Thule Pulse Review

The Pulse is pretty basic, but one nice feature, if you have other Thule products, is its one-key system compatible, allowing you to order a set of lock cores and have one key that unlocks all of your Thule vehicle accessories.

Performance Comparison

Ease of Use

Our first testing metric for the Thule Pulse focused on convenience and user-friendliness. The bulk of the score for this metric is based on the effort it takes to remove or install this cargo carrier on most cars, but we also looked at how easy the lid is to open and close and how much work it is to load or unload gear. The Pulse did decently well; we are definitely fans of how easy it is to install and remove this cargo box. It uses Thule quick-clamps for a tool-free install. This process usually only took us 5-10 minutes, with the hardest part being simply lifting the cargo box into position, particularly on taller vehicles. That said, this box is one of the lighest 16 cubic feet capacity boxes we have tested at 36 pounds.

That said, the clamps are slightly different than those found on the top-tier Thule models, as there is no indicator on the clamps that you have tightened them sufficiently. The top-tier models will audibly click when they are tightened with sufficient torque. It also isn't quite as easy to open or close the Pulse as it just has the smallest molded protrusion to act as a handle. However, the lid does open and close smoothly, and there are included straps for securing your gear in place, using the integrated brackets on the four quick clamps.

Our biggest complaint with the Pulse is that it can only be accessed from the vehicle's passenger side. While this isn't a huge problem, especially when you have the established habit of always going to that side of the car to get your gear, we did find ourselves missing the added flexibility of a dual-opening cargo box.

Security

We feel the Pulse did about average when it comes to security. Generally, we wouldn't trust any of these cargo carriers to withstand a determined thief for all that long. However, the Pulse does have what feels like a solid locking system. The clamps can only be loosened from the inside of the box, and it would take considerable force to bend or break them enough to remove the entire cargo carrier from your crossbars without access to the inside. The lock seems fairly common and run-of-the-mill, inspiring average confidence that our belongings would still be where we left them. However, there aren't any indicators on the Pulse to see if the box is unlocked or locked. Fortunately, the keys can't be removed when the lock is unlocked, minimizing the chance that you will accidentally forget to lock it.

Quality

We rated and scored the durability of each cargo box by looking at how floppy the lid is when opening and closing, as well as how well they stood up to the rigors of our comprehensive testing process. The Thule Pulse again scored quite well, meriting one of the better scores of the group.

This cargo box is one of the larger options available (we tested the 16 cubic foot size Large), so there is some inherent lid floppiness, but overall we were impressed with the general sturdiness and rigidity of the Pulse. It almost always lined up perfectly when we went to shut it, without any extra coaxing to get the latches to engage.

We also like that the textured matte finish does a better job concealing scuffs and scrapes than the high-gloss finishes on some of the premium models. However, we could see the quick-clamps wearing out a bit faster, as these are easier to overtighten with the lack of an audible click.

Appearance

Our fourth and final metric focused on the overall aesthetics of each cargo carrier, as just about everyone cares about style at least a little. Overall, we found the Pulse to be pretty plain in the looks department. It does have some sleek lines but is essentially a large matte black box on the roof of your car. It's not available in any other colors or styles but it at least doesn't clash with the appearance of most automobiles in our opinion. The textured finish can make it seem a bit cheap though.

Value

The Pulse is a decent value. It has all the key features that we want without any extras. While the price is a bit high, it's lower than many premium models.

Conclusion