A near ten-thousand mile journey, the POWDER to the People Tour puts skis through many abuses in search deep snow. P-Tex gouges, scrapes, and core shots are all part of a days work for a PTTP Tour ski. At the end of the day and on the highway, however, our skis should not, and do not endure, any further hardships. Atop our Volkswagon Touareg sit a pair of Thule Evolution 1800 ski boxes to protect our boards from the elements when we are on the ultimate road trip.

Fully enclosed and watertight, the Evolution 1800 keeps dirt and salt off your precious sticks. This is essential for the road trip, because nobody likes to ride on skis with dirty wax and rusty edges. Eighteen feet of cargo space provides room for other items as well. In two Evolution 1800s the PTTP Tour housed ten pairs of skis, four pairs of poles, one gigantic tent, two sleeping bags, five poster tubes and five large banners. We still had enough room left over at least five more pairs of skis.

The thought and engineering Thule puts into all their products is amazing and the features on the Evolution 1800 really shine through. The aerodynamic shape reduces wind drag and noise, which is important for fuel economy. The quick mount hardware allows for effortless installation. Instead of fiddling with thumbscrews and washers all you need to do now is pull up on a lever. The mounting points slide on a track accommodating any width of square, round or factory roof rack bars. The Evolution 1800 opens from both sides allowing you to have two boxes on one roof and the whole shebang is controlled by one lock.

Whether camping, fishing, climbing, snowboarding, skiing, or pretty much anything else, the Thule Evolution 1800 provides much needed storage for your expensive gear and it helps reduce clutter inside your vehicle. For more information about the Evolution 1800 and other fine Thule products please visit their website at thule.com.