Haul More Gear With a Cargo Carrier Cover From Harbor Freight | Video Review

This past weekend I went on a scheduled camping trip with my scouts. We did not have someone to haul our double axle trailer, which meant packing all the participants and their gear into three vehicles. When I purchased my car last year though, I made sure to have an already installed tow package. I wanted to be able to add one of those cargo carrier platforms when going on trips. So with two Ford Flex and a Jeep, we hauled 15 individuals and gear to a fossil dig.

When a fellow scouter learned of our plight, he mentioned having a Nylon Cargo Carrier Cover  from Harbor Freight. Essentially it is a large soft-sided bag to tie onto the carrier instead of using a tarp. He had not used it yet but said I could test it for him. And test it I did!

The expandable cargo carrier cover from Harbor Freight
was a great solution for hauling gear! 

We used the bag to haul 6 tents, two hiking packs and assorted cooking gear. There was a bit of room to spare but we encouraged everyone to pack lightly and hauled gear in cars too.

Thankfully we had near-perfect weather and did not have any rain until driving home. (Really it was more of a mist.) We ask a scout in each tent to take them home after a weekend, to dry them out and sweep them. The tents were already damp from packing up, so they came out of the bag damp.

I still had my tent and assorted gear in the carrier. After dropping my scouts it began to rain in earnest, so I left the cargo carrier and bag on the car. The plan was to  return it and the remaining gear to the trailer the next day.

First thing Monday morning I drove to my friend's where the trailer was. Now this is where I had poor planning. After a night of heavier rain, I SHOULD have opened the carrier FIRST to check for water. Instead though, I sprayed down the carrier to wash off the mud.

I was concerned about the zipper area leaking, and sure enough it did. I did use a sprayer to clean the bag though, so the force might have been enough to push water through.

My suggestion would be to add water-proofing to the bag, or waxing the zipper OR adding a tarp cut to fit to place on top of gear in the bag. Otherwise I was exceptionally pleased with the product. In fact, as soon as I need it again, I will likely buy one from Harbor Freight to have on hand for $30 it can't be beat!