Review on Thule Outbound Cargo Cubic Feet by Mike Palma

I bought this for extra space for a road trip with friends this fall and used it on an older (1997) 4ch. OK. Easy to assemble and offers plenty of space. It was a convenient way to get sleeping bags, air mattresses, etc. out of the car. The first day I rode 400 miles in the pouring rain and to my surprise it was bone dry by the end. It made a nice tight package on the SUV. BAD. We rode about 1200 miles in total and by the end the rear zipper used for cabin access was completely torn. There is a solid velcro tab that zips up so I didn't lose anything, but it's practically useless now and I wouldn't consider using it again for another ride. We had a fairly well-stocked bag with light items and it tied up well with straps, but apparently there was enough wind to rip the zip off completely. I think I got my $100 on the trip but a good heavy duty zipper. in this application is not exactly rocket science. Thule is a good company, why couldn't they spend a few bucks more and get it right?