Now, maybe more than ever, adventurers are rediscovering the road trip. With travel options limited, getting in the car to socially distance in the wilderness is quite appealing. That raises the question – how will you transport all of your gear? If you’ve already maxed out your cargo capacity and you’re looking for more, the new Yakima EXO System seems like it’s worth a look, whatever your adventures bring.
Truly a modular hitch system, Yakima calls their EXO family a “new era” in innovation. Everything starts with the SwingBase – a 2″ hitch mounted base that includes a swing-away adapter built in. From there, you have a number of options. If you want to maximize your cargo space, you can add the EXO TopShelf which can carry all of the same accessories as the SwingBase.
Which allows for setups like two bikes up top with the EXO DoubleUp, and the EXO GearLocker down below. It appears the system will be limited to two bikes, which is understandable with a considerable amount of weight from both the system and storage underneath. It will be interesting to see what the maximum cargo weight will be – with two bike capacity and the Cargo accessory, the Saris SuperClamp EX rack is limited to 120lbs of cargo on the platform itself.
Or you could run two stacked EXO GearLockers (add the GearTotes for easy loading and unloading)…
Or a GearLocker below and the EXO GearWarrior (with or without wheels) up top…
Or a GearLocker and the EXO BackDeck up top to create the perfect shelf for a camp kitchen. There’s also the EXO SnowBank for carrying skis and snowboards up top for the winter crowd.
All that gear blocking your tail lights? Add the EXO LitKit for some added visibility.
We’re told that the system will officially launch in Spring 2021, with expected prices listed below. Look for more details closer to the official launch.