Feed The Habit – Yakima LoadWarrior

When opting to expand the hauling capability of your vehicle, there are many options. Most people think cargo box, but odd-sized items don’t always fit. The Yakima LoadWarrior is a great alternative that beats the box in many ways.

The “Catch All” Basket

Heading into the summer, I was scratching my head how I’d haul some of the gear I knew I needed to haul. My Subaru Outback can haul plenty of gear, but I needed more space for big, awkward items. So, I started looking at options and realized that cargo baskets would provide the right kind of flexibility.

Enter the Yakima LoadWarrior with the ability to throw all kinds of gear on top — including the kitchen sink. The LoadWarrior is 39″ wide by 44″ long and is made to haul all kinds of odd-shaped gear. Installation is a breeze and will fit on a myriad of crossbars. I mounted it to myRockyMounts Ouray crossbars without a hitch.

Because the LoadWarrior is built to haul a variety of gear and even additional racks, it needs to have bombproof construction. Once mounted, there’s no flex to this thing as it just becomes one with the roof rack. I will say that over time, you’ll want to re-tighten the attachment knobs. I’ve found that I check them for tightness while I’m filling up with gas. It seems that every few weeks, I’ve had to tighten things up. Just keep an eye on that over time.

My first outing involved two packets of firewood, a large cooler and various other items. Being able to toss firewood and other messy items inside the LoadWarrior was instantly awesome. I’ve been using the LoadWarrior Stretch Net to keep everything in place. I’d say the net is a “must have” accessory to ensure everything you put in this basket stays put. It stretches easily across all kinds of items and securely hooks in place.

Subsequent outings involved a wide variety of backpacks, sleeping bags, tents and other items. I continued to be amazed as I added “just one more item” several times and always found it willing. Not once did I worry about items shifting or falling out because the basket itself is so sturdy and the Stretch Net keeps it all together — even on rough roads and at freeway speeds.