Product Reviews - Mazda Ski Rack

Reviewed by: Bruce Marshall - bmarshall@mypostbox.com

This ski rack clamps on the boot (trunk) lid of the Miata and holds two sets of snow skis on anangle over the roof.

The ski rack is very well made and is very easy to fit. I have used it a half dozen times now without any problems. It holds the skis securely and safely. There are a couple of problems, however. One is that the rack is tightened down with a couple of screws (it is held on by straps which clamp to the edges of the lid and these straps are tightened by the screws). This means that there is no security as the screws can be just as easily removed. There is also no lock on the ski clamps themselves so you can't walk away and leave them unattended (if you want to see them again). The other problem is that the rack can rub the paint on the lid. The rack comes with two sticky strips of plastic which you are supposed to stick down on the lid. I didn't want to do that so I slit the covering from the handlebars of a pushbike and used that under it.

Although the rack holds two pairs of skis, there is no provision for the poles. Rather than carrythem in the limited space in the car, I attach them to the skis with a pair of elastic luggage straps (octopus straps in Australia - don't know what they're called elsewhere). This works very well and I've had no problems at all.

All-in-all, a good product that does the job so long as you're careful about rubbing the paint and don't mind the fact that there is no security.

A final word about the price. Mazda Australia wanted a stupid price for it (it was supposed tobe listed at over $1000 Aust) but I got mine for $120 Aust. For that it was a good buy but I wouldn't have wanted to pay much more.


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