roof racks: thule vs. yakima?

[Guillermo]

hey guys,

any opinions on what is a better roof rack system? has anyone owned both brands, and what did you think?

thanks! :thumbsup:

[boarderfatty]

I have both the Thule and the Yakima for two different vehicles. I prefer the Yakima accessories and prefer the thule cross bars.

I like the yakima accessories better because they feel more solid, and seem more reliable / run smoother than my thule stuff (personal opinion) I dislike the yakima cross bars because they are perfectly round. when you have an accessory like the ski holders on, if you don't have a board and or skis in there attaching the front and back portions together, I find that the accessory will actually twist back around the bar and touch the roof of the vehicle from wind resistance no matter how hard I tighten them (scratched roof not cool). I don't mind the Thule accessories, but just find I like my Yakima ones that much more. I do like the Thule cross bars better though. They are oval shaped versus round, so the accessories don't actually twist around it like they do with the Yakima.

My Thule cross bars are for a specific vehicle while my Yakima cross bars are a universal unit which I used on both my porsche and subaru. I tend to use my yakima accessories on both my Thule and Yakima cross bars since they are somewhat compatible. I am not sure if running two systems together is recommended, but mounts on my yakima accessories are oval shaped and seem to fit both my Thule and Yakima cross bars fine.

Jordan

edit: I also find the Yakima is a better bang for the buck, with their ski accessories for example you have a special lift feature that will give your board with big bindings extra clearance from touching roof by lifting it higher, I find their bigger buttons easier to hit open, and when your look at the yakima fatcat 6 rack you can fit more equipment, is more aerodynamic for less wind noise and better gas milage, the lift, etc. all better than the comparable Thule universal pull down rack imo and it retails for $15 cheaper.

[Guillermo]

Hey Jordan, that was a GREAT post, thanks a ton for that information! i'm thinking of getting some thule feet and bars, although I like the idea that the yakima can be so easily removed (not sure I want to keep the rack on full time).

do you know where to order racks online for super cheap? people on the mazda forums recommend http://www.roofrackshop.com/ but it's in the UK and maybe there is something closer?

:thumbsup:

[Hounddog]

Add these guys to your list of possibilities. They have a location in Vancouver and way back when, they could beat "Racks Unlimited" prices here in Calgary.

http://www.rackattack.com/

[boarderfatty]

I bought mine locally in Edmonton

http://racksforcars.com/

They were a bunch of really helpful guys, not sure if there is a store in calgary similar to this, but all they sell are roof racks, and roof rack accessories

depending on which rack you get from thule they have some easily removable stuff as well. I just feel accessory wise I like all the additional features that the yakima offers. If I was in your position or looking to buy something myself again, I would go for Thule bars and feet with mostly yakima accessories. But again it is all my personal opinion.

[Guillermo]

boarderfatty, how easy/fast is it to remove your thule rack? I've been doing some reading, and am thinking I want to remove the rack except for when i'm actually using it, so I can save on MPG, reduce noise, use my sunroof, etc. The nice thing about the yakima control towers is that you can snap them on and off really quick, which I like.

[Hounddog]

I run the Thule racks. Once they've been set up to your vehicle, it only takes a few minutes to remove and re-mount them. It will take a bit longer if you have accessories that span the load bars.(bike trays etc)

Right now I only have ski attachments so each load bar is independent and quick to remove.

Check out "Racks Unlimited" here in Calgary. They have Thule and Yak products all on display for you to gander at.

South location - behind Campers Village on Mcleod Trail. North location in Montgomery.

EDIT: I see that Yakima now has a cam mounting system for their towers. Sounds very quick to remove/install. I'm with you on that!

[Guillermo]

^^yea, the yakimas have feet that are permanently attached, and then the towers basically snap into that, so removing and installing takes literally seconds. the thing with the Thule is that you have to actually unscrew the towers from your car, so if I went that route, it would not only take longer to switch out, but would also cost me $120 more, since I would have to get new rails for my car that have removable covers where the rack mounts are (long story).

so anyhow, it doesn't seem like there is enough of a difference between the Thule and yakama so justify the extra cost and work requires to take 'em off... so i guess i'm gonna go with the yakima. i can deal with the round bars, i think, since I plan to run a cargo case thing up there. the only downside is that the yakima feet stay on your car even when the rack is off, and it looks pretty stupid, but whatever. here's an example:

http://img1.classistatic.com/cps/kj/110219/489r7/0346gfe_20.jpeg

[Hounddog]

Function over form! I think I'd get the Yakimas for this reason alone - the option to quickly remove them when needed is really appealing.