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Which ski rack for my car? (Links of the 2 choices given)

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Dustin.
Posts: 13839 - Karma: 7,704
Ok so I have a 2004 Subaru WRX turbo with the factory bars installed already.  All I need is the rack itself, and I am torn between these two racks right now:

http://www.backcountry.com/store/YAK0205/Yakima-FatCat-6.html

http://www.backcountry.com/store/THU0197/Thule-Universal-FlatTop-6-Rack.html

Obviously the Thule rack is much cheaper, comes with locks, has a lifetime warranty, and can hold a decent number of skis and boards.  However, the Yakima rack claims to be able to hold "6 pairs of fat skis or 4 snowboards" which would be awesome, but they don't define how big a "fat ski" is.  I want the largest, highest quality rack I can fit on the car because I carpool all the time.

Basically my uncertainty comes down to the size difference between the two racks.  Is the Fat Cat like a foot larger?  Or just an inch or two?  Does anyone have experience with the quality of either rack or how much stuff they have actually been able to fit onto the rack?  Obviously an inch isn't worth $75 and the cost for locks, so for now I am leaning towards the Thule rack now, but help is appreciated.




Sparknotes:  Pros and cons listed above, which rack?


Jun 28 2009 4:40PM
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japanada
Posts: 13784 - Karma: 1,957
My buddy has that thule, and we have had 1pr of nordica enforcers, 1 pair of mojo 102s, a pair of dumonts, a pair of karmas, and a pair of nordica all mtn skis on it. It was a tight fit, but two of the skis were 95mm+ in the waist. It works great.

I'm partial to thule, also lifetime warranty and its cheaper ftw!
Jun 28 2009 6:36PM
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thegreyarea
Posts: 3265 - Karma: 34
if you're traveling more than 30 minute to the mountain, I'd look into a box instead of racks. Sand, salt, rain, mud, and rocks will get into your bases. If you still get a rack, bring a rag with you and wipe your skis down when you get home.
Jun 28 2009 7:04PM
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BigJew
Posts: 6974 - Karma: 79
Boxes are expensive, kill your gas mileage, and are prone to clearance problems. Plus they're a pain in the ass to pull on and off.

My advice is to put your skis in garbage bags every time you put them on the rack. It keeps most of the salt and dirt out without a cumbersome box.
Jun 28 2009 7:10PM
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Kev-Hal
Posts: 1297 - Karma: 91
Sounds like you'd be better off with a box, not a rack. That's the best way to load up lots of skis
Jun 28 2009 7:20PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,123
A Box is definitely ideal for carrying a lot of skis, and one like the Thule ascent 11 is a great box if you are on a budget.

However to answer your question, no, the Yakima Fat Cat 6 is not a lot longer than the Thule, if at all. You will not get 6 pairs of super fat skis in it. You could probably get 6 pairs of 90mm waist skis in either. The Thule rack does not usually come with locks included in the box, so you might want to confirm they will include the locks with that.

The Thule rack has thicker, higher quality rubber and is good if your skis are thick (more important for carving skis that have riser plates). It is much faster to install and remove. The Thule rack however, even if you have locks, leaves its mounting bolts exposed. Someone could come with a torx bit and remove the whole rack with the skis. The Fat Cat is easier to use with gloves. It is also more secure against theft if you buy the lock cores.

If I had to choose I would go with the Thule. No matter what, leaving your skis exposed makes them prone to theft. For the extra money you spend you wont get much more with the yakima. If you are worried about transporting 100mm+ waist skis, or the security of them, get a box.
Jun 28 2009 9:58PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,123
too add just wait till tomorrow, I work at a rack shop and if I remember I will measure both, and let you know how much bigger the yakima one is.
Jun 28 2009 10:00PM
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ski-swagga
Posts: 5276 - Karma: 219
yes, get thule.
Jun 28 2009 11:07PM
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selkirks
Posts: 1978 - Karma: 59
As others have said, if you're driving 30 minutes or more to your resort, get a roof box. It's not worth the possible damage to your skis if you use a rack. Boxes tend to just be more convenient and it's more secure. Others are saying it's too cumbersome to get a box on and off. Don't listen to them. It takes about twenty minutes and you only have to deal with it twice a year. Plus boxes can often store more: you can throw skis, poles, helmets, etc. up there with room to spare (through I don't recommend putting boots in a box). Consider a box. It's worth it.
Jun 29 2009 12:51AM
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Dustin.
Posts: 13839 - Karma: 7,704
Thanks for all the good advice everyone!

I personally hate using boxes because everything is just thrown in a pile and it's a pain in the ass to keep it neat.  If something is on the bottom, everything comes out.  Also, the money for a box (including how much I lose in gas mileage) is too much for me.  I have been using racks for my whole life and I have never had problems with them (once my girlfriend rolled her car with my skis on the rack - the rack exploded and all the skis were fine, so cool story if you are interested!).

I think I am going to continue my streak with Thule racks since it is apparently plenty big enough to carry what I need, I know they are high quality, has locks, and the price is right.

Thanks again.
Jun 29 2009 5:07PM
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skiminnesota
Posts: 9093 - Karma: 429
the thule is on my moms minivan and i couldnt be happier... its great quality... i would watch for sales though i got mine for $70 i believe from REI...


although i personally really love the convenience of a roof box, i have a thule box on my car and it works like a charm... i couldnt imagine having clearence problems as long as its mounted on a car vs a van or suv...

a box is also nice because you can throw other shit up there too, like we snow pants, a bunch of stuff.
Jun 29 2009 5:09PM
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Justo8484
Posts: 3905 - Karma: 205
from my experience, yakima stuff tends to fit subarus better than thule does. a friend of mine's got thule ski racks and he ended up getting yakima bars to replace the factory bars on his car because the thule rack didnt really fit that well. i've had the same yakima rack (lift ticket 6) on every car i've owned, and i've fit 5 pairs of skis on it pretty easily, 4 pairs of fat skis, and their newer racks are definitely wider than what i've got. 6 pairs of 90ish waist skis shouldnt be an issue, and realistically, your car seats 5, comfortable seats 3 with ski gear, which gives you 3 pairs of pow skis and 3 pairs of park skis for a trip, which shouldnt be a problem on yakima's new racks. plus as someone said earlier, they latches for yakima racks are super easy to use with gloves on, whereas thule racks require a little more precision.
Jun 29 2009 11:55PM
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