[h4ldol]

I want to take the Sienna on some out of town ski trips and will need to park in some garages so would like to use a ski rack instead of our usual Thule roof box. We use the OEM crossbars and hoping that there is a ski rack out there compatible with that. Do these exist at all? A quick google search didn't show anything nor did the Thule website.

edit: actually it seems the Thule SnowPack ski racks can potentially fit the OEM crossbars. Anyone have any experience with them and the factory crossbars?

Thule SnowPack M | Thule | United States

 

[DC_Dave]

No experience with those bars, but have often travelled with 6+ pairs of skis - in our top-box. We have used ski racks on vehicles before, and our experience is the skis get covered in crud from road spray. Magnesium chloride, salt, cinders, mud, etc., etc.

We tune the skis ourselves, and all that junk needs to be cleaned off, but it's difficult to remove the crud from the bindings (which are mostly plastic, btw). The bindings are greased for life, which means they shouldn't be "hosed off" without washing the binding grease away.

We use a moving blanket in the bottom of our top boxes to absorb the water. A ski strap around the tips will keep the skis secure, and the skis are loaded on their sides tip-to-tail so the bindings nest.

 

[darbeeny]

I am a fan of Thule and their support. Each time I contact with Fit questions they reply with 2 days (you can call them also).

 

[3LOU5]

No experience with those bars, but have often travelled with 6+ pairs of skis - in our top-box. We have used ski racks on vehicles before, and our experience is the skis get covered in crud from road spray. Magnesium chloride, salt, cinders, mud, etc., etc.

We tune the skis ourselves, and all that junk needs to be cleaned off, but it's difficult to remove the crud from the bindings (which are mostly plastic, btw). The bindings are greased for life, which means they shouldn't be "hosed off" without washing the binding grease away.

We use a moving blanket in the bottom of our top boxes to absorb the water. A ski strap around the tips will keep the skis secure, and the skis are loaded on their sides tip-to-tail so the bindings nest.

This.

Those bindings will be out in the elements, and I'm quite sure you want them to perform flawlessly to prevent from getting hurt.

I say, keep them in a Thule or Yakima cargo box for protection from theft and the elements.

 

[Geezer1]

This.

Those bindings will be out in the elements, and I'm quite sure you want them to perform flawlessly to prevent from getting hurt.

I say, keep them in a Thule or Yakima cargo box for protection from theft and the elements.

People have been carrying exposed skis on roof racks since cars (with roofs) were invented. Just wipe off the skis when you arrive at your destination and attack the mountain. The snow you're skiing on will "clean" your skis quickly.

The "problem" I have with carrying exposed skis or really anything on the roofs of vehicles is the wind noise and sometimes the buffeting from wind. If we weren't "retired" from skiing and if I couldn't carry skis inside a vehicle, the only other way I would carry them would be on a hitch mounted ski rack. There are also ski carrying adapters for some hitch mount bike racks.

 

[DC_Dave]

People have been carrying exposed skis on roof racks since cars (with roofs) were invented. Just wipe off the skis when you arrive at your destination and attack the mountain. The snow you're skiing on will "clean" your skis quickly.

You're right about "people." If you're pulling 10yo or 20yo skis out of the attic or garage for a day or two down the slopes every year, I agree. It doesn't matter how you transport them. Those hitch-mounted ski racks do an especially good job of coating the skis with whatever is on the road. I had one back in "the day."

But when it comes to skiers, I disagree. If you maintain your skis (wax, edge tune), and you care about their performance, you will protect them. No one I ski with transports skis outside the vehicle or enclosure. A decent pair of skis (which you'll need, if you're a skier) cost about $1000. Skiers will typically two or more pairs in their "quiver." Season passes can cost $1000 these days, and daily lift tickets go for around $100.

 

[Geezer1]

You're right about "people." If you're pulling 10yo or 20yo skis out of the attic or garage for a day or two down the slopes every year, I agree. It doesn't matter how you transport them. Those hitch-mounted ski racks do an especially good job of coating the skis with whatever is on the road. I had one back in "the day."

But when it comes to skiers, I disagree. If you maintain your skis (wax, edge tune), and you care about their performance, you will protect them. No one I ski with transports skis outside the vehicle or enclosure. A decent pair of skis (which you'll need, if you're a skier) cost about $1000. Skiers will typically two or more pairs in their "quiver." Season passes can cost $1000 these days, and daily lift tickets go for around $100.

Carrying exposed skis on roof racks didn't keep my wife from being a nationally ranked ski racer. I sucked at racing compared to my wife but I did OK enough. My personal record in terms of quantity (not quality!) was 30 timed giant slalom race runs in one day. Oh, how I was addicted to Super-G. Loved, loved, loved it! Unfortunately, my skiing days ended in Aspen Valley Hospital in 2006 during testing of an experimental ski design. (My health insurance provider attempted to sue the ski company but I was able to stop that nonsense.) Nice hospital or so I'm told. My wife had to stop skiing for medical reasons. Her doctors told her that they might not be able to put her back together if she crashed again. Actually, I could have continued skiing but I stopped to keep my wife away from it since she was adamant about ignoring doctors advice.

Yes, we have owned a "few" pairs of skis - different types for different events. You're not going to do super-G or downhill on slalom skis. Same with boots. We chased every boot fad there was for over 30 years. My wife seemed to have a different ski outfit for every day of the week. And our skis got professionally "tuned" and waxed at least once per day.

If anyone in the Kansas City area is looking for a once high dollar Yakima roof ski rack shoot me a PM. I've also got ski boxes designed for air travel that aren't doing us any good in our storage room.

$100 for a single day lift ticket? Single day at Vail is currently $225 to $245. A 3-day at Aspen is $492 which is a huge discount from the single day price. Prices have increased a bit over the $5/day I paid 50 years ago.

 

[3LOU5]

People have been carrying exposed skis on roof racks since cars (with roofs) were invented. Just wipe off the skis when you arrive at your destination and attack the mountain. The snow you're skiing on will "clean" your skis quickly.

The "problem" I have with carrying exposed skis or really anything on the roofs of vehicles is the wind noise and sometimes the buffeting from wind. If we weren't "retired" from skiing and if I couldn't carry skis inside a vehicle, the only other way I would carry them would be on a hitch mounted ski rack. There are also ski carrying adapters for some hitch mount bike racks.

Well, all those "people" can do do whatever the hell they want. It's THEIR legs, not mine.

I'm still in the opinion that the performance of the bindings WILL be compromised and that they won't function at 100%. Unless you cover the bindings, the salt/dirt/dead raccoon/whatever combined with the strong winds from highway speeds WILL force its way to the nooks and crannies of the bindings. Combined with the grease in there, it's just a recipe for disaster.

Try to convince me otherwise, but I'm STILL going to be protecting my EXPENSIVE equipment AND body by NOT transporting them like these "people", nationally-ranked skier or what-have-you.

But that's just me ....

 

[3LOU5]

BTW, I'm talking about skis carried on the roof.

The hitch-mounted ones are a lot more protected from the constant battering of the wind-ladened with sh*t, LOL.

 

[Geezer1]

BTW, I'm talking about skis carried on the roof.

The hitch-mounted ones are a lot more protected from the constant battering of the wind-ladened with sh*t, LOL.

Whatever floats your boat! My wife and I still miss skiing terribly. She's had to use a cane and sometimes a walker or a wheelchair since the mid-2000's and she still talks about getting back on skis. Dreams never die. LOL, my favorite ski season was right after I turned 50 years old in summer 2000 which placed me in the next higher "senior" race competition bracket. Finally, I could kick ass! I hit the gym extraordinarily hard during the summer before ski season and felt god-like with my leg strength. I realized as ski season ended that I had raced a bazillion times and hadn't fallen or DQ'ed a single time. Oh, the memeries!