I have a Yakima Rocket Box to carry skis in the winter. The problem is
that they bang around on long trips. I am trying to find inserts that
will hold the skis in the box so they don't get banged up.

Dear marcoedward-ga;

Thank you for allowing me to answer your interesting question. Since
Yakima doesn't appear to offer an insert designed specifically for
skis, I have a number of excellent solutions here for you:

If you prefer an economical solution I recommend you can contact
ULINE. I?ve used this company myself a number of times for various
supplies and they have great customer service. One of the things they
have that will definitely suit your needs is thick convoluted
polyurethane foam that can be ordered to specific sizes. You can get
some of this and quickly (and relatively inexpensively) line your
rocket box so that you skis are not only held down snugly but remain
well protected from any impact that might occur in transit.

ULINE
http://www.uline.com/Browse_Listing_863.asp

Personally, for the money and the effort this is by far my best
recommendation. You can find many other companies that sell this type
of convoluted foam and various sizes to suit your specific needs. You
can commonly obtain this material through places that offer acoustical
foam or packing supplies. Here is a list of potential sources:

THOMAS REGISTER
http://www.thomasregisterdirectory.com/foam/convoluted_foam_0022128_1.html


If you prefer the softer version, ULINE also has soft foam (unlike
messy Styrofoam) that can be used as protective wrap and also to fill
any voids in your box. It?s not as pretty and probably doesn?t provide
the same level of protection that convoluted foam offers, but it is a
cheaper method of achieving a similar result.

ULINE
http://www.uline.com/Browse_Listing_865.asp

If you really want to protect something Uline has a clever high tech
solution called INSTAPAK. When ?activated? a chemical inside the
sheets causes the protective bags to expand several times their
original size, thus filling all the voids in your cargo box and at the
same time holding your gear in place until you are ready to remove it.
This method not only saves packing time, but there?s absolutely ZERO
clean up involved.

ULINE
http://www.uline.com/Browse_Listing_7701.asp
See a very cool demo: http://streaming.uline.com/UlineVideos/InstaPak.wmv

Of course you cal always consider buying ski sleeves to protect the
skis from being chipped or scratched while in transit. You can place
the skis in their bags and then load them into your rocket box for
safe transport. Here are a number of options that you can buy here, or
search for better prices elsewhere on the internet or in your local
porting goods stores:

SALOMON
http://www.geardirect.com/products/Skiing/BackpacksBagsLuggage/Salomon/2PairSkiBagupto180cm/6102.cfm

EQUIPE http://www.geardirect.com/products/Skiing/BackpacksBagsLuggage/Salomon/Equipe1pairPaddedSkiBag/6100.cfm



I hope you find that my research exceeds your expectations. If you
have any questions about my research please post a clarification
request prior to rating the answer. Otherwise I welcome your rating
and your final comments and I look forward to working with you again
in the near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.

Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga ? Google Answers Researcher


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styrofoam. Its cheap, can be easily cut, lightweight, and would hold
your skis in place.

Thanks. Probably the best solution. I thought if there was something
out there it would save time.

Hello Marcoedward,

Hmm. I am not so sure I would use styrofoam. It will likely shed after
a few uses and make a mess.

There are some other "closed cell" foams that would probably do
better. Something like a pad you can pick up at an ourdoor store to go
under a sleeping bag. An "open cell" foam would absorb dirt and water;
freezing on cold nights.

If cost is a problem, I would check a thrift or resale store to see
what they have. There may also be a company in your area that sells
foam in bulk that would have scraps to use as well. Now that I think
about it, a carpet pad may be suitable as well - that you can get from
a contractor or carpet store.

  --Maniac

Bubblewrap.

And just because I remembered it:

Pop some Virtual Bubblewrap!
http://www.virtual-bubblewrap.com/popnow.shtml
Scroll down to "Pop some bubblewrap now!"

Pop some Insane Virtual Bubblewrap
http://www.virtual-bubblewrap.com/popnow-insane.shtml

Yakima doesn't make anything specifically to remedy this problem with
their cargo boxes, however we have been asked this question many times
by customers for both Yakima and Thule roof cargo boxes. So far
neither company has come up with a solution in-house. We have found
the best solution is getting a hold of a couple of cheap duffle bags.
You can fill them with gear or stuff them with newspaper, etc. Place
one next to the skis to shimmy them to one side. Then place a bag on
top of the skis to keep them from bouncing up and down.

http://www.orsracksdirect.com/