Roof Cargo Bag, Trailer Hitch, and Cargo Carrier Recommendations for a 2015 Chevy Trax  

Question:

Helpful Expert Reply:

By XL cargo bag I believe you are talking about Rightline bag # RL100S30. This bag will fit on vehicles with or without a roof rack (side rails or crossbars). The bag is 48 inches long and 40 inches wide so compare that to the available space on your 2015 Chevy Trax. You don't want the bag hanging over the sides of the vehicle roof!

If the roof rack on your Trax is just the side rails and there is no gap beneath them to attach a strap then I recommend adding the car clips # RL100600 to avoid having to run straps through the interior of the vehicle. I also recommend the protective pad # RL100650 to not only protect the vehicle roof but to also help keep the bag from shift in transit. Another helpful item is a tire step, # ALL647596 which is safer than standing in an open vehicle doorway.

Be sure to consult the vehicle owner's manual and/or Chevy for the roof weight carrying capacity prior to loading.

As far as if a hitch mounted carrier or roof carrier is the better option it all depends on what you will be carrying. If you are carrying basic luggage like clothing and toiletries then a roof bag is great because those things are easy to load and unload. Heavier cargo such as coolers, gear, and those sorts of things are probably going to be better on a hitch mounted carrier.

There is nothing stopping you from using both! If you want to explore the hitch option then you will need a trailer hitch, # C11527. This is a Class I hitch with a 1-1/4 inch receiver. I recommend a light weight cargo carrier such as # C18145 which weighs 29 pounds. This hitch has a 200 pound weight capacity, so a light carrier will maximize the amount of weight you can put on the carrier.

expert reply by: Michael H

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