Roof Cargo Box Recommendation for a 2008 Subaru Outback that Clears Rear Hatch

Question:

I have round Yakima crossbars and measured the front of the front bar to the hatch when the lid is open. The distance is 51. I have the factory rails and the front bar is as far forward as possible. I have noticed that the specifications indicate that 52inch minimum are needed for this box. I think I would prefer to purchase this the Skybox NV 16 versus the Rocketbox Pro 14 because it has a stiffer lid and nicer materials/features. Any help or advice would be great.

asked by: Eric

Expert Reply:

The Yakima Skybox NV 16 # Y95AV does require 47 inches of clearance from the center of the front crossbar back to the rear hatch seam to allow the rear hatch to open and clear the box.

Yours being right at 51 means that its pretty close and could go either way since different hatches have different height ranges or others have spoilers that complicate things.

For a similar box that requires less front clearance the Thule Force L part # TH6357B only requires 47-1/2 inches of clearance and has the same 16 cubic feet of storage space.

expert reply by: Jameson C