Rola Expandable Cargo Bag - Water Resistant - 9-1/2 to 11-1/2 cu ft

by: Tony12/31/2010

Even my wife said so Prior to our family trip I purchased the following items for my 2004 Hyundai Tiburon: Draw-Tite Class I Trailer Hitch Receiver #24726 20x48 Cargo Carrier Fits 1-1/4"" Trailer Hitch Receiver Hitch #6500 Rola Expandable Cargo Bag, 9.5 to 11.5 cubic feet #59102 Tiburons do not have a lot of cargo space, and mine has even less as I have 2 twelve inch subwoofers in an enclosure in the cargo area. I did the installation myself, which was easy, and the setup worked flawlessly. I was able to take luggage for two adults and two teens for a three day trip without stuffing items between the kids in the back seat and floor spaces. I could not even tell I had a cargo carrier on the back of the car. My fuel economy was not adversely affected because the carrier rides behind the car instead of on top where it would cause drag. I still had complete access to my rear cargo area via the lift back. This was one of the best purchases I have made, even my wife said so. 4840

Click to Enlarge

Click to Enlarge

Click to Enlarge

by: Tim Infusino01/03/2014

Very strong and durable! keeps my cloths clean and dry even in the Crappy slushy WI winter weather! excellent buy 111823

Wow! I am very impressed with your follow up! I use most of them every weekend and still look like new! Cannot have been happier! Product looked more sturdy then most on the market, sndstill is by far the strongest back rack I have seen. I have recommended it to family and friends through your company every chance I get. Thank you again for taking the time to check in with me! As a small business owner my self, this kind of person ability has become lost in this world, but I find it refreshing.

Tim I - 01/05/2015

by: Alan B.02/01/2014

Purchased this to use with the ProSeries #6500 Cargo Carrier to use on our 2005 Toyota Matrix (base model) - see pics with my review of that product. Works great - fits the carrier perfectly, can get lots of stuff in the bag and the bag feels really well made. The bag gets pretty stiff and hard to flex in single-digit weather, but no problems with it yet. 115415

1 year later and still working great - its been through several snowstorms, rainstorms, and below-zero temps and still keeps everything dry!

Alan B - 02/12/2015

by: Dave in Dallas07/27/2011

Used this with a cargo platform on a Corrolla for a 2000 mile vacation recently. Great value for the money. It kept our contents dry through periods of rain, did not seem to collect alot of road dirt, and the straps were holding without adjustment once it was loaded. The zippers worked smoothly. Overall the bag seemed to be well made and it should serve us for future trips as well. This turned out to be a great solution for four adults to travel in a smaller car (better gas milage) with a tiny trunk. Without this, there was no way we could have taken enough clothes to last the entire 10 day trip. Just one word for the wise, know that smaller cars (like our Corolla) get a little light in the front end when weighted down in the back. This causes the car to be very steering sensitive at highway speeds. I had no trouble adjusting to the change in steering response, but less experienced drivers may consider a dry run, before leaving on a long trip. Be safe! 20335

by: Austin P.08/29/2017

I purchased this bag along with a curt cargo carrier #C18145 and installed in my 2006 Subaru forester. The hitch on the car was also purchased from etrailer and is a curt #C12038. I loaded the bag for a weekend camping trip and strapped it into the cargo carrier. It did not take long for my exhaust to melt a large hole in the cargo bag. I wish there would have been a clear warning on the product about exhaust clearance. I measured a distance of 5 inches between the exhaust and the cargo rack with my setup. etrailer suggested I purchase an adapter that would raise the location of the cargo rack and offered a 5% discount on a new bag. 426367

Click to Enlarge

Austin,Thank you for your review.We recommend at least 12 inches of space between the exhaust tip and a cargo bag to avoid damage to the bag. Especially if your exhaust tip points straight forward and does not point downwards or to the side. You can use a multipurpose ball mount like D210 that will lift your cargo carrier up and away from the exhaust. Please keep in mind the tongue weight of this ball mount is 750 lbs so your cargo carrier weight and its contents cannot exceed that weight. Another option is purchasing an exhaust tip that points downwards. To get the correct exhaust tip you would need to measure the outside diameter of your exhaust pipe. Most of these exhaust tips are weld on applications. I have attached a link below.

-- Heather A - 08/29/2017

Helpful Link

by: Dane09/22/2015

The ordering and shipping process were faultless, however, I indicated a faster shipping method, and while I got the accessories 1 day faster, the actual rack didn't show up for another day and at 6pm. The bag is great and appears to be well constructed; the tie-downs are good but I would have liked a few more tie-points. The strapping system is from the top-down, and while I understand that the intent was to force you to strap it closed and therefore strap it down, having lower tie-points to the rack itself would be most helpful, and then you could use the top tie-straps as real compression straps. Overall I really like this bag and will be using it for girls select fastpitch softball practices and out-of-town tournaments where I need to store a bunch of game bags and equipment out of the weather and out of the vehicle. 226904

by: Donald11/20/2017

The Rola cargo bag (model 59102) was purchased in conjunction with the Curt carrier (model C18145) to take the family on a 2000 mile round trip to Disney Magic Kingdom and also Universal Park in Orlando, FL. The Rola bag did all that it was advertised to be! It is very well made, expandable, easy to tie to the Curt rack and protected the stowed items even in rain encountered on the way to Orlando. The Curt rack is simple to assemble and is stoutly made. it took me approximately 1 hour and that was including coffee breaks (I am 75 years old). Just sort out the parts and follow the instructions. Tools to use are the properly sized sockets with ratchet or just two adjustable wrenches. it is easy to mount to the auto receiver, whether 1-1/4 or 2 inch size. Price is very affordable for both products. 453679

by: Bruce06/29/2017

I ordered a couple different items but the primary reason for my order was a purchase of Thule cross bars to fit the factory rails on my SUV. I had done a lot of research of different brands but a discussion with an employee at etrailer.com convinced me that I was right in considering the Thule product to be the best fit for my needs. The cross bars arrived quickly & I installed them in about an hour. They look great (my wife said it looks like they were installed by the factory). I like them so much that I will consider purchasing a second set of cross bars for another vehicle. It is a pleasure doing business with a company like etrailer.com. They have excellent descriptions & photos of their products on their website, everything I needed was in stock & the service & follow up is remarkable! 401880

by: cross country move06/19/2012

I used the cargo bag on top of the car (on the roof rack) instead of using the bag in the rear of the car (on the trailer hitch). I was moving across the country (Massachusetts to Oregon) and needed a waterproof bag for extra stuff. I also have a hatchback, so having the bag in the back would not have worked. The bag itself was waterproof and durable (and kept everything dry for pretty much a week of driving through rain, hail and wind). Loading the bag on top of the car was a disaster because it essentially lost all shape when sitting on the cross beams of the roof rack. I ended up putting a plastic shelf in the bottom of the bag to give it structure (this would not be a problem if the bag is used how it is intended, on the back of the car). I would recommend this product to a friend. 44840

by: Jose M09/16/2013

I tok this bag fully loaded in a bad storm from Chicago to Wisconsin. It was about a four hour trip and driving at 70 mph with high winds and a deluge of water and not one drop of moisture in our baggage. I am extremely happy with my purchase. I was able to fit a cooler, three 24 inch long bags, two duffle bags and two school bags with no problems and I still had room left over. 100232

We've sent an email to Jose letting him know about your question. Keep an eye here on his review, if he has anything to add it will appear below. Exhaust needs to be considered for anything loaded on a cargo carrier, including this bag. How close the bag is to the exhaust tip, which direction the tip points and item material are all factors of whether or not the item will be affected. It's a good idea to check how hot the cargo carrier gets when the vehicle is parked and running, of course being careful not to burn yourself. Then load the carrier appropriately.

-- Patrick B - 11/12/2013

There are hitch extenders available, but they can end up reducing the tongue weight capacity of the hitch. That in turn, will mean that you may have to reduce the load in the carrier. I have added a link to hitch extenders available for 1-1/4 inch hitches. If you decide to get an extender, make sure it is compatible with a Class I hitch. Remember that the tongue weight is the weight of the cargo carrier plus everything you put on it.

-- Patrick B - 1/14/2014

by: Rebecca02/18/2013

This product was just okay. It served us well enough but it's not near as roomy as it might seem - 2 carry-on suitcases, a large Cabela's duffel and a small bag were about all it could hold. The tabs on the zippers tore off the first time we tried to zip it up and whatever it is made out of is incredibly stiff when it is cold. That all said, it did keep our stuff dry and secure. I just wish it were bigger. 66829

by: Bob S.11/19/2014

3300 Mile trip, very pleased with product. Bought this to fit on top of my CarPod M2200 with bag and lid. The CarPod bag is less than water resistant so I wanted to try the Rola for extra dry protected space. It fit perfectly atop the CarPod and was very secure. I also used the SportRack straps for additional lateral hold and they worked well. I am considering getting another Rola bag to replace the CarPod bad for greater rain resistance but the dimensions are different and capacity of the Rola is less. The lack of structural support was somewhat annoying so I made two frames for the ends using 1/2 inch PVC pipe and 90 degree corners which made loading easier and didn't seem to effect the capacity. 161901

by: Walt S.09/30/2014

The cargo bag looks like it is well constructed and I am looking forward to using it on my annual trek to Florida. 153663

Product performed perfectly. I highly recommend this cargo bag.

Walt S - 09/30/2015

by: mac m07/02/2015

product looks great and works well easy to install.....thanks 208829

it works great I keep my rubber boat and my camping stuff in it behind my motor home

mac m - 07/01/2016

by: b.lloyd07/23/2014

This is great. I've used the bag to carry chairs, tent, sleeping bags, and other light, bulky items on a couple of car-camping trips. The straps do a good job of holding the bag on the cargo rack and, with my 2009 Subaru Forester, I can even open the rear hatch when the Rola bag is full and expanded to its greater height. As for bring waterproof, I've only had one rainy experience: a deluge of near biblical proportion. The contents around the edges of the bag were vaguely damp which, under the circumstances, I consider a win. Any lesser rain storm (which, I'm certain, will be 99% of rain storms) will surely be kept out of this bag. 142682

by: stan b08/11/2015

Haven't used it yet. Seems exactly what I wanted though. 218409

still works great, stores easy, good stuff

stan b - 08/14/2016

by: Deidre M.08/27/2017

I ordered the ROLA rear cargo carrier with the rise in the hitch, the ROLA Walleroo(?) carrier expandable bag, the lights and a locking linch pin. I did extensive research to find what I needed for my car. The etrailer videos were extremely helpful. I have a Toyota RAV 4 and the hitch with the rise was the perfect fit. The cargo carrier is sturdy and well made, solid steel. Everything was easy to put together for two 65 year old women. The cargo bag holds an amazing amount of stuff, withstanding rain and road wear very well. All that research paid off with a worry free camping trip. 426170

by: Marcel07/22/2013

High quality. Material is thick and definitely water resistant. We had some pretty solid rain on my first excursion, not a drop inside the bag. Works perfectly with my cargo carrier (item #6500). One note is that it can be a little tough to get the back straps attached to the cargo carrier if you don't leave much space between the bumper and the carrier. Next time I'm going to attach the back straps BEFORE I mount the carrier to the vehicle. Also the straps can be a bit long if you don't fill the carrier completely. Be sure to secure them somehow. 90891

by: Paul C.02/16/2009

Don't settle for less On a Thanksgiving '08 trip to NC, my wife and I along with our daughters family of 4, packed all of our clothes into this "Waterproof/yea right ?" bag. We loaded it onto the cargo carrier and away we went. The trip home was a "Total" rainout,North to South!! But when we got to the daughters house in Ohio, were we suprised. Not "ONE" drop of water on anything inside the bag. The soft sided cooler,also on the carrier, was soaked and full of water. Money well spent. Thanks etrailer !!!!! 1581

by: Jason R.08/19/2016

Solid build, durable. Easy to attach to the cargo carrier. Felt very secure once strapped on. Drove 9 hrs both ways, no issues. Filled it up with several duffle bags, and didn't need to expand it to the fullest. Have a Mazda 5 and this solved storage issues for long journeys with 3 kids. 285717

Click to Enlarge

by: Janet M.04/11/2012

We love the cargo bag. I am attaching 2 pictures of it after it was loaded. 36853

Click to Enlarge

Click to Enlarge

by: Manie E.01/20/2017

This cargo bag works very well and it does hold a lot of gear. It is easy to install and pack. It is also fairly easy to access when we arrive at our campsites. I like the way it can be expanded/reduced depending on what we are hauling. The straps are well designed and work well. Depending on what needs to be carried, it may be helpful to use some kind of light weight material to help hold up the sides. Something like a kickboard works well for this purpose. 334004

by: Tammy L.06/18/2015

The Rola bag we purchased for our MaxxTow Cargo Carrier worked great, and we went through a lot of rain on our way to the Outerbanks and back! The only issue I would like etrailer.com to resolve is how it was packaged. We received it inside a box that had been stapled shut with very large staples, which of course punctured the otherwise water resistant bag inside. Since we didn't have time to send it back, my husband had to patch it with duct tape. 204292

by: Rob K.03/10/2011

All I can say is WOW!! The products I ordered are great, the delivery was very fast, and the service simply amazing. Everything arrived very quickly just the way I ordered (the boxes leave something to be desired as they seem to really take a beating) and installation was very straightforward. The instructional videos on the etrailer website are very much appreciated. An excellent experience that I would recommend to anyone. Thanks again!! 8999

by: David K04/04/2011

Quick delivery - ordered Monday morning, received Thursday afternoon - standard ground shipping. Used the next day on trip from Knoxville to Cincinnatti - fit perfect on Wel-Bilt cargo carrier from Northern Tool (~19" x 48" platform). Dry weather on trip, but construction and zipper cover looks like it would keep out any water from getting to contents. Third order I've had with e-trailer, and will continue to do business with them. 11050

by: Jon Paul09/25/2011

We received the bag along with our carrier in very good time. I was immediately impressed with bag quality. We are using on a Honda Element. The carrier and the bag fit neatly and allow for clear view of the tail lights and access to the upper part of the door. We will take our first road trip in a few weeks to give the full test. I was very impressed with the price, delivery and follow up by etrailer. Thank you all! 24537

by: NHHUN08/12/2010

Five years and going strong As mentioned I've had this bag for about 5 years and love it. It is starting to show a bit of wear but has many years left. We use it to go to our Maine house almost every weekend in the summer and 1/3 as often in the winter. The zippers and straps are holding up fine and it keeps everything dry. We fill it up each trip. Minimal maintenance is required. Also love the rack I purchased with it. 3346

by: Seth07/03/2016

Only used it once with the hitch hauler but it work out great! We went through a tremendous rain storm going to the beach in Florida from Georgia and it rained so hard I just knew our luggage would be a little wet from being in the "waterproof" bag but it was bone dry and not a drop of rain made it inside! Great addition to the hitch hauler or by itself if you want to use for extra storage on a boat or dock! 267723

by: April P.11/20/2013

I ordered this cargo bag to store luggage and create more room in the vehicle during a long distance move. We have not used it yet but it looks like quality construction overall and in the seams. Customer service through the ordering and delivery has been fantastic. I ordered standard UPS ground delivery which the company upgraded and the bag received in 4 days. Can't wait to put it to use next week! 107887

by: Lara M.07/14/2014

We used this for a family vacation to Michigan. It worked great and fortunately since it was vacation we did not have to test it in the rain! It worked great for luggage for 2 adults and 2 kids. It is very roomy and provided protection for nearly all of our bags/suitcases. We put a few items behind the seat in the back. It, however, seems like the perfect size for our carrier. 141297

by: Doug K08/27/2013

I am on dialysis and we do it at home. When we want to go on a trip, we haul my treatment machine and supplies with us. We purchased a cargo carrier for the back of my wifes Suburu and also order the bag to keep our supplies dry and clean. This cargo bag does both and we are completely satisfied with the construction and the tie downs of the bag to carry our supplies. 97186

by: Steven F.03/09/2011

Part 3 of 3 of my order. Ok, Hitch...check...Cargo Carrier...check...now the bag. A lot of space in here for the average traveler of 4. Very durable material with large zippers to protect everything inside. The velcro straps help keep any moisture from running up and into the zipper area. With 6 tie downs, this bag is really durable and safe. 8853

by: Joan F08/16/2012

we orderd over the phone. customer service person was excellent, knowledgeable very helpful and pleasant. product was in perfect condition and arrived when we were told it would. we installed it right away in time for our vacation and have found many options to fill it. we had rain overnight and all was dry when we went to use it. 51871

by: Yo Soc07/17/2015

Very impressed in the packaging and speed of delivery. Everything was in excellent condition when it arrived. The carrier was extremely easy to assemble. We will be using the carrier and cargo bag in the next week for our 12 hour trip to Destin. Anxious to see how much more room this will give my family of four in our Tahoe. 212618

by: Bert R05/31/2016

I bought this last year for a road trip. A year later its still working great. took it on a couple of camping trips. Jut have common sense about the zippers. do not put stress on them. otherwise great product. kept everything dry. I have been thinking about getting a second because they are so cheap why not have a spare. 254648

by: Cindy T07/15/2011

This product works beautifully with the Surco 20x48 hitch carrier. Although I didn't experience any inclement weather on my recent camping trip, I have no doubt that things would have remained dry, given the construction of the bag and materials used. The bag held a lot of firewood and a 50 qt cooler. Great investment! 19477

by: TGerry S.12/05/2011

Product is solid. Used it this past weekend for a trip to Chicago and Back from Detroit. Monsoon weekend. Kept all luggage dry and comfy. Seems durable, nice zippers and seams. Straps are a bit of a pain, a couple of Bungee cords are quicker and easier to secure and take off in the pouring rain ;> 27747

by: Bill D07/23/2014

Bag arrived early. Jammed it with lawn chairs for family reunion/wedding in NY. Went through rainstorm and every thing was dry. Proof is in durability though. It is perfect size for 48 inch carrier. Will it get brittle over time? So far so good . Used bungies and it worked fine. 142649

by: Phil A06/23/2011

Great product. Lots of space and very durable. Fits perfect on my cargo tray. 17749

Click to Enlarge

by: Lois05/31/2016

The stuff you put on a hitch rack is going to get dirty and possibly wet--much moreso than what you put on the roof. This serves to protect what is inside. The material is thin, which means that it folds to a small package for storage. Too soon to tell how durable it is. 254505

by: Pete H.02/07/2011

This bag is more than I expected. It is made from heavy durable material and looks like it will stand up to the nastiest of weather conditions on the road. Can't wait to road test it, we'll be using it a lot I think. It got here fast too. No problems what so ever. THanks 6789

by: Ken L07/26/2013

Took on a cross country trip from Indiana to Virginia. Very little rain, so I cannot comment on its rain-proofness. The bag seemed very durable and stayed in place. A combination of the cargo bag and a heavy load reduced my mpg (2008 Ram 1500) to about 15-16 mpg. 91697

by: Larry B06/09/2015

Delivered on time and product quality is excellent. I stuffed it for a five day trip through periods of rain and had no issues. The only recommendation I have would be to put quick clips on the six straps to make it easier to cinch down to the carrier. 202124

by: Ted L.01/07/2013

Carried Christmas presents 1500 miles. Very good protection against all weather conditions. Tie downs are very sturdy. Everything made it in good shape, even though was tied down in a hitch luggage carrier. I recommend as a relatively low cost carrier. 62556

by: Adam Sills04/04/2012

Nice, big bag, fit well in my cargo carrier (it was a little bigger than the inner dimensions of the carrier so I couldn't pack it completely full). It rained for 2 hours during my 4 hour trip and there wasn't any moisture in the bag when I opened it up. 36130

by: Wes K09/28/2008

Should work great I have not yet used this with my carrier but it looks like it should work well. It is well thought out. The flaps over the zippers look like they will really keep rain out. Pockets inside work to keep the strap from getting lost. 1321

by: Phil H12/27/2014

It is much better quality then I expected and the product is better than advertised in your description. This is a supper product. The only thing that could be improved are the straps, in bad weather they take a long time to install. 167040

by: MjK11/24/2016

Put about 5,000 miles on this bag the first year, ranging from a blizzard at Flagstaff, AZ to 111 degrees at Las Vegas, NV. Packed full all the time. Repelled the rain and snow. Outstanding size and value! I'd buy it again. 319444

The Rola Bag is still doing great after a year. I am planning to use it going to the LA area after Christmas.

MjK - 11/25/2017

by: Chris03/26/2011

Holds all of my camping gear, Haven't tried it out in the rain yet, but the storm flaps look like they will handle anything short of a tsunami. Delivery was fast [ordered Tues. arrived Thurs.--must have a warehouse in Memphis] 10445

by: Jeanie W10/14/2014

The products I ordered and used were great. They did not leak when we traveled through rain for a long period of time. The straps secured them and held the distance without any adjustments. Thank you for a great product. 155808