As we've said before, the devil is in the details for this review. Since every box we tested would effectively move your things from one place to another, we looked to the finer points of each product to make detailed comparisons. We like the look of the ShowCase, but it pretty much stops there. With no handle, a difficult-to-press button, and a frustrating mounting system, we were generally disappointed with this product and would much more highly recommend plenty of other models
For this category, we were mainly concerned with assembly, mounting, and opening/closing. Interestingly, each product we tested had very difficult systems for each, making it easy to draw comparisons. The ShowCase requires no assembly, but its mounting system and lack of opening and closing ease were baffling to our testers. We were originally pleased with the ShowCase — compared to the U-bolt systems of the cheaper models, this installation was a breeze. The directions were confusing, yes, and it did take us a little longer than expected, sure. But what an improvement, we thought. That is, until we tested model with an integrated unibody clamp, like the top Thule models, which were by far the favorite.
Once we figured Yakima's mounting system out, it wasn't so bad, but at least we knew exactly what to do with the simple U-bolt systems. We read and re-read the directions and found it pretty difficult to install on anything but the tiniest of cars. We needed to have two hands at all times, with a third almost being necessary at times. This was a stark contrast to many other products that only required a one-handed install, and made it exceptionally difficult to get the ShowCase on a larger vehicle. While we wouldn't go as far as to say it is a horrible system, it is significantly more frustrating than other product boxes and left us feeling generally confusing and disappointed, especially for similarly priced products.
While weight is a fairly negligible concern for most of these cargo bodes, the ShowCase is a whopping 56 pounds, making it significantly more difficult to mount, especially if you have to lift it above your head. The woes continued once the box was mounted. We liked that the turning of the key and the pressing of the unlatch button were two different actions, but the button itself was difficult to press and we had a hard time unlatching the box. And once the box was “unlatched” via the button, we still couldn't open it! Because of the lack of handle and the glossy finish, we found ourselves needing to pinch the edge of the box to open and close it. We were stumped. Closing the box, unfortunately, wasn't any easier, as the lack of handle forced us to push down on the very top of the lid to get it to latch which was difficult because of both reach and materials.
We drove this box up and down highways for spring skiing and climbing adventures and found it completely unscathed. Like the other products in this review, we didn't hear it rumble or whisper once, our gas mileage was unaffected, and it suffered not a scratch (though there were quite a few dead bugs on the front).
Through rain and wind, the ShowCase was unaffected. There isn't a single hole in the box for water to seep into and none of our hose tests even came close to getting your belongings wet. If your main concern is that your beloved gear stays warm and dry, you won't be disappointed with the ShowCase's performance. We should note, though, that since Yakima's won't claim complete waterproofness, neither we will, and it would be wise to store your electronics in a drybag before putting them on your roof. Despite feeling burly and thick, the plastic lid is floppier than we expected it to be compared to its competitors. We occasionally had a hard time lining up the lid to latch it properly, and its floppiness made us concerned about its durability.
Because most of the boxes in our review have adequate security systems, we extended this category to include every aspect of the system, little details and all. We would have no doubts trusting the ShowCase to keep our things secure — once we got the lid latched, that is. Other than that, we found the button and key system annoying compared to its competitors.
While we liked that the opening of the ShowCase is two steps, we didn't like that you can't tell at a glance if the box is latched or not. While other boxes reverberate a satisfying click when it latches and has a bright red indicator strip, letting you know your things are secure, the ShowCase has no such thing. We noticed that we had to press down harder on the top of the box to latch it due to the lack of a handle. Generally speaking, we were unimpressed with the finer details of the ShowCase, including its locking mechanisms.
We've said it before and we'll say it again: looks matter. While we know you're looking for performance over appearance, if two boxes score exactly the same in our functionality tests, wouldn't you pick the better-looking one? We couldn't help but include visual appeal as a small part of our scoring, and this is one area where the ShowCase excelled.
We did prefer the matte black look on other boxes for its dirt and scratch concealing ability, but we can't deny that the ShowCase is sleek. Available in classic black and gray, we thought it looked timeless and classy — potentially even too nice for our lead tester's old van! We gave it extra points for being one of two boxes available in more than one color. The ShowCase is a crowd stopper-- we just wish its performance matched its looks.
The ShowCase pairs a fairly high price tag with a middling performance in our tests, making it a poor choice as a value buy.
