December 1, 2013
Rack Attack Team
The question is simple: what is the more fuel efficient way to carry my skis and snowboards up the mountain? Is a fancy low profile ski rack the answer, or could a cargo box get me better fuel economy?
I have personally tried both options (on two different vehicles) and I can say positively a Cargo Box gives you more mpg's.
On my Maxima I was able to get 25mpg with no rack at all, when I added a Yakima Fat Cat 6, loaded with skis I got approx 20mpg. The Fat Cat is the lowest profile ski rack on the market, and don't get me wrong, it is an excellent ski/board rack. But by switching to a Thule Spirit Cargo Box my mileage jumped to 22mpg in the Maxima, a noticeable increase from the ski rack.
To double check the fact here I also ran the test on my Grand Cherokee. I was able to get 17mpg with the cargo box vs 11.5mpg with the Yakima Fat Cat; a huge savings on an SUV.
The other advantages of a cargo box are that my all my gear is completely protected from the elements and I'm able to use the box for much more than just skis and boards. I can put my camping gear in it and use it for road trips, etc.
While the results of this test will vary depending on the vehicle and rack used, it's safe to say that a cargo box will get you better milage, and in today's world we can use all the fuel economoy we can get. If you have any questions about our cargo boxes or racks contact us today at your nearest Rack Attack location.
