I know it is 8 cubic feet for space. Based on it's shape and dimensions, it is somewhat tough to determine how much one can actually fit in that amount of space.

I put down tape on the floor based on the dimensions and imagined the vertical space. Figured I could get a few sleeping bags, sleeping mats, a tent, a tarp or two, and maybe some cookware and a single burner campng stove (backpacking kind), plus a few odds and ends.

Does that sound about right?

If you have a general packing list of what you can fit in it with little trouble, would you mind posting?

I scoped out my garage tonight and realized I cannot store anything larger then the sidekick. And I hate clutter while camping and I'm thinking the sidekick will be nice.

I think the items you list would fit in the Sidekick, though it could depend on the bulk of your sleeping bags and tent. The box is potentially useful even if you can't fit everything in. While it is nice to have those items out of the way, they are harder to get at up there in the box.

I used a Sidekick on a two week camping trip. Mostly it held the extra gear, with only a couple of items that I got at regularly, such as a ground cloth for the vestibule of my tent.

I never stuffed it full - with more than half the volume in the lid that is hard to do. However I did put enough in it to see some bowing in the bottom of the box. It is a light weight box, so the plastic flexes. The bottom has deep ribs that stiffen it.

A rough list of what I put in my box: traction mats, small shovel, spare footpump, 12x16 poly tarp, 10x6 ground cloth, 10 lb sunshade tarp and poles, dry bag with extra food, half of a small step stool. Most of this I never needed, since I never got stuck, and I had some newer tarps that worked better than the items in the roof box. I was experimenting with a number of items of camping gear, so had more stuff than usual.

I store my box on top of some shelves in the corner of a room - it is that light and compact. If I'd wanted to save money on a ferry ride, I could have taken the box off the roof, and carried it inside the Element - at least for a short distance. So for my purposes it is practical box. It is more streamlined than a basket plus bag. A wider box that is not as tall might look better on the Element, but would be heavier, harder to store, and more expensive.

pictures of my Element with Sidekick; last picture has the box open.
http://www.hondaelement.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5256

pictures of a tarp spread over the Sidekick
http://www.hondasuv.com/main2/viewtopic.php?t=3325&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

paulj

I never stuffed it full - with more than half the volume in the lid that is hard to do.

I've noticed that for most all of the boxes and I wonder why they make them like that? Perhaps so people don't stuff them full and go over the weight limit?

Thanks for the links. I went to the second link to find the picture of the tarp but couldn't locate the picture. Was that the right one or did I miss it?

I imagine a number of issues are considered when designing these boxes. The base needs to be flat over range of bar spacings you are planning for. The top can have more of the streamlining. Access is also an issue. A higher lower lip will make it harder to mount, and to access contents, especially on a high car lik the Element.

My ideal box would be a shallow platform, with an expandable semi-rigid top. I'd prefer to slide gear in from the side, not lift it over a high edge, and I'd like the box to be as low as possible, given the load. At the same time I like the aerodynamics of the box, and the some what greater security (cf. to bags).

If you are not logged in, hondasuv doesn't show the pictures. I'll try a direct link to one of the images.

http://www.hondasuv.com/main2/files/oversidekick.jpg