Yakima Megawarrior Users.... Inspire Me!

so my 2021 Venture delivered with the Yakima Megawarrior basket installed on OEM crossbars and I want to love it. I'm coming from the Tacoma "overlanding/off-roading" crowd and hoping some of you are too, and can show me/inspire me with your effective use of the Yakima basket.

Images, build links, tip & tricks all appreciated! Thank you!

 

I mean, it's a Loadwarrior with extension, but it's essentially the same thing - a little more narrow and a little longer.

I put it on as needed for trips. Otherwise it lives in my garage rafters.

Mods are two Thule fork mount bicycle carriers on the front bar, and a second loadbar in the middle to help separate contents a bit better. The 2 loadbars (you get one with the extension kit, same for the Megawarrior extension kit) compartmentalize stuff and keep it from sliding around; I have it set up for the loads I normally carry on trips, which include 2 camp chairs and a table; 1 6 gallon water can; 2 2.5 gallon gas cans; a waterproof duffel with tools, air compressor, and battery jumper; folding recovery tracks; winch bag. I generally leave some empty space up there for things like firewood and / or other shit that gets acquired on trips. I also have a ditty bag that I tie up there with wet clothes in it so they dry while I'm driving and you don't have stinky wet dirty clothes on the inside of the truck. I also use the topmost round bar as a place to clip a awning to. I also just added a pair of Quickfists to the side to hold a shovel, although realistically I think I'm going to carry a gravel rake instead (stupid as that will look) because I usually end up wanting to rake out the campsite and the shovel doesn't work really well for that task. No pics of the Quickfists as I just got them set up a few months ago and haven't used them yet.

Basically, with the exception of the chairs and table, and the water, all this stuff is stuff I don't generally use so I don't need it to be in the truck. It's easier to haul it on the roof, thus freeing up space inside. I have it organized so stuff I use a lot (chairs and table) are in the very front and I can access them super easily by just standing on the driver's door sill. Gas cans are at the back so if there is a leak the other stuff in the basket doesn't get coated with gas. The bikes are easy to get down and put up if you have a second person to grab them as you are handing them down.

For tie downs I use 1" wide "Rok Straps", which are the bomb. For the bikes, I lash down the rear wheels to the basket in two places using ski board elastic straps (the pic shows cam buckle straps but they didn't work out real great).

For security, if we are away for a while, I have a cable lock that is long enough to run through both bike frames, the Yakima rack, the factory rails, and the handles of the gas cans. You can see it in the pic below on the old pier.

The last two pics are the current setup. I am using Inno crossbars and I mounted them inside the basket (above the bottom rails of the basket, instead of under the rails with the basket sitting on top of them). This drops the whole basket really low to the roof and still just clears the sharkfin.

 

After MeefZah’s post mine is not that exciting, but here was my set up camping last weekend. The fire wood went in the back of the rack once I got closer to the destination.

 

Both a most appreciated! My idea to leave it off unless needing the space is becoming justified! I have a couple essentials inside the rear-most cubbies.

This is very good stuff!

 

those ikea bags are worth every penny

 

Agreed. Best $4.99. I keep tarps, spikes, spare poles, other odds and ends plus anything that may have dirt in them when we pick up. I had some spare wood in that trip and I put it in there as well for the return drive. No chance of it falling of the rack in a bump. Many uses. They have gone through light rain without an issue as well.

 

I don't have a lot of pics but it's def useful. Pics show with and w/o extension. I used it few times before deciding to go with Prinsu.

 

Beach chairs, fold away canopy

 

Has anyone had success in mounting brackets to the tubular mounts? I have found some solutions for the front and rear tubes, but the side tubes are a different size and the standard yakima snaps don't have sufficient dimensions to keep any weight locked in place. Looking to potentially add a rotopax inside of the basket, and recovery boards or hi-jack to the sides.

 

What awning/tarp is that?

 

Slumberjack Roadhouse, about $100

It's not near as fast to set up as a pull-out awning though, but still very useful.

 

Update, Loadwarrior w/ extension

Here's a few from a recent Mojave trip

Front to back / L to R

Red bags are 2 REI X-wing camp chairs and there is a folding table under them (not visible), held down by 2 ROK straps (nestled in between front of basket and extension bar)
-extension bar-
Blue can is 6 gal water, held down by a rubber ski board strap through the handle and around the rack (not visible) (nestled in between extension bars)
Orange bag is GoTreds traction boards, held down by a piece of paracord with a carabiner around the rack
-extension bar-
Shovel on one Quik Fist with the back held down by a rubber ski board strap
Yellow and black bag is a waterproof motorcycle gear bag with air compressor, winch accessories, and battery jumper; held down by 1 ROK strap
Red cans are 2.5 gal gas cans held down by 1 ROK strap
Some open space to hold firewood (no firewood shown)



With firewood, just tossed up there and held in by gravity