Roof Rack or Roof Rails?

Roof rack, roof rails, they’re all the same thing, right? Wrong! Chances are you’ve probably come across this blog post because you’re sick of having to muck about all the time trying to find ways to stuff all your bulky tools or equipment into your car, drive back and forth or hire trailers in order to get everything you need with you at the right place, right time. Essentially, you’re looking for the ideal roofing attachment so that you can leave all that awkwardness behind you and finally enjoy convenient, easy loading like never before. Of course, if you don’t know the difference between roof racks and roof rails, you probably won’t get very far.

Every customer wants a roof rack or a roof rail for different reasons; you may get one bloke who wants it for work, another for fishing, one for camping, or heck, maybe even a mixture of all three, plus more? And depending on what purpose you want your vehicle to serve, either a roof rack or a roof rail is probably going to be a lot more helpful to you than the other.

So, What’s the Difference?

Now, first things first; we’ve got to get you in the know about the difference between roof racks and roof rails. Basically, the key difference between these two is the direction that they’re mounted on the roof of your vehicle. Roof rails run along the length of your car’s roof, whilst roof racks are mounted from door to door across your roof. Another thing you should know is that roof rails generally come factory-installed by the manufacturer, whereas roof racks are typically added on only after the vehicle has been sold.

Who Needs a Roof Rail?

Roof rails can’t be used as roof racks on their own. Instead, roof rails can also be used as an easy mounting point for the attachment of generic roof bars and other accessories. So, if your vehicle came fresh from the dealership with a roof rail installed, you can add roof bars fairly easily. The downside to roof rails is that they’re not rated for carrying very much weight, each car has different specifications but around 50 – 60kg is pretty standard. Unfortunately, they’re not ideal for mounting a roof rack due to their weight limitations.  We’d say if you don’t really have the need to carry a lot of cargo with you on your journeys, then having a simple roof rail installed to your vehicle would probably be enough to cover your needs.

Who Needs a Roof Rack?

Roof racks are great for tradies, campers, fishers, surfers, cyclists, or pretty much anyone who loves taking frequent adventures in the great outdoors, or has to carry around large amounts of luggage or awkwardly shaped items with them all the time. Unlike roof rails, racks are also able to handle more weight. So, if you’re a tradie who’s got a lot of tools and materials to carry around, or someone who has to tie down kayaks or transport heavy and bulky camping equipment, then a custom roof rack system is probably the best way to go. But we wouldn’t recommend them for someone taking a one-off tradie job or heading out on a one-time trip. Roof racks only really become a worthwhile investment when you’re making sure to use them constantly over an extended period of time. Basically, you either need a roof rack or you don’t, and if you don’t, then you can probably still find places in your vehicle for you to store all the items and equipment you need.

Have we managed to tickle your fancy with custom roof racks? Well, take it from us; these add-ons make daily life and weekend adventures a whole lot easier and more enjoyable. At Great Racks, we design roof racks to suit your specific needs and vehicle, so every rack is unique and perfect for whatever type of purpose you need it for! Aside from this, we also guarantee strong, long-lasting and good looking racks that will promise to last the tests of time, along with the harsh Australian conditions.

For roof rack enquiries, contact Great Racks today!