Find Out Which Overland Roof Rack Is Best In The Market
When it comes to overlanding, one of the best investments you can make is a great roof rack. Luckily, they come in an assortment of shapes and styles designed to suit your car and your gear storage needs. Read on as we take a closer look at the best overland roof rack available on the market.
Are Car Roof Racks Universal?
Roof rack systems, generally speaking, are not entirely universal. While roof racks fit most cars, you will need certain parts designed specifically for use with your particular vehicle model. Vehicles come with various roof styles. This means that how the roof racks attach to your car will differ from one model to the next. For instance, how roof racks are installed on an SUV will differ from how they are installed on a Jeep Wrangler with rain gutters.
While it would be amazing to find a one-size-fits-all solution, a universal rack may not be the best option. The design has to be simplistic enough to fit any vehicle, leaving little room for customization. A roof rack designed for sedans and SUVs may also be too long to fit the cab of a truck. For this reason, parts of roof rack systems are universal, or they are designed to be one-size-fits-all for a particular vehicle type.
Considerations to Take Before Buying One Size Fits All Roof Racks
Before we dive into the best universal roof racks, it is essential to consider a few aspects of roof racks. This thought will make it simpler to find the system best suited to your needs.
Intended Purpose
Roof racks offer many uses, yet not all are designed to suit every functionality. Some roof racks are ideal for use with rooftop tents, but it is inadvisable to use others for this purpose. It is important to then give some thought to the main benefit of your roof racks. Roof racks specific to Overlanding are better suited to support your rooftop tent or to carry items such as camping chairs, tents, and perhaps jerry cans for water.
Design
The model of your vehicle, how the roof racks attach to your car, and your intended purpose for the roof racks all play a role in deciding which universal roof racks to choose. A canopy rack for a truck will differ from an OEM rack mount roof rack in how they attach to your vehicle. The size of a roof rack you would use with a Jeep Wrangler is completely different from the one you would use with a Chevrolet pickup truck.
Once you have taken these considerations, it becomes easier to know which universal overland roof rack you need.
The Best One-Size-Fits-All Overland Roof Rack
1. The Best One-Size-Fits-All for Fiberglass Toppers
Designed to fit over fiberglass toppers such as Leer and Snugtop, the Prinsu Universal Top Rack is ideal for use with overland trailers and other functions too. These racks are adjustable, modular, and are simple to put together. They come offered in varying sizes, so you can select the one that best suits your bed length.
Quickly bolted together, this top rack comes with three to four mounting feet. These feet allow you to bolt the roof rack to the tracks using the necessary hardware. This means no drilling or modification to your vehicle. Included are between six and seven (depending on the length of rack you choose) crossbars. The crossbars allow you to customize the rack configuration to best suit your needs.
Top Features:
- The rack sees a low profile so that it won’t throw off your vehicle’s handling
- Sturdy and durable, the crossbars are fashioned from high strength alloy
- The roof rack is powder coated with a black satin texture that makes it look sleek and protects the rack from corrosion.
- The roof rack is designed to be aerodynamic and quiet for a smooth, noise-free experience
- The rack is completely modular, so you can configure it to suit your needs
2. Best Nissan Overland Roof Rack
Perfect for the Nissan drivers out there! This Prinsu Nissan Universal Top Rack is bolted together in minutes to create a roof rack that is both aerodynamic and sturdy. This rack fits on overland trailers. It also works well with fiberglass toppers and can be used for an assortment of other applications too. Completely modular, the roof rack allows you to decide how many of the crossbars provided you use. This feature is ideal for Overlanding as it accommodates various loads and items you may need to store or carry.
Aluminum construction makes this roof rack as durable as they come. Adding an extra layer of protection is the powder coating. The layer lends a sleek black satin finish to these racks. Fix the roof rack onto your Nissan with the mounting feet that bolt to the tracks with ease. This means no drilling or modifying your truck in any way, making installation a breeze.
Top Features
- This rack comes in various bed lengths, so you can get the one that best suits your truck
- The quiet design means no whistling or creaking as you go on your journey
- It is entirely modular, allowing you to customize the rack to suit your needs
- The roof rack is sturdy and resistant to corrosion
- A low profile design means this rack won’t interfere with the handling of your Nissan
3. Best Universal OEM Rack Mount Roof Rack
If you have a vehicle with raised rails, then this roof rack is for you. Designed to attach to the rails of your car, this rack installs in a matter of minutes. Included with the roof rack is a set of G-clamps that connect the rack to your rail. The Eezi-awn K9 G-clamp OEM Rack Mount Roof Rack Kit comes in a selection of sizes, making it simple to find the one that best fits your vehicle.
Ideal for carrying a range of goods, including kayaks, bulky goods, and even a rooftop tent, this roof rack system is perfect for overlanding.
Top Features:
- This roof rack installs in a matter of minutes
- A low profile ensures your vehicle’s handling won’t be affected
- The roof rack is lightweight and durable
- Included with the roof rack are all the installation components and hardware
- Fashioned from aluminum and powder-coated, this rack is resistant to corrosion
- An extensive range of accessories that clip on to the roof rack is available
4. Best Universal Roof Rack Basket
If you need a universal roof rack basket for carrying your luggage when overlanding, then this just what you need. Rhino Rack’s Xtray comes fashioned from stylish black powder-coated steel, both durable and resistant to rust and steel. Included with this roof rack basket is a universal attachment system. This system fits Vortex and Euro Bars by Rhino Rack and various other crossbars.
A wind deflector at the front of the rack makes it aerodynamic, so your fuel costs won’t increase, and it is quiet too. This deflector also helps to fend off bugs and dirt from your luggage, keeping it clean and free from grime.
Top Features:
- This basket roof rack is lightweight but as sturdy as they come
- It offers the perfect place to store your luggage when you go overlanding
- The roof rack includes a wind deflector
- A black powder coating enhances the resistance to rust and corrosion
- Raised sides add extra protection and keep your luggage firmly in place
5. Best Universal Rooftop Tent Truck Bed Rack
Tuff Stuff’s Rooftop Tent Truck Bed Rack is designed to create a platform for rooftop tents on your truck. This rack is ideal for Overlanding and is as universal as they come. Custom pinch plates come included with the roof rack, so you can attach it easily to the bed of your truck without having to drill holes into the bed rails.
A unique center sliding rail allows this bed rack to be installed on just about any width truck bed. Whether you drive a Ford F350 or a Toyota Tacoma with a mid-size bed, this rack will fit with ease.
Top Features:
- The bed rack is entirely adjustable, so you can fit it to just about any truck bed
- A powder-coated finish leaves this rack sleek and resistant to rust and corrosion
- The system requires no drilling into your bed rail
- Installation is a cinch
In Summary
It is important to remember that the best universal roof rack for you is not necessarily the best one for your overlanding buddy. The roof rack that is best for you depends on a variety of factors. Once you have considered these elements, looking for the perfect one-size-fits-all roof rack will be far more straightforward. And with so many universal roof racks for overlanding available, you are bound to find one that suits your needs. So give some thought to your needs and peruse our site to find the best overlanding roof rack for you.
