50 Words or Less
The Yakima EXO GearLocker is a great way to add tons of storage space to your car. Installs quickly and easily to a 2″ trailer hitch receiver. Can hold up to four golf bags.
Introduction
I hate my car.
While there are plenty of things I like about it, its fatal flaw is too big to overlook: it can’t easily hold a set of clubs. Anyone driving something smaller than a Tahoe probably knows the pain – you need to either drop the back seat to slide your bag in, pull your driver out, or put the clubs in the passenger compartment. Is this a first world problem? Absolutely. But it’s still extremely annoying when you want to play golf with other people.
When I first laid eyes on the Yakima EXO GearLocker, I had high hopes that it could be the solution to this problem. Read on to find out if it is.
Installation
The one requirement for using the Yakima EXO GearLocker is a trailer hitch receiver. I installed one myself in a couple hours, and I’m not that handy. The primary skill involved is being bold enough to tear off a bunch of your car’s trim pieces.
Once you have a trailer hitch receiver on your car, the Yakimo EXO System is very easy to install. The EXO SwingBase slides into the receiver just like any other hitch. Yakima includes a locking mechanism or you can just bolt it into place. The arms flip out (see below), then you lay the GearLocker into the slots and tighten the screws to secure it. My first time putting this all in place took no more than five minutes. It is worth noting that the SwingBase weighs almost 70 pounds, so it does require some strength to move it around.
Ease of Use & Security
If something isn’t easy to use, you’re not going to use it. That led me to two important questions about the Yakima EXO GearLocker: 1) can I leave it in place and, if not, 2) how quickly can I break it down?
The answer to the first question is “It depends.” The whole GearLock system adds a couple feet to the length of your car. For me, that’s too much to fit in my garage. I can, however, leave the EXO SwingBase attached, as long as it’s folded up.
To the second question, I can go from having nothing installed to being ready to load up the Yakima EXO GearLocker in just a couple minutes. Is it the same as just throwing things in my trunk? No, but if my trunk was sufficient, we wouldn’t be here in the first place.
The “Swing” part of SwingBase is a big factor for those that want to leave their system in place. As you can see above, the base can pivot up to 90 degrees. This makes your trunk more accessible.
I also want to touch on the issue of security. After getting excited by the potential of the GearLocker, I started to worry about leaving my precious cargo exposed. Yakima has considered this and built locks into every element of the EXO System. The SwingBase locks to your trailer hitch receiver, the GearLocker locks to the SwingBase, and the GearLocker itself locks shut.
Storage Capacity
The Yakima EXO GearLocker did exactly what I wanted it to do, easily gobbling up my golf bag, even with my driver in it. It can do much more than that, holding three bags as you can see in the photo above. Depending on the type of bag, you could get an entire foursome’s clubs in it.
Turning to the official measurements, Yakima states that the GearLocker has ten cubic feet of storage capacity. The interior measurements are 14″ high by 53″ wide and 18.5″ deep. It can carry up to 100 pounds on the SwingBase or 80 pounds on the TopShelf (yes, you can stack two GearLockers on top of each other, with the right EXO equipment).
Another welcome feature is the pair of straps on the bottom of the Yakima EXO GearLocker. I use these when I’m toting just one golf bag to keep it from bouncing around.
Value
All this extra space doesn’t come cheap. The Yakimo EXO SwingBase retails for $699. The GearLocker is an additional $619. While that’s a sizable investment, it’s essentially turning my standard sized SUV into a midsized or bigger SUV. To spend $1,300 on this set up rather than buying a car that’s $15,000 more (and more expensive to fuel and maintain) is a good trade.
Conclusion
The Yakima EXO GearLocker is exactly what I needed to make me hate my car less. With its massive storage capacity, I’m able to drive a foursome of golfers without making everyone put their clubs in their lap. Regardless of what you need the extra storage for, the Yakima EXO GearLocker is a winner.
Visit Yakima HERE
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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