Bryon Dorr, founder of the website , knows how to build an adventure rig. He currently lives in a Dodge Ram 2500 outfitted with a custom camper he designed to hold six kayaks, two bikes, a kiteboard, and climbing gear鈥攚ith room left over for a bed and small kitchen. Plus, the camper weighs just 1,289 pounds (empty), which helps ensure his truck will have enough power to get up gnarly four-wheel-drive roads.
With this kind of experience, we thought he鈥檇 be the perfect person to give us some basic tips about how to buy a聽car rack. Here are his six top suggestions.
1. Figure Out What Fits Your Ride
Racks attach to cars in different ways. Some slide onto your rear hitch. Others clamp onto your roof bars. Others latch into the rain gutters above your doors. Inspect your car so you know your options. Tip: Roof racks from companies like Yakima and Thule fit most factory bars, but聽there are two different hitch sizes, so make sure you聽buy聽the right one for your car.
2. Decide What Toys You Want to Carry聽
If you just want to haul bikes, buy a bike-specific聽rack聽like the . If you haul multiple types of gear, you鈥檒l need a customizable system like a . If you want to haul bikes, kayaks, and skis at the same time, you might need a roof rack and a trailer hitch.
3. Buy the Right Rack for Your Terrain
鈥淲here you live matters,鈥 Dorr says. If you live where trees might hit a bike on your roof, use a rear hitch system. If you鈥檙e out in steep, rocky terrain聽like Moab,聽where聽you might smash your hitch, buy a roof system like the .听
4. Consider Convenience
If you鈥檙e too short to reach the top of your car聽or can鈥檛 lift your bike that high, don鈥檛 buy a roof rack. Go with a hitch instead. We like the because it carries both road and mountain bikes.
5. Don鈥檛 Rule Out a Trailer
Trailers are convenient because they double as gear sheds. If you leave them loaded up and ready to go, you don鈥檛 have to worry about packing.听Take note: Trailers, like a ,聽work best if you can store them in your garage so they don鈥檛 get banged聽up聽or stolen.听
6. Less Is聽More聽
Some car racks are more aerodynamic than others. If you need to carry four bikes, consider a rear hitch with four slots. This takes up less room and has less drag than聽four individual bike slots on your roof rack.听