Car Racks

How to Choose Car Racks You ski. You hike. You travel. You ride a bike. You run and kayak and rollerblade and climb. And you camp—by car, backpack, canoe or llama. You have more gear than the crew of the space shuttle. But you lack the three-stage rocket to carry it all to your destination. The solution to your gear-hauling woes is a versatile, multisport vehicle rack with the accessories that meet your needs. Know your vehicle. Know your activities. Know your price range. If you invest in a quality base system you can add accessories as your budget allows.

Know Your Vehicle

Car racks are versatile in the extreme. If you know what kind of vehicle you have, you can figure out what rack you need. Four basic types of vehicle racks work with most cars, SUVs and trucks. Rooftop Racks—These racks attach to your vehicle's roof or factory-installed rack. If your car lacks gutters, the attaching device—sometimes called a tower or foot—clamps in the seam between the door and vehicle frame. These hold the bars which complete the rack. You can add carriers to the rack to suit your needs. Trunk or Deck Rack—Hooks and straps are used to mount rear racks to your hatchback or car trunk. These are also called mounts since they aren't racks in the purest sense of the word. Hitch Racks—These attach in 11/4-inch or 2-inch configurations to your car or truck's receiver standard hitch. Hitches either come with the vehicle or can be purchased and installed separately. Spare Tire Racks—This type either attaches to the spare tire (which is attached to the rear of the vehicle) or attaches with a special device to the spare tire's own attaching mechanism for a more secure fit. When selecting one of these options, consider whether or not you have height limitations due to a garage or carport. Most garages have enough room for your vehicle and its rack. But don't forget your gear is up top. Many a bike has been lost to forgetfulness. If you do have some kind of height limitation, a hitch or spare tire rack is the choice for you. Same goes if you lack a roof. Most convertible owners go with a rear mount or hitch rack, although many owners of small SUVs, such as the CRV or the Wrangler, commonly use a secure spare tire mount. When loading your gear, keep in mind your vehicle roof's weight limit. Your vehicle's owner's manual will tell you how much weight your vehicle will support. Do not exceed this limit.

Know Your Activities

If you're a mountain biker or a skier your vehicle rack choice is fairly obvious. You get a rack that does one or the other. If you do both, and you parasail, SCUBA dive and go petroglyph hunting, you'll want a basic rack to which you can add a variety of carriers that suit your particular gear. Basic racks come in the four configurations mentioned above. Of those, the rooftop and hitch racks are the most versatile. They're modular, which means you can build your rack according to your preference. The spare tire rack also has a few attachment options so that instead of just bikes you can also carry skis or snowboards. If you need to carry a kayak or canoe a rooftop rack is your only choice. Rooftop racks are so handy that you can carry big gear and all the smaller associated accessories. All you need is a gear-specific carriers to transport your kayak, bike or skis, plus a hard shell rooftop box or luggage tray for all the supporting accessories.

Know Your Price Range

You can save yourself some cash by carefully considering how your rack will most often be used. If your one dream in life is to try every sport under the sun, a solid multisport rooftop rack is the way to go. You can buy the mount you need now, and add accessories as you go along. While most racks and mounts are designed for bicycles, special attachments exist that will allow the rack to carry snowboards, skis, water coolers and more.

REI Rack Fitters

Ready to explore your options? These handy rack fitters will quickly provide customized solutions that match your vehicle and your gear. Yakima Thule

Installation

Car-rack installation is a snap. With a few basic tools you can install most models in approximately 30 minutes. If you would like assistance just contact an REI store. They'll be glad to help you.

What Do You Get For Your Money?

As you add options, security and convenience, you also add dollars to the price tag. You get what you pay for. Here's what you're paying for: Security—a basic cable will do, but you can get much more secure integrated locks. Convenience—Hitches can swing away for access, arms can fold down for storage when not in use. The easier the better. You want your energy to go toward the activity, not the preparation or take down. Better cradles—to protect your bike/skis/kayak and your car you want to make the gear secure once the items are in place. Materials—the least expensive racks and mounts will use plastic or will scrimp on securing mechanisms. And these racks are fine for the occasional user who doesn't mind rigging a load strap for extra security. But the truly devoted, spend the extra bills and get the good tubing, strong materials, and secure configurations.