# 1
Rhino-Rack Ski and Snowboard Carrier - Locking - 3 Pairs of Skis or 2 Boards
I think these racks will be excellent during ski outings for many years. I attached them directly to the C-grooves on my Aero bars rather than using the provided clamps. The C-groove attachment is stronger and slightly lower profile. I love the large release buttons!.
I can't ski, I fly fish. However my oldest decided to try downhill skiing after being gifted a pair of skis. I am budget minded should the skiing not work out and after breaking many rod tips decided this might solve 2 problem. I am very pleased w/this equipment holder. It has transported skis & ski poles too and from and no longer does my oldest have to dodge skies coming over the back seat. So far it has taken abuse from the rain (& freezing rain), snow, ice, rapid warming, road salt, and upwards of 70mph and there has been no shifting, loosening, breaking of plastic or any other noticeable problems. I am excited for spring to see how it transports my fly rods.
# 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!
Great product! I think it's a bit expensive but well worth it. I bought it to transport my fishing poles. So no long rods in my new SUV.
# 3
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.
What our customers are saying:
"I received it yesterday. What can I say? Your quick and the product arrived in excelent shape. Too bad my car hasn't arrived yet, scheduled for production on 12-31-01, Thanks again, Tom"