SportRack Vista XL- The best value cargo box

Posted in Reviews.

Thule, Yakima and Rhino-Rack all make great rooftop cargo boxes, but they are also aimed at the higher end of the market. If you are purely looking for maximum storage space at the best price, then look no further than the SportRack Vista XL.

SportRack Vista XL- The best value cargo box — At 18 cu. ft. the SportRack Vista XL is large, but won’t fit any skis

SportRack is part of the Thule group of companies and is based in Quebec, Canada. The first started making ski racks in the 80’s but now has a whole range of cargo boxes, hitch-mounted products and accessories.

What we like

Price
Durable construction

What we don't like

‘Quick mounting’ hardware is actually very basic
Not the most stylish storage box on the market

The Sportrack Vista XL offers size and value

The SportRack Vista XL offers ample storage. 18cu.ft. will swallow a lot of gear, but despite all the volume it’s quite short at 63 in. which means that you won’t fit any ski’s in there and snowboards are 50/50. It does have some added height that makes loading oversized luggage easier. It’s a great option for taking extra gear on a camping trip.

Because this is a rear opening cargo box, correct hatch clearance is even more important than with a side opening cargo box. See our Cargo Box Buyer’s Guide for more information on how to Roof Box Buyers Guide for the most popular cargo boxes.

What’s included and what's not

The SportRack Vista XL comes fully assembled which means you can go from unpacking to using it in 5 minutes flat. As you would expect, it doesn’t come with much extras. It’s basically the box, mounting hardware, a lock and some vinyl hole covers. Hey, if it works, it works!

Overview of features

The Vista XL will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are looking for a durable cargo box at an excellent price point, you can’t ask for more. Some of the features won’t be to everyone’s taste, but it greatly depends on your intended use of the cargo box.

Rear opening

Unlike most of the other cargo boxes we’ve reviewed, the SportRack Vista opens from the rear. The biggest benefit of this is that you’ll be safely away from traffic while loading or unloading. While this in itself is a benefit it also makes it quite difficult to load or unload, especially those items that have shifted to the front of the box.

Unlike some of the cheaper side opening cargo boxes you don’t have to worry about the lid flying open while driving down the highway as the wind will keep box closed even if it becomes unlocked.

Lockable

Being able to lock away your gear is one of the big benefits of a hard shell cargo box over a soft sided cargo bag. The Vista XL comes with a lock and key. The key needs to be inserted in order to open the box. Conversely you cannot remove the key unless the lid is closed and locked. It’s a basic safety feature but it works.

Sportrack Vista XL lockable cargo box

Weatherproof

This cargo box is water resistant, but not water proof. Whether this means that it’s weatherproof is a different question. It does not have any weather seals, but it should keep its content dry in all but the most hectic downpours. Despite this it’s always a good idea to take precautions and protect your luggage according to the prevailing weather conditions.

Basic installation

Installation is simple and should not take more than five minute, provided you have a correctly installed roof rack. To install simply place the box on the cross bars and connect the supplied U-brackets from underneath the crossbars, through the mounting holes. On the inside, place the mounting plate over the threaded bars and tighten with the plastic knobs supplied. Repeat for all four mounting points.

A general drawback of using U-brackets to mount anything to your roof rack is that it’s easy to scratch the cross bar. Steel is much harder than aluminum which means extra care needs to be taken when mounting this box on a profiled cross bar.

Once installed, the knobs on the inside of the box also tends to be a favourite place for straps and and other items to get snagged on. It’s a small thing and not unique to this cargo box.

Sportrack Vista XL cargo box mounting bracket

Alternative cargo boxes

If size was the only consideration, there would be a few alternatives. The Yakima Skybox 18 or the Rhino-Rack Master-Fit are both great options, but they are almost double the price of the SportRack Vista XL. Fact is that nothing in the 18 cu.ft size range comes close to the Vista’s price point.

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Conclusion.

It’s a durable, medium-large cargo box at a great price. So if price and capacity are your most important criteria, the SportRack Vista XL is the cargo box to choose.

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