# 1
Yakima FatCat EVO 6 Ski and Snowboard Carrier - Locking - 6 Pairs of Skis or 4 Boards - Black
Just got my Yakima Fatcat EVO 6 ski carrier (black finish) and I am stoked. Note that this is different than the Fatcat 6 (non-EVO, previous generation) carrier. This is my first ski carrier, but I and/or my kids ski about once a week at Alta and Snowbird when the lifts are running, so I expect it to get lots of use. Etrailer shipping was fast and item was packed in a sturdy secondary box. PROS: 1. I love the sturdy build and quality finish of the carrier. 2. The design allows many micro-adjustments to fit to your vehicle and to fit the skis. For instance the spring-loaded hinge on one end and the lock on the other end can naturally accommodate different thickness skis. 3. Carrier has a usable width (i.e. width of skis side by side) of 32.75 inches (832 mm). For those that are not skiing on 75-mm-wide skis from 30 years ago, this carrier might actually allow you to fit 6 pairs! 4. Separate mounting brackets for aero or for square/circle cross bars. The aero brackets fit securely on my Acura/Honda OEM cross bars. The flat part of your skis will be about 3 inches (76 mm) above your cross bars. 5. A built-in lift bracket that lifts by an additional 3 inches (76 mm) the hinged end of the carrier, if you have really tall bindings (I don't think I'll need to use it). 6. The aero brackets use a rubber coated steel strap to wrap under your cross bars. This strap has a quick release cam on one end that can be operated when the carrier is not key-locked. This means you can remove or install the carrier without tools in about 4 minutes, once you've done the initial install-related tuning. While the carrier seems sturdy enough to leave on the vehicle all winter, I expect I'll only install it on ski days. This feature really sets this model apart and for me was its biggest selling point. 7. Yakima packages the carrier in a nice-looking sturdy cardboard box with a flap lid. I can fit the two parts of the carrier in the box, with the brackets/straps still installed, for convenient storage (see picture). CONS: None so far, though I haven't yet actually hauled skis up the mountain! After this ski season is over and eTrailer asks me for a follow-up review, I'll let you know. I'm also thinking about seeing if the ski carrier can be attached to my small hitch-mounted cargo carrier. That would make loading and unloading the skis easier than on the roof.
First off...you can't beat the service of etrailer.com. I was looking for a ski rack for my son's 2012 Subaru Impreza with the factory roof rack (base model not the sport). I could find no reviews of anybody installing one of these on one of those. I took the plunge and will say that I am very happy with the outcome. The installation is a bit tricky and four hands help, but after the first one was installed we had the hang of it and the second one went on very quickly. Even with the expedited shipping this rack was about $50 cheaper than the Subaru ski rack. Again the etrailer.com service is fantastic. I have purchased products here before and will do so again.
# 2
Rhino-Rack Ski and Fishing Rod Carrier - Locking - 2 Pairs of Skis or 4 Fishing Rods
Last year I purchased Rino ski racks from etrailer and they work great . The hardware fit my roof racks and all the fittings are tight. Ordering was easy. Shipping was fast and I even got a follow up personal email from George a year later asking how I liked them - which was impressive! I would definitely recommend etrailer as an honest and good outdoor gear company!
My second Rhino Rack. I use the racks for skiing and fishing pole. I travel a lot and have never had a problem with them. The Installation is simple and can be completed in under 15 minutes. Etrailer was cheaper than amazon, didnt charge for shipping, and I got the rack a few days after ordering. Would totally recommend etrailer.
# 3
Rhino-Rack Ski and Snowboard Carrier - Locking - 6 Pairs of Skis or 4 Boards
I'm completely satisfied with my purchase from etrailer. First, the company provides terrific support, from installation instructions to responding quickly to questions. Second, the carriers are great. They are easy to install and remove. I am confident they are securely installed and my skis are safe. I wasn't worried about them as I drove down I-80 in Wyoming at 80mph. Having the skis on the roof made it possible for me, my wife, our infant son in his car seat, our dog, our cat in his carrier, and our luggage to fit in our car so we could enjoy a week-long ski trip in Utah. The only reason I held back from giving a 5-star review is the noise. I might be able to reduce it by moving around the rail inserts or adding an air dam. I'll report back if either of those work. Until then, I'll happily and confidently keep using the carriers.
E trailer I have a 2019 Mazda6 and purchased the rhino rack series 2500 parts (fit kit #DK289, foot pack #RRRLKVA, aero crossbars#RRVA126B-2), and the rhino rack snowboard/ski carrier #RR576. My car does have fixed mounting points underneath the strip on the roof so I opted to add them to my roof and not use the clamp for kit that goes in the door jam. Every time I entered the year, make, and model of my car, the parts came up with the clamp fit kit part #DK387 which I did not want. But after some research, I found the correct fixed mounting point fit kit. The site of course told me that this part wouldn’t fit my car but after looking at the customer reviews, I saw them used on Mazdas. All of the rhino rack instructions were not the best. We did have to make some adjustments. One of the instruction packs tells you how long you’re supposed to cut the rubber pieces that go into the crossbars based on your car but unfortunately, the measurements were wrong for my car (picture- front 166mm is wrong). The front bar length was about an inch too short and I had to add more rubber to make it longer to fit the fixed mounting points on my roof. After some time of trying to interpret the instructions, and looking up whatever available instructional videos were online, we finally finished installing them and they do look really nice. At higher speeds on the highway I can definitely hear more noise. The actual snowboard carrier is fine, fits all 4 boards fine. It is a little difficult to close once I have my boards in there because you have to push the top bar all the way down and hold it down to be able to turn the key to lock it. I’m just happy I don’t have to shove the boards in my trunk. I do like that all the parts in this series come with locks and keys. So far no problems. Overall good product.
# 4
Rhino-Rack Ski and Snowboard Carrier - Locking - 4 Pairs of Skis or 2 Boards
I have had a Rhino Rack on my Ford Explorer for a year and travel many miles as a ski racing official. The installation was quick and simple and durability has been impressive. I would definitely recommend these racks.
Howzit etrailer.com & staff. the rack itself is sturdy and more aero than comparable units. For my 2017 Subaru Crosstrek (OEM) Aero Bars, it was necessary to shim the (rear) lower/leading edge clamp assembly with two 1/8” x 1.5” x 1.5” (EPDM) rubber pads. The bars are shaped like a wing – and these shims helped to level the rear rack with the one in front. Overall - it looks very clean and functional. I might screw on some rubber ends over the ends of the mounting bolt to complete the project. Time to make some turns. Thank you!!
# 5
Thule SnowPack Ski and Snowboard Carrier - 4 Pairs of Skis or 2 Boards - Black
The folks at E trailer are great people to deal with. Very knowledgeable and put me on the exact product I needed, and for the right application. Highly recommend this company!
Thule makes excellent products no matter what you need.and always get them from etrailer they have the best customer service bar none.
What our customers are saying:
"WOW! I am impressed! I called to place my order and real person answered, spoke perfect English, albeit a slight southern accent, and my order was sent within a day, shipped quickly and I had it a few days later. I saved over a hundred dollars over local and installed it my self. I cant imagine how that they could do any better. THANKS!"