After years of using blankets and tarpaulins Ive decided to get a proper boot liner that will stay in place all the time and will cover the the boot, bumper, rear seat etc…

Been looking at ones from the Hatchbag company and for all the options i want which will cover the entire boot, bumper, rear seats including the rear headrests means it comes in at £200 which im happy with

Is there any better ones out there for MTB use?

https://www.hatchbag.co.uk/ford-focus-hatchback-2011-to-2018-inc-st

Just a thought, but at that cost you’re not far off buying roof bars. Wouldn’t it be easier to carry the bike on the roof and avoid the faff of putting it in the car?

I’ve used Hatchbag and wouldn’t recommend them. It’s very hard to get the Velcro pads to stick well enough round any features in the boot. The Velcro also wears out. Also as you move things in/out of the boot you will pull the hatchback off.

Next time I’ll be buying something more solid.

Id go towbar and bike rack, Towbar will cost little more to get fitted plus the cost of a second hand rack but its so much better than chucking a minging bike into your car!

I bought the evoc bike bag, it’s around £100 and is a much better way of storing your dirty bike in the car.

Cheers for the replies

Will never use a towbar or roof bars, they advertise your very expensive bike for everyone to see and follow you home (has happened to a few people i know) Ive always kept the bike in the car so its hidden and more secure so will be carrying on this way

I’ve used Hatchbag and wouldn’t recommend them. It’s very hard to get the Velcro pads to stick well enough round any features in the boot. The Velcro also wears out. Also as you move things in/out of the boot you will pull the hatchback off.

Next time I’ll be buying something more solid.

Really? im quite surprised about that as after speaking to Hatchbag they say it stays in place, i could always add more doubled sided sticky velcro where needed

I bought the evoc bike bag, it’s around £100 and is a much better way of storing your dirty bike in the car.

I looked at bike bags but the problem is you have to lay the bag on the floor to put the bike in the bag and as most of the car parks i use have gravel, sand etc.. so the bag gets dirty and then gets in the car

https://rhinoukbootlinersltd.co.uk/

Had a boot liner from this place for about 5 years, and its kept my car clean.
I’ve replaced the velcro on my rear doors trim and the trim above the boot every now and again, as the summer heat can melt the adhesive, but it doesn’t stop you using it if the velcro comes off, and i just have a roll of spare velcro in the shed.

Worth getting the seat covers and seathead covers also.

Money well spent.

We have a liner from Hatchbag in our Fiesta. Only really for muddy and mucky dogs as I only ride locally these days. I’ve had no issues with the Velcro coming off, I did make sure to clean surfaces really well with tar remover (as recommended).

Also have a tailored liner from these folks in the family estate car:

https://www.bootliners-uk.com/

Again, no bikes but it’s great for the dogs, looks nice, easy to clean, etc.

For bikes I’d have no problem using a hatchbag. They’re really hard wearing and as long as fitted correctly should do you well.

I got a tarpaulin from Aldi for about £6. it unfolds big enough to cover everything with the bike on top, then when you fold it up again afterwards all the crap is inside

+1 for Hatchbag. Had one for ~5 years, bombproof and haven’t had any issues with the velcro (though to be fair it’s mostly just stuck to the boot carpet). Quick wipe down and it literally looks like new.

The tailgate flap’s brilliant for protecting the bumper from pedals/dogs/muddy-post-ride-brew sitting. Would recommend.

A hatchbag is good but for really muddy bikes I’ve now got a couple of hippo megabags to pop the bikes in. Much cheaper (£13) and stronger than bike specific covers and big enough to put an XL 29’er in and then throw in the boot.

Next time I’ll be buying something more solid.

I have a fully rigid Volvo liner. It is great, but a pain when you fold seats down as it still stands up where the seat back will be…

One of these.

Cheers for the replies

Ive looked at the alternatives posted above and will go for the Hatchbag

I got a tarpaulin from Aldi for about £6

Been there & done that, constantly gets snagged and moves around

for really muddy bikes I’ve now got a couple of hippo megabags

Also done this, worked quite well but was bit of a pain lifting the bike in the boot whilst it was in the bag, plus the bag folds in on itself which can be a pain, If they made a Hippo bag with rigid sides and bottom you could cut one end off and then slide the bike into the bag whilst it was in the boot which would work quite well

Had a hatchbag for my Arona for a few months, only used it a few times due to lockdown but it’s ace. I also have one of the rarer than hens teeth Duff Monster bag and evoc wheel bags so I’m fully covered. It’s not a cheap setup, but it keeps the car immaculate, the bike is well protected and with tinted windows as well you have no idea a bike was in there.

Would never have roof bars and roof carriers, as stated they advertise bikes without even having a bike on them and tow bar carriers are as bad for advertising. Granted for some folks with the need to carry 3/4 bikes there’s no alternative outside a van, but for me and the maximum 2 bikes I’ll carry, I’ll take a boot liner every day. I’ve seen too many people forget about their bike on the roof too, one chap bought a bike from the LBS I worked in, put it on the roof of his car and was back within an hour having forgotten it was on there and ripped it off on a low barrier… literally the fastest I’ve ever seen a bike completely written off and it hadn’t even been ridden!

I’ve got a soft liner at the moment and even when the Velcro is in good condition it moves about a lot so I’ve been looking at Carbox hard liners; https://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel3.php?emulate=carbox&query=7822&vptype=692797

Could be a pain to store the full length one though.

I have a generic one from ebay in my focus estate and its more than adequate

I made my own from PU coated canvas and eyelets from Kayospruce. It’s fully watertight up to 8″ deep, shaped to my boot and hooks on to the rear headrests and other hooks in the boot. I never put a muddy bike in it, always wash with a portable karcher so it’s wet but not dirty (cleaning a boot liner is even less fun than cleaning a bike!). I do my legs with the karcher too before changing.
100% agree no external solutions like roof bars. I like to be able to stop places in the car and like to protect the bike inside from 90mph winds on the motorway.

Had a Hatchbag for a few years now and it’s great, no issues with the velcro coming unstuck. Pretty much fit-and-forget for me, just chuck the bike in after riding and give the boot a sweep out with a broom once the muck has dried in. Worth getting the extra bits that go up over the top of the seats and the one that folds out to cover the bumper too IMO – the Hatchbag alone isn’t quite long enough to cover the seat backs with them down, and the bumper bit means you don’t have to worry about scratching up the car with gritty kneepads.

Thumbs up for hatchbag from me. I’ve had no problems with mine, good fit and it doesn’t move about. Mines in a 2019 Leon estate.

I always get an offcut of thick, decent quality lino from the local carpet place. Cut it to size (exactly, round the wheel arches etc) and it stays in place well (I guess you could stick self-adhesive velcro to the back of it if that was your thing) and provides a nice slidey surface to slide your bike in over (rubber tends to ‘snag’ against bikes). Generally lasts as long as I have a car (3-4 years), then I just bin it. I generally cut 2 bits, one that stays in the boot all the time, and another to cover the back seats when folded down, that I roll up and keep in the boot when not needed.

total cost is a tenner

I’ve had numerous hard plastic liners, tarpaulins, sheets etc in the back of cars but since I bought a car with nicer carpet in its boot than in my living room, I bought one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111551905175

And its really good, well fitted, comes up to the belt line all the way round and has the flap to protect the bumper.

I bought a new car in July & have been meaning to get a boot liner for it.

I think I am going to go for a rubber boot liner to sit in it permanently, but am also tempted to make a full seat-down liner from an unused groundsheet i’ve got. Not sure how I’d join it all together; I was thinking brass eyelets, but would need a tool to do this.

@lustyd – how did you join your homemade solution together?

EDIT – presumably things like the hatchbag are designed to be fitted once and left in the car, not taken in & out all the time?

Hatchbag now ordered

Should be here in 10 days, will post up pics once fitted

Mine is sewing machine stitched simple as that. UV stable thread and sew the waterproof side inwards works a treat. Literally just cut the corners and added eyelets with a hammer then some bungee cord

I’ve been wanting something like this for a while, have just just used a big tarp or old rugs til now. But from the links above, I’ve just ordered a pvc liner from carbodydesign_eu on eBay. Looks ideal, amazed I haven’t seen these before.

I had a hatchbag in my previous Berlingo. No issues with the velcro and it had all sorts put/thrown in it. As others I cleaned the plastic well as recommended before sticking the velcro to it and it didn’t budge. I also has the seat down extension to cover the seats when they were folded forward. Worked great for bikes/trips to the tip/christmas trees/…

Tarp + staple gun

Just feeling back on this. Had 2 hatchbags on 2 different vehicles and used autoglym cleaner and extra Velcro on both. Each of them gave up in what seemed like not a lot of time.

Seems like I’m in the minority or really unlucky so hope it works out!