Roof Racks

Platform Roof Racks

Finding the right roof rack for your vehicle is a very important thing. Choosing the right one depends on many different factors, such as price, where you will be using it, and what you will be carrying on it.

Let us help you out a bit.

When you're looking for a rack, you want to picture your car with it, and with what will be on top of it.

Most factory racks (the cross bars that come with your vehicle) aren't good enough to carry rooftop tents, or even heavy gear. They are very basic, and will work with lighter loads, such as luggage, and other items, but putting an RTT, heavy bikes or kayaks on them will eventually lead to certain risks.

That's why you want after market cross-bars or platform racks. The main thing you want are racks that can hold at least 165 lbs. To make it easier for you, you want your roof rack or crossbars to have a load rating or dynamic weight capacity (DWC) of 165 lbs at least.

The DWC is when your vehicle is in motion. When it's parked, the load rating is called Static Weight Capacity or SWC, and it's generally 3 or 4 times more than the DWC.

Therefore, if the DWC of your rack is of 165 lbs, then the SWC will be of around 500 lbs, AT LEAST.

That's why, when you're looking for a roof top tent, you want a rack capable of holding 165 lbs when in motion, since most RTTs weigh 165 lbs or less. There are a few cases of hardshell cart top tents weighing more than that, and in such cases you will want even better racks.

After you've decided on the what you'll carry and the DWC your racks must have, then you should choose a set of cross-bars or a platform rack suitable for your vehicle.

We encourage you to browse around, using the search bar and typing the model and brand of your car, to see the options we have. You will see that for smaller vehicles, we tend to offer cross bars, which are much easier to install, weigh less, and are ideal for smaller cars or SUVs.

If you have a larger SUV, or a rig you want to take off-road or overlanding, it's likely we have a full roof rack for it.

Full roof racks or platforms, can hold larger weights, and are a bit harder to install as well as heavier. However, they'll allow you to carry many things at the same time, as well as carrying certain objects or gear that on traditional bars it just won't be possible.

Plus, they're compatible with bunch of rack accessories, which in the long run make your life and road trips much easier.

Another consideration is if you have a pick up truck, in which case you might want a roof rack for the top of the cab, or, a truck bed rack.

Finally, price and budget. But if you want the best of the best for your rig, as it should be if you will be using it regularly on tough off-road trails, or for camping with your tent on the weekends, price shouldn't be a factor. Quality will be.

Luckily, we've got you covered in that last department.

At Off Road Tents we do the best we can to help you fin anything and everything you may need in the same place.

That's why we bring to you some of the best brands of car racks in the market:

• Front Runner Outfitters
• Thule
• Rhino-Rack
• Prinsu
• CBI Off Road
• Tuff Stuff
• Eezi-Awn
• Leitner Designs
• Smittybilt

Browse around different brands and racks. If you can't find the rack you're looking for, shoot us an email. It is very likely we can get it for you or recommend a very similar rack. Remember if its above $300, we offer FREE SHIPPING!