The Yakima SkyBox Pro 16 ski box, another worthy addition to our Mississauga lineup!

Are you running out of room inside your vehicle?  Do you need a solution for your weekend gear that is removable?  The Yakima Skyboxes are a great way to add extra cargo space to your car, crossover or minivan.

The Yakima series ski boxes offer a number of features that will make your trip to the ski hills easier and your ride more comfortable.  With dual side opening, the Yakima ski boxes make loading and unloading of your cargo box an easy task for anyone in the family.  Being able to access the ski box from both sides of the vehicle also makes both the installation and removal a 5 minute job, max!  This leaves you with more time to get out on that fresh powder for some carving and shredding action!

The Yakima SkyBox series of ski carriers are available in a number of different sizes and colour options as well, catering to everyones needs and intended usage.  Pictured below on a customers 2004 Mazda MPV is one of our more popular ski boxes, the SkyBox Pro 16 titanium finish.   This ski carrier can hold both skis and snowboards (up to a maximum length of 185 cm for this model box), and comes with both a cargo box pad (which aids in cushioning the interior base of the ski box) and net (which secures all of your gear within the box preventing it from rolling around during your travels).

The Yakima SkyBox Pro 16 Titanium sitting atop a 2004 Mazda MPV equipped with Yakima's own Q Tower roof rack system

Visit us at one of our two stores in the Greater Toronto Area!  For people located in the east end of the city, please visit our sister store Rack Attack Toronto located at 127 Laird Drive, M4G 3V4 in Toronto.  They can be reached at 416-424-1201 and are conveniently located just east of Bayview and Eglington.

We’re Back! With Thule’s very own Atlantis 1600 rooftop Cargo Box solution

The Thule Atlantis 1600 (16 cubic foot) rooftop cargo carrier is the ideal candidate if you happen to be in the market for a cargo box during this current winter season.  

The Thule Atlantis 1600BXT - The Atlantis 1600 offers some of that extra much needed cargo capacity in the world of SUV's and Crossover vehicles. Worrying about where to store those six pairs of skis and a full passenger load are a thing of the past!

With a generous 16 cubic feet of internal storage, coupled with it’s aerodynamic shape, the fact that it can be opened and accessed from both sides of the vehicle it is mounted atop, and it’s versatility in being able to carry both your winter and summer gear make it one of our most popular selling boxes for good reason.  Holding everything from skis or boards up to 180cm, your poles, boots, and even all of that wet gear you have been lugging around all day has made it an ideal choice for the growing number of both skiiers and boarders who have been making the best of our long Northern winters.

The Atlantis 1600 comes in a choice of both silver, and black gloss finishes.  And if you find that the 16 cubic foot capacity is not exactly what you were looking for, the Atlantis series of boxes also come in 12, 18, and 21 cubic foot varieties.

Visit us at one of our two stores in the Greater Toronto Area!  For people located in the east end of the city, please visit our sister store Rack Attack Toronto located at 127 Laird Drive, M4G 3V4 in Toronto.  They can be reached at 416-424-1201 and are conveniently located just east of Bayview and Eglington.

The Thule Universal Pull Top ski and snowboard rack

Gone are the days of having to reach up and over your salt covered vehicle to be able to load and unload your skis and/or snowboards! 

The Thule 91726, or more commonly reffered to as the Thule Universal Pull Top is Thule’s best fully locking ski/snowboard roof carrier.  It offers the ability to carry up to 6 pairs of skis or 4 snowboards, and secures your precious cargo with ultra-soft rubber arms that compress to create a cradle which is guaranteed to treat your investments right.

Enjoying these wonderful winter sporting events is not cheap, and  Thule offers theft protection to make sure your skis and boards remain locked atop your vehicle until you decide you want them off!  The Universal Pull Top comes already equipped with Thule locks and keys.   And for that added protection, the Universal Pull Top  is attached to your vehicle’s rack using tamperproof screws that prevent anyone from  removing your rack without the included tamperproof wrench.

In the following pictures we demonstrate how easily accessible the skiis/snowboards can be using the ‘pull top’ feature of the Thule 91726.  The base roof rack system shown is Thule’s very own classic Volkswagen Jetta/Golf Mark 3 (93′-99′) ‘444 Specialty Carrier’.  This system comes complete with everything you need to create a base roof rack system on this vehicle, and includes feet, load bars, and locks. 

Universal Pull Top in the ‘closed’ position

Universal Pull Top in the ‘closed’ position with skis loaded

Universal Pull Top in the ‘open’ position away from the vehicle

Universal Pull Top in the ‘open’ position away from vehicle with skis loaded

The Thule Universal Pull Top has been named this way for a very specific reason, it’s universality!  The fact that it can fit both the original Thule Square Load Bars, and Rapid Aero Load Bars, as well as a number of different factory equipped roof rack cross bars makes it a tough contender to beat.

We at Rack Attack Mississauga have a passion for cars, sports, and the necessary means of transporting all of our equipment with our vehicles and we are always here to offer support with product installations, parts inquiries, and general information about our products.  If  you have any questions, comments, or stories you would like to share with us you can reach us at www.rackattack.com/canada . 

Visit us at one of our two stores in the Greater Toronto Area!  For people located in the east end of the city, please visit our sister store Rack Attack Toronto located at 127 Laird Drive, M4G 3V4 in Toronto.  They can be reached at 416-424-1201 and are conveniently located just east of Bayview and Eglington.

In this blog we use:

• Thule 91726 Universal Pull Top ski/snowboard rack
• Thule 444 Specialty Carrier

The Yakima SkyBox LoPro15

The Yakima SkyBox LoPro 15 is the finest, sleekest Yakima cargo box ever made. 

The Yakima SkyBox LoPro 15 is all of it's sleek, low-profiled glory

The fact that this specific cargo box was primarily geared towards the outdoor enthusiast and more specifically the snow sport enthusiast, has left it’s exterior dimensions very sleek in comparison to many of the other traditionally styled cargo boxes on the market.  This aids in cutting wind resistance, and offers the Crossover vehicle crowd a possibility they may have only once dreamt of in the past; being able to access garages and underground parking spaces without the worry of not being able to fit into them.

The LoPro 15 cargo box allows dual-sided opening for easy access on either side of your vehicle, a lid that has been stiffened up significantly (which translates to less vibration and easier one-handed opening and shutting), and an integrated solar-powered lighting system that illuminates as soon as you open the box.  Loading your skiis, snowboards, or gear into your box now is just as easy in the dark as it is during the day.

The LoPro 15 also comes complete with a gear management net and a cargo pad to secure and protect your gear. 

The Yakima gear net and cargo pad comes included with the Yakima SkyBox LoPro 15

The Yakima SkyBox LoPro 15 is a great choice for anyone looking to free up some much needed space inside their vehicle, and to transport their gear in one of the most aerodynamic low-profile boxes on the market. 

We here at Rack Attack Mississauga take pride in our consultations and installations of our  product on your vehicles, and will always be able to assist you in determing the best recommended fit to aid in making your life easier when it comes to transporting all of your gear!

Check out the Yakima SkyBox LoPro 15 demonstration video for more information on this sleek and stylish cargo box that is sure to turn some heads.

Yakima Fresh Sesh Ski Rack

Looking for a “fresh” new way to carry your skis?. 

A ski rack on the roof is a great way to free up some space from inside you vehicle.  Save your passengers and yourself the hassle and time of trying to jam pairs of skis in a car, then sitting comfortably around them.   The Yakima fresh sesh is a new take at the traditional ski rack.  The Fresh Sesh has a all white paint job which looks very sharp.  You can leave the rack just the way it comes out of the box or attach one of the two included sticker sets  urban camo or pink floral print to make your ski rack stand out. The Yakima Fresh Sesh comes in a 6 pair ski, or 4 snowboard version only.  It comes with locks, and all the mounting hardware needed to mount to most factory roof racks (call or check out the online fit guide to make sure)  The rack includes skis lifts which tilts the rear side of the rack up, to give you extra binding clearance between your snow equipment and your roof.   Another Great option from Yakima to carry your skis.

Yakima Fresh Sesh With Locks

Hitches At Rack Attack Mississauga

Bolt on hitches are a great way to carry extra cargo, bikes & skis.

Rack attack is also a full service hitch installer in addition to roof racks. We install light duty hitches on cars, vans, and pick ups. Most of our installations are done for bike racks, but we also do basic wiring hook ups to tow small trailers. There are only a handful of vehicles that we can’t mount a hitch to. There are three different classes of hitches (I, II, and III), 3 main brands (Hidden Hitch, Draw-tite and Curt) and all are bolted on. We never weld any hitch on. Most hitches mount into factory mounted holes, that either need to be cleaned before installation, enlarged or sometimes drilled. In some cases we have to cut the bumper or fascia on some vehicles as that is the only way to install the hitch. The instructions include templates so it’s never a blind cut.

Hitches have a 1 year warranty, and offer a great way to carry bikes or tow your utility trailer. Prices range from $200 and up. We do all the work or we can order in the hitch for self-installation. Hitches usually take a day or two to get in, and we need minimum 3 hours. Call us today to see what your options are.

Yakima Fat Cat Ski Rack

Ski/Snowboard racks have been the same style for a while. Unlike skiis/boards which have gotten much wider, and more advanced. Not too long ago Yakima came out with the Fat Cat Line of ski racks. They had found that the standard 4 or 6 pair ski rack did not fit 4 or 6 pairs of fat or curved skiis. Their solution was to make the racks wider. The Fat Cat series is about 6 inches wider than a standard ski rack, giving you that extra space needed to fit all your skiis or boards. The racks have a nice easy open button on the end, universal mounting hardware, and a integrated ski lift, which helps in giving you extra binding clearance between your roof and the ski rack. The racks now come with locks, have a low profile design and come in a high gloss titanium finish.

Yakima Fat Cat 6 with Locks

Yakima Fat Cat 4 with Locks

Thule TK14 install on Chevy Uplander

A lot of vehicles in Canada are supplied without factory roof racks or raised rails. This is to keep the cost low and offer a basic model, as we seem to like less expensive vehicles here in Canada. This mini-van, the Chevy Uplander, usually has a raised rail installed from the factory.  This customer had the Thule 430 towers, LB58 load bars and 4 pack of locks from a previous vehicle which he wanted to reuse. To attach the 430 towers he required a TK14 tracker kit mounted onto the roof. This requires drilling 8 holes at designated locations, then mounting the Tk14 bases, and attaching the 430 towers. The Thule 430 tower offers easy push button on / off ability and when the rack is not in use the TK base has covers to keep that clean finish look.

We can install the TK14 bases almost anywhere along the roof line (also with sunroofs).  In this case the customer wanted to carry skiis, bikes and possibly a box, so a standard bar spread was required.  We decided on a 32” bar spread which offers good stability, and allows all accessory compatibility.  We also have also done wide bar spreads as shown below. 

You can use any size bar with this setup as well you can upgrade the tower to the 430R and get the aerodynamic aluminum bar setup.  As an alternative, the Yakima Control Tower and Landing Pad 7 setup can be used, but since the customer had all the required Thule pieces minus the TK14 bases it was more cost effective to reuse his current rack setup.  The install takes about 2 hours and we charge $90.  The TK14 comes with all tools required (in depth instructions, drill bits, and allen keys) to complete the job yourself if you feel up to it.  We do recommend getting it done by a Rack Attack installer if you are nervous about drilling and are not sure where to drill, as holes in metal cannot be easily repaired.

The Base Rack System for the 2008 Chevy Uplander included:

• TK14 Tracker Kit 14
• Thule 430 Tracker II Foot Pack
• 4 Pack Lock Cores/Keys
• Thule LB58 58 Inch Load Bars

Side-swinging hatch rack options

There have been a few vehicle manufacturers who have incorporated a side-swinging hatch into some of their models recently, and while the initial reaction of something new may have been positive for some, others are faced with the realisation that their options for a hitch mounted bicycle rack have been drastically diminished.

Luckily, both Yakima and Thule make products that have adapted to the new mechanics of these vehicles and have aided in your quest to find the perfect hitch mounted bicycle rack!

Yakima’s newly introduced hitch rack called the ‘Flipside’ has a 4 bike capacity, and tilts 90-degrees to the left or right for best in class rear of car access.  It is also compatible with 2 inch and 1.25 inch receivers right out of the box!

Yakima Flipside

Yakima flipside in flipped open position

Yakima Swing Daddy in closed position

Yakima Swing Daddy in opened position

Both Yakima and Thule also offer swing-away racks which allow you to be able to swing the whole bicycle rack assembly out and to the side of your vehicle while being able to leave the bicycles mounted onto it for ease of loading and unloading. 

Yakima’s version is called the “Swing Daddy”, has a 4-bike capacity, and only fits 2″ receivers. 

 Thule’s swing away bicycle rack option is known as the “Revolver” and offers to same 4-bike capacity, and only fits 2″ receivers as well.

Thule’s Premium Cargo Box: ‘611 Boxter’

Rack Attack offers a wide selection of cargo boxes to choose from. Ranging in volume, size, styling, mounting hardware and even colour. However, one cargo box that can’t be gone unnoticed is the Thule 611 Boxter. Check out some of the vehicles that Rack Attack has outfitted with this quality product.

Thule Boxter-Infiniti FX45

Thule Boxter-VW Jetta Wagon

 This is Thule’s permium cargo box and some may even argue it as the best cargo box on the current market to date. This product has more than what meets the eye, the perfromance of this cargo box on vehicles is outstanding. With more structural supports and a reinforced base you might even forget you have something on the top of your vehicle! Furthermore, from its addition to Thule’s product line in early 2009, it still remains as one of their top cargo boxes. Don’t take my word for it! Check out the video below and get additional details on this product!