How do you store your skis on the road?

[amo292]

Hey folks, as the title states I am curious to know how you guys take your skis on the road with you?

For a little background info I drive an 08 tundra double cab with a cap on the back for the winter. When traveling to go skiing it ranges from just me to a full cab of people for anywhere from 1-4 hours each way. I like to keep all the gear in the bed but I am looking for better storage solution for the skis and occasional board.



I know first choice is to keep them in the bed with the other stuff but that just isn't working for me. When traveling I don't like them to be loose back there because they shift around and can get damaged.

Second choice is buying a roof box for my thule system on the cap. The only thing I have against this is sometimes I need to fit into tight parking garages.

And last choice is the regular clamps. Exposing the skis to the harsh elements does not seem so good.

So what do you guys do with your gear? I know there has to be some clever ideas or just the regulars out there. Show me what you got!

 

[kenaiking]

I run a yak rocket box on my tacoma. Works great and keeps them out of the elements. Might be two tall for your parking requirements though.

 

[rayra]

Get teh roof clamps or something like the 'quick fist' rubber bindings and mount them INSIDE on the ceiling, a la an 'attic' storage solution. You could also build a solid shelf up there that would work, out of all sorts of inexpensive materials. Cargo net. 4" opening concrete pad reinforcing wire mat. Coated wire version of same used for retail display racks. Or something like a ceilign fishing pole rack, but designed with hoops / loops to retain skis.
You could build a spartan pair of steel frame hoops that fit inside your topper, with the storage solution attached to them, and install it in a way that doesn't damage or penetrate your fiberglass top at all.

Another solution is a set of long nylon socks / tubes, like stuff sacks for your skis, a bag for each pair. Again suspended from the ceiling in some manner.

Another solution is a sort of rifle rack arrangement on the interior sides of the shell. Such that paired skis are racked much like a rifle would be. You could fit 3-4 pair on each side that way. And it would be real simple to fabricate using some 1"x4" planks. Two short standing on each sides, a ceiling piece wedge-fit and bracket supported at the top to hold things in place. And that top would then provide a place to affix other hanging solutions for lightweight but cumbersome gear. Like ski poles (and the fishing pole rack idea works great for that). Make the rack pegs our of 1" dia dowel rod, set into a hole in the side planks drilled at a downward angle, angled enough you don't have to tie down the skis in any way.

And 100% silicone clear caulking works well for attaching things to a fiberglass shell interior in a non-permanent manner.


eta here's a tool rack I built for a garden shed, to illustrate the peg idea

 

[rayra]

One of Cabela's fishing pole storage solutions. Words great in a camper shell. I first saw it used for stowage of HAM radio antennae. The idea could be adapted to all kinds of things.

 

[mallthus]

Try these ideas.

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php/115139-Interior-Camper-Shell-Ski-Rack

 

[washington taco]

Outside of the truck is the worst! http://www.packasport.com/ or build a rack system under the cap.

 

[cdthiker]

welp....

Call me crazy but I ran my skis out side my Subaru for several years from Maine to Utah with no adverse effects using the clamps.
Now they just hang out in back of bed. You might get a bit of surface rust on the edges but its no big deal.

 

[College Kid]

This is what I came up with. Going to be building version 2 very soon.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/117337-Ski-Board-Storage-for-Truck-Bed

 

[libarata]

Buy some nylon fishing pole hangers from wal-mart.

 

[calicamper]

Hey folks, as the title states I am curious to know how you guys take your skis on the road with you?

For a little background info I drive an 08 tundra double cab with a cap on the back for the winter. When traveling to go skiing it ranges from just me to a full cab of people for anywhere from 1-4 hours each way. I like to keep all the gear in the bed but I am looking for better storage solution for the skis and occasional board.

View attachment 259872

I know first choice is to keep them in the bed with the other stuff but that just isn't working for me. When traveling I don't like them to be loose back there because they shift around and can get damaged.

Second choice is buying a roof box for my thule system on the cap. The only thing I have against this is sometimes I need to fit into tight parking garages.

And last choice is the regular clamps. Exposing the skis to the harsh elements does not seem so good.

So what do you guys do with your gear? I know there has to be some clever ideas or just the regulars out there. Show me what you got!

Decades using the old school clamp rack then got a sleek 30 inch wide 7ft long Thule roof box and swear I should have gotten the box years and years sooner. Keeps the gear out of sight, and we dump the wet soggy stuff in the box when were loading up at the end of the day. No better way unless you own a Mercedes tall van with a special gear garage in the back half.

 

[amo292]

Thanks for the ideas folks. I haven't been able to build anything yet but plan to in the very near future. For now I am using a Yakima clamp system on the roof. I figured out that if I flip the skis over upside down the bindings are very well protected by my wind fairing. Now that still leaves the outer edges to gather crap but I'm ok with that for the moment.

 

[washington taco]

welp....

Call me crazy but I ran my skis out side my Subaru for several years from Maine to Utah with no adverse effects using the clamps.
Now they just hang out in back of bed. You might get a bit of surface rust on the edges but its no big deal.

I just find that the skis and bindings get a lot of road crud build up on long trips. With my new A/T bindings the last thing I want is an issue with a binding in the backcountry.

 

[Christophe Noel]

I use a Yakima SkyBox LoPro. Love that thing. It's sleek and low and fits skis and even boots with no problem, although I seldom keep the boots up there on route to the hill. Makes them darn hard to get on when they're so cold.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I just find that the skis and bindings get a lot of road crud build up on long trips. With my new A/T bindings the last thing I want is an issue with a binding in the backcountry.

For years I had standard roof clamps and there is truth to the crud being a problem. My bindings (various Voile and G3 over the years) developed pits presumably from the mag chloride, the Yakima mounts themselves are corroded like crazy.

Now those are 25+ years old so I suppose one could say that it takes a long time to ruin a binding but it's still probably not good for the aluminum but worse on the nylon and plastic bits. Still, other than maybe cosmetic I can't honestly claim any of my binding failures are directly due to exposure to road crud. Honestly 9 times out of 10 the bindings have pulled out of the skis, so whether that is because of the wood, screws or glue being eaten away I dunno. I just figured it was my terrible turn and general disrespect and unkindliness to my gear. The only maybe is the heel throws exploding, but again, a couple of years of abuse is probably the cause.

FWIW, I just throw skis in the back all in chaos and what-not. My truck has two seats so I rarely carry more than 3 or so pairs at any one time.