Thule Canyon Xt Basket Review
It’s been a little over a year since I purchased an 859XT Basket roof rack, produced by the iconic car accessory brand Thule. This being my first experience with a Thule product, I tested the hell out of it and have some great things to report.
As roof racks go, I chose this one in part because of its contoured design, which plays well with the lines on many modern SUVs. The shape and black finish add a new dimension to my vehicle that just makes me want to keep going – black rims, grill etc.
Priced at around $299 at the time of this post, the Thule Canyon XT Basket has for me been a worth while investment in the capability of my vehicle. Throwing my bike up top for a short drive, or hauling five paragliding rigs up to launch (allowing the five pilots to ride in the vehicle), were once unthinkable but now second nature. It’s note quite like having a pickup truck, but man it gets you closer than you’d think.
Installation
Installation was easy. Attaching the carrier basket to the integrated roof rails of my 2013 Subaru Outback only took about 20 mins with the included fastening hardware.
Because I knew I’d be pushing some of the basket’s limits, I threaded the fasteners through some 1/2 diameter plastic tubing I picked up at Home Depot. This gives the basket extra grip when cornering at high speeds with a full-load.
Features & Accessories
The Canyon XT Basket features a wedged-shape low profile design and a front wind faring to help with air flow. This is not your boxy basket. Tapered side walls allow for easy loading and unloading while still well balanced for stability. The basket is designed to fit a broad range of vehicles Included is One Key System that locks the basket to your vehicle.
It can be equipped with a compatible with an extension unit, the Canyon Extension 8591XT. This increase basket length by a full 20″ inches. A crossbar accessory permits more mounting options
Performance & Wear
It took several trips to truly put the 859XT through the ringer. The basket was fully loaded (150 lbs) for a weekly-long adventure though Death Valley, where I managed to blow out my rear shocks somewhere between Titus Canyon and the long road to the Racetrack. Through all of the sustained vibration, extreme weight shift, and full suspension drops, I can find no warp or stress cracks in the basket frame. After a year’s worth of rain and moisture, and exposure to freezing conditions over a recent winter camp trip, the finish has remained like new, no rust. This thing is solid.