After my post yesterday about going fishing with Lilly, I got a couple of comments about the rod rack in my SUV, so I figured I’d share a little more about it. It really is a great (& relatively inexpensive) option for rod transport, and I always seem to get compliments from other anglers who see me loading (or unloading) my gear in streamside parking areas.
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| Daddy & Daughter rods |
The rack is model ZR223 from Inno Racks. It’s a suction cup window-mounted rack system that is basically ready to go right out of the box. The rack merely consists of two heavy duty plastic cradles with a firm, but soft foam lining.
How simple is it to use? You just mount on your window, open the clamp, sit your rods on the internal hook “shelves” and then push the clamp closed. The foam accommodates pretty much any size rod – from Barbie rod to heavy-duty bass rod, and the clamps are easily opened and closed with a simple click of a grey button on the top.
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| Image courtesy innoracks.com |
Now with all this simplicity, there are a few drawbacks. The first is the fact that you are limited by the size of your car/SUV as to what size rod will actually fit. In this I mean since this rack mounts on the side rear window, if you have a smaller SUV, you may not be able to fit a long rod in your ride fully assembled. I drive a Subaru Forester, and I’ve been able to use rods up to 7.5 feet. A 8 or 9 foot fly rod (for example) would need to be broken down before transport. You’ll also want to mount as high on the window as possible, or else the rods could interfere with someone getting in or out of the passenger side doors.
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| Image courtesy innoracks.com |
Second, the little hook “shelves” that keep your rods in place (visible in the image above) while the cradle is open are not that deep. So sometimes when you open your cradle to remove your rod, the rod may slip out, especially if you’ve got a heavy baitcast reel mounted to your rod. It’s not a big deal, just something you need to be conscious of when opening up to remove your rods.
For anyone concerned with the stability of the suction cups, the racks have been mounted in my SUV for 8 months so far and haven’t moved a bit.
In all, for convenience and function, this rack has been a solid addition to my gear arsenal. The best part? It doesn’t break the bank. I did a Google search and found e-retailers selling the rack anywhere from $20 to $30. A worthwhile investment, especially if the alternative is a broken rod that could cost a heck of a lot more to fix or replace.
For convenience, I’m providing a link to find & purchase on Amazon, but as I mentioned a savvy shopper can do better with a quick web search.
Inno Window Mounted Rack For Bass and Fly Rods
DISCLAIMER:
The rack tested in this product review was given to me as a Christmas gift from my ever-thoughtful Mother ; I currently hold no association with Inno Racks. As with all independent gear reviews at Troutrageous!, I try my best to keep my reviews honest and unbiased. If something is good, it deserves applause; if it sucks, I’ll let you know that too. However in the case of the latter, I probably won’t waste my time writing up a review anyway – unless it was really bad.
I can't see a thing wrong with having a place to hang your rods in the SUV. Since I drive a pickup, I have two options. On the floor of the drivers side and up between the seats, or laying in the bed, in the back. I keep them in the cab unless I have someone along. Keeps them from sliding all over the place.
It looks like a good solution and keeps the rods from bouncing around when jumping from location to location. I was just at their web sit and found a kayak shop not far from my house that carries the ZR223. Thanks for the review.
Glad you guys found the review helpful. There are probably some better options on the market, but for a value-minded angler, this can't be beat.