The Best Roof Racks You Can Buy for Your Vehicle

Long road trips and overlanding adventures are only done right when you pack until your vehicle is almost overflowing. But if you’re playing Tetris with bags and your truck is bursting at the welds, chances are you won’t be able to see anything out the rear window — and that’s not safe. Roof racks are great for spreading gear to the often unused and underutilized space on the roof and storing equipment that won’t fit in your car. Paddleboards, gravel bikes and kayaks should all ride topside, especially after a long weekend of hard use.

So to find out the best ways to attach gear to the outside of your ride, we spoke to Tom Henwood of Main Line Overland to see what the pros are using and what’s popular on today’s market.

“The best roof rack is the best design for a given application, rather than a particular brand,” Henwood said. “We help customers select racks and storage systems based on what they intend to carry on their travels, where they intend to go, etc. We look for componentry that maintains a low profile and low center of gravity for off-road driving, so we often choose aluminum roof racks to keep weight down up top.”

To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.

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Best All-Around Roof Rack

Rhino Rack Pioneer Platform

• $1,054.00 at avantlink.com

Dimensions: [for Jeep Wrangler] 72 x 56 x 1 in, [for Toyota 4Runner] 76 x 49 x 1 in, [for Toyota Tacoma] 60 x 49 x 1 in

Weight: [Wrangler] 25 lb, [4Runner] 19 lb, [Tacoma] 25 lb

Based on its versatility, strength and durability, it’s hard to beat the Pioneer Platform range. “The Rhino Rack is tried and true,” Henwood says. “We’re running Pioneer Platforms on our Defender 110 and third-gen Tacoma builds, and we have found their system to be durable, affordable, easy to assemble and highly adaptable to a range of uses.”

“We’ve loaded them with fat bikes, road bikes, camping cargo and with the Rhino Rack Batwing Awning set-up. They do what we ask of them with minimal added weight.”

Amazon

Best Budget Roof Rack

Yakima JetStream Bar

• $240.00 at Amazon

Dimensions: 52.5 x 3.25 x 1 in

Weight: 8.5 lbs

Carrying Capacity: 165 lbs

For the price, the Yakima Jetstream is hard to top. Made from lightweight aluminum, an aerodynamically-minded design to lower wind noise and drag and the ability to work with a range of mounts, the Jetstream has the highest bang-for-buck factor on this list. It’s also available in three sizes and colors.

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Best Roof Rack Upgrade

Front Runner Slimline II Roof Rack

• $889.00 at

Dimensions: Available for a wide variety of vehicles

Weight: Dependant upon vehicle compatibility, falling between 60 and 80 lbs

With such a high number of SUVs on the market, finding a one-size-fits-all roof rack is nearly impossible. But if there is one rack that towers above others in design and usability, it’s Front Runner Outfitters’ Grab-On Slimline.

“We’re really pushing towards Front Runner,” Henwood says. “We’ve installed several of these Slimline racks on late-model Land Rovers, and their clean, classy look seems well-suited to most SUVs.”

“Front Runner has a ton of bolt-on accessories as well, so you can carry your axe and shovel — or even a slide-out stainless prep table — in secure style,” he adds. Also, he says, “they’re a lot easier to put roof tents on due to their horizontal slat design.”

Amazon

Best Roof Rack for Sedans

Yakima RoundBar Crossbars

• $120.00 at Amazon

Dimensions: 59 x 3 x 2 inches

Weight: 9 lbs

Load Capacity: 165 lbs

Seeing a full-on roof rack bolted to the top of an overlander or SUV shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. On more modest sedans, however, they look a tad out of place — which is why the Yakima Round Bars make a great alternative. You won’t be carrying fully stocked coolers, kayaks and mountain bikes all at once with your four-door anyway, so there’s no need to go overboard.

“We’ve been using Yakima Load Bars and Storage Boxes for years, both for ski and bike trips, and now even for rooftop storage on our Four Wheel Campers,” Henwood says. “The Yakima system is proven, classic and adaptable for smaller cars.”

L.L.Bean

Best Roof Rack for Kayaks

Thule Hullavator Pro

• $900.00 at L.L.Bean

Dimensions: 36 x 6 x 16 in

Weight: 39.7 lbs

Load Capacity: 75 lbs

Kayaks are a little tougher to secure to the roof of a truck than mountain bikes. The Thule Hullavator Pro Kayak Carrier uses a cassette-like side loading system to turn what might be a two-person job into a quick and easy activity.

“Our Four Wheel Pop-up Campers customers love the Thule Hullavator Pro Kayak Carrier for mounting kayaks, and they make life so much easier with vehicles with a tall roof,” Henwood says. “The system allows you to load from the side with less lifting and straining, which is key after a long day on the water.”

Aluminess

Best Roof Rack for Van Living

Aluminess Mercedes Sprinter Roof Rack

• $3,250.00 at mainlineoverland.com

If you’re looking for a serious overland adventure or #vanlife upgrade, the Aluminess Roof Rack is the way to go. It handles any gear and cargo you can think to throw up there. Moreover, outfits like Main Line Overland can customize it to fit A/C units, solar panels and satellite TV.

“A full-length Aluminess Mercedes Sprinter Roof Rack is highly customizable and provides a massive amount of storage capacity,” Henwood says. “The optional side ladder makes it easy to mount the walk-on roof for strapping on loads and enhancing your perspective at roadside stops. You could probably even host a Bushwick rooftop party on one of them.”

Rhino Rack

Best Mountain Bike Hauler

Rhino Rack Roof Top Hybrid Bike Carrier

• $315.00 at

Dimensions: 40 x 14 x 6 in

Weight: 20.1 lbs

Load Capacity: 45 lbs

Getting a mountain bike secured safe and sound should be an easy and effortless task. Some bike rack systems require you to take off the front wheel, but that’s time spent not hitting the trails. “Rhino Rack’s Carrier is quick and easy to use … with a positive, lockable arm. [And you can keep] both wheels on the bike. The kit can be used with slim-shod roadies and gravel grinders, or the wider MTBs and fat bikes.”

Moose Jaw

Most Versatile Roof Rack

Thule Caprock Rack

• $950.00 at Moose Jaw

Dimensions: 74.8 x 59 in

Weight: 62.2 lb

Load Capacity: 330 lbs

The Caprock is a platform rack that will open up all kinds of possibilities for your outdoor adventures. It can be used as a foundation for a rooftop tent, a starting point for your skis and bike racks, or a convenient way to get more camping gear onto the car when taking the family out for a long weekend.

Our tester found the rack to be perfect when it comes to versatility. Although it can get expensive to add different accessories for specific gear, it is nice to know the option is there.

Read our full review of the Thule Caprock.

Amazon

Best Roof Rack for Surfboards

Curve Surfboard Lockdown

• $53.00 at Amazon

Dimensions: 20 x 12 x 7 inches

Capacity: 1-4 short surfboards or 1-3 longboards

Protecting your surfboard is a huge priority when heading down to the beach, and this soft surfboard rack will keep your boards in place without doing any damage.

You can either strap it down to your roof rails or, if you don’t have them, run in through the car doors if you don’t have them. It holds up to four boards, so

REI

The Best Rack for SUPs

Yakima SUPDawg Paddle Board Roof Rack

• $349.00 at REI

Dimensions: 40 x 6 x 6 inches

Weight: 14 lbs

Getting your standup paddle board to the water takes a bit of coordination. Yakima’s rack provides a safe spot to haul two paddle boards or surfboards to the water. There are rollers that make for easy loading, as they won’t damage your board in the process. The rack can store up to two boards, with a maximum width of 36 inches. As far as installation goes (no tools required), it is compatible with most crossbars as long as they are at least 24 inches apart. Once you get on the road, you can have some peace of mind, as both the straps and rack can be locked into place with a key.

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Rhino Rack Ski and Snowboard Carrier

• $190.00 at rhinorack.com

Dimensions: 19.5″ wide for four sets of skis or two snowboards

Weight: 6.6 lbs

Full cargo boxes can be expensive and push the limits of your vehicle’s roof weight limit, so why not try something a bit smaller and easier to manage? Rhino Rack’s ski and snowboard carrier comes in a variety of sizes, depending on how much gear you are hoping to haul. This one, in particular, can carry up to four skis or two snowboards. It is compatible with most crossbars and comes with a lock and key to keep your gear secure.

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