You’ve got a Subaru Outback and you’re ready to take on the world. But, you need somewhere to put all that stuff!
If you’re on the hunt for a roof box, we’re here to help you find the special compartment to fit your heart… and belongings in.
There’s a nicely shaped piece of plastic just for you.
Let’s take a look at the 4 best roof boxes for Subaru Outbacks:
1. SportRack Vista XL Rear Opening Cargo Box (Black, 18 Cubic Feet)
The SportRack Vista offers an incredible amount of storage space for the price.
If you need a larger amount of room, like 18 cubic feet then you will be hard pressed to find an option in this price range.
Although the Jegs line of roof boxes are also at a pretty good price point.
This opens from the rear, which for an SUV could be a bit annoying to reach but the great thing about Outbacks are they’re lower to the ground. So that will be no problem. It’ll mount on your roof rack cross bars with included U-bolts.
Did we mention you need a roof rack installed prior to purchasing a roof box? If you don’t have one, we have some suggestions for your Outback at the bottom of this guide. But yes, it needs something to mount to for holding it in place.
A great feature here is that they included a locking mechanism so you won’t have to worry about a bear breaking into your stash of treats while you’re on a camping adventure.
But perhaps the greatest thing about this box is its overall value combined with customer satisfaction. Chances are you’ll love this option, and it’s our top pick. If you need less room and want an affordable choice still, take a look at the JEGS box at #5.
2. Goplus Cargo Box, Waterproof Rooftop Cargo Carrier, Heavy Duty Roof Storage Box, 14 Cubic Feet (Black)
Does this design look very familiar? We thought so. The Goplus Cargo box seems to have taken a bit of inspiration from leading brands in the category.
But, it did it at a more affordable clip. And with something we’ve never seen before in this category… color options!
A roof box that you can have choices of colors for? Next thing you’ll be telling us that the earth is round!
But seriously, there are three color options so if you have a white vehicle or prefer a glossy black you can pick those up instead. This is an aerodynamic shape which hopefully will reduce wind noise.
It can open on both sides and does include locks. All in all, this can haul up to 165 lbs.
3. Thule Force XT Rooftop Cargo Box, X-Large
We mentioned Thule before in this guide. They make nice gear! This Force XT cargo box is for those of you who need to bring a lot of things on your trips.
It can fit up to 5 snowboards if they’re under 195 cms in length. With 18 cubic feet of space, it’s probably best for a squad of 4 people or more. Unless your hobbies require tons of gear.
This is also a dual-side opening design with locks and an easy mount system. Like our previous option, this can haul up to 165 lbs.
4. JEGS 90097 Rooftop Cargo Carrier Capacity: 9 cu. ft, 100 lb. Carrying Capacity
Here’s the super affordable choice in this guide!
Don’t need a lot of space and want some extra cash in your pocket? Get this little nugget to cram your things into.
It does have a cutesy look to it eh?
The Jegs 90097 is a great choice for those of you just need some extra space and not a ton. If you’re a golfer, expect to fit at most 2 bags into this. And this won’t work for snowboarders.
But, for that little road trip that the family needs, you can count on this! We like the Jegs as long as you are realistic about the size limitations it’s a good pickup. It will be able to at most carry 100 lbs.
What do I need to mount a roof box?
Most likely your Outback came with side rails. But, you’ll also need roof rack cross bars to mount your roof box on. Thankfully, there are plenty of affordable options in this category.
We even wrote a guide on it for Subaru’s that you can check out here. Most options on that list will run you less than a hundred! After you get one installed you can carry plenty of things, not just a roof box. Many people mount skiis or even kayaks on their cross bars.
Roof boxes are pretty pricey, are there alternatives?
We agree with you, a roof box is definitely an investment that costs some coin. Creating a hard shell system to protect gear is going to run more naturally, but if you want something more affordable you should consider a cargo bag. Cargo bags are mostly waterproof storage options that you tie-down to your roof.
And they’re very affordable. The downside is they move a little bit compared to a regular roof box. But many options can be had for under a hundred bucks.
Conclusion
We hope this guide answered all the questions to your roof box aspirations. You and your Outback will now be equipped to take on the world! Or something like that.
There are plenty of pricey options and more affordable ones in this guide. We think the best value overall is the SportRack Roof Box. It meets the storage capacity most people need and the price point that isn’t too astronomical.
If you picked up something from this guide, let us know how it worked out. Thank you for stopping by, we appreciate our readers.