Roof Rails vs Roof Racks
When it comes to carrying gear on your roof, roof racks and roof rails are easily confused – and to be fair, they sound pretty similar. But understanding what each refers to is key to choosing the right setup.
Heads up: the lingo Isn’t Always Clear
Putting aside the roof rails for a moment – the term roof rack on its own can mean different things. For example, sometimes roof rack refers a full rack system or solution made up of various parts including a rack (platform or crossbars), mounting components (such as legs/towers), fitting kits and other hardware (height packers, adapters, etc.). However, some may take roof rack to mean the crossbar or platform rack component only. To keep things simple, we’ll reference roof rack system here when referring to the full setup, and use specific terms such as crossbars to describe specific components of a system.
But what about roof rails? Just to make it even more confusing, the terms roof rails and roof racks are sometimes used interchangeably (not to mention roof bars, crossbars and platform slats) – even among industry professionals.
Why does it matter?
Despite the nuances, if you’re looking to buy new racks or gear mounts, one of the first questions you’ll need to answer is “What’s already on your roof?” and being clear about this is an important step to helping you find the right solution. It might feel like splitting hairs, but when it comes to finding gear that fits your ride, the details matter.
So, let’s break down what these terms ideally mean, where they overlap, and how to clearly differentiate what you’re working with.
Your roof rails vs roof racks guide
|
Aspect |
Roof Rails |
Roof Racks |
|
Orientation |
|
|
|
|
Run front to back (north-south) along the roof of your vehicle |
Run side to side (east-west) across your roof |
|
Installation |
Commonly factory-installed by the vehicle manufacturer, especially on SUVs or wagons |
Depending on your vehicle roof type, may be attached using roof rails, fixed mounting points, tracks, or permanent mounts
|
|
Function |
Primarily serve as mounting points for roof racks – sometimes used to tie down lightweight cargo directly, but generally not a solution on their own |
Usually what holds your carrying accessories and gear such as bikes, boards, cargo boxes, rooftop tents and more |
|
Types |
Raised rails sit slightly off the roof, creating a gap or channel whereas flush rails sit flush with the roof of your vehicle
|
Can be crossbars (like Yakima JetStream, Aero Bar, or TrimHD™) or a platform system like LockNLoad, which features multiple East-West slats |
TL; DR – the differences between roof racks and roof rails
While both help you carry gear, the main differences are:
-
Roof rails: Run front-to-back. Usually factory-installed. Primarily serve as mounting points for roof rack systems with crossbar/platform components.
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Roof racks: Run side-to-side. They are purpose designed systems that attach to your roof or roof rails, to safely and securely carry gear and accessories.
Don’t forget: know your load limits
Whatever system you’re using, never exceed the limits of your vehicle’s roof, rails or rack. Always check:
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Your vehicle roof’s maximum load rating in kg
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The roof rack system’s load rating in kg
For more info, check out our load ratings guide.
Need help choosing the right setup?
Whether or not your vehicle has factory-installed rails, a roof rack can help you get more out of your roof space – safely and securely. You can find your fit with our Roof Rack Finder Tool.
To get started, just identify your vehicle, its roof type and what (if anything) is already installed. Not sure? Snap a quick photo and show it to your local Yakima dealer or feel free to contact our local Customer Service team.
