Taken from a comment on Jim Kenney's article on ski planning.

"Automobile ski racks are great for freeing-up interior space and I have used them often, but unless you use a ski bag or cargo box your skis will be less exposed to road/dirt/salt damage if stored inside a vehicle."


So are folks out there no longer using ski racks?

As I travel a lot, I am normally renting a car for my travels. I keep a SKI HIKER in my boot bag and find that it works great for putting my sticks on rental cars. Although I am not much of a HM when it comes to get my ski's dirty. I do keep them inside the car when I can. Mainly when I score the free up grade at Avis and get a Trailblazer.

heh - except for my dynastar inspired by nobis (which will probably never be used in the mid-atlantic area) my ski(s) are all 160 cm or near that ... i just throw 'em in the back. much easier than the days when i was on 207-210 ... what's a "ski rack" , heh?

Skis are too short these days to bother with racks. Most of today's skis fit in the back seat or trunk of most cars.

I keep my snowboard inside of my car because the ski rack cuts my gas mileage by atleast 4 mpg.

I like my powderhound 6 ski rack. I don't like to have the skis in the car because it's usually full of boots, food, people, etc. Plus I worry about the skis and boards cutting the leather.

As for the gas mileage issue, I drive an SUV that already doesn't get great mileage compared to other cars (unless you put a ton of people and equipment in it and a rack on top) then it's about the same as loaded up cars.

I have been looking at the new racks yakima came out with though, VERY nice. About $150 though, hoping to get a clearance deal over the summer, here is the new one called the FatCat

http://www.yakima.com/Product.aspx?id=181#

i put my skis on the roof for the same reasons as jeremy. however, i'll just put the skis in my ski bag to keep the wear down and it'll still fit on my rack. I haven't noticed much change in my MPG for my Outback.

Without a covering of some sort, the sand-salt-slush mixture that can get thrown onto skis takes its toll -- at least that was my experience as I grew up skiing in the Berkshires (Mass.) and Vermont. It's not only a problem of abrasion but also one of corrosion, esp. of the ski's bottom surface and bindings.

Smaller skis are easier to stow inside, too, so that;s what I do.

Woody

I have a permanently mounted ski rack on my rooftop and carry the skis within the Gritz Guard I bought many years ago. Washing the Gritz Guards is a heck of a lot easier than repairing or cleaning skis

I've got a rack, but its for the canoe. The skis I toss in the truck bed or in the backseat. I keep mine in a case to keep them from cutting anything inside and keep them from getting beat-up.

Ski racks here, mainly used on weekend trips with my wife and family/friends when extra space is needed in the car. For solo day trips, skis ride to the mountain in the car, and the wet skis ride back home on the rack. I have an old ski bag (says "Blizzard Thermo" on it like the popular skis of the 1989-1990 timeframe) that I use to protect the skis if the roads are wet. I have not seen any hit in MPG on my previous Subaru wagons or current Acura SUV when using the rack. But it definitely hurt MPG on some of my earlier cars.

After having the same Yakima ski clamps since about 1989, I finally got new ones last year, mainly for the looks. The old Yakima clamps still work fine but looked ancient.

Funny you should bring this up. I haven't used a ski rack in about five years. Stored skis inside vehicles. But I just inherited a nice hand-me down rack from sister-in-law that perfectly fits the minivan I bought last year. So I think it's only appropriate that I give it a test in the next few days.

used to use ski racks and had several to fit different vehicles then I bought a "coffin" when we did the race circuit with my son to keep the skis from getting all crudded by salt and road dirt. I'll be digging the coffin up and out this weekend when I bring my rock ski collection to t-line to sell. Might be a little cold to just sit at a rock ski sale though. so I may re-think my plans...

<<-- Yak Ski rack. For a longer approach I will put the skis in a bag, but if its just up to the local hill I will just toss them up there. Also if its colder (below about 25F) then no salt / spray gets coated on them.

I have a Rocket Box and ski racks. I usually only use the racks when the Expedition and the Rocket Box are full of kids and the rest of our gear.



OK Lou,

What are Gritx Guards?




None of my skis will fit in the trunk. Maybe I need to buy some shorter skis!

When I have kids I will be sure to store them on the roof rack too.

You know, I agree. One day when I have kids they will definitely ride on the roof rack. I guess you need to just be careful about who sees you unloading them. You wouldn't want child protection services knocking on your door.

David & Tromano,

Once you have kids, you'll understand.

That's what garages are for