Field Use
This roof rack is very strong and performs well in all-weather conditions. The Big Powderhound's universal mounting hardware is easy to install whether you have factory tracks or not. The initial investment for the mounting equipment can be pricey, but compared to the cost of your skis (and those of five other friends), it's not unreasonable.
Yakima roof racks come in three parts: towers, crossbars and mounts. The towers secure the crossbars to your car, with both mounted to your car permanently. The "mount," in this case the ski rack, is interchangeable, and comes with everything needed to fasten onto the crossbars.
Pros and Cons
Each ski rack comes with a "binding lift," which elevates one side of each carrier to provide clearance for the bindings. This binding lift is necessary only if you have more than two snowboards with hard, bulky binding straps. Without the binding lift, the flow bindings do not fit in the carriers upside down. The binding lift looked dinky and was questionable at best. Without it, there was little problem in loading and securing the boards. Other than the binding lift, this is a solid piece of hardware. The one-button access makes it easy to load and unload the carrier while wearing gloves or mittens.
Bottom Line
For anyone interested in skiing or snowboarding with a group of friends, the Big Powderhound (or its smaller version for fewer people, the Powderhound) is worth taking a look at. The initial investment for the towers and crossbars may be too steep at $100 plus, but it's worth considering for avid skiers. Once the base roof rack is installed, there are many other Yakima mounts available. If you already have the Yakima crossbars, then purchasing the ski rack is really a question of how much you ski or ride. Don't spend more on the ski rack than you'd spend on your lift tickets or season pass.
