What Can You Put in a Roof Box?
You can put many of the things you would normally carry in your boot into a roof box, provided they're suitable for roof storage and you stay within the relevant weight and equipment limits. Clothing, soft travel bags, coats, sleeping bags and suitable camping or holiday equipment are all examples of items that can make good use of the additional space.
The more useful question, however, isn't simply "will it fit?" It's "is the roof box the right place to carry it?"
Some belongings are particularly well suited to roof storage, while very heavy, valuable, fragile or frequently needed items may be better kept securely inside the vehicle. Here's how to decide what goes where.
What Is a Roof Box Good for Carrying?
A roof box is particularly useful for belongings that take up a lot of room without being exceptionally heavy.
Depending on their size, weight and suitability, typical examples can include:
- Clothing and holiday bags.
- Soft holdalls.
- Coats and jackets.
- Sleeping bags.
- Suitable camping equipment.
- Lightweight outdoor equipment.
- Children's holiday equipment.
- Footwear packed appropriately.
- Other bulky luggage that fits safely inside the box.
Moving suitable items onto the roof can free a surprising amount of room inside the car. That's one of the main reasons roof boxes are useful for family holidays and longer journeys.
Can You Put Suitcases in a Roof Box?
Yes, suitable suitcases can be carried in a roof box provided they fit properly and don't cause you to exceed the relevant load limits.
However, rigid suitcases aren't always the most space-efficient choice. Roof boxes have a long, relatively shallow shape, so several large rectangular cases can leave awkward gaps around them.
Soft holdalls can sometimes make better use of tapered or irregular spaces. A combination of suitcases and flexible bags may therefore work better than trying to fill the entire box with hard-shell cases.
Whatever you use, the luggage shouldn't prevent the roof box from closing and locking normally.
Can You Put Clothes in a Roof Box?
Clothes are often well suited to roof-box storage because they can provide plenty of volume without necessarily adding excessive weight.
Rather than filling the boot with several large clothing bags, moving suitable ones into the roof box can leave more room below for heavier belongings.
Pack clothing into suitable travel bags rather than leaving individual items loose. If keeping particular clothes completely dry is important, additional waterproof inner bags are sensible because a roof box should be considered weather-resistant rather than a guaranteed watertight container.
Can You Put Sleeping Bags in a Roof Box?
Sleeping bags are another good example of bulky equipment that can consume a disproportionate amount of boot space.
Provided they're suitably packed and within the relevant limits, moving them to the roof can make camping equipment considerably easier to organise.
Because sleeping bags can be particularly unpleasant if they become damp, we'd recommend using suitable waterproof bags or sealed protection around them, especially if you're expecting prolonged wet weather.
Can You Put Camping Equipment in a Roof Box?
A roof box can be very useful for camping trips because camping equipment has an impressive ability to consume every available corner of a car.
Suitable lightweight and bulky equipment can potentially travel above the vehicle, leaving the boot available for denser items that are better carried lower down.
Don't assume that every piece of camping equipment belongs on the roof, though. Check its size and weight, make sure it can be appropriately secured and consider whether it contains anything unsuitable for that location.
Can You Put a Pushchair in a Roof Box?
A pushchair may fit in some roof boxes depending on its folded dimensions, shape and weight.
This is one of those occasions where measuring is much more useful than guessing. A pushchair can look relatively compact when folded but still be too tall or awkwardly shaped for the roof-box lid to close properly.
If it fits comfortably and is suitable for the box and your vehicle's load limits, carrying it on the roof could release a substantial amount of boot space for the rest of the family's luggage.
Never force the lid closed around an item that is too large.
Can You Put Shoes and Walking Boots in a Roof Box?
Suitable footwear can be carried in a roof box, and this can be particularly handy on walking, camping and outdoor holidays.
Pack footwear appropriately rather than leaving individual shoes loose inside the box. If you're putting muddy or wet walking boots back into the box during your holiday, keep them separated from clean clothing and other belongings.
It's worth remembering that putting something wet into enclosed storage doesn't make the moisture disappear. Unpack and dry wet equipment appropriately when you reach your destination.
What Shouldn't You Put in a Roof Box?
Just because an object physically fits doesn't automatically make the roof box the best place for it.
As a general packing principle, think carefully before putting the following types of belongings on the roof:
- Exceptionally heavy or dense objects.
- Valuable items that would be better kept with you.
- Fragile belongings that could be damaged by movement.
- Items you will need frequently during the journey.
- Anything prohibited or unsuitable for transport in your particular circumstances.
- Items that prevent the roof box from closing correctly.
- Anything that would cause an applicable load limit to be exceeded.
Particularly heavy belongings may be better carried securely and low down inside the vehicle where appropriate, subject to the manufacturer's guidance and the vehicle's other loading limits.
Don't Put Journey Essentials Somewhere Inconvenient
The roof box might have space for something, but that doesn't mean you'll want to retrieve it halfway through the journey.
Keep essential travel items appropriately accessible inside the vehicle. Depending on your circumstances, these could include medication, travel documents, children's immediate essentials, chargers and anything you'll require before reaching your destination.
This is particularly worth thinking about when travelling by ferry, where access to the vehicle deck may be restricted during the crossing.
Our Can You Take A Roof Box On A Ferry? guide covers ferry journeys in more detail.
Should Heavy Luggage Go in the Roof Box?
Generally, a roof box is a particularly efficient use of space for suitable bulky and comparatively lightweight luggage, while dense and heavy items may be more appropriately secured lower down inside the car.
There are also specific load limits to consider. The vehicle, roof bars and roof box can each have their own specifications, and the lowest applicable limit needs to be respected.
The weight of the box and bars themselves can also count towards the vehicle's permitted roof load.
Read How Much Weight Can A Roof Box Hold? before deciding how much heavy luggage to move upstairs.
Can You Put Electronics in a Roof Box?
Think carefully before carrying valuable or moisture-sensitive electronics in a roof box.
If an electronic item is suitable for transport there, protect it appropriately against movement, impact and moisture. However, valuable electronics that you can reasonably carry securely elsewhere may be better kept with you.
Don't rely on the roof box itself as the only moisture barrier for something that could be damaged by water.
Can You Put Food in a Roof Box?
A roof box isn't a temperature-controlled environment, so it shouldn't be treated as an alternative to a cool box or refrigerator.
The temperature inside can vary significantly according to the weather and conditions. Perishable food and anything requiring controlled storage should therefore be transported appropriately rather than simply placed in the roof box.
Food and drink you expect to use during the journey are usually more conveniently stored appropriately inside the vehicle anyway.
Can You Put Loose Items in a Roof Box?
Avoid simply throwing lots of small loose objects into the box.
Pack smaller belongings into suitable bags or containers and use the appropriate internal securing system. The aim is to prevent contents from freely moving around as the vehicle accelerates, brakes and corners.
How Do You Pack a Roof Box Properly? explains load distribution and securing your luggage in more detail.
How Much Luggage Will Fit?
This depends on the size and shape of both the roof box and your belongings.
Our Large roof box provides around 470 litres of additional storage, while our Extra Large option provides around 580 litres.
Those capacities can make a major difference to a packed family car, but litres only describe available volume. They don't tell you how much weight the roof is permitted to carry.
For the space question specifically, see How Much Can You Put in a Roof Box?.
What Should Go in the Boot Instead?
Rather than thinking of the roof box as overflow storage, it can be useful to plan the boot and roof box at the same time.
The boot can be used for belongings that are heavier or otherwise more appropriately carried low down, while the roof box takes suitable bulky items that would otherwise consume a large proportion of the available luggage space.
For example, moving coats, clothing bags and sleeping bags upstairs could create room below for heavier cases and other appropriate equipment.
Done well, this can also help prevent luggage spreading onto rear seats and into passenger footwells.
What Can You Put in a Roof Box for a Family Holiday?
Every family packs differently, but a useful starting point could be to reserve the roof box for suitable belongings that won't be needed until you arrive.
That might mean clothing bags, coats, spare footwear and lightweight holiday equipment go into the roof box, while travel documents, snacks, medication and children's journey essentials remain appropriately accessible.
The result isn't necessarily more luggage. It's better use of the luggage space you already have.
What About a European Road Trip?
The same packing principles apply when you're travelling further afield, although a longer holiday can make it tempting to take substantially more with you.
Don't allow the length of the trip to encourage overloading. Check the relevant vehicle and equipment limits, secure the contents properly and think about what you'll need at different stages of the journey.
Can You Take A Roof Box To Europe? covers the wider considerations for European travel, while How Fast Can You Drive With A Roof Box? is useful before a long motorway journey.
Choose the Box Around What You're Actually Taking
A couple travelling with soft bags may need much less roof storage than a family taking camping equipment, pushchairs and several bags of clothing.
That's why it's useful to think about the type and shape of your luggage before deciding which box to hire.
Our Which Is The Best Roof Box? guide can help you compare your requirements with the available options.
Professionally Fitted Roof Box Hire in the Midlands
Midlands Roof Box Hire provides additional luggage space for family holidays, camping trips, weekends away and European road journeys.
From our Tamworth base, we help customers travelling from locations including Nuneaton, Sutton Coldfield, Redditch, Burton-upon-Trent, Birmingham and other parts of the Midlands.
Our range includes premium Thule roof boxes, with compatible Roof Bar Hire available where required. Professional fitting is included, which you can read more about at Does roof box hire include fitting?.
Think About Weight, Shape and When You'll Need It
So, what can you put in a roof box? Plenty of normal holiday luggage can be suitable, particularly bulky items such as clothing bags, coats, sleeping bags and appropriate camping equipment.
The best approach is to judge each item by more than whether it physically fits. Consider its weight, shape, value, sensitivity to moisture and whether you'll need access to it during the journey.
Then divide your luggage sensibly between the roof box, boot and passenger compartment while remaining within all applicable loading limits.
Browse our Roof Box Range, check how much it costs to hire a roof box or Contact Us with your vehicle registration and travel dates to arrange your hire.