"What boot liner?" for chucking bikes in back of car.

Trying to decide on a decent quality boot liner for the car to replace tatty tarpaulin solution I currently have, and just seeking opinions on liners people have tried.

This is for my Civic with seats down at the back, so liner that covers all the back up to and including back of seats is essential (this is where I’ve scuffed the car up plenty currently).

So I’m looking at currently…

Hatchbag
Look the best, many options and has rear split seat options, and nice web site but don’t appear to have any option that covers the rear doors with the back seat down. I scuff these often with muddy tyres etc.

Rhino UK[/url]
Cover everything, many options, the examples I’ve seen don’t appear to have quite as nice a fit, web site a bit tatty, don’t think I’d trust online ordering.

Boot Buddy / ProMax Liner
Covers a lot, but a bit of a fixed rigid plastic structure that’s more uggly and could see stuff sliding around perhaps. Some reviews seem to suggest the fitting isn’t so great on some cars.

Titan Covers[/url]
Not really looked into these yet. Don’t seem to have many options, and do they cover with seats down and the side doors?

Opinions, other options (aside from a roof or rear rack)?

Not looking for cheap, just good quality, good coverage and options, least hassle in fitting and removing/refitting when necessary.

One alternative is Honda do a bike mount for inside the car that lets you stand the bike up and mount the fork. Fits in the tyre well (so no spare tyre or junk I normally keep there). Only allows for one bike though.

I had a look into this recently and might just go for a big old tarp that I can then fold over the bike anyway.

Loads of hits if you search here:

Google on “site:singletrackworld.com boot liner”

Get a duffbag. cost more than a tarp, but does a whole heap better job
http://www.duffbag.com/products/duffbag-monster-bag/duffbag-monster-bag/

Problem with a bike bag is often you get the outside of the bag covered in mud as you wrestle your bike into it before putting it in the boot. With a boot liner (or tarp) that lives in the car one side is (usually) always clean….

Got mine for my Saab estate from these guys,very heavy duty and more than happy with it.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.boot-liner.com%2F&ei=V2unUe-xNs740gWLkIGgBA&usg=AFQjCNHElJ5qNXLktSS76Sn-SQYIG2aw9A&bvm=bv.47244034,d.d2k&cad=rja

I have the ProMax liner, it works really well and is better IME than a tarp (which I used to use in my old car) however they are ridiculously expensive for what they are so whether the slight additional convenience they offer over a tarp is worth it is debatable (I don’t regret buying one though).
They are a hard plastic but it’s tough and my bike doesn’t really move about much (although I generally have bags dotted around it as well), shopping needs to be secured though (I have little flip up hooks in my boot thankfully). Fit-wise it’s really good in my Octavia Estate and the slidly bit works pretty well if you put the seats up (I rarely do).

I will second the duffbag idea. Works well for protecting the bike from other stuff and the car from the bike.

+1 hatch bag, my boot is like new underneath despite some serious winter riding abuse. They fit very well. In my mondeo with the back seats down it does cover most of the boot I had the same reservations you had but its been fine. very nice people to deal with as well.

Problem with a bike bag is often you get the outside of the bag covered in mud as you wrestle your bike into it before putting it in the boot.

Turn bike upside down. Remove front wheel. slide bag over bike. turn bag up right way. put front wheel in bag. zip it up and good to go.
no need for any mud, although you could smear some on if you wanted 🙂

Safebag[/url]

[/url]
It all fits in the car![/url] by ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr

We’ve used one for 4yrs. Brilliant bit of kit. Safe in the event of a crash, bikes etc are all hidden from view. Highly recommended

+1 for Hatch Bag

Had mine for about a year now, fit and forget.

A 5 litre container of screenwash burst in my boot over winter and the liner protected the car completely.

I’ve been using a clean sheet for the past 6 something years and its been great even when my forks decided they didn’t want oil in them, it still kept the car clean and cost about a tenner(ish). Don’t know if they still make or sell them.

http://www.gravity-slaves.co.uk/?a=257

+1 hatch bag quality product.

Try doing the turn bike upside down thing in the rain, in a muddy car park whilst muddy. You will get mud on the bag, then when you bung in the boot mud on the car too. Been there, why I went back to a tarp….

Cheers all, some great stuff there and various other options. Considered a bike bag but it’s a lot of faffing about in the car park based on what I see friends doing, and yeah I can see the bag getting muddy, plus I might have two bikes on occasion. Then again, that Duffbag looks pretty good and would be easy to then carry the bike from car to house etc. Many I’ve seen are separate bags for frame & wheels. Hmm.

The tarp works, but it’s not anchored and shifts about all over, and then the mud and half a forest on the tarp spills into the car. The above one with anchors would help, though it’s still cheap tarp and mine has seen better days and tearing here and there now. I like the look of the nice fitted and in some ways padded stuff I’ve seen some people have.

Hatch Bag seems to get the most recommendations, here, other reviews and from people I know. Tempted by that, though still there’s the lack of coverage on the rear side doors but maybe I can work something out or just be a little more careful when chucking bikes in. Think in part it’s because I don’t bother taking the rear wheel off, only the front, slide the bike in and the wheel scuffs the doors.

Hatchbag in my Saab, very happy with it. 🙂

Hatch bag again. There wasn’t a model listed for my car, I contacted them and a few days later one appeared made to measure. Perhaps they could make one to fit your car with the seats down

Seats down is fine, it’s just there’s no cover up the side doors when the seats are down. But I can ask and yeah maybe they’ll add that bit. It’s only two small flaps to add really.

Got to say, those Hatch bags look very good.

I’d order one now except I’m changing my car later this year, so will just make do until then.

Mainly I’m posting on here to ensure I can find the thread again when the new car is ordered!

We had an old table rubberised tablecloth from John Lewis – they sell the material on the roll. It folds up very easily, and covers the sides too. It does for the whole bootspace with all seats folded in my XC90, which is cavernous!

Wish I’d seen this thread last year !

I got a Rhino one for a Honda Civic (old 2005 style) but I swear I got one for either a different model or even different car !

It fits OK ish but I had to cover pretty much all the velco so it didn’t tear up the interior.

I looked at these for my Yeti but ended up with a duffbag. Also because going riding from work, bike sits in a public car park so it’s nice that it’s under cover but the bag has served me well through the winter. As Steve says, bike upside down, wheel off, job done. I can get both my Solaris and Rocket in the big bag (not at the same time!) even with 770mm bars.

Did consider getting a liner for when we take all the rubbish we seem to generate to the tip but bought a cheap trailer instead!

Hatchbag here has protected the boot from dogs, camping kit and bikes.

TS

Hatchbag ordered. Thanks everyone. Will try to feed back the results. Looks like it takes a couple of weeks to make them.