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How do you carry your skis/snowboards?
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outwesty
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 12:56 pm    Post subject: How do you carry your skis/snowboards? Reply with quote

I'm curious how most of you carry snowboarding gear on long trips. Having snowboards/ skis inside can kinda suck on extended trips I have found....especially with two people and a dog. I thought I would share some things I've tried.

Here was my first idea. Works well if you have a fiamma rack. I bought a cheap locking ski rack off of Craigslist and cut it down several inches to fit. It does partially block the plate but on the + side you can blow through the speed pass lane without getting a ticket in the mail.....kidding. This is ultimately why I abandoned this idea.

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Heres the second design. Boards across the top back to back. This allows you to still carry two bikes. nice...but pretty hard to access.

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Before cutting down.

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Most recent design. I had gary lee make the bars off the side slightly longer than he normally does. The boards do get dirty but I just carry a bottle of simple green to wipe them down if needed. If carrying two boards back to back the binding strap will hit the window so you can't use the rear wiper but thats no big deal. They do not block the tail light either which is a huge +. With the top down you can still open the hatch to it's fully open position.


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On my most recent trip I found you can store two in the pop top with bindings on rather easily. You might think this is dangerous but there is absolutely no way possible this could come down in an accident or rollover. The nose of the board is above the front lip of the pop top opening several inches. The board would break through the fiberglass before it came back inside the car.

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I'm building another van at the moment and curious what others have done. I thought about a rack that mounts inside across the passenger rear window. My buddy recently did this in a subaru and it works well. I'm not a big fan of having anything on the roof for mileage reasons but would consider it.

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Mountain1.8t
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thule Box + Side Ladder? Keeps everything clean and out of sight. Downside is probably worse gas mileage.
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outwesty
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 1:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Running_Man wrote:
Thule Box + Side Ladder? Keeps everything clean and out of sight. Downside is probably worse gas mileage.


I've considered this. On my Jetta it drops the mileage 3-5 MPG having two boards on the roof. Kind of a lot on a several thousand mile push.
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svenakela
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 1:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I throw them on the floor!
The small one is my five year old kid's board, he shreds pretty good now. Smile

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insyncro
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As I was an R&D rider, coach and professional snowboarder for over 15 years, I carried all boards in a Pakasport box atop the Syncro or inside it.
Most of my boards were unique one offs with Electra bases, so I didn't subject them to road salt or debris.
Swix was a sponsor and the interior of the van was full with waxing benches, boot driers and my gear.
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j_dirge
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 2:57 pm    Post subject: Re: How do you carry your skis/ snowboards ? Reply with quote

outwesty wrote:
I'm curious how most of you carry snowboarding gear on long trips.

I've been out of the scene for some 12 yrs now... kids.

In the day I carried my boards/skis, etc inside in bags...

Today they all ride on top in a big pile. Naked.
The skis and boards that is.. The kids wear their clothes and get to ride inside.
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danfromsyr wrote:
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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outwesty
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 3:22 pm    Post subject: Re: How do you carry your skis/ snowboards ? Reply with quote

j_dirge wrote:


Today they all ride on top in a big pile. Naked.
The skis and boards that is.. The kids wear their clothes and get to ride inside.


LOL nice.
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outwesty
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 3:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

svenakela wrote:
I throw them on the floor!
The small one is my five year old kid's board, he shreds pretty good now. Smile

]


Little shredders that's what I like to see. Tossing them on the floor is fine for short trips but on 2 + week trips I like to have it a little more organized.
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boulderdrop
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 3:45 pm    Post subject: Re: How do you carry your skis/ snowboards ? Reply with quote

outwesty wrote:
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FEB 2014: This is my new method. I took off the part of the bed that flips and play with sliding them back between then popup-top and the bed. Similar to your photo, but my board is a bit bigger and use a strap to suspend from the metal bar.

I use Gary Lee's rack as well, but didn't have the forethought to make it smaller (like yours). So my ski/board racks end up being mounted so the board lays horizontal. But it's hard to work with the racks behind orientated up/down and the board gets dirty.
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j_dirge
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 9:58 am    Post subject: Re: How do you carry your skis/ snowboards ? Reply with quote

outwesty wrote:
j_dirge wrote:


Today they all ride on top in a big pile. Naked.
The skis and boards that is.. The kids wear their clothes and get to ride inside.


LOL nice.

heh.. Had to clarify.. because there's times when I want to put them up top.. the kids, that is.

I am hauling all our stuff on top, exposed.. But we don't do long hauls often.
We take the gear to the cabin at beginning of season.. Take it home and store it at end of season.
I often have several boards with me, cuz I like to still take out my trench diggers... (found a 185 this year.. on Ebay for a song.. SCARY!)

ANYway.. if I were doing long trips.. I'd opt for a box on top. I am not a big fan of those things.. But a couple reasons I think they work in your app..

1. They lock and keep gear out of site. (although they are easy to break into, the keeping-stuff-out-of-site improves odds)
2. Also out of elements. I am no long very concerned about perfect bases and edges.. but a road-crud covered board gets old. I'd think that would suck with your split board especially.
3. Keeps tail-gate clearer and easy to manage..
4. Does not require drilling holes in your van.. where a side mount would.
5. You can toss other crap in the box.. like wet boots and wet clothes.. the hard hat.. that you maybe don't want filling up your living space down below

My $0.02.. and worth every penny.
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danfromsyr wrote:
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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WestiCoast
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Roofbox. I saw a 0.5 MPG drop with my box. And it is in the worst possible spot for aerodynamics. Ideally the box would be close to the cargo tray. But mind is all the way to the back because it is easier to access and it makes popping the top easier.
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j_dirge
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

WestiCoast wrote:
Roofbox. I saw a 0.5 MPG drop with my box.

That's not bad really..
I saw a bigger drop on my Trooper last summer.. as much as 2mpg.. (some of that may have been doing 80 with the AC on, though)

I don't like how they bounce and drum while underway, too.
Maybe I am too sensitive to it... but I imagine that transfers to and amplifies in the top on a Westy.

I'd want to do a Gary-Lee-type rain gutter mount arrangement if using a box on top more often than occasional trips.
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"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5

danfromsyr wrote:
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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flomulgator
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 11:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The more aerodynamic and quite your vehicle is the more stuff on the roof will ruin those features. My modern mazda has a 7 mpg delta between ski rack with skis and clean roof when flying down western freeways at 75 mph. And it's loud and whistles. That's a 25% drop in economy.

An old box-style suburban lost somewhere between 0.5 and 1 mpg at freeway speed when I put a Yakima Megawarrior basket on top with stuff in it. I can't here any difference over the old 6.2 diesel. My westy has notably worse aerodynamics and wind noise than even that rig did.
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mtnphan
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 6:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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the side ladder is very convenient to access the box too. I used to use a little step ladder which left me reaching too far. With the ladder I can literally get all the way on the top rung or second from the top and reach everything fine in the box with the top popped.
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designer
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a Yakima Rocket Box 16 on top. Got it on Clist locally for $175.00 basically brand new from a little old couple down the road.

Fit's our 4 boards well with room to spare. will be nice for camping too, so all the crap that was piled up in the front seat will now have a home when we're parked.

Jack Bombay shox essential. still a tough push with the HD's. I get weaker everyday i think now in my 40's.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 04, 2015 2:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use these Raxstars on my Fiamma Carrybike:

http://www.amazon.com/Structured-Solutions-Raxstars-Compact-Universal/dp/B002HFAIC6[url]


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They work great and are an easy, vertical, waist-high solution. And, the hatch still opens fine without the ski tips touching the roof (so long as the pop-top is shut).

The downside is that you can only get two sets of skis on there.
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goskiracer
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 3:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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With the addition of my new top from vwcamperroof.com I am starting to look forward to ski season here in Norway Very Happy

I have tried various iterations of roof boxes and racks, side loading and rear loading. What I am thinking about now is some sort of rear vertical box...

The idea is the ease of packing boards and skis with a rear vertical rack, but also protecting them from road grime and wandering eyes. Given the added 13" height of the roof, the vertical option is looking better.

Mounting can be accomplished with my burley bumper/hitch and the rear hatch.

What are your thoughts or suggestions? Swignout mount? magnets?

My goals are; inclosed, lockable, storage for 6 pairs of skis, "form fitting",
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 7:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

flomulgator wrote:
The more aerodynamic and quite your vehicle is the more stuff on the roof will ruin those features. My modern mazda has a 7 mpg delta between ski rack with skis and clean roof when flying down western freeways at 75 mph. And it's loud and whistles. That's a 25% drop in economy.

Do you use a fairing in front of the roof rack? I know it makes a big difference in the noise level on a Saris roof rack and might on other rack brands as well.
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:46 pm    Post subject: Re: How do you carry your skis/snowboards? Reply with quote

on the side.

full topic here https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=712654

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 12:39 am    Post subject: Re: How do you carry your skis/snowboards? Reply with quote

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