6 Best Hitch Mounted Cargo Carriers For Farm Supplies Old Farmers Swear By
Explore the 6 best hitch cargo carriers for heavy farm supplies. We cover the durable, high-capacity models that seasoned farmers trust for daily work.
You’ve been there: a 50-pound bag of sweet feed splits open in the back of your clean SUV, leaving a sticky, molasses-scented mess that you’ll be finding for weeks. Or maybe it was the leaky bag of compost that left a permanent stain on the carpet. A good hitch-mounted cargo carrier isn’t a luxury; it’s the simple, rugged tool that solves these problems before they start.
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Why a Hitch Carrier is a Farmer’s Best Friend
A hitch carrier is fundamentally about one thing: keeping the farm outside your vehicle. It hauls the muddy, the messy, and the sharp so your truck or SUV doesn’t have to. Think about hauling leaky bags of soil, greasy equipment parts, or a bundle of freshly cut, sap-covered firewood.
This simple steel rack becomes an extension of your farm’s utility. It’s not just for feed runs. Use it to transport fencing supplies, stacks of buckets, caged poultry, or even a small generator. It frees up your vehicle’s interior for passengers or more delicate supplies.
More importantly, it saves your back. Loading heavy items onto a waist-high platform is far easier and safer than hoisting them into a high truck bed or awkwardly maneuvering them into an SUV hatch. It’s a small change that makes a huge difference in physical strain at the end of a long day.
CURT 18153 Basket: The All-Purpose Workhorse
If you need a reliable, no-nonsense carrier for a wide range of tasks, the CURT basket is the standard. It’s the one you see on countless farm trucks for a reason. Its straightforward design and solid construction handle most daily chores without complaint.
The mesh floor is a key feature. It allows dirt, mud, and water to fall right through, making cleanup as simple as a quick spray with a hose. This is perfect for hauling freshly dug root vegetables, muddy tools, or anything else you don’t want sitting in a puddle. The tradeoff is that very small items, like bolts or loose hardware, can slip through the gaps.
With a 500-pound capacity, it’s strong enough for a heavy load of feed sacks, toolboxes, or coolers. While it lacks fancy features like a ramp or a folding shank, its simplicity is its greatest strength. It’s a dependable tool that just works.
MaxxHaul 70107: Best for Bulky Fencing & Hay
Some loads just don’t fit in a basket. For long, awkward items like T-posts, rolls of woven wire, or a few bales of hay, a flatbed carrier like the MaxxHaul 70107 is the right tool for the job. Its open design allows you to haul oversized items that would be impossible to contain within side rails.
The genius of this design is its abundance of tie-down points. Securing an irregular load is the biggest challenge, and this carrier gives you plenty of options for ratchet straps and bungee cords. This ensures that your load of lumber or fencing posts stays put on bumpy farm roads.
Secure cargo with this 4-pack of heavy-duty 15-foot ratchet straps. Featuring a 2,200-lb break strength and safety-lock S-hooks, these straps ensure reliable transport for motorcycles, appliances, and more.
The primary consideration with a flatbed is ground clearance. Because it lacks the upward-angled shank of many basket carriers, it can be more prone to scraping on steep driveways or uneven pastures. You have to be mindful of your terrain, but for hauling long materials, the utility is unmatched.
Reese 63153 Rambler: Ramped for Easy Loading
Lifting heavy, wheeled equipment is a fast track to a pulled muscle. The Reese Rambler solves this problem with a simple, sturdy ramp. This feature transforms how you move things like push mowers, small tillers, or a heavy-duty wheelbarrow full of gravel.
Instead of dead-lifting 100+ pounds of machinery, you simply roll it up the ramp and secure it. This isn’t just about convenience; it’s a critical safety feature for anyone working alone. It makes moving equipment a one-person job, saving you time and a potential trip to the chiropractor.
The ramp does add weight and a potential source of rattling, but these are small prices to pay for the benefit. If your farm chores regularly involve moving small engines or other heavy, wheeled gear, a ramped carrier is a non-negotiable back-saver.
King Bird Carrier: High Sides for Feed Sacks
A standard basket carrier is great, but its low side rails can be a liability with shifting loads. The King Bird carrier addresses this with its 6-inch-high sides, making it ideal for stacking items that can topple, like feed sacks, boxes, or buckets. Those extra inches provide security and peace of mind.
When you hit a bump, a stack of feed bags can easily shift and slide. The high walls of the King Bird act as a backstop, keeping everything contained. This means you can stack with more confidence and spend less time worrying about your load on the drive home from the co-op.
Many models also feature a folding shank, which is a massive quality-of-life improvement. When the carrier is empty, you can fold it vertically against the back of your vehicle. This prevents you from constantly bumping your shins on it in the barn and makes parking in tighter spaces much easier.
Mockins Carrier: Weatherproof with Cargo Bag
Sometimes you need to haul things that absolutely cannot get wet. Bags of expensive seed, lime, or fertilizer in paper sacks are vulnerable to a sudden rainstorm. The Mockins carrier bundle, which includes a weatherproof cargo bag, is the perfect solution for protecting sensitive supplies.
The cargo bag effectively turns your open basket into a sealed, weather-resistant trunk. You get the open-air utility of a standard basket for messy jobs, plus the protection of an enclosed carrier when you need it. It’s a two-for-one system that adds a ton of versatility.
While the included bag and ratchet straps might not be the most heavy-duty on the market, they are more than adequate for securing and protecting your supplies on the trip from the store to the farm. For the farmer who needs flexibility, this combination is hard to beat.
ROLA 59502 Vortex: A Durable Dual-Use Hauler
For those who use a carrier almost daily, durability becomes the top priority. The ROLA Vortex is a step up in construction, featuring heavy-gauge steel and a tough powder-coat finish that stands up to rust and abuse better than many budget options. It’s built for the long haul.
Its two-piece design is a clever feature that makes assembly and, more importantly, off-season storage much simpler. Instead of trying to find a spot for a single, bulky 4-foot rack, you can store two smaller pieces on a shelf. It’s a small detail that shows thoughtful engineering.
This is the carrier for the person who sees it as a core piece of their farm equipment, not just an occasional accessory. It costs a bit more, but that investment pays off in longevity and reliability, especially in wet or harsh climates.
Choosing the Right Carrier for Your Farm Chores
There is no single "best" carrier; there’s only the best carrier for the work you do. Don’t get caught up in brand names. Instead, start by answering one question: What is the most common, awkward, or messy thing I haul?
Your answer will point you to the right features.
- Feed, soil, or stacked boxes? You need high side rails for containment.
- T-posts, lumber, or hay bales? A flatbed offers the most flexibility.
- Tillers, generators, or wheelbarrows? A ramp is essential to save your back.
- A little bit of everything? A standard, all-purpose basket is a great place to start.
Beyond the primary use, consider these factors. A folding shank is a must-have if you park in a garage or tight barn. Always check your vehicle’s hitch class and tongue weight capacity to ensure you don’t overload your setup—most farm SUVs and trucks have a Class III hitch, which is perfect for these 500-pound capacity carriers. Finally, if you live where roads are salted in winter, a better rust-resistant finish is worth every penny.
The right carrier is the one that solves your biggest hauling headache. Analyze your chores, pick the features that match, and you’ll have a tool that makes farm life easier for years to come.
Ultimately, a hitch carrier is a simple investment in efficiency. It protects your vehicle, saves your body from unnecessary strain, and simplifies the endless task of moving supplies from one place to another. Choose wisely, and you’ll wonder how you ever managed without one.
