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Yakima Car Rack Roof Systems

Roof rack systems tend to be the most secure way of transporting your outdoor toys. Yet they are quite expensive to get started with. Currently there are two main companies that manufacture roof rack systems – Yakima and Thule.

There are many things to consider when choosing a roof rack system for your car. You will have to decide what types of items you want to carry, how secure you want your items to be, and how easy you need the loading to be. You also need to take in consideration what you current roof situation is – do you have factory installed cross-beams, rails, or a totally bare roof?

What you need?

REI has a nifty online guide that helps you match a Yakima Rack to your car. You simply enter your car make and model and you’ll find out what racks are compatible with your car as well as what types of towers and bars you may need. If you already have factory installed crossbars on your roof, it is going to cost you a lot less to get started  but you may be limited in what types of racks fit your crossbars.

If you don’t have factory installed crossbars you’re going to need a set of Yakima Rail Grab Towers or Yakima Q Towers. Rail Grab Towers are for cars that have factory installed grab towers and Q Towers are designed for naked roofs. You will also need a set of Yakima Round Bars.

What you can carry?

Roof racks have an advantage over trunk racks or hitch racks because you can carry so much more gear. The car rack roof system can accommodate many different types of gear racks like ski and snowboard racks, bike racks, kayak and canoe carriers, and gear boxes. Here are some recommended Yakima racks for a variety of outdoor activities:

Ski Racks

Bike Racks

Boat Racks

Gear Boxes