Reviewer's Notebook: Garvin Industries Wilderness Accessories Roof Rack - Part I of II
The SUV lies somewhere between these extremes. In fact, much of sport ute's popularity has arisen from their ability to haul a combination of passengers and, how shall we put it... junk? Unfortunately, once the back seat is full of people, most of these rigs (Suburbans excluded) don't offer much more room behind the seats than does an FJ40 or any of the other short wheelbase brethren. And with more people there is invariably more... junk. SolutionsThe time-proven means of toting all that junk is the roof. After you've stuffed the cargo area, aided by a crowbar and colorful language, the roof starts to look pretty good.Roof storage has evolved rapidly in recent years (as with all things off-road) and now has 3 major subdivisions.
The Rack
Fit and finish on the rack and its accessories is excellent. The rack and its accessories arrived in meticulously wrapped, coded, and double-boxed segments. The sharp-looking black powder coating was intact upon receipt, and has remained chip-free to date. Assembly
When the 7' long rack for the Trooper II is fully assembled, with flooring, it weighs a hefty 100 pounds. This is no poseur unit, folks! Two of us lifted the rack onto Project WomBAT and within 20 minutes or so it was one with truck. Try and shake the rack and you rock the entire truck; the Wilderness Rack offers no flex. AccessoriesOne of the most outstanding features of the Wilderness Rack is its versatility. Garvin recognized that an effective rack must readily hold a variety of tools and toys. For off-road dedicated items, like a Hi Lift jack, a Pull Pal anchor, lighting, and a spare tire, Garvin designed their own mounting assemblies. They also recognized that sport rack companies like Yakima and Thule already offer consumers a wide variety of accessories. Instead of forcing a decision between their safari-style rack and sport racks, Garvin designed mounting accessories that allow any Yakima or Thule accessory to be mounted with those companies' main cross bars. In the case of bikes and skis, Garvin also manufactures their own accessories (see reviews in the upcoming Part II of this review). With that revolutionary design the Wilderness Rack surpasses all others with its combination of strength, accessory attachments, and cross-system adaptability.Light Brackets Pull Pal Mounting Bracket
How does it perform?The Wilderness Accessories Roof Rack stood out as a truly superior product from day one. The rack feels as if it is welded to Project WomBAT, dramatically expanding the truck's hauling capabilities. The Trooper's rear now is free from the Pull Pal, a Hi Lift, plus 15 cubic feet of... junk, thanks to the Cabelas' Roof Top Carrier. The rack carries all that and still has room for several large duffels and the spare tire. This has freed us to look into aftermarket third seats for the cargo area.How does the rack perform on the trail? One of my initial concerns was whether it would be a hazard when working through overgrown trails and logging roads. I imagined branches and saplings lodging under the rack and ripping up the paint?. until I put it to the test, when I was surprised to find that rack actually protects the roof! The rack's rounded corners don't hang up on branches, and even large limbs pass easily over top, whether advancing or retreating. The use of brush cables helped this even further (see Part II). The rack's time-tested shape proved itself over several thousand miles of highway driving as well. It did not whistle or rattle, even atop worn out shocks and washboard roads. The rack has negligible effects on perceived power. Fuel economy may have decreased although the rack alone was not the cause, because items were always attached to it. Loading the rack is a breeze thanks to Garvin's rack flooring and Isuzu's sturdy spare tire mount. The spare doesn't flex even with a 200lb fella standing on it. Getting onto the rack from the ground is as simple as stepping bumper-to-spare-to-rack, but Garvin is also designing a ladder that hooks to the side of the roof rack and braces against the rear tire. Even when standing on top, the flooring feels solid and shows deflection only at the unsupported ends. For wildlife enthusiasts, like the Yellowstone bison photographer who inquired about the rack, this is an ideal platform for getting up and out of the way of your subjects. The only caution to consider with installing the Wilderness Accessories Roof Rack is the same concern one has with all racks; is too much stuff up there a problem? The two primary concerns are that the added weight, if excessive (consult your vehicles' manufacturer recommendations), can damage mounting points, and can cause exaggerated body roll and thus an increased risk of roll over. This can be particularly true if you load heavy items up top and traverse steep cross slopes. Use caution in such cases, as always, and try to load most heavy items in your rig, stowing light but bulky items on the rack. ConclusionsIn today's off road market, there are those that do, and those who appear to. Marketing gurus refer to the latter as image management, message control, or similar double speak. Whatever your reason for bolting steel accoutrements to your rig, you should decide whether you are in the market for serious, performance-oriented off-road equipment, or if you are buying equipment just to be seen with it. Most people want their rigs stands apart from the bazillion ordinary SUVs and 4x4s.Wilderness Racks look like they are made for safaris because they are made to take the abuse a working rack endures. Other racks look like they are tough, too. Image control? Spin it how you like, but before you spend your money, decide what you want to trust your gear to: image or engineering. Watch for the Wilderness Accessories Roof Rack, Part II Review in coming months, which will cover:
Department Isuzu ORC 316 Millar Ave. El Cajon, CA 92020 U.S.A. Phone: 619.440.7415 Fax: 619.440.0851 To receive free literature on applications and prices, e-mail to: Garvin Industries. www.garvin-industries.com |