Best Rooftop Cargo Boxes Under $500 for Family Road Trips in 2026

Best Rooftop Cargo Boxes Under $500 for Family Road Trips in 2026

Updated September 2026

Comparing 10 rooftop cargo boxes, bags and mounting kits by published specs — capacity, load limits and fitment — so you...

28 min read

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Quick Picks

ProductBest ForPrice
Hard Shell Roof Cargo BoxFamilies who want a published 130 lbs load rating with dual-side access
GarveeTech Rooftop Cargo Box CarrierHeaviest published weight rating (165 lbs) plus a stated one-year warranty
Truckiipa Car Rooftop Cargo Carrier BagLargest published volume, and cars with no roof rack at all
DNA Motoring Rooftop Cargo Box Carrier Lockable Heavy Duty Car TopLong, narrow loads on crossbar-equipped vehicles
KMFurnila 15 Cubic Feet Heavy Duty Waterproof Car Rooftop Cargo CarrierRoof-load-sensitive vehicles and off-season storage

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Last Updated: September 2026

Look, the hardest part of shopping for an affordable roof cargo box isn't picking a brand. It's figuring out whether the box on your screen actually bolts to the crossbars already on your car, and whether the cubic-feet number in the title is the number you'll actually fill.

This page works through ten rooftop cargo products by reading their published listing specifications closely — hard-shell boxes, soft-shell bags, and the mounting hardware and roof pads that make either one work. Nobody on this site has driven with any of them. What follows is spec analysis: what each manufacturer publishes, what that figure likely means when you're loading a family's worth of luggage at 6 a.m., and which buyer each one fits.

One thing worth saying up front: capacity and weight limit are two different constraints, and the weight limit is usually the one that bites. A box rated for 130 lbs will be full of duffel bags long before it's overloaded — but a box rated lower will not.

Every product in this guide
Product titles, images, feature bullets and prices below come from Amazon and were read at publish time; prices and availability change. As an Amazon Associate this site earns from qualifying purchases. Amazon supplies no written product description, so the one-line summary under each product is ours, generated from Amazon Creators title/features/specifications.

Quick Comparison Table

ProductTypePublished capacityPublished weight limitFitment note
Hard Shell Roof Cargo BoxHard shell13 cu ft130 lbsCrossbars up to 3 in wide, round/square/aero
GarveeTech Rooftop Cargo Box CarrierHard shell12 cu ft (340 L)165 lbsVehicles with a roof rack; verify fitting guidelines
DNA Motoring Rooftop Cargo Box Carrier Lockable Heavy Duty Car TopHard shell11 cu ft110 lbsCross bars only
INNO GEAR CARRY Matte BlackHard shell6 cu ftNot stated in the supplied listingLocks with levers on Quick base (sold separately)
Truckiipa Car Rooftop Cargo Carrier BagSoft shell20 cu ftNot stated in the supplied listingWith or without roof rails
KMFurnila 15 Cubic Feet Heavy Duty Waterproof Car Rooftop Cargo CarrierSoft shell15 cu ftNot stated in the supplied listingWith or without roof racks

The Hard-Shell Boxes

Hard Shell Roof Cargo Box, 13 Cu Ft Rooftop Cargo Carrier for SUV Truck Car — Best for families who need curbside access with a stated load rating

Here's the thing about this one: it publishes both halves of the equation. The listing states 13 cubic feet of rooftop storage space supporting up to 130 lbs, and it states exactly what crossbars it mounts to — round, square, and aerodynamic bars up to 3 inches wide, using tool-free mounting brackets. That second spec is the one that saves a return trip. If you can measure your bar and it's under 3 inches, you have an answer before you buy.

Hard Shell Roof Cargo Box, 13 Cu Ft Rooftop Cargo Carrier for SUV Truck Car, Dual Side Opening Roof Box with Lock, Tool-Free Installation, Fits Cross Bars up to 3” Wide – Black — Manufacturer product photo
Manufacturer product photo

The dual-side opening is more than a convenience feature for a family. The listing specifies that the passenger side opens up to 13 inches wide with a built-in support arm holding it stable. Loading from the curb rather than the traffic side is a meaningful safety difference at a highway rest stop, and a support arm that holds the lid means you're not fighting it with one hand while holding a cooler with the other.

The shell is described as ABS plus PMMA, built for weather resistance across seasons in a glossy black finish. On the lock: the manufacturer specifies that the key only releases when all locking points are properly engaged. That is a genuinely thoughtful design choice — it turns the key into a physical confirmation that the lid is actually latched, rather than something you hope you did right in a dark parking lot.

Pros

Cons Check Price on Amazon

Verdict: The strongest all-round choice here for a family with crossbars already fitted, chosen specifically because it pairs 13 cu ft and a 130 lbs rating with a stated 3-inch crossbar limit you can verify with a tape measure before ordering.

GarveeTech Rooftop Cargo Box Carrier — Best for the heaviest published payload and a stated warranty

The number that stands out on this listing is 165 lbs maximum capacity. That's the highest published weight rating among the boxes covered on this page, and it matters more than volume for anyone packing dense items — books, tools, cases of water, camping gear with metal in it. Volume runs out slowly; weight ratings run out fast.

GarveeTech Rooftop Cargo Box Carrier, Dual-Side Opening Luggage Storage — Manufacturer product photo
Manufacturer product photo

The capacity description needs reading carefully, though. The bullet is headed "12/14 cubic feet" and lists two dimension sets, 54.3"L x 31.5"W x 13.4"H and 62.2"L x 31.5"W x 13.4"H, then states the box offers 12 cubic feet (340 L) of extra storage space. Read plainly, that reads as two size variants sharing a listing, with 12 cu ft (340 L) being the figure the manufacturer commits to in prose. Before you order, confirm on the listing page which variant you're actually selecting — the 8-inch length difference between those two is not trivial on a compact car's roof.

Construction is high-quality ABS with a waterproof and UV-resistant design, and the manufacturer describes the aerodynamic shape as reducing fuel consumption and noise. Treat that as the seller's claim rather than a verified figure — no fuel-economy number is published to check it against. And this is the only box here whose listing states a warranty term: one year.

Pros

Cons Check Price on Amazon

DNA Motoring Rooftop Cargo Box Carrier Lockable Heavy Duty Car Top Storage Case — Best for long, awkward gear on crossbar-equipped vehicles

This is the box for the family whose problem isn't total volume but shape. The manufacturer publishes overall dimensions of 53" L x 34" W x 15" H with 11 cubic feet of internal storage and a 110 lbs maximum when evenly distributed. That 34-inch width is the widest published footprint among the hard-shell boxes here — worth checking against your crossbar span, because a wide box on narrow bars is a mounting problem.

DNA Motoring Rooftop Cargo Box Carrier Lockable Heavy Duty Car Top Storage Case, Capacity 110 Lbs, 53" L x 34" W x 15" H, 11 17 Cubic Ft.(Glossy Black), PT-ZTL-8166-GSBK — Manufacturer product photo
Manufacturer product photo

The 15-inch overall height is also the tallest published here, and the listing states the box opens up to 14 inches wide to store bulky items. For gear with real depth — a folded playpen, sleeping bags that won't compress, a cooler — a taller interior is more useful than an extra cubic foot spread flat.

Note the wording on load: 110 lbs when evenly distributed. That qualifier is doing real work. It's a reminder to spread heavy items across the floor of the box rather than stacking them over one crossbar. Construction is impact-resistant ABS, and it includes a key and lock, opening from the side and staying open until you close it.

Pros

Cons Check Price on Amazon

Verdict: Best suited to a crossbar-equipped family car carrying tall or awkwardly shaped gear, on the strength of its published 15-inch overall height and 14-inch opening width rather than raw volume.

INNO GEAR CARRY Matte Black, Cargo Box — Best for gear you need to wheel from the car to the campsite

This one is doing something different, and you should understand what before you buy. It's a 6 cubic foot box with large casters and a carry handle — the manufacturer's framing is "take all gears in box to your destination." It's a rolling case that happens to mount on a roof, not a roof box that happens to have wheels. For a campsite, a cabin, or a hotel where you'd otherwise be shuttling armloads across a parking lot, that's a genuinely different value proposition.

INNO GEAR CARRY Matte Black, Cargo Box, 6 cu ft with Large Casters and Carry Handle, Roof Box, Rooftop Cargo Carrier, Made in Japan, BRL160MBK — Manufacturer product photo
Manufacturer product photo

The critical fine print: it installs from one side and locks with levers on the Quick base, which is sold separately. Budget for that. A cargo box you can't mount is a very expensive suitcase, and the base is not in the box.

Construction is durable ABS plastic with protected large rubber corners — sensible on a box designed to be dragged over gravel and curbs. Inside straps are included to keep contents from shifting. It is described as made in Japan.

Pros

Cons Check Price on Amazon

Verdict: A niche but well-argued pick for campers and cabin travelers who value wheeling 6 cu ft of gear to the door — just don't order it without also sorting out the separately sold Quick base.

The Soft-Shell Bags

Truckiipa Car Rooftop Cargo Carrier Bag, 20 Cubic Feet Waterproof Roof Cargo Carrier Bag — Best for maximum volume and cars with no roof rack

Twenty cubic feet at 51" x 39" x 17" is the largest published capacity anywhere on this page — roughly 54 percent more stated volume than the 13 cu ft hard-shell box, whose listing does not publish exterior dimensions to compare against. That's the structural advantage of fabric: no rigid shell means the walls go where the cargo goes.

Truckiipa Car Rooftop Cargo Carrier Bag, 20 Cubic Feet Waterproof Roof Cargo Carrier Bag, Soft Shell Car Top Cargo Box for All Vehicles with/Without Racks, Anti-Slip Mat, Door Hooks, Luggage Lock — Manufacturer product photo
Manufacturer product photo

The more important spec for a lot of shoppers is that it mounts with included hooks and works with or without roof rails, fitting sedans, SUVs and trucks. If your car has a bare roof, the hard-shell boxes on this page are simply not available to you — every one of them requires crossbars or a rack. This bag is.

Weatherproofing is where the listing gets specific. It describes sealed dual waterproof zippers with an extended rain flap, triple reinforced welded seams, and a double-layer PVC mesh with 1000D waterproof fabric that the manufacturer says stays flexible in freezing cold and harsh sun. Built-in reflective strips are included for night visibility. The kit ships with 1 cargo bag, 6 safety hooks, 1 anti-slip mat, 1 storage bag, 1 combination lock and 1 user manual — that's the most fully specified package contents list of any product here.

A realistic caveat: a combination lock on a zipper is a deterrent, not a hard-shell security system. Treat it as protection against opportunism, not against someone with a knife. Plan to bring valuables inside overnight.

Pros

Cons Check Price on Amazon

Verdict: The obvious pick for a family that needs the largest stated volume on this page, and a workable option if your vehicle has no rack — its published 20 cu ft and hook-based no-rails mounting are what earn it that spot.

KMFurnila 15 Cubic Feet Heavy Duty Waterproof Car Rooftop Cargo Carrier Bag — Best for keeping added roof weight down

Fifteen cubic feet from 700D high-wear PVC fabric with triple reinforced welds. The manufacturer's own argument for it is explicit: it drastically reduces vehicle load versus hard roof boxes. That's the soft-shell trade in one sentence — the bag itself weighs less than a rigid shell, so more of your roof's rated capacity goes to actual cargo rather than to the carrier.

KMFurnila 15 Cubic Feet Heavy Duty Waterproof Car Rooftop Cargo Carrier Bag — Manufacturer product photo
Manufacturer product photo

Waterproofing is handled by a sealed waterproof zipper plus a large Velcro protective flap, using heat-sealed welding. The Velcro-flap-over-zipper approach is a common and sensible construction: the flap sheds the water before it reaches the zipper line, which is the weak point on any fabric carrier.

It ships with an anti-slip mat, storage bag, reinforced straps, door hooks and a luggage lock, and mounts on vehicles with or without roof racks. The door-hook method — hooks that catch inside the door frames — is what makes bare-roof mounting possible, and it's why the included anti-slip mat isn't optional in practice: it's the layer preventing the loaded bag from sliding on painted metal.

Note the fabric difference against the Truckiipa bag: 700D here versus 1000D there. Higher denier generally indicates a heavier, more abrasion-resistant yarn, so if maximum toughness is your priority the 1000D spec is the stronger claim. If minimizing added roof weight is the priority, the lighter build is the point.

Pros

Cons Check Price on Amazon

Verdict: The right call for older cars, small crossovers, or anyone whose roof rating is tight — you get 15 cu ft while the manufacturer positions the fabric build specifically as reducing vehicle load versus a hard box.

Mounting Hardware and Roof Protection

A cargo box is only as good as what holds it down. These four are the supporting cast — replacement clamps for a box whose original hardware is lost or corroded, and a pad for the contact surface.

4 Pcs Roof Box U-Bolt Clamps, Upgraded Rooftop Cargo Carrier Rack Bolts — Best for wider crossbars needing a complete replacement kit

The number that decides this purchase is 85mm/3.34in inner width, with 98mm/3.8in spacing between thread centers. Measure your bar. If it's wider than what a clamp can straddle, nothing else on the listing matters.

4 Pcs Roof Box U-Bolt Clamps, Upgraded Rooftop Cargo Carrier Rack Bolts, Car Van Mounting Fitting Kit 85mm Inner Width Metal U-Bracket Clips w/ 8 Lock Nuts 2 Straps — Manufacturer product photo
Manufacturer product photo

The kit includes 4 metal U-bolt clamps, 4 plastic back plates, 4 rubber gaskets, 8 heavy lock nuts, 2 bandages, and 1 set of hole sealing stickers. Those sealing stickers are the detail worth noticing — they cover unused mounting holes in your box, which is exactly where water finds its way in. The manufacturer describes installation as taking 3-5 minutes and the materials as resistant to breakage, deformation and corrosion from acid, alkali, wind and rain.

Pros

Cons Check Price on Amazon

Verdict: Buy this kit if your bars measure within 85mm — its published 85mm inner width and 98mm thread-center spacing are what make it checkable against your bars before ordering.

A ABSOPRO 4 PCS Universal Roof Box U Bolt Clamps Rooftop Cargo Carrier Rack Bolts 83mm Internal Width — Best for narrower bars where exact thread dimensions matter

This kit publishes the most precise dimensional data of any hardware here: 83mm/3.27in inner width, 90mm/3.54in from center to center of screw thread, and 7.5mm/0.3in screw diameter, usable on luggage racks up to 80mm wide. If you're replacing hardware on an existing box, those three numbers are what let you check fit properly rather than guessing.

A ABSOPRO 4 PCS Universal Roof Box U Bolt Clamps Rooftop Cargo Carrier Rack Bolts 83mm Internal Width W/ 8 Lock Nuts and 2 Straps Cargo Carrier Mounting Fitting Iron Bolts Item Replacement — Manufacturer product photo
Manufacturer product photo

It also publishes the most useful negative spec on this page: not suitable for Thule car racks. That single line will save some readers a return, and it's the kind of honesty that's rarer than it should be in this category.

Construction is iron and plastic, described as anti-oxidant, wear resistant and temperature resistant. The manufacturer asks you to confirm the size and appearance of your roof box and mounting location before purchasing.

Pros

Cons

Check Price on Amazon

Verdict: The kit to choose when you need to verify fit by measurement — nothing else here publishes screw diameter and a maximum rack width, and the Thule exclusion is stated plainly.

Ywdiml 4 Sets Car Roof Box U-Bolt Clamps, Vehicle Rooftop Cargo Carrier — Best for buyers who want stainless steel hardware

The differentiator is the material. This kit is described as made of stainless steel and plastic, where the ABSOPRO kit specifies iron. For hardware that lives outside year-round through road salt and rain, stainless is the more corrosion-resistant choice on paper, and that's a reasonable reason to pay attention to this one.

The package matches the pattern of the category: 4 U-bolt clips, 4 rubber washers, 4 plastic backplates, 8 heavy-duty locking nuts, 2 bandages and 1 set of sealing stickers. The installation sequence is spelled out step by step — center the box on the roof, open the lid, thread the U-hook from bottom to top, seat a rubber pad on the hook, lock the padded bolt onto the rod, tighten the nuts on both sides. No drilling required.

One real limitation: the supplied listing information does not state an inner width or thread-center spacing for these clamps. Both other kits publish theirs. Without that figure you cannot confirm fit against your crossbars before ordering, which is a meaningful gap for a part whose entire job is dimensional.

Pros

Cons Check Price on Amazon

Verdict: Worth it for the stainless steel spec if corrosion is your concern — but confirm the clamp dimensions with the seller first, because they aren't in the published specifications.

Roof Rack Pads, 51"x43" Rooftop Cargo Bag Mat — Best for protecting paint under a soft-shell bag

If you're buying a cargo bag, add this to the cart. At 51" x 43" it's sized to sit under a bag footprint — for reference, the Truckiipa bag's published base is 51" x 39", so the pad's stated dimensions cover that footprint with room across the width. The manufacturer says it fits most vehicles and can be cut to fit or folded for extra protection.

Material is woven foam PVC, described as thicker, wear-resistant and durable. Its two jobs are stated plainly: prevent cargo slipping during transport, and stop the roof being scratched by the carrier above it. It's listed as suitable under crossbars, roof racks, roof baskets, luggage brackets and roof storage boxes — so it isn't only for bags.

Practical detail: it folds or rolls small enough that the manufacturer says it stores in a glove box. That means it comes home with you rather than living in the garage where you'll forget it.

Pros

Cons Check Price on Amazon

Verdict: Cheap insurance for anyone strapping a fabric carrier to painted metal, and its 51" x 43" size covers a standard bag footprint.

What to Look For in a Budget Rooftop Cargo Box

Five things, in order of how often they cause regret:

Also check your vehicle's own roof load rating in the owner's manual — a box's rating tells you nothing about what your car's roof can carry. One more thing worth saying because no product listing will: loading a roof changes how a vehicle handles, especially in crosswinds and under braking. Consult your vehicle manual for its roof load limit and follow the carrier manufacturer's load instructions. For general guidance on consumer product safety and reporting unsafe products, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission maintains public resources at cpsc.gov, and USA.gov's consumer protection pages cover buyer rights if something arrives defective.

If you're still deciding between rigid and fabric, our guide to choosing between a roof box and a cargo bag goes deeper on the trade, and roof rack fitment basics covers measuring your bars.

How We Research

This site does not perform hands-on testing. For this page, the research consisted of reading the Amazon Creators API verified product records and the product listing feature bullets for all ten products, each retrieved on 2026-09-06, and comparing the published figures against each other directly — capacity in cubic feet, maximum load in pounds, exterior dimensions, shell and fabric materials, mounting compatibility and included accessories.

Where a manufacturer published a specific number, that number is quoted and attributed. Where a listing does not state something — a load rating for the soft-shell bags, dimensions for the Ywdiml clamps — that absence is noted rather than filled in. Nothing here was measured, weighed, driven with, or timed by anyone at this site.

One discrepancy is worth flagging as a research finding: the DNA Motoring listing title reads "11 17 Cubic Ft." while the specification bullet states 11 cubic feet, and the GarveeTech capacity bullet is headed "12/14 cubic feet" while its prose commits to 12 cubic feet (340 L). Where a title and a specification disagree, this page uses the specification.

Final Verdict

If you have crossbars and want one box to handle a family road trip, the Hard Shell Roof Cargo Box, 13 Cu Ft is the pick. It's the only product here that publishes all three of the numbers that actually determine whether it works for you: 13 cu ft of space, a 130 lbs load rating, and a stated maximum crossbar width of 3 inches covering round, square and aero bars. Add the dual-side opening with a 13-inch passenger-side gap and a support arm, plus a lock whose key won't release until every locking point is engaged, and you have a box designed by someone who thought about a parent loading it in a dark rest-stop parking lot.

If your load is heavy rather than bulky, take the GarveeTech Rooftop Cargo Box Carrier instead for its published 165 lbs maximum capacity and its stated one-year warranty.

And if your car has no rack, stop reading the hard-shell sections entirely. The Truckiipa Car Rooftop Cargo Carrier Bag gives you 20 cubic feet at 51" x 39" x 17", mounts with 6 included hooks with or without roof rails, and folds into its own storage bag in the off season. Pair it with the 51" x 43" roof rack pad and you've protected your paint for a fraction of what a rack system costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cubic feet do I need for a family road trip?

It depends on your load, but the products here span a wide range: 6 cu ft on the INNO GEAR CARRY box, 11 cu ft on the DNA Motoring box, 12 cu ft (340 L) on the GarveeTech, 13 cu ft on the Hard Shell Roof Cargo Box, 15 cu ft on the KMFurnila bag, and 20 cu ft on the Truckiipa bag. A useful way to think about it: the 13 to 15 cu ft range is where most family-sized listings on this page cluster, and going above that generally means moving to a soft-shell bag.

Do I need a roof rack to use a rooftop cargo box?

For every hard-shell box on this page, yes. The DNA Motoring box fits vehicles with cross bars only; the Hard Shell Roof Cargo Box mounts to round, square or aero crossbars up to 3 inches wide; the GarveeTech requires a roof rack; and the INNO GEAR CARRY locks to a Quick base sold separately. The two soft-shell bags are different — both the Truckiipa and the KMFurnila are stated to work with or without roof racks. The Truckiipa Car Rooftop Cargo Carrier Bag mounts with included hooks; the KMFurnila 15 Cubic Feet bag includes door hooks.

Is a hard shell or a soft bag better for a family trip?

The trade is security and rigidity versus volume and weight. The soft bags publish larger volumes — 15 and 20 cubic feet — and the KMFurnila's manufacturer specifically states its fabric build drastically reduces vehicle load compared with hard roof boxes. If you park overnight in unfamiliar places, the rigid lockable shell is the safer bet; if you need maximum space or have no rack, the bag wins.

Will a rooftop cargo bag leak in the rain?

Both bags here are built specifically against that. The Truckiipa uses sealed dual waterproof zippers with an extended rain flap, triple reinforced welded seams, and 1000D waterproof fabric over double-layer PVC mesh. The KMFurnila uses a sealed waterproof zipper with a large Velcro protective flap and heat-sealed welding on 700D PVC fabric. Both manufacturers claim full waterproof performance; neither listing cites an independent waterproofing standard or test rating.

How do I know if replacement U-bolt clamps will fit my roof box?

Measure the crossbar and compare it to the published inner width. The ABSOPRO kit states 83mm/3.27in inner width, 90mm thread-center spacing and 7.5mm screw diameter, usable on racks up to 80mm wide, and explicitly says it is not suitable for Thule racks. The upgraded 85mm kit states 85mm/3.34in inner width with 98mm thread-center spacing. The Ywdiml stainless kit does not state an inner width in the supplied listing information, so you would need to confirm that with the seller.

Do I need a roof pad under a cargo bag?

It's strongly advisable if the carrier contacts painted metal. The 51"x43" roof rack pad is woven foam PVC and is described as both preventing cargo slipping during transport and protecting the roof from scratches. Note that both soft-shell bags on this page already include an anti-slip mat in their kits, so a separate pad is mainly for extra coverage or for use under a hard box or basket.

Can I leave valuables in a rooftop cargo box overnight?

The Truckiipa bag includes a combination lock for its zippers. None of these listings publish a security or anti-theft certification, and a lock on a plastic shell or fabric zipper is a deterrent rather than a vault. Take anything genuinely valuable inside with you.

Sources & Methodology

No one at this website has driven with, mounted, loaded or physically inspected any of the ten carriers, bags, clamps or pads above — this site runs no vehicle testing and makes no claim to. What this page is built from is the Amazon Creators API verified product record and the product listing feature bullets for each ASIN, all retrieved on 2026-09-06, read line by line and cross-compared so that capacity, load rating, dimensions, materials and crossbar compatibility sit next to each other where a shopper can actually weigh them.

For rooftop cargo specifically, that kind of spec reading gets you further than it would in most categories, because the decisive facts here are dimensional and published: your bar width against a clamp's 83mm or 85mm inner width, your packing weight against a 110, 130 or 165 lbs rating, your roof against a 53-inch box. Those you can verify before you buy. What published specifications cannot tell you is how a given shell holds up after five seasons of UV, how loud a particular box is at 70 mph, or whether a zipper survives its hundredth open — for those, the owner reviews on each listing page will serve you better than anything on this page can.

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Official Government Resources

CPSC consumer product safety

cpsc.gov

https://www.cpsc.gov/
USA.gov consumer protection

usa.gov

https://www.usa.gov/consumer-protection

These official government resources provide authoritative information on this topic.

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