The 10 Best ATV Baskets
Updated by · How we research
Your rack's rating limits what any basket can carry. We compare 10 front, rear and drop ATV baskets by size, weight and fit. The Titan Ramps 332010 is first. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
An ATV basket's load rating matters much less than the rack's rating, and front racks usually carry less than rear ones, so a heavy basket uses up capacity before you load anything. These steel or aluminum carriers bolt onto an ATV or UTV rack and add walls so buckets, coolers and tools stay put. Farmers, hunters and trail riders use them front and rear.
Editor's Notes
October 19, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
First place goes to the Titan Ramps 332010, whose 11.5-inch drop well hangs buckets and gas cans low behind the rack, where they're less likely to tip. The list behind it had slipped since the last update. The Black Widow Cargo, which is really a locking box, and the Rage Powersports ATVFB are no longer available. We cut the Kolpin 53400 because it's a flat rack, not a basket, and the Titan ARFR2030, now a lighter-duty sibling of the Titan Ramps 332010. The aluminum Great Day drop basket from the old list now costs about twice as much as most baskets with little owner feedback, so the Great Day Mighty-Lite MLFR50 front basket takes its place.
The Titan Ramps 332010, Kolpin 53360, Guide Gear Front, Curt 18101 and Goplus AT4314 stay. Readers mostly search for rear and drop baskets, so new picks include the Kolpin 53350, which mounts three ways, and the Kolpin 53300 with its tailgate, plus front and rear trays from Black Widow.
We found no independent tests of ATV baskets. We worked from makers' sizes, weights and load ratings, their manuals, ATV owner's manuals for rack limits, owner feedback and recall databases. The big lesson: a basket's rating matters much less than your ATV's rack rating.
September 21, 2020:
Though most typical ATV baskets are quite similar, they tend to vary from model to model in a few key areas. The height of the sidewalls is one — with a taller rim, it’s easier to keep bulky items like five-gallon buckets secure and contained during transit. The fineness of the metal mesh bottom and sides is another element — finer mesh allows you to safely store small pieces, while still allowing for rainwater and dirt to easily drain.
We gave the Goplus Drop Rack a slight upgrade, noting its durability and ample capacity. Despite the fact that the Curt Carrier is marketed as a universal fit, it can be challenging to install to certain ATVs, which we’ve indicated in the bullet points.
We replaced the Black Widow Surface with a basket from the same manufacturer, though it differs significantly in design. Whereas the Surface was a standard metal rack with a mesh bottom and five-inch sidewalls, the Black Widow Cargo is a heavy-duty locking box — with reflectors on the back for some added visibility in low-light conditions.
November 26, 2018:
In a category where most models are made of steel, the Honda Great Day stood out as a high-quality aluminum option. Although it lacks substantial walls, the Kolpin 53400 is a useful basket for those who want the flexibility to mount it to the front or rear rack of their ATV.
Special Honors
Strong Made Basket Racks Strong Made sells ATV and UTV basket racks listed by machine, for Arctic Cat, Honda, Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki, Tracker and Yamaha models, rather than one universal shape. That makes it worth a look if universal baskets don't suit your factory rack. Check its list for your make, model and year. strongmade.com
Your Rack's Rating Is The Real Limit
A basket's load rating describes the basket, not your machine.
A basket's load rating describes the basket, not your machine. Every ATV maker sets separate limits for the front rack, the rear rack and the whole vehicle, and the total includes the rider, accessories and trailer tongue weight. Polaris spells this out in the hauling cargo chapter of its owner's manuals (Polaris owner's manuals). Smaller machines are rated for far less than most baskets claim: one Honda TRX250 manual lists 33 pounds on the front rack and 66 on the rear. A Black Widow basket rated for 300 pounds (Black Widow) doesn't change those numbers.
The basket's own weight counts too. A 42-pound steel drop basket uses most of a 66-pound rear rating before you load anything, while a 10-pound aluminum front basket leaves room for cargo. Find your ATV's rack ratings in the owner's manual, subtract the basket's weight, and load to what's left.
Polaris also advises splitting cargo about one third on the front rack and two thirds on the rear, keeping loads as low as possible, tying everything down and never letting a front load block the headlight. Loading one end heavily can make an ATV more likely to tip, and Kolpin's own manual warns that too much weight can cost you steering control (Kolpin 53350 manual).
Drop Basket, Rear Tray Or Front Basket
A rack is the flat platform built onto the ATV; a basket adds walls to it (Big Tool Rack). Baskets come in three main shapes.
A rear drop basket clamps a platform onto the rear rack and hangs a deep well off the back, usually 8 to 12.5 inches deep. Buckets, gas cans and coolers ride low and upright, which suits farm and hunting chores. Drop baskets are the heaviest type, about 28 to 43 pounds, and they stick out behind the machine.
A rear tray sits flat on the rack with 5- to 7-inch sides. Trays of about 41 by 26 inches or larger cover a full-size rear rack and take wide, bulky loads like bags of feed or a big cooler. They keep cargo higher than a drop basket.
Front baskets are usually about 36 by 17 inches with 5- to 7-inch sides, or narrow and deep like a 38 by 13 inch basket that holds upright buckets. Front racks carry the least, so a light front basket is worth paying for. Keep front loads below the headlight.
Fit, Hardware And Rust
Universal baskets are made for tubular steel racks and bolt on with U-bolts and clamp plates. Composite or plastic racks, square tubing and racks with tall loops may need extra parts or some modification, as Kolpin notes for its racks (Kolpin 53350 manual). Before you buy, measure your rack's width, length and tube diameter. Some brackets fit tubes only up to a certain size; Black Widow's fit up to 2.25 inches.
Stock U-bolts are often longer than needed. Some owners cut them down or swap in shorter bolts with locknuts, and it's worth re-tightening every fastener after the first ride, since vibration loosens them.
Most baskets are powder-coated steel. Steel is strong and cheap, but it rusts where the coating chips, usually at welds and clamp points. Touch up chips with paint before winter. Aluminum, like Great Day's Mighty-Lite line, weighs about a third as much and won't rust, but it costs more and dents more easily. Mesh floors on either material let mud and water drain out.
How we researched this
We compared 20 ATV baskets and racks from 10 brands, read makers' specs and Black Widow's product page, Kolpin's installation manual and the hauling cargo chapter of a Polaris owner's manual, looked at owner feedback patterns, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. We found no independent lab tests of ATV baskets.
Frequently asked questions
Will a universal ATV basket fit my ATV?
Most universal baskets fit tubular steel racks using U-bolts. Composite racks, square tubing or tall rack loops may need extra hardware. Measure your rack's size and tube diameter before you buy, and check the bracket's maximum tube size.
How much weight can I put in an ATV basket?
Only what your ATV's rack is rated for, minus the basket's own weight. The basket's rating doesn't raise the rack's limit. Small ATVs may allow as little as 33 pounds on the front rack and 66 on the rear.
Should I put a basket on the front or rear rack?
Most cargo belongs on the rear. Polaris suggests about two thirds of the load on the rear rack and one third on the front. Front baskets suit light, bulky gear, and the load should never block the headlight.
What is an ATV drop basket?
A drop basket hangs a deep well off the back of the rear rack, so buckets and gas cans ride low and upright. Drop baskets are heavier than flat trays, often 28 to 43 pounds.
Do steel ATV baskets rust?
Powder-coated steel holds up well until the coating chips, and then it rusts, mostly at welds and clamp points. Touch up chips with paint. Aluminum baskets won't rust but cost more.
