Tuesday 27 October 2009

Thule Ranger 90 Review


Thule Ranger 90 Soft Folding Roof Box - Overview:

The Thule Ranger 90 folding soft roof box offers a cost effective solution for increasing the storage capacity of a vehicle fitted with roof bars. This 340 litre / 50Kg capacity roof box, constructed from a water resistant tarpaulin material, provides additional storage comparable to the luggage space of a typical small to medium sized family vehicle. This soft roof box affords a number of advantages over a heavier, fixed size hard rooftop box. The Thule Ranger 90, weighing 7Kg, can easily, quickly and single handedly be installed or removed from a vehicle fitted with factory or aftermarket roof bars and folds down into a compact package (approx. 114cm x 20cm x 30cm) which can be stored in the vehicle or in a corner of your house, garage, shed etc. when not in use.

My personal need for this product arose with the arrival of a new baby and the need to occasionally accommodate more luggage than my vehicles normal luggage capacity could cope with - particularly when going on long journeys or on holiday. The Thule Ranger 90 was ideal for me as I didn't want it to be a permanent feature on my vehicle and did not have the larger volume of storage space needed to accommodate a hard roof box. I also found the Thule Ranger 90, with its black and silver design, to be more aesthetically pleasing than many of the hard roof boxes in a similar price range.

Thule Ranger 90 Soft Folding Roof Box - What you get:

The Thule Ranger 90 soft roof box measures 110cm x 80cm x 40cm and incorporates external straps which allow some adjustment of the roof box dimensions to match the load being carried. Access into the roof box is provided via a zipper with integrated lock which provides a degree of security. The zipper runs round most of the perimeter of the roof box which means access is available from both sides and the back of the vehicle. The roof box is supplied in a storage bag complete with a carrying / hanging strap. The fittings which attach the roof box to the vehicles factory or aftermarket roof bars are supplied in a small, separate bag along with instructions and some straps to safely secure the load whilst inside the rooftop box.

Thule Ranger 90 Soft Folding Roof Box - What you don't get:

Roof bars compatible with the vehicle you intend to use the Thule Ranger 90 roof top box with need to be purchased separately. The generic method of attachment employed by the Thule Ranger 90 means that it will be compatible with the majority of roof bars.

Thule Ranger 90 Soft Folding Roof Box - Fitting it to roof bars:

Fitting the roof box onto the vehicles roof bars is a straightforward affair. Remove the roof box from the storage bag and position it on the roof bars. Remove the four roof box fittings from the storage bag. These fittings are essentially u-bolts with quick mount fittings. The metal u-bolt snaps in and out of the plastic securing mechanism allowing the roof box to be clamped onto the roof bars at all four corners of the roof box quickly and easily. Load up the roof box with luggage and secure with the provided safety straps which attach to the u-bolt fitting.

Thule Ranger 90 Soft Folding Roof Box - How It Performs:

I have used this soft, folding roof top box for many hundreds of miles in all weathers and found it stays securely attached to the roof bars and the contents stay dry. As I do not have the desire to permanently attach a roof box to my vehicle nor the storage space to store a hard roof box when not attached to the vehicle, the Thule Ranger 90 has provided me with a reliable solution for increasing my vehicles luggage capacity when the only other viable option for me was to purchase a larger vehicle.