Rooftopping a rigid toboggan

[Heavy Duty]

I've got a much smaller vehicle this winter to travel up north for winter camping. A 2001 Jeep Cherokee. I'm curious if a rigid toboggan (HDPE with wood runners) would survive on the roof like a canoe.

Looking at saving some space and gas mileage.

What do you guys/gals think?

[Snowbound]

Definitely. I do it all the time. I position the curve downward and to the back and lash them with canoe straps onto my wagon. I got sick of the road salt and slop so I sewed a sleeve out of a tarp to keep the toboggans clean.

[Heavy Duty]

Good idea on the sleeve. I suppose the sleeve would help keep the hauling lines in place as well.

[MRaske]

So this one time...I had a toboggan lashed to my Yakima roof rack. One of those really nice ones that Snowbound makes. Well, one of the rail grabs let go as soon as I got up to speed on I94, and all hell broke loose. The toboggan flipped up still tied to the rear bar and most of the front bar. I built three new toboggans shortly after that.

[Heavy Duty]

So this one time...I had a toboggan lashed to my Yakima roof rack. One of those really nice ones that Snowbound makes. Well, one of the rail grabs let go as soon as I got up to speed on I94, and all hell broke loose. The toboggan flipped up still tied to the rear bar and most of the front bar. I built three new toboggans shortly after that.

Oh dang dude! Yea that would have freaked me out. I wonder if one of those snowboard roof mounts would be wide enough to hold the toboggan.

[Justin P.]

I have a roof rack on my Jeep Wrangler hardtop, and I would think something like I do for my canoe would work.
I tie the bow and stern down to the front and rear bumpers, then ratchet strap the middle down to the roof rack.
I have all possible movement directions covered then, and if one tiedown failed I know I would not lose the canoe. I could get safely off the highway and take care of it with no damage.

Anytime I haul anything, no movement in any direction and enough redundancy that the load will not shift if one tie down fails is always my goal.

A quality low stretch rope and small ratchet strap or two, and enough for a spare of both in the car, and I think you should be good.

With the snowboard mounts you'd still need ropes or straps front and back, but your toboggan might be to thick for those, I'm not sure.

[Heavy Duty]

@Justin P.

Makes total sense. Thanks!

[Snowbound]

My wood side toboggans measure about 1.75” high and 16” wide. There are just barely too tall and wide to fit in my Thule roof top ski rack.

[Lonelake]

I strap my rigid toboggans on top of my van and my old Subaru. I have a Yakima rack and used their "load stops". Then strapped down like Snowbound said. Has worked well for me.

LL