The picture of a SUV or van with a roof rack laden with holiday gear conjures up images of American summertime like few others. Roof racks allow you to load up your vehicle with bikes, baggage, and a kayak for your family trip location, allowing you to get all the joy in the sun you want to without looking like a clown car.
Roof racks are also essential if you’re relocating or going to university because they provide even more packing room. If you have a lot of goods, a moving van is the way to go, but for a fast trip across town to a new flat or dormitory, a roof rack is a simple-to-use, beautiful addition to the family car that does the job.
Let’s take a look at the various types of roof racks accessible, why you would choose one over another, and how valuable they can be in your daily life.
Naked Roof
This is the standard for the most majority of automobiles, however if you’re referring about a vehicle from the previous ten years, a “bare roof” doesn’t imply it doesn’t have a racking or rack-capacity. Naked roofs still feature little plastic rails to which racks can be attached, because this is what distinguishes a modernized “naked” roof from one bare roof from the 1990s.
These clear plastic rails across your car’s roof are meant to be the anchoring for a permanent or temporary roof rack, despite the fact that you might believe they’re there for beauty or to reduce drag. This default configuration isn’t a roof rack in and of itself, but it serves as a staging area for future deployments.
Side Rails
The rails appear to be roof rack mounting in and of them, but they are not. Even if these rails will be used to strap things down, it’s not advised; instead, they should serve as the foundation for a more elaborate rack system.
Side rails are commonly seen on SUVs, converts, and vans, and while they are useful for transporting items like as a mattress around town, they should not be utilized to secure anything more significant for longer journeys.
They function by passing straps under and then over your burden, with the strands on the opposite side clipped together. In a pinch, it’s great, but it’s better to utilize it to anchor a larger system. Furthermore, these railings can be flat with the roof, which means they can’t be utilized to secure anything.
Fixed Point
Fixed point railings are meant to sit in your car’s rooftop and are mostly an intentional addition unless you’re purchasing a Jeep, Land Rover, or another outdoor-oriented vehicle. These steel bars are incredibly sturdy and trustworthy, with divots that act as connection points for intricate and extremely effective roof racks.
Though these could be used to properly secure loads of various sizes with clip ties, the true beauty of all is the racking they serve as the foundation for. For instance, the Yakima Skyline is easy to set up and carries up to 165 pounds, making it ideal for hauling your whole holiday gear, bicycles, or anything else that weights roughly the same for an adult.
