"I placed on order and they never delivered. They also failed to take corrective actions and tried to stick me with the charges. Very unscrupulous! Beware of this company. "
"The Stowaway2 MAX that I have (16 cu ft) is equivalent to the Yakima Skybox 16 (16 cu ft) or the Thule XL (17 cu ft) rooftop carriers as far as volume.
What you may not think of are weight limits... for most racks on cars and SUVs and vans, there is a weight limit of around 165 lbs... that's not a limitation of the carrier, that's a limitation of most racks on ANY VEHICLE. AND that's not just cargo, that's the total weight limit of rack system + cargo carrier + cargo ADDED UP! Certainly people do go over that, at their own peril.
The weight limit of the Stowaway2 MAX is 200 lbs... OF CARGO! Huge advantage Stowaway!
Not to mention, it's SO much easier to load on the back of a vehicle, than on top. Another advantage Stowaway!
Plus, I've seen people comment that they've seen the rooftop carriers fail... and also have a coworker that experienced being behind one that failed on the highway, sending baby items and apparel everywhere. I also see a lot of them with straps around them, that's telling.
Pros:
- Heavy duty plastic much more thick and sturdy than the roof top carriers
- Sitting in the "draft area" of the rear of the vehicle, should be LESS stress than rooftop carriers
- No appreciable difference in gas mileage
- NO wind noise, another benefit over rooftop carriers
- Clearance for my rear door is perfect, just extend the Stowaway2 straight out, exactly perpendicular to the rear of the vehicle. Once rear door is up, I can move/swing Stowaway2 anywhere. Really perfect design to keep access to rear of vehicle if needed.
- Love the license plate bracket with light!
- Looks GREAT on the back of my black Yukon XL!
Cons:
- It is not completely waterproof but thru rainstorms for hours, I've only noticed drops here or there inside. Amazing really with the rain we've driven thru.
- It is heavy as I'll get out. I rigged up a small wheeled moving palate from home depot to the perfect height so I can slide it off and into the garage... and back on quickly... now if I only had room to store it!
- It blocks the rear backup assist camera, if you have one. This may seem obvious, but just be aware. I almost destroyed one of my landscape plants by uprooting it when I backed up in my driveway. Doh! It adds another 33 in of length to my vehicle! However, on the plus side though, I can view the unit with my rear camera while driving. This was especially important on my maiden trip, wondering how the unit was doing back there out of sight... With the hitch tightener which I highly recommend, the very very minor slight "bouncing" was neglible and just due to the bumpy roads, it's really solid as a rock considering it's going 70 MPH + on interstates that are far from smooth. I seldom even think about it now that it's been on multiple trips.
- It's not 100% secure. The locking mechanism and heavy duty plastic is about as much to expect on such a unit, and would discourage most from breaking in, but it won't stop someone who really wants in. I simply remove valuables from overnight parking anywhere, this is really common sense.
I didn't view any videos to install it, just followed the easy included instructions. But it wasn't easy by myself. Took a couple hours, unboxing two huge boxes, removing everything and then installing. With another set of hands, it woulda been much easier. But you know ole Dad had everything under control! I ain't askin for no stinkin help. It's not only heavy, but bulky, which is ultimately why I rigged up a way to transport it off and on the vehicle. : )
The only real annoyance was on our maiden trip, the key would not go in the lock without some major tinkering. It would take sometimes 3-4 min of jiggling to get the key to go in. After several days fighting it whenever I needed access, I figured out an appropriate jiggling method and pressure to get it within a minute or two, but it was sure annoying. So when I got home, I picked up some graphite lubricant from the local big box store, and loaded it on the key, and forced it in one more time. Within minutes, the lock and key were WAY more easy to use. B4 I did that though, I contacted the company, and they sent a replacement core and keys FOC without hassle. Awesome customer service. But I haven't needed it yet, the lubricant worked fine so far. Keep that in mind if your key is finicky.
"
"I purchased the StowAway2 MAX in time to use for the December 2012 trek from SC to Erie, PA, then to Athens, GA. They really do a good job of packing as there was no damage to any parts in shipping. The StowAway2 was hitched to a '04 Chevy Tahoe. I fit a large rolling suitcase, 2 large duffle bags, a blanket, a plastic tote holding a full size inflatable mattress and electric air pump inside the StowAway2 with extra spaces for small items. We made the return trip from Erie, PA, to GA through Winter storm Euclid. There were no leaks or any other problems. The extra weight on the rear axle was slightly noticeable. The extra weight was good for improved traction while driving in Erie on slush and did not negatively impact handling on the winding WV turnpike. Get the license plate kit and the LED tail light upgrade; they're worth it. I saw several people with car-top carriers slow down when passing to look at the StowAway2. (That's how I learned about the product.) Overall, this product is heavy duty, quality crafted, and should provide years of service even in harsh environments."
"Bought the MAX Hitch Cargo Carrier for long family trips. Used it for the first time this past Thankgiving on our GMC Acadia. We had 6 family members and the carrier packed full. Loved the added room and the swing away feature. It was easy to install and didn't make any noise going down the road. We did pay a little exta for the LED lighting. However, somehow we didn't get the hardware kit in the shipment and had to buy our own. We didn't realize it until a couple days before our trip otherwise I would have called StowAway for the parts. "
"Very quick delivery and in minimal amount of boxes. "
"Packages arrived promptly and very well-packed. Responsive email support. I would've liked to have known clearly beforehand that there was going to be two boxes (instead of one), so I didn't worry I was missing stuff, but hey.
Fairly easy setup with the right tools. Very heavy duty, long lasting, impressive construction, and functionality. Like it."
"Bought a trailer clip, works great. Fast shipper."
"Did all the research possible then finally found Stoaway2 site, Fit perfectly on my Land Rover tons of space ( Family of 4) and made our German Shepherd happy that he had the entire back of our Rover, used it in snowy conditions with rain no leaks no issues honetsly worth every penny.
Cheers
And thanks to Jim, great help."
"Well designed and constructed. Documentation was perfect. Our SA2 Max with Swingaway frame fit perfectly with our Land Rover LR3, though the LED lights were not compatible. One email exchange with the folks at Stowaway and replacement lights were shipped immediately. Highly recommended."
"Excellent product, you do not feel it in the back..strong, easy to put together and easy to use. "
"The website had thorough information and made it easy to order. Came with a things other back carriers didn't. It came well packaged and very quickly!! We were so excited to get it my daughter and I put it together before my husband came home. The following weekend we packed it up (so nice to have all that extra room in the car) and headed for the mountains. It rained almost the entire 5 hr drive but everything was dry when we arrived! Didn't notice any difference driving and never had problems forgetting it was behind when backing because I could see it out the back window. Didn't have a problem with it being too long for parking spaces either (we have a Honda Pilot). It is easy to open and swing out of the way. This is definitely a wise purchase - something we will use for a long time!"
"Excellent customer service---web site easy to work & order from--followup confirming order/shipping very prompt---excellent product!!!!!!!"
"Our Stowaway2 Max is awesome. Adore it and makes for a ton more room in the RV."
"My Max Carrier is perfect"
"Love it! Shipped fast, installed in minutes. Worked exactly as described"