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Vacation Travel is in full swing and many families are taking to the road. Before stuffing those suitcases and duffel bags in the space between the passengers consider the use of outside the vehicle storage in order to make your trip more pleasant. Unfortunately many families are more concerned with what needs to be taken to the campground, or beach rather than where all that stuff Is going to be put. With a little pre-planning the ride will be part of the fun.

There are many types of luggage carriers and cargo carriers that can accommodate the additional items necessary for a long road trip. The choices are between a Rooftop Luggage Carrier or a Hitch Mount Cargo Carrier. If you decide to go with a Rooftop Carrier, in most cases, a rooftop luggage carrier will require a roof rail system with crossbars. If your vehicle doesn't have a rail system check with the Auto Dealership or go online to find a compatible rail system. Many vehicles have the front to rear rails but need the left to right crossbars. The cross bars are available from the dealership or in many cases can be found online as retrofitted bars. Check the manufacturer specifications to see what the roof load is before just putting any weight on the vehicle roof. There are Hard Roof Top Carriers and Soft Top Carriers. Each has advantages and disadvantages so choose based on your requirements. One way to see if the carrier dimensions will accommodate your needs is to make a string measurement on the floor of the unit size and place the items you plan to have it hold inside the string area.

The Hitch Mount or Rear Mount Carriers attach to the rear of the vehicle and require a 2 in. or 1.25 in. receiver. Each vehicle has a rated towing capacity and it is important to have the proper receiver hitch in place. The Dealership is a good place to start for this. It will know the towing capacity of the particular vehicle and do the proper hitch receiver installation. Many vehicles are already accessorized with a receiver hitch in place.

There are choices with the type of Hitch Mount Cargo Carriers as well. There are Hard Rear Mount Carriers and Combination Metal Trays with or without Soft Carrier Bags. Many of the Rear Mount Carriers offer mounting accessories for bikes, fishing poles, tables, and more. The choices are many and varied. The internet is a good place to search for the proper Hitch Mount Carrier that fits your requirements. When buying your hitch carrier, it is a good idea to spend a little more and get a Locking Hitch Pin to hold your carrier securely in place on the receiver.

Spend a little time before your trip thinking of the items that you intend to take with you and get the proper outside the vehicle storage so there is room for the passengers. Your trip will be a lot more fun.