Review on Rightline Gear 100B90 Cargo Saddlebag by James Cash

It took us about 3 hours to figure out how to put the bag on for the first time. You have to fill it up and then put it on the machine, but I read previous reviews and learned that 1- don't wait at the last minute to set it up as it takes a few hours the first time, and 2- use one any 50 gallon bag to give it a bottom and shape. Since I set it up for a family of 5 a few days before our trip, I just added random things to get a feel for how it works. One person can attach this to the car, but having an extra pair of hands is helpful and desirable if you have someone around. Since the Mazda 5 doesn't really have much bumper I was concerned about how and what would hold most of the weight but adding a bag solved this issue as the bag had a hard bottom to rest on the small bumper. As a precaution, I put a small moving blanket between the bag and the car to avoid damage to the paintwork if the bag shifts or shifts. Our Mazda has a small tail fin/spoiler which I found a little flimsy so instead of attaching the straps to the fin I ran underneath which took some time as it's a very tight space and I remove all the buckles had to. in order to do this. The zipper worked smoothly but was a bit tight in the corners. Maybe it will loosen up a bit over time, or next time a little wax/soap will help it slide easier. I didn't use a license plate holder because I was concerned it could be easily stolen or removed so I taped the license plate to the rear window and although the bag was stuffed to the brim we still had a full view through the rear window. We put 5 small backpacks, 4 snowsuits, 4 sets of snow shoes, 5 winter coats and some small random items in the bag, and the bag all fit perfectly. When we were out we would sled all day and put all the sleds in a bag once we were done. It was so nice to just wipe down the inside when it's done (since the bag was in). I used a Lewis N. Clark cable lock with a retractable steel cable to secure the bag. We rode back and forth about 2,000 miles in rain and snow and everything was dry to the bone. When we got home the bag came apart easily and with a little compression and proper folding we were able to put it in the storage pouch that came with it. It is nice that the assembly instructions are sewn into the storage bag. I did notice an issue and it was most likely my manufacturing error, but the bottom straps on the bottom kept coming loose. But I can't fault the product as that's probably how I made them. 1 real complaint about the product - in just 5 short days of rain and snow when we got home and I removed the bag the lower support legs were rusty. Also note that the stands are pretty well scratched because the inside of the tubes were drilled out, but the little metal burrs stayed and scratched all the stands when I put them together. In general, we will always travel with a backpack in the car on excursions. This freed up so much space in the car that those who own a Mazda 5 know there is no extra storage space in the car once the 3rd row is raised (as for photos. I asked the kids to close the car decorate). window for our holiday trip to see family)