I’m the type of person who likes everything put away where it belongs and the living areas clear and organized. When our camper is organized and clean, I love it. When it’s a disorganized mess, it makes me nuts. I guess I’m a neat freak. So be it.
The biggest challenge with keeping our camper neat and organized is storage. It’s difficult to find the right place for everything to go. Sometimes we even decide to get rid of stuff because it’s too awkward or takes up too much room. When in doubt, get it out!
On a half dozen occasions or more we have purged a box of stuff to a local Goodwill or Salvation Army. The irony is that I usually walk out of the same thrift store with a few LP records, but that’s besides the point. There’s always room for more records – right Angela?
One truck camper storage solution we have not explored is the idea of a roof top cargo carrier. Manufactured by companies like Yakima, Sportrack, and Thule, roof top cargo carriers feature either a rack, weathertight ABS shell, or a heavy-duty vinyl bag. The shell and bag types can offer 15-cubic feet of enclosed storage, or more.
What I can’t quite wrap my mind around is what we would keep in a roof top cargo carrier. Does it make sense to store extra clothing there, or would clothing get damaged by the elements? Maybe infrequently used hobby items like my camera tripod? Extra camping chairs? What makes sense to put in a roof top cargo carrier?
As I think about it, nothing stored on the roof should be needed on a regular basis. For security, nothing on the roof should be valuable. Angela says people like to keep outdoor sports equipment and expedition tools in their roof top carriers. That makes sense, but there has to be more reasons (and items) for someone to use a roof top cargo carrier. Perhaps I’m missing something.
This week’s Question of the Week is, “Do you have a roof top cargo carrier on your truck camper?”
If you do, please tell us which one you have, and what you store in it. Make sure to tell us if your roof top cargo carrier is a hard shell, vinyl bag, or rack type. And set me straight on the need and purpose of these roof top cargo racks. I’m really interested to know why you have one, and how it’s a part of your truck camping lifestyle.
This QOTW is now closed. Click here to read the responses, “Rooftop Cargo Carriers Go Truck Camping“.
