As the holidays close in, and airfares go up, a lot of guys are planning on road tripping to see family and friends, rather than fly. As a veteran of several of these trips, I can tell you there are many advantages. You can pack pretty much everything. You don't have to ship any gifts home due to luggage restrictions. And it's perfectly ok to have a dog as your co-pilot.
The only limitations are how long you are willing to sit in traffic, and how much cargo your car will hold. Can't help you with the first one. But I can with the second.
Yakima, makers of great ski and bike racks, have come out with their GetOut Pro. A soft-sided gear pack that attaches to the the side rails or crossbars of your car or SUV, the details are all here. The bottom has a quilted pad so it doesn't scratch your car. The outside is waterproof and made of "Anti Bug" material, making it easy to clean. Inside there is a reflective liner for maximum visibility. The zippers are protected with deep, velcro-secured flaps, and the lid is padded to minimize wind-flap. Speaking of wind-flap: there are also soft strap management tabs to protect your car from buckles whipping against the paint at 70 mph.
With the extra 13 cubic feet of cargo space you get, you can use it to haul all your hunting gear, camping equipment, or that fruitcake grandma made you.
$159 www.yakima.com