You see a ton of people riding around with their roof rack mounted storage baskets but never anything in them. What do people use those for other than looking safari ready while pulling into the mall?

People still go to the mall?

Ha I guess? Certainly not me.

When I had my Explorer many years ago, I'd throw my duck and goose decoys up in mine. It was especially useful when they were dirty.

"jus for decoration man its jus for decoration, thas it and thas all"

To hold their plastic traction boards.

You question roof baskets, but are not questioning snorkels?

My favorite are the roof-top-tents. I understand they're a PITA to put on and take off, but I wonder how many nights people have actually slept in the dozen or so that I regularly see driving around Austin (usually to the Starbucks near us).

In Austin, they're probably pulling into a nearby park to sleep in them. Mobile homeless.

Aston 91 said:

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My favorite are the roof-top-tents. I understand they're a PITA to put on and take off, but I wonder how many nights people have actually slept in the dozen or so that I regularly see driving around Austin (usually to the Starbucks near us).

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Buddy has Baroud on his bro'd out Yukon XL. Its rides up there for his Houston commute everyday. Said he spent 3 nights in it last year. Also, he fell off the ladder and broke his wrist a few weeks back when he was setting it up in his driveway. I have always thought they are a terrible way to camp.

Becoming more common. Wonder what affect it has on mpg with all that.

Can't be good. I can see having a roof top tent if you live in Colorado or something like that and you're surrounded by beautiful places with mild weather for summer camping but in Texas you have like 3 good weather camping weeks a year available to you.

I'm a new roof rack member. I use to haul my kayaks currently. When it isn't doing that it carries my spare tire until I find a better solution there (rear bumper and tire carrier is stupid expensive) and I've used to haul lumber and other materials...

I'm headed to colorado in a little over a month for some camping/overlanding and it'll hold some extra gear then.

Pretty handy sob if you ask me.

Good to know. I have the cross bars on my SUV and I generally like the look of the basket on top of that but I was just curious what people use them for. Do you get much wind noise from it?

Yeah, but I get alot of wind noise anyways on this vehicle. t's a 97 land cruiser I bought and fixed up specifically for overlanding/camping/etc. It's not the quietest cab anyways.

It has a snorkel too There are a lot of creeks and water crossings where I'm at, so I figured it's a safe bet to have one rather than potentially hydralocking my engine.

I built my own roof basket since I actually do go off-roading out west and camping and such. Mine is also a kayak holder. It seldom gets used day to day but gets used all the time when I am camping. Firewood, gas cans, fish bait, storage bags, second spare, might go up there depending on what I am doing.

The rooftop tents thing started in Australia where a big hobby is actual over landing weekend of holiday trips where they drive out and camp a lot. Off the ground is cooler and much safer due to all the venomous snakes they have. They also tend to go a lot more often than Americans.

Americans adopted them as something that looks cool and seems prestigious for a camper/outdoors type, but there's generally less need here. I considered one but they are extra weight, poor aerodynamics, top heavy, and quite expensive compared to a good ground tent and a tarp, which is what I use.

Did make an awning for my roof rack that I can install and remove when I am going on a trip, and it is very useful if the weather is very hot and sunny or it rains. There's no need to leave it on all the time however.

I made a rear bumper/tire carrier with some square tube and bar steel and a welder, plus a couple of other odds and ends. It took all weekend, but it is nice to have.

String Christmas lights on it

This type of thing.

Milwaukees Best Light said:

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You question roof baskets, but are not questioning snorkels?

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I question the purpose of HiLift jacks on Jeeps with nary a scratch of paint on the foot where it touches the ground.

Aston 91 said:

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My favorite are the roof-top-tents. I understand they're a PITA to put on and take off, but I wonder how many nights people have actually slept in the dozen or so that I regularly see driving around Austin (usually to the Starbucks near us).

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Looks awesome!

I would like a RTT but they are so damn expensive that I use my backpacking tent and keep the extra change.

My issue would be having to pack it up every time I needed to move.

Say you wanted to camp in SW Colorado, you get get all setup in some remote destination, then got to pack it up to run into Ouray/Telluride for a beer, then get back, you have to level it all out again, set it up etc. Camping in one with kids also sounds like a nightmare

Just buy a regular tent. Or if you are wanting to put it on a bigger SUV like a Burb etc, why not just sleep inside the Burb. Or what about the goobers with the racks over their truck beds holding up a RTT? Just buy a damn camper shell!

Is this turning into a RTT bash thread?!?!

I use mine to carry my swag tent (another Aussie invention), camp table, camp chairs, and all that junk from one VRBO to another. One of the things I don't do with it though - is go to the mall. I know this doesn't fit the group the OP was addressing.

Before we bash RTTs too much - when you are USING them - that's badass. We would pull up to our camping spot and I'd still be looking for a spot to set up my swag and retrieve all my stuff from the roof... he'd just pop that iKamper and be cooking dinner in minutes. I am not going to join the chorus on making fun of that *for its intended purpose*.

I think the only way to go is to go hard top RTT... Those do not take much at all to put up and take down. That's one of the selling poitns for me and why I may eventually close my eyes and grab one.

We used the heck out of ours on a mission trip to Uganda a few years ago!

Ive had the so called roof top basket on my GC. I bought it to go camping and to haul camping gear. We've used it twice the last year, but once I'm home from the trip, I've just been too lazy to take it off, and up it sits for a few months until I realize how bro-ey it looks and then I finally take it down.

I'd pay cash money to see an electric vehicle toting a gas generator on their roof rack.

I have the rack (no basket) and snorkel on the truck, and a RTT on linear actuators for the trailer.

Having a large tent on the trailer gives us comfortable camping no matter the location and having the annex drop down onto the trailer deck is better than on/in mud or rocks.

That is a sweet setup!!!!

The rack, the tent, the shovel, the new style jerry cans, wtf is all this shizz?? When did the ricer crowd switch over the overlanding (in a state with close to 0% public land to roam in personal vehicles.)

Gotta wonder if there's been a big increase in the prepper population lately. These all look like BOVs to me.

Emotional Support Cobra said:

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That is a sweet setup!!!!

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Thank you!

JSKolache said:

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The rack, the tent, the shovel, the new style jerry cans, wtf is all this shizz?? When did the ricer crowd switch over the overlanding (in a state with close to 0% public land to roam in personal vehicles.)

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I carry Scepter cans on the trailer, but do have a small rotopax for the truck. It's a "flat" two gallon can. Usually enough to get me (or someone else) to a gas station, but not the size/bulk of a 5gal. can.
But for the rest of your question, I blame Instagram. Ever since overlanding went popular, and especially since covid when people were sitting at home and browsing photos/retailers, there has been a huge surge in popularity.
I mainly shop used stuff, so that market is booming too.

Buck Turgidson said:

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Gotta wonder if there's been a big increase in the prepper population lately. These all look like BOVs to me.

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There's some overlap between groups, but not much.

drmwvr said:

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We used the heck out of ours on a mission trip to Uganda a few years ago!

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legit haji van right there.