One of the most common questions we’re asked at West Midlands Roof Box Hire is:

“How much can I actually fit in a 470-litre roof box?”

It’s a good question.

A figure such as 470 litres doesn’t necessarily mean very much when you’re standing in your hallway looking at four suitcases, several bags, coats and everything else the family wants to take on holiday.

The simple answer is: quite a lot.

A large 470L roof box provides a substantial amount of additional storage and is an excellent size for many family holidays, which is one of the reasons it makes up such a large part of our roof box fleet.

But exactly what can you put inside one, and is 470 litres the right size for your family?

Let’s take a closer look.

Is a 470L Roof Box Considered Large?

Yes.

A roof box with approximately 470 litres of capacity would generally be considered a large roof box.

There are smaller boxes available, but for family holidays we find that a large box often provides the best balance between useful storage capacity and practicality.

A 470L box can provide a significant increase in the total luggage capacity of a typical family car.

For comparison, many family-car boots themselves have capacities somewhere in the region of a few hundred litres, although this varies enormously between different vehicles and manufacturers.

Adding another 470 litres above the vehicle can therefore transform the amount of luggage you’re able to carry.

What Can You Fit in a 470L Roof Box?

There’s no exact answer because luggage comes in all shapes and sizes.

Four rigid suitcases can use space very differently from several soft travel bags.

But a 470L roof box can potentially accommodate a combination of items including:

• Suitcases
• Holdalls
• Soft travel bags
• Children’s luggage
• Coats and jackets
• Walking boots
• Camping equipment
• Sleeping bags
• Bedding
• Beach equipment
• Outdoor clothing
• Pushchair accessories
• Sports equipment, depending on dimensions

The trick is not simply to think about the roof box as somewhere to put suitcases.

It can often be more effective to use the roof box for the awkward or bulky items that consume valuable space in the boot.

Soft Bags Can Be Your Best Friend

If you’re trying to maximise the amount you can fit into a roof box, soft luggage can be particularly useful.

Hard-shell suitcases have fixed dimensions.

If there’s a small gap between two cases, you can’t reshape them to use that space.

Holdalls and soft bags are much more flexible.

They can often be positioned around other luggage and allow you to make better use of the available space.

That doesn’t mean you can’t use suitcases in a roof box — of course you can.

But if you’re trying to squeeze the maximum amount of luggage into the available capacity, a mixture of suitcases and soft bags often works well.

Think About Shape, Not Just Litres

The 470-litre figure tells you the overall internal volume, but the shape of a roof box is equally important.

Roof boxes are long and relatively shallow compared with a car boot.

That means some items fit particularly well while others may not.

Long bags, coats, bedding and outdoor equipment can be ideal.

Very tall rigid items might be less suitable.

It’s worth considering the dimensions of your luggage rather than simply adding up how many bags you have.

Is 470L Big Enough for a Family of Four?

For many families, yes.

A large 470L roof box combined with the existing boot space of a family car can provide an excellent amount of total luggage capacity.

The important point is that you don’t necessarily need to put the entire family’s luggage in the roof box.

You’re effectively creating a second luggage area.

Some belongings stay in the boot.

Others go in the roof box.

Items you may need during the journey can remain easily accessible in the vehicle.

Bulky items that won’t be needed until you arrive can go overhead.

This allows you to organise your luggage far more effectively.

What About a Family of Five?

Again, a 470L roof box can work very well, depending on your vehicle and the amount of luggage you’re taking.

Families vary enormously when it comes to packing.

Some people can apparently go away for two weeks with one small suitcase.

Others seem to prepare for every possible weather event and social occasion!

If you’re a family of five travelling for a longer period, the combination of a large boot and 470L roof box can still provide a significant amount of storage.

If you’re carrying particularly large amounts of luggage, however, you may want to consider one of our larger options.

When Might You Need a 580L Roof Box?

At our Tamworth location, we also have XXL 580-litre roof boxes available.

These provide approximately 110 litres more nominal capacity than a 470L box.

That additional space can be useful for:

• Larger families
• Longer holidays
• Camping trips
• Ski holidays
• Customers carrying bulky equipment
• Vehicles with relatively small boots

Bigger isn’t automatically better, though.

The roof box still needs to be appropriate for the vehicle and used within the permitted load limits.

For the majority of our customers, a 470L roof box provides an excellent amount of space.

Don’t Forget the Weight Limit

This is extremely important.

A 470-litre roof box gives you volume, but that doesn’t mean you can fill all 470 litres with extremely heavy items.

Your vehicle has a permitted roof load, and the roof bars and roof box themselves also have specified limits.

The weight of the roof bars and roof box contributes to the overall load carried on the vehicle roof.

You therefore need to consider both space and weight when packing.

As a general principle, roof boxes are particularly useful for relatively light but bulky luggage.

Clothing, sleeping bags, coats and similar items can take up huge amounts of room without being excessively heavy.

Always follow the applicable limits for your particular vehicle, roof bars and roof box.

Pack Heavier Items in the Car Where Appropriate

When deciding what goes where, don’t automatically put the heaviest luggage in the roof box.

Heavy items can often be better positioned securely in the vehicle’s boot, while lighter bulky belongings go into the roof box.

This helps make effective use of the additional capacity without unnecessarily increasing the load on the roof.

You should also distribute the load inside the roof box rather than concentrating everything in one area.

Secure Your Luggage

Packing isn’t finished simply because you’ve managed to close the lid.

Items inside the roof box should be appropriately secured so that they don’t move excessively during braking, cornering or acceleration.

Don’t overload the box or force the lid closed against luggage.

If something doesn’t fit properly, rearrange it.

The objective is safe additional storage, not a game of trying to squeeze in one final suitcase at any cost.

What Should Stay Inside the Car?

There are some things you’ll probably want to keep accessible during the journey.

These might include:

• Medication
• Travel documents
• Passports
• Wallets and valuables
• Children’s entertainment
• Drinks and snacks
• Phone chargers
• A change of clothing
• Anything needed during stops

Think of the roof box as storage for belongings you won’t need until you reach your destination.

You don’t want to arrive at a motorway service station and realise the item you need is underneath six bags inside the roof box.

Perfect for Family Holidays

The 470L roof box is particularly well suited to family holidays.

Children have an extraordinary ability to generate luggage.

Even when they’re small, you’ve potentially got pushchairs, toys, travel equipment, clothing and all the things parents need to keep everyone entertained.

As they get older, the pushchair disappears — but somehow it’s replaced by an even larger suitcase!

Having hundreds of litres of additional storage means you don’t have to fill the passenger area with bags.

That makes longer journeys considerably more comfortable.

Great for Camping Trips

Camping is another situation where a large roof box can make a huge difference.

Camping equipment tends to be bulky rather than particularly heavy.

Sleeping bags, bedding and clothing can consume a huge amount of boot space.

Moving suitable lighter items into the roof box frees up room below for heavier camping equipment.

It can transform what you’re able to carry without needing a larger vehicle.

Useful for Ski and Winter Holidays

A 470L roof box isn’t only useful in summer.

Winter holidays often involve some of the bulkiest luggage of the year.

Coats, boots, thick clothing and winter equipment take up considerably more space than summer clothes.

If you’re driving to a winter destination or travelling to an airport with a family and several large suitcases, additional roof storage can be extremely useful.

We’ll be covering winter and ski holiday roof box hire in more detail as we move towards the end of the year.

Why Our 470L Boxes Are So Popular

At West Midlands Roof Box Hire, large 470L roof boxes make up the majority of our fleet.

There’s a simple reason.

They’re big enough to provide a substantial amount of additional luggage space while remaining suitable for a wide range of vehicles.

Many of our boxes are quality gloss-black, dual-opening models from established manufacturers such as Thule.

Dual opening means the box can be accessed from either side of the vehicle, which can make loading and unloading considerably easier.

Can a 470L Roof Box Fit My Car?

In many cases, yes, but compatibility should always be checked.

The correct roof bars and fittings depend on your vehicle.

Different cars may have raised roof rails, flush rails, fixed mounting points or other roof configurations.

At West Midlands Roof Box Hire, we stock an extensive selection of roof bars and fitting equipment for a wide variety of vehicles.

Provide us with your vehicle registration or exact make, model and year and we can check compatibility.

Professional Fitting Included

When you hire from us, you don’t simply leave with a roof box and a pile of components.

We professionally fit the roof bars and roof box to your vehicle.

This removes one of the biggest headaches associated with using a roof box.

There’s no need to buy a set of roof bars.

There’s no trying to work out which fitting kit you need.

And there’s no spending the evening before your holiday trying to decipher instructions.

We take care of the fitting.

Roof Box Hire in Tamworth, Birmingham and the West Midlands

West Midlands Roof Box Hire is based in Tamworth and serves customers from across Birmingham, Staffordshire, the West Midlands, East Midlands and surrounding areas.

Our premises are located at Amington Industrial Estate, providing convenient access for customers beginning journeys in many different directions.

We also have a sister roof box hire location in the Codsall/Wolverhampton area.

This allows us to serve customers across an even wider part of the region.

Is a 470L Roof Box Right for You?

For most typical family holidays, a large 470L roof box is an excellent starting point.

It provides substantial additional storage without automatically moving to the largest possible box.

If you’re unsure, tell us:

• What vehicle you have
• How many people are travelling
• Where you’re going
• How long you’re away
• Roughly how much luggage you’re taking

We can then help you choose an appropriate option.

Book a 470L Roof Box with West Midlands Roof Box Hire

If you’re planning a family holiday, weekend break, camping trip or winter getaway and need additional luggage space, we’re here to help.

West Midlands Roof Box Hire provides large quality roof boxes, compatible roof bars and professional fitting.

You’ll find our Tamworth premises at:

West Midlands Roof Box Hire Ltd
Unit 154, Amington Industrial Estate
Sandy Way
Tamworth
B77 4ED

To check availability or whether we have the correct roof bars for your vehicle:

Telephone: 07903 839112
Email: westmidlandsroofboxhire@gmail.com

A 470L roof box can provide a surprising amount of additional space — and for many families, it can make the difference between a car packed to bursting point and a comfortable journey. View current hire prices or check availability online.