DIY Top Box

[Roper_imp]

What I want in a top box:

- It has to be watertight.
- It has to be rugged.
- It has to be big enough to hold my camera bag.
- It has to carry a few other things for commuting.
- I have to be able to lock it.
- I'll bolt it directly to my OEM rack.
- It can't look stupid.

What I don't need:

- I don't care about name brands.
- I don't want aluminum.
- It doesn't need to hold a helmet.
- I don't care about matching panniers. I have soft bags I can put on for overnights.
- I don't want to pay a ridiculous amount of money.
- I don't need a quick release or an adapter bracket.

So, I found a Seahorse case that met my needs. It was half the price of Pelican cases, but just as strong and water tight. And made in the USA. Besides, Pelican didn't have one in the size I wanted. I bought the case new on Amazon. I bought the mounting hardware at the local ACE hardware store. I measured and marked, measured and checked the marks, and measured and checked a third time then drilled holes. I mounted the case directly to the rack and sealed around the bolts with silicone. Total investment: $65 and two hours.