How to Carry Cargo on the Roof of a 2008 Honda Pilot Without Crossbars

Question:

I have a 2008 Honda Pilot EX-L with factory roof rails. Is there a rooftop cargo basket that I can buy that would mount directly to the side roof rails without having to buy crossbars? We go camping once each year and I would like to put our duffel bags, sleeping bags, and blankets on the roof inside of a weatherproof cargo bag that would be secured to the cargo basket. Thanks

asked by: Al

Expert Reply:

Yes, for a cargo basket that will attach to the to the factory raised side rails on your 2008 Honda Pilot and will not require crossbars you are going to want to use the Surco Safari Rack 5.0 Rooftop Cargo Basket part # SPS4560-1101 with the Clamp-On Adapters part # SP1101. This is the only cargo basket we have for this purpose that will work with your vehicle. Then in order to keep your gear dry you can attach the Curt Cargo Bag for Roof Basket part # C18221 inside of the basket which will provide you with 21 cubic feet of watertight storage.

The other option you have would be to just place a cargo bag directly onto the roof and use the factory raised side rails to secure it. For this I recommend the Rightline Gear Sport 3 Rooftop Cargo Bag part # RL100S30 which is also watertight but only has 18 cubic feet of storage capacity. I also recommend using the Non-Skid Roof Protection Pad part # RL100650 with this option.

The drawbacks of using the bag directly on the roof opposed to placing a cargo basket down first is less weight capacity, less storage space, and potential for scratches to the vehicle even with the pad. It will however be much more cost effective. I have attached a review video of the basket and each bag for you.