Yakima LoPro 15

Just completed my first mission up to Hood with the new LoPro Yakima Skybox. I thought I'd share a few photos and thoughts for those of you who might be interested. Disclaimer: Please excuse the road grime. I know it says "Aesthetic" on the forum label, but aren't Subaru wagons are supposed to be covered in dirt?

 

http://i315.photobucket.com/albums/ll474/bochinam/P1050034.jpg

 

The LoPro is essentially a chopped Skybox 21, measuring in at 92L x 36W x 11.5H. This gives you a little over 15 cubic feet to cram in up to 100lbs of gear if you take the OEM Mont Blanc cross bars to their 150 pound limit. The shape is tailored for skiers. It will swallow the longest skis in your quiver and still be deep enough for snowboards, boots and helmets. It's the widest Skybox Yakima sells making it relatively easy to get into from either side of the car when centered on the roof. For the aesthetically minded, the width also narrows towards the rear which just happens to match the taper of the Legacy roofline.

 

http://i315.photobucket.com/albums/ll474/bochinam/P1050039.jpg

 

Will it clear the spoiler? The Yakima "Fit Guide" will tell you that it won't. They are technically correct, but you can still *make* it fit with some minor tweaks if you are willing to modify your Mont Blanc rack. (No mods to the LoPro or the car itself.) Two things need to happen:

 

1) The front cross bar must slide forward about a 1/4" further than what would normally be the maximum. The easy way to accomplish this is to reshape the edge of the tongue on the Mont Blanc feet with a Dremel or equivalent. This will give the spoiler enough horizontal room to clear the lower half of the clamshell.

 

2) Then, the rear of the box needs to be high enough to allow the spoiler to slip under the lip of the upper clamshell as the hatch rotates. If you look closely at the rear crossbar you can see some 1/4" spacers I added where the box clamps to the bar. This gives the box a slight butt lift.

 

http://i315.photobucket.com/albums/ll474/bochinam/P1050035.jpg

 

That looks tight!

 

http://i315.photobucket.com/albums/ll474/bochinam/P1050038.jpg

 

Upon closer inspection...woohoo!

 

http://i315.photobucket.com/albums/ll474/bochinam/P1050037.jpg

 

A few final observations: It includes a cargo mat, netting, locks and a solar powered light. Will see how well it charges in my garage The box is pretty rigid compared to others I've played with, it has a nice titanium paint job on the top half and it doesn't seem to make any noise. So far so good.

i wish i had a wagon Id have luggage up there, and a airbed in the back. and go for some long road trips

thanks for sharing this. I'm contemplating on adding this to my wagon.