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AND THE WINNER
IS...
Saris Cycle-On $299 for two-bike version, $540 for four
You certainly aren't bionic, so why should you have to lift a bike to head height to get it on your hitch rack?
Why It's Cool: Drop any bike—from a ti-framed X-country rig with wild geometry to your kid's first two-wheeler—onto the aluminum tray and rubber wheel holder. Like magic, the Cycle-On keeps it upright. >> To secure the bicycle, clamp a small foot over the back tire and swing a curved arm over the bike's front wheel, then ratchet it down tight. We tested this sucker using a beefy downhill bike with 2.5-inch knobbies and it still held. >> And, OK, it's hardly mission-critical, but the Cycle-On's zinc-plated steel (competitors, take note) is a lot spiffier than your average black-aluminum-tubing rig.
Hmmm... Like to lower your tailgate? On certain SUVs and pickups, the rack—at least while in folded-up mode—might get in your way.
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Thule Xsporter $440
Here's a rack system for the bed of your pickup that's more versatile than a socket set.
Why It's Cool: Racks for pickup trucks are usually set up to carry lengths of PVC pipe or two-by-fours. The Xsporter, however, is designed to haul sports equipment—and features crossbars compatible with most Thule attachments. >> It mounts without drilling, via simple clamps, and since the feet wrap around the bed rails—with broad rubber-shielded bases that evenly distribute the load—they won't mar the paint. >> Telescoping vertical poles invite you to fill, say, a car top box at eye level, then raise it to more easily access the truck bed. >> Alternatively, if you're hauling a canoe, elevate the Xsporter to its tallest position so the craft extends over the cab.
Hmmm... If you already have a tray system (for bikes) that bridges the two crossbars—like Thule's V2—you'll need to raise and lower both crossbars of the Xsporter simultaneously. If you do otherwise, you risk bending the tray at its mounting points. |
Yakima BigHorn 5 $199
The BigHorn 5 hitch rack is big (carries five bikes), cheap (less than $200), and easy (installs in a snap).
Why It's Cool: This is the only hitch rack that holds five—count 'em, five—bicycles. Yet the BigHorn is also a bargain—it's priced below some racks that hold only two. >> It's hinged at its base to easily fold down under your rig's tailgate (after you've unloaded your bikes, that is). >> You don't have to leave this honking addendum on your vehicle for the Monday commute. Yakima's optional QuickHitch Accessory bolt ($25) lets you remove the unit from the hitch receiver in about 30 seconds and replace it again just as quickly, sans tools.
Hmmm... According to the instructions, the heaviest bicycle is supposed to ride nearest the car's tailgate. But unless you're a bodybuilder, holding up a beefy bike and positioning it just so—especially if it has unusual geometry—can be a workout in itself with this rack. |
Yakima Control Tower/Landing Pads $165-$200
Finally, a well-designed roof-rack system that mounts in a jiffy, even if you ignore the instructions.
Why It's Cool: Remember the last time you mounted a roof rack? "Screw together leg A using parts Z, Y, and Q; slot leg into jig B; combine washer 1 with scrim 13 and... " Well, you can forget all that if you buy a Control Tower. Even an adolescent in Ritalin withdrawal could throw it together in ten minutes. >> Yakima makes the Control Tower (four pyramid-shaped feet that support the crossbars) and corresponding Landing Pads (which clip onto your car's roof) for just about any vehicle with factory tracks, and other rack makers' accessories easily attach to the system.
Hmmm... No tracks on your car? You'll need to buy Yakima's Q Towers system ($175), which is a bit more complicated to assemble. |
Thule Evolution $350-$529
Here's a cavernous carrier that mounts fast, fast, fast.
Why It's Cool: It's on in five minutes flat. And you don't need a single tool. >> The box, available in four sizes from 12 to 21 cubic feet—opens from either side, which means getting to the mounting hardware (not to mention your stuff) is painless. To me, the coolest benefit to this rapid installation is that I can quickly swap the Evolution to another car whenever necessary, even to a rental with a factory roof rack. >> It's way quiet up there at 70 mph. Thule tweaked the Evolution's shape in a wind tunnel to dissipate drag and, consequently, noise. >> The largest size can tote up to a dozen pairs of skis.
Hmmm... You can't open it without a key. That's good for security, but stinks when you've just tucked your keys into your backpack's inner map pocket and then—doh!—realize you left that extra fuel canister in the box. |
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AND THE WINNER
IS...
Victorinox E-Motion 360°26-inch Trek Pack Plus $345
It's classic Swiss Army: ingenious, versatile, and bright-red.
Why It's Cool: Bags don't get any more modular than this. It's foremost a rolling suitcase, but a darn decent pack as well, with a zip-out shoulder harness that includes a padded hipbelt and a curved back panel that shifts weight to the lumbar, so you can portage wherever you can't roll. >> Choose from three optional daypacks ($49 each) that dock, by way of four quick-release buckles, to the front of the pack. I recommend the 550-cubic-inch lumbar pack (versus the 800-cubic-inch shoulder bag or the 1,100-cubic-inch backpack). >> The grab handles are just right: cylindrical, padded, firm. >> Like so many clever knife blades, you can squirrel away your stuff in nine compartments.
Hmmm... The backpack harness isn't adjustable for torso length. >> On previous versions, the bag's telescoping handle swiveled to facilitate cornering, but now it locks into position at every quarter turn, to no obvious benefit.
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BAD-Best American Duffel #5 SP $120
I own a zillion bags, but when it comes time to load up everything (and I mean everything) for a big trip, I pull out my 5,200-cubic-inch BAD #5.
Why It's Cool: Construction is impeccable, from the double-stitched, seam-taped 1,000-denier Cordura fabric (mine's unscathed after eight years of abuse) to the seat belt-quality straps to the oversize, rustproof zippers that can survive seam-bulging packing jobs. >> A large horseshoe-shaped opening on top lets you get at everything easily and doesn't force the zipper around tight corners—a recipe for failure. >> It comes with slim, bag-length side pockets inside and out, but the cavity is otherwise unimpeded; you can pack the bulkiest of gear. Twin compression straps encircle the bag and cinch everything together. >> It's refreshingly lightweight (four pounds) and requires no storage space.
Hmmm... The wide shoulder strap is comfortable enough, but slippery; a nonslip coating would help. |
The North Face Water Duffelo $149
It's a marriage with promising prospects: duffel bag ("for better... ") weds waterproof dry bag ("or worse... "). It'll survive monsoon-scale tribulations, quotidian travels, and anything in between.
Why It's Cool: The beast is truly waterproof: Its polyester fabric is thickly slathered with a polyurethane coating; seams are welded, not sewn; and the roll-and-clip top dispenses with a sievelike zipper. It's not quite submersible, but almost. >> While dry bags for paddling are usually long cylinders with narrow openings, the Water Duffelo's roll closure spans the top of the bag from end to end for much easier access. >> Listed capacity is 3,650 cubic inches, but the zipperless top creates lots of overstuffable leeway—it easily holds 5,000 cubes.
Hmmm... Roll-top closure by design entails a lot of extra fabric, so it takes a long reach into a black hole (a brighter color fabric would help) to find anything. >> Don't expect comfort in backpack mode. |
REI Grand Tour $170
The convertible suitcase-cum-backpack is an appealing concept—tuck away the backpack harness and you have a legit valise—that few makers pull off well. The Grand Tour is an exception.
Why It's Cool: The straps and hipbelt use thin but firm padding that, with a couple of svelte X-configured stays, makes for a great carry. I could fill the bag's 4,100 cubic inches with 30 pounds of stuff and tote it happily. The nonbulky harness is unnoticeable when zipped neatly into the back panel. >> Bonuses: a harness that's adjustable for torso length (rare in this genre) and a removable toiletry organizer. >> A low-profile daypack zips off the front of the Grand Tour but doesn't create the bulky, pull-you-backward effect that plagues most convertibles. >> Two interior and five exterior pockets keep you organized.
Hmmm... Carry handles, side and front, are made of firm, flat rubber that forms sharp, palm-gouging edges. Rounded handles are friendlier. >> If you want a shoulder strap, you have to buy it. Chintzy, huh? |
Eagle Creek Load Warrior $185
The 5,500-cubic-inch Load Warrior adds a couple of key organizational components to a simple duffel-bag design, puts it on wheels, and away we roll.
Why It's Cool: The design coup here is a two-compartment lid, accessible from either the top or underside: One slot is sized just right for boots and lined to keep 'em isolated; the other is a mesh-lined laundry chute. >> The rest of the bag is no-brainer duffel space—you can easily pack odd-size or bulky stuff without being compartmentally constrained. Two interior and two exterior compression straps keep it all in place. >> Where some rollers feel overbuilt and hefty, this one is rigid where it needs to be—the underside wheel wells—but checks in at considerably under nine pounds unladen.
Hmmm... The top grab handle is a nicely padded affair, but if you want to tote the bag as a duffel you'll find that the main handle is a flat, spartan, hard-rubber hand-wrencher. |
High Sierra 26-Inch S.U.T. North-South $200
High Sierra loads up with a dizzying array of compartments and features.
Why It's Cool: A two-compartment hinged lid opens out over either end of the bag—one side sized for a pair of shoes or boots, the other with enough space (1,600 cubic inches) for a couple of days' worth of stuff. And that's before you even crack the main hold. >> Central storage offers 3,300 cubic inches of space that expands to 4,700, and High Sierra provides a two-hanger suit bag that folds neatly therein. >> This is primarily a rolling suitcase. Though shoulder straps zip out for the odd trip up stairs, it's not a comfortable carry.
Hmmm... The bag is complex, with such an array of zippers it's easy to get lost en route to your skivvies. More concerning is the tight 90-degree turns the zippers have to make, often requiring force—a harbinger of potential failure. |
Gravis Shuttle Roller $200
The handsome Shuttle Roller is a study in clean design. Trundle it proudly into the Ritz, or pitch it into the hold of a Mekong scow.
Why It's Cool: That streamlined profile flares just enough at the bottom to form a wide, sturdy foot when it stands upright, and a couple of rigid plastic feet opposite the wheels are shaped to cock the bag back for freestanding stability: This is one 5,300-cubic-inch roller that won't tip over. >> A compartment in the foot of the bag is big enough to hold my mountaineering boots and a pair of Chacos. >> Love the orange nylon lining—nothing gets lost. >> Neat little organizational touches include two pouches in the underside of the lid, a padded section in the main compartment, and a removable laundry bag.
Hmmm... The tanklike build has its downside—the bag weighs ten pounds empty. |
Aeris Deluxe Cargo Bag $270
Designed by and for divers, the Deluxe Cargo Bag serves anyone hauling a hefty load of sport-specific swag as well as a full arsenal of civilian duds.
Why It's Cool: Two cavernous chambers, 4,100 cubic inches apiece, hold your disparate wardrobes. There's plenty of room for dive gear in the top and Club Med threads for two in the bottom. >> The top section unzips to become its own duffel bag/rudimentary backpack for the haul down to the dive boat, or for any trip within a trip. >> The underside of the lid stashes a removable padded bag for diving delicates like regulators. It's also a decent laptop case. >> Oversize, knobby wheels will negotiate any Cancún cobble.
Hmmm... The finish work isn't good: Interior plastic stiffeners and hardware are ugly and exposed. >> Tight corners make zip-up a chore, especially when you need to reattach the dive-gear section to the mother ship. |
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