17 Cu Ft RoofBag Rooftop Cargo Carrier, Waterproof Roof Cargo Carrier for Car with/Without Rack Cross Bar Including Strong Nylon Straps + Storage Bag

OVERALL, THIS 11 CF BAG WORKS GREAT AND GOT THE JOB DONE! IT IS VERY WELL MADE OF VERY HEAVY DUTY PLASTIC. I needed more room because five of us were going to be traveling 300 miles from Chicago to St. Louis. My 2013 4-door Passat has a big trunk, but not that big. The car does not have a top luggage rack but it does have a sunroof and this DID NOT present a problem. So, I found this car top storage bag and am very satisfied with it. The 11cf bag was plenty big and I am VERY glad I did not buy the 15cf bag---it would have been waaaaay to big for the roof of the car. We made a trial 300 mile run north to pick up the rest of the crew with just two of us with all of our normal trunk gear stowed on top of the car in the bag. I have never used any type of car top carrier before so I didn't know what to expect. We made it on trip number one to fetch the rest of our party without incident, but not without initial trepidation. So as not to be too lengthy, here is what you need to know in a nutshell: 1) It will not fly off if secured according to the directions, even while driving at 75 mph, the straps are strong as are the buckle.The included instructions are good 2) It makes strange noises at different speeds due to the wind--you will get used to it. 3) Pack it full towards the front-it helps aerodynamically. Pack the whole bag full, even use pillows if you have to to fill it up. The bag won't flap around then. 4) You will find that you will be stopping more than normal to stretch you legs (and, oh, yeah, to check out the securement of the bag, but it'll be ok 5) It GREATLY affects your gasoline consumption. I normally get 34 mpg on the interstate highways when driving at about 75 mph. However, on my two trips, I checked my gas mileage and it dropped to about 25 mpg for each of the two trips, so plan accordingly. The handling of the car was not affected, just the fuel consumption 6) The straps dangle down inside, so place the excess end pieces toward the sides, not in the middle. 7) BUY A MAT to place under the bag to cushion it from the car roof and to also help secure the bag and keep it from sliding backwards. ONE HELPFUL TIP: Do carry a roll of duct tape with you just in case. Use duct tape all around the mat to secure it to the roof. The tape won't hurt the paint. On trip number one, the mat moved all around from the wind blowing under the bag. TAPE ALL FOUR EDGES OF THE MAT DOWN!We did not encounter any rain on the two trips so I can't comment on the waterproof qualities of the bag, but, having said that, the bag is so well constructed and the wide, heavy duty flap that hangs over the sturdy zippers looked to me like it would be entirely adequate to keep things dry inside. GOOD LUCK! I THINK YOU WILL LIKE THE BAG.

Bottom line: I highly recommend this roof bag. It gave us a simple solution for our major move this summer and worked well in all sorts of conditions.Our situation: We relocated this summer and had to find a way to transport 7 large suitcases/duffel bags, 3 carry-on suitcases, 3 backpacks, and other odds and ends in our 2015 Honda CR-V, along with 3 people. Our CR-V doesn't have a roof rack or a hitch. I searched online, found this roof bag with good reviews, and decided to try the large version (size 17). I actually bought two, but didn't end up needing the second one for our other vehicle.Unboxing: All the materials and zippers appeared to be strong and gave the impression they should last a while (and they have). The box included clear instructions on how to and how not to install the bag, along with a note from customer service to contact them for help if needed. It also included all of the straps we needed, a protective mat for the roof, and 3 large, lightweight duffle bags. Those bags aren't essential, but they have been helpful for organizing various items. Note that they don't come with every order.Our experience: At first I thought I should have ordered a smaller bag, but as soon as I started putting suitcases inside, I was really glad I got the large. It was the perfect size for our CR-V. We drove over 2,700 miles this summer and the bag experienced all sorts of weather, including blistering sun with 100+ degree temps, multiple storms (some with rain so hard we could barely see), and a steady state of battering wind from driving thousands of miles at highway speed. Not once did we find any leaks, tears, or other damage to the bag.Things to keep in mind:1) Obviously with any removable roof bag, you have to find ways to secure it when you are at hotels, rest stops, etc. This isn't a major negative, it's just something to be aware of when you don't have a permanently attached, hard plastic, lockable roof case. Some people left their soft roof bags on top of their cars at hotels at night, and we did too sometimes. Most of the time we took our suitcases down and put the bag in the car. My teenage son and I found it to be a fairly quick and simple process to uninstall and reinstall the roof bag. We also put a small padlock on the zippers whenever the bag was installed. I know, anyone could come by with a knife and slice open the bag, but at least we made it a little harder to steal things.2) Our gas mileage went down a little, but the instructions tell you how to minimize that.3) Sometimes the roof mat or straps can flap in the wind and make noise, but those are easy things to fix by following the instructions or just pulling over and securing anything that was loose.We saw other roof bags on cars this summer, and some definitely did not look as strong as others. I was always grateful for the one we had.