How To Choose the Right Roof Rack

Roof Rack Systems are ideal for anyone looking to add extra cargo space on the top of their vehicle. Cargo racks can be used to mount longer objects and items that may not fit inside the vehicle, and they can also be used to mount other accessories like cargo boxes, bags or baskets, bike or ski and snowboard mounts, and more.

A roof rack system consists of load bars/crossbars and feet/towers. The feet (also known as towers) attach the top of the vehicle and are used to hold and support the load bars (also know as crossbars). Most often a roof rack system will consist of 4 feet and two crossbars, which run across the roof of the car. 

Every installation is slightly different, depending on the hardware purchased, but most systems are made to install quickly and easily. It is a good idea to buy the same brand of feet and crossbars to be sure the components are compatible.

In this article, I will outline the different systems within each brand. Roof Rack Systems are designed to be built according to your needs, so you can get specific towers that will work with your vehicle.

Yakima Roof Rack Systems

Yakima Rail Grab Towers

Yakima RailGrab Towers are ideal for vehicles with a raised or flush roof and install easily with a clamp-in design and are compatible with Yakima Crossbars.

Yakima Control Towers

Yakima Control Towers are designed to create a solid engagement for vehicles with factory racks, mounting points or permanent installations. These are quick and easy to use and they're compatible with Yakima Crossbars.

Yakima Q Towers

Yakima Q Towers can accommodate for a vehicle with a naked roof. They are designed to turn the top of your vehicle into a useful place for hailing cargo, even if no previous racks or mounting spots are available. These towers are compatible to Yakima Crossbars and most round load bars.

Yakima 1A RainGutter Towers

Yakima 1A RainGutter Towers connect easily without the need of any tools to the rain gutters of your vehicle. This works on vehicles with rain gutters as a permanent installation and is compatible with Yakima Crossbars and most round load bars.

Other accessories are also available for Yakima Roof Rack Systems, such as the Yakima BedRock Truck Bed Towers, which allow you to install a Yakima rack onto your truck bed. These towers are also compatible with Yakima Crossbars.

If your vehicle roof is too slanted or small for a standard roof rack system, you can still install a system with the accompaniment of Yakima Tracks, which provide a permanent roof rack installation solution. 

Thule Roof Rack Systems

Thule Rack Systems are very similar to Yakima systems, although there are some slight variations, such as the AeroBlade Edge, which comes with both the load bar and feet as one unit.

Thule AeroBlade Edge

This unit connects to factory rails, or with an adapter kit, and can be used as a permanent mount on any vehicle. The AeroBlade Edge is one of the strongest and lightest roof rack systems available.

Thule Rapid Series 

The Rapid series feet made by Thule are compatible with Thule AeroBlade Load Bars only. These load bars are very well designed for strength and aerodynamics, and require Thule Rapid feet for installation.

Thule Rapid Traverse Feet

Rapid Traverse Feet provide a strong hold and safe fit. They are designed for a quick and easy installation and they are only compatible with Rapid Aero and AeroBlade Load Bars.

Thule Rapid Crossroad Feet

Rapid Crossroad Feet are used to convert an existing factory rack into a full-featured Thule Roof Rack System. They have built in tools for installation, and are compatible with Thule AeroBlade Load Bars only.

Thule Rapid Podium Feet

The Rapid Podium Feet feature a sleek, low-profile look for vehicles with integrated, fixed point, flush mount rail, t-track or custom install attachment. They provide a seamless factory appearance and are only compatible with Thule AeroBade Edge Loadbars

Standard Thule Roof Rack Systems

Standard Thule Roof Rack systems are compatible with Thule Square Load Bars and most other square load bars. They are very similar in style, but more compatible with standard hardware.

 Thule Crossroad Feet

Thule Crossroad Feet let you convert an existing factory rack with raised side rails on your vehicle into a full-featured Thule Roof Rack System. These feet are compatible with Thule Square Load Bars, and allow you to maximize the cargo hauling potential of your vehicle.

Thule Gutter Feet

Thule Gutter Feet install onto vehicles with rain gutters as a permanent solution for Thule Roof Rack Systems. Thule Gutter Feet are compatible with Thule Square Crossbars, and increase the versatility of Thule racks by allowing you to mount them to an otherwise unusable surface.

Thule Podium Feet

Thule Podium Feet let you add a full-featured Thule Roof Rack System to any vehicle with an integrated fix point, flush mount rail, t-truck or as a custom installation. It works with Thule Square Crossbars to provide a seamless factory rack appearance.

For vehicles with slanted or small roofs, Thule offers the Traverse Short Roof Adapter, which creates a base, enabling the installation of Thule Roof Rack Systems.

Auto Truck Depot

107, 42 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta

Toll Free: 1-855-253-4330

Local: 1-403-253-4330

info@autotruckdepot.ca

www.autotruckdepot.ca

How to Survive the May Long Weekend

May Long Weekend, widely hailed as the first big camping weekend of the season, is quickly approaching, and I don't know about you, but I'm very excited. Hopefully you've booked your campsites already, because even with unpredictable weather they fill up fast.

Whether you're planning to hit some trails with your ATVs or bicycles, tow your watercraft to the lake, or are just out for a relaxing weekend it's important to be prepared. The roads are going to be crowded with people trying to leave the city, gunning for the mountains if you're here in Alberta, and the stores are going to be chaotic with people trying to pick up last minute supplies before they leave. It happens every year, and every year people fall into the same trap.

In this article, I'm going to list some tips to help you get your adventure started with relatively low stress so you can get right to the relaxing, fun part and spend more time there.

1. Get Your Site Early

Before anything else, you should know where you plan on going. On an average weekend, you'll usually be able to book a camp site a week in advance without too many problems, unless you're trying to go somewhere that's exceedingly popular.

May Long, however, everything becomes exceedingly popular. Everybody is trying to get out of the city and get their first taste of summer, so any campsite with an opening works. If you're smart, you'll plan ahead, find a place that you really want to spend your weekend, and book a site far in advance. Another benefit is that once you've decided where you're going it's much easier to lay out a plan for what you want to do, based on what's in the area.

2. Pack and Prep your Vehicles Beforehand

Yes, it's true that all of us wake up the morning of departure to pack bathroom bags, finalize the cooler, and get the last of your clothes together, that's hard to avoid. I'm not here to tell you to have your bags packed a week before hand, that doesn't work for everyone. What you can do to make your life much easier is get your RV or watercraft out of storage a couple of weeks beforehand. Make sure that if you're hauling a trailer or RV out to the woods, you've properly inspected and prepped it. If there's a problem that crops up on the Friday, you're going to have a hard time getting it fixed before you leave. For more info how how to prep your trailer or RV for the camping season, check out this article. If you're planning on hauling out any watercraft, make sure you've thoroughly checked them for damage before the weekend, or you may be short an activity, as it will be hard to get repairs done on a motorboat on May Long.

Cargo Storage

Getting yourself to your destination is fairly easy. The hard part is getting all of the gear you're gong to need out there when you have a vehicle packed with friends and family. It helps to know what you want to do beforehand. You don't need to plan every minute of every day, but having a general idea of the activities you want to hit on the trip will help you prepare your vehicle storage space.
If you're going to be camping near a beautiful lake or river and you want to do some kayaking or canoeing, make sure you can get the boats there. We offer a wide range of accessories that can help you get your boats out with you, including the Thule Hull-a-Port Pro Kayak Carrier and the  Access Adarac Truck Bed Rack. If you're towing a trailer, we even have trailer racks, like the Swagman Roamer LT Pop-Up Trailer Rack, to help you get your gear safely to your destination.

If you're not hauling watercraft, a Cargo Box may be a good way to make sure your ride is comfy. When you have your car packed with people, hauling enough camping equipment, personal gear, and food can be difficult, especially if you're planning on tenting. If your vehicle has a roof rack installed, you need to check out our selection of Cargo Boxes, like the Yakima RocketBox Pro 14 or the Thule Force XXL. Both of these are large enough to accommodate a tonne of gear so your vehicle is less squishy. If you don't need something so large, maybe SkyBox 16, or one of our many Cargo Baskets will do the trick for you. If you don't have a roof rack, we can get you set up with one quickly and easily.

Bed Extenders

Once you're at your destination, how do you plan on transporting your ATVs? A trailer with a garage for your toys is great for the long haul, but horribly inefficient for transporting quads to a staging area. Be nice to yourself and the environment, and get a truck bed extender for your pickup, Not only will you have a better time hauling cargo, you'll be able to securely transport your ATVs in your truck bed. The AMP Research Truck Bed Extender, on our sister site Tonno Cover Depot, is one of several great options.

Tonneau Covers

A great way of increasing your secure storage space is by using a tonneau cover. A cover like the Access Original Roll-Up can turn your truck bed from an exposed area for storing large items into a secure, locked off place for hauling smaller cargo. If you're looking to haul a trailer, you still have options. Retractable Tonneau Covers, like the Pace Edwards JackRabbit can be locked in multiple positions, so you can haul a fifth wheel trailer and keep your cargo covered.

3. Plan for Your Absence

Always plan for the fact that you will be away from your house for several days. If you have a pet that isn't coming with you, set them up in a pet hotel or recruit a friend to visit them at your house once or twice a day. Make sure your heat is turned down, as this can do wonders for your heating bill. Secure all your windows and doors and at least partially close some of your blinds or curtains. If you're especially worried about break-ins, you can set a lamp in your house on a timer to come on in the evening for a few hours. These steps will help discourage potential thieves.

4. Buy Supplies Early

Don't be the person shopping to fill your cooler on the way out. Stores are always overcrowded at the beginning of the weekend with people who forgot hamburger buns, need ice, or forgot to pack water. Buy your groceries a few days before hand to minimize your time spent in lineups for a cashier. If you need to get camping gear, or other equipment, check that the week before and pickup up then. You run less risk of not findingh what you need, and then you can just pick up and go in the morning without having to mess around in a store.

4. Leave Your Work Behind

The long weekend is mean to be exactly that, a weekend. While it is a good idea to bring cell phones and a GPS in case of an emergency, leave behind your pagers and computers. Keep your cell phones off unless you really need them, because this time is the time to be with your family and friends. You only have one go at life, and once you retire, all you're going to have is the people around you so treat them right. 

5. Stay Safe, and Be Respectful

Remember that the people around you may not be as prepared as you are. Some of them have to work the weekend, some of them may be scrambling and stressed, Treat everyone around you with respect and basic decency, and everyone will have a much better time.

Make sure you treat the environment around you with respect as well. We want to be able to visit these campsites and wilderness for many years to come. We are lucky to have all of this wide open space in Canada, so get out their and enjoy it and stay safe!

Auto Truck Depot

107, 42 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta

Toll Free: 1-855-253-4330

Local: 1-403-253-4330

info@autotruckdepot.ca

www.autotruckdepot.ca