity of 15 cubic feet.
What's in the Box?
866 Escape II rooftop cargo bag, 4 x attachment straps, and instruction guide
Manufacturer's Warranty
Limited lifetime warranty