inexpensive top carrier/storage for rental gladiator

[Bob32]

TL:DR Does anyone have any recommendations for an inexpensive way to increase the storage capacity of a jeep gladiator?

Hello, first time user here. I am renting a jeep gladiator for an upcoming 4-day jeep-supported mountain biking trip. We will have eight people total including the driver for a four-day trip. The idea is to have all the water, food, camping gear, bike gear, etc in the back of the gladiator, so that up to five people can ride in the jeep if they want to at any time (for any hills, or if anyone just feels like it), while at least three need to be on the bikes. For most of the trip, almost all of us will be on the bikes. I'm a little worried about the amount of space---we'll have a lot of water/food, plus three tents and 8 sleeping bags/pads, etc. The rental vehicle does not come with a roof rack, so even though I own a top carrier for my car, I won't be able to use that on the jeep rental. I am thinking of buying a soft rooftop carrier (see link below) with straps that goes through the windows---something that won't scratch the car at all, and we could put the light stuff like sleeping bags/pillows/sleeping pads in it---but am wondering if there are any other obvious ideas that I am missing (some kind of netting or top/carrier for the back? I've never owned a pickup so I don't even know the proper terms to use). I don't want to spend a lot of money, since it's just for one trip; around $100 or a little more would be fine, especially if we can return it if we don't end up using it, but I don't want to spend several hundred dollars. It doesn't have to be super durable or super easy to use, or waterproof, or aerodynamic; as long as it's not too much of a pain and will last about 100 miles along a jeep road, that'll be good enough for us. Does anyone have any recommendations for an inexpensive way to increase the storage capacity of a jeep gladiator?

Maybe something along these lines? https://www.amazon.com/RoofBag-Wate...aWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

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[brianinca]

I'd look to rent a trailer to go with the Jeep. http://rockboxoffroad.com/rentals/

TL:DR Does anyone have any recommendations for an inexpensive way to increase the storage capacity of a jeep gladiator?

Hello, first time user here. I am renting a jeep gladiator for an upcoming 4-day jeep-supported mountain biking trip. We will have eight people total including the driver for a four-day trip. The idea is to have all the water, food, camping gear, bike gear, etc in the back of the gladiator, so that up to five people can ride in the jeep if they want to at any time (for any hills, or if anyone just feels like it), while at least three need to be on the bikes. For most of the trip, almost all of us will be on the bikes. I'm a little worried about the amount of space---we'll have a lot of water/food, plus three tents and 8 sleeping bags/pads, etc. The rental vehicle does not come with a roof rack, so even though I own a top carrier for my car, I won't be able to use that on the jeep rental. I am thinking of buying a soft rooftop carrier (see link below) with straps that goes through the windows---something that won't scratch the car at all, and we could put the light stuff like sleeping bags/pillows/sleeping pads in it---but am wondering if there are any other obvious ideas that I am missing (some kind of netting or top/carrier for the back? I've never owned a pickup so I don't even know the proper terms to use). I don't want to spend a lot of money, since it's just for one trip; around $100 or a little more would be fine, especially if we can return it if we don't end up using it, but I don't want to spend several hundred dollars. It doesn't have to be super durable or super easy to use, or waterproof, or aerodynamic; as long as it's not too much of a pain and will last about 100 miles along a jeep road, that'll be good enough for us. Does anyone have any recommendations for an inexpensive way to increase the storage capacity of a jeep gladiator?

Maybe something along these lines? https://www.amazon.com/RoofBag-Waterproof-Made-Year-Warranty/dp/B0042H6BA0/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=soft+rooftop+carrier&qid=1631998419&sr=8-1-spons&smid=A1J8X5K0MHIH9M&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUlBZRDlJRUo2MVBMJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDQ3NjgyVFFMVDJJSVNLS0UwJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA2ODg1MTFRQUo5N1c2SlI2Q0cmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

 

[Bob32]

I'd look to rent a trailer to go with the Jeep. http://rockboxoffroad.com/rentals/

Thanks brianinca. Something like that does indeed look like it would work best. Unfortunately that's more money than I was hoping to spend though... maybe there just isn't a great inexpensive way to do this.

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

Thule bars for the rain gutters and a big basket. The people go inside, the hard gear goes in the box and all the soft camp gear goes in the basket; less to lift and less weird truck weight issues with ALL the gear at the highest point and a cab full of people.

You can make a brutalist but cheap basket with 8020 type extrusion or use the carrier you already have.

https://www.tnutz.com/

You are on your own for the bikes on a rental. If it were an owned truck I would say fashion a plywood deck cover with stanchions/brackets to grab the front forks with the wheel off and chuck the wheels in the box and rank the frames when not used. That said I saw a guy on the BQE with a uhaul and he had a suction cup frame/form mount slapped onto the hood/windshield in true balls to the wall style.

 

[The White Rabbit]

5 people in the Jeep? Not so much. Wrong tool for the job. You need something full size.
Just my $.02

 

[Bob32]

Thule bars for the rain gutters and a big basket. The people go inside, the hard gear goes in the box and all the soft camp gear goes in the basket; less to lift and less weird truck weight issues with ALL the gear at the highest point and a cab full of people.

You can make a brutalist but cheap basket with 8020 type extrusion or use the carrier you already have.

https://www.tnutz.com/

You are on your own for the bikes on a rental. If it were an owned truck I would say fashion a plywood deck cover with stanchions/brackets to grab the front forks with the wheel off and chuck the wheels in the box and rank the frames when not used. That said I saw a guy on the BQE with a uhaul and he had a suction cup frame/form mount slapped onto the hood/windshield in true balls to the wall style.

Thanks; I'll look into the DIY basket option. I think that would be tricky though since it's a rental so I can't look at it in advance.

I have a bike rack that will fit all of our bikes, so we're covered in that regards. Thanks anyway though

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

a good primer but really what you want to do is make a frame, add some uprights and add another open box above then L bracket down to the thule bars. you can then adjust the thule bars and L brackets as you need so a simple measure from someone here should tell you everything you need.

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