TheSamba.com :: View topic - Luggage Rack Bags--Reviews?

Wed Oct 22, 2025 9:25 am

I found and tried a relatively inexpensive waterproof cargo bag from Amazon that did seem to fit well and seemed to stay waterproof despite being left on the pop top (including with some rain happening at some point) for 3 weeks loaded.

However, the zipper along the perimeter that is supposed to compress it down, broke upon first use and I will be returning it. The primary reason for ordering that one vs Bus Depot or Go Westy was timing of shipping before a campout.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077ZVX5Q4

Hoping maybe the one from Bus Depot or Go Westy is better quality.

https://www.busdepot.com/vanbag

https://gowesty.com/products/luggage-rack-cargo-bag?variant=41426656755877

Anyone have experience with or opinions/reviews on either? Both seem to hold roughly the same amount. (Bus Depot listed at 5 cubic feet; Go Westy calculates to 4.6 cubic feet.)

Go Westy one seems to have handles that might be nice for loading-could load on the ground and carry it around, and chuck the whole thing up on the Bus. That could potentially make it useful in other applications, too. Can't decide if that is worth the $60ish price difference, unless maybe the quality is also overall much better.

Wed Oct 22, 2025 9:33 am

I can't help with those particular bags as my wife and I only use our luggage rack to carry folding camp chairs and a collapsible camp table. Each of those things come with their own storage bags which, while designed to be less durable than the luggage bags you linked to, only seem to last a couple years before wind buffeting during highway drives destroys them.

I would be interested to hear from others how long any of the luggage bags hold up over time.

Wed Oct 22, 2025 9:38 am

SCM wrote: I can't help with those particular bags as my wife and I only use our luggage rack to carry folding camp chairs and a collapsible camp table. Each of those things come with their own storage bags which, while designed to be less durable than the luggage bags you linked to, only seem to last a couple years before wind buffeting during highway drives destroys them.

I would be interested to hear from others how long any of the luggage bags hold up over time.

That's exactly why I want a luggage rack bag! I had the bag for my stand up paddleboard get wrecked by the wind on a long trip last year.

Wed Oct 22, 2025 11:12 am

vwwestyman wrote: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077ZVX5Q4

That appears to be a copy of the Rola bag, which is discussed here: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=464339 . I used the Rola without issue for years. My parents' van came with the GoWesty v1.0 bag, which lost its waterproof capability and began leaking pretty bad. I gave my dad my Rola since I wasn't using it any longer.

vwwestyman wrote: https://www.busdepot.com/vanbag

^That's very similar in style to the GoWesty v1.0 bag.

Wed Oct 22, 2025 12:17 pm

I bought the Bus Depot bag in your link (https://www.busdepot.com/vanbag) back in 2021 in prep for our trip up along the Alaska Highway and it has been on my luggage rack of my 76 Westy ever since.

We keep 4 chairs, a few stools, hoses for filling the solar shower, volleyball net & poles, ropes, pegs, tennis & badminton rackets, etc in it all the time. It has worked perfectly for us with no issues.

The bush bar on the front of my Bus acts as a ladder so easy access to take things out and put things back in. The bag is made of heavy duty material as are the zippers and it has remained waterproof all these years.

Wed Oct 22, 2025 12:53 pm

Bought a GoWesty bag in 2013, used it four or five years, edited gear since so no longer needed, but had no issues with it.

Very heavy-duty — a little overkilled and heavy from it, though overkill is fine here — but have it in storage and would use again if needed. Worth its fee.

Honestly, if ever needed again I’d probably buy an oversized tarp, roll it burrito style, and that’d be as dry as anything — but not for forever if exposed every day. We’ve done this in the past as well, and there’s indeed advantages in accessing individual gear on the roof after some unfolding instead of dealing with one single bag if and when it’s heavy.

Thu Oct 23, 2025 9:31 am

Ha ha, I scrolled through the thread Kam linked, and see that I commented about some bag back in 2021... Showing that I've been thinking about this on and off for quite some time! That thread later had someone show that the Rola bag had failed and wasn't recommended.

Before buying the Amazon bag, I hadn't tried anything, though I have looked on and off a few times over the past few years. I think part of the whole deal is since getting married and having a kid, I'm forced to bring a lot more stuff along and the Bus is always constantly a cluttered mess and it just irritates me. So I'm always looking for ways to manage that a little better.

Shonandb's review of the Bus Depot bag being on a Bus full time for several years, successfully, is quite encouraging! Even if the Bus is typically garaged (is it?) that seems like a good sign.

I pulled the bag off the Bus last night to get it sent back to Amazon. It had some charcoal, a charcoal chimney, oversized frisbee, and a collapsible trash can and table in there. I did also have a folding chair for me and kid-sized one for my son in there, until I took them out this past weekend. I think I wish it were a touch bigger. Though it probably isn't that much different than the actual amount of space of stuff I had up there for the past two camping trips.

Previously, I've used the tarp-burrito method to protect stuff up there. Always found that annoying and sometimes stuff would get wet if it wasn't done just right.

To secure the bag I'm returning, I didn't use the straps that came with it, but instead got two packages of straps similar to this:
https://www.menards.com/main/tools/automotive/towi...?exp=false

I had three loops of the straps going from the front to back rack tie downs, and one loop going across side to side, though that one may not be necessary.

The front to back loops, I eventually cut much shorter to so as to not have to deal with long pigtails and make threading them quicker.

Thu Oct 23, 2025 9:59 am

Whatever you do, keep in mind anything sticking above the roof has a profound effect on mpg.

Really I’m posting to thank you again for helping that new poster that was run off of here by the usual suspects. Hope they stuck with their van, even if never showing up here again. :oops:

Thu Oct 23, 2025 10:13 am

I’ve been using a big drybag, and sometimes adding 1 or 2 more drybags.
The big one is called Bill’s Bag by NRS, and it’s very heavy duty.
It will set you back $200-275, but there’s other options within NRS that are big, but cheaper.
I was lucky to find it in the discount bin, for I think way less than $50 bucks, perhaps $25.

I know this is the not the most convenient to access on a daily basis, I tend to use it on trips where I’m staying in one place for a few days. And I guess the same could be said for strapping it down - I tend to really secure it using NRS canoe/kayak straps.
One thing is for sure, nothing is getting wet!!
I have another large drybag, a bit smaller than this, that open's lengthwise. That one is more convenient for sure.
I’ve noticed no reduced gas mileage with it at all.

Thu Oct 23, 2025 11:35 am

vwwestyman wrote:

Shonandb's review of the Bus Depot bag being on a Bus full time for several years, successfully, is quite encouraging! Even if the Bus is typically garaged (is it?) that seems like a good sign.

I do keep the Bus in my garage M-Th most weeks but it's usually parked outside all weekend. We camp year round in all weather so the bag has held up well in the rain and snow and keeps things dry inside even after driving hours on the hwy.

It fits the luggage rack shape really well and even when packed full, it has a fairly aerodynamic shape. I typically carry SUPs, Kayaks, or Windsurfing boards on the roof on trips unless we are taking the trailer so I don't worry too much about the mileage differences.

We usually get about 23 mpg (hwy) with the bag on but without anything else on the roof racks and as low as 20 mpg with gear on the roof racks too. I haven't checked the mileage without the bag on to compare to though.

Thu Oct 23, 2025 11:59 am

I've used several bags over the years.

The Vanagon photo below features the GoWesty Vanobag, which was designed for the Vanagon exclusively. I used that from 2013 to 2022 when I sold the van. It was a zip-up design that was mostly waterproof. It traveled about 15,000 miles in the roof rack and was a solid performer.

The Eurovan photo below features the GoWesty Luggage Rack Cargo Bag, which is marketed for all vehicles. The LRCB is a rollup closure design and I really like it. I have used it for about 10,000 miles on the Eurovan, also a solid performer.

I have also used a third, smaller bag, shown in the bottom Eurovan photo, the Malo'o Waterproof Dry Bag. The size I have is 60L but the 100L would also fit in the rack. It's also a rollup closure design.

The GW LRCB is perfect for kayak paddles (the kind that bisect in the middle), PDFs, and all the gear needed for two kayakers.

The Malo'o is perfect to keep smaller stuff out of the way--bicycle helmets, etc.

The Malo'o is also perfect for a personal bag inside the van. Before any long road trips, I give this bag to my wife and tell her to make it work. I have another similar bag for myself. Whenever we pull into camp, these two dry bags come out from the tailgate and go into the otherwise unused driver seat, thus freeing the bed space. If we really need the driver seat space, they're dry bags, so we just throw them outside.

All of these bags have been through severe storms at 75MPH and did just fine. The Malo'o also was my dry bag for an 80 mile canoe trip this summer on the Current River in Missouri. It survived a capsize event where the canoe and all gear inside of it were swept upside down, 100 yards down a whitewater rapid part of the stream. It did have a little water in it after that, but I think I can cut the bag some slack after such a crucible.

Summary: the big GW LRCB is great, and the Malo'o 60L is also great. Both will make extra wind noise and reduce your mileage on long trips due to drag.

kourt