Flat Rack vs Basket

[T4RZAN]

Curious what your thoughts are on a roof rack style. I am wanting to put a roof rack on a 5th gen and love the profile of the Baja Utility (flat rack). But I am curious how many storage options I lose from not having a basket style with the rails around the outside like a Gobi Stealth.

I know everyone is going to have their own opinion and what they are planning on using it for will be different. Just curious what people use in general.

I'm looking to use things like rotopax and maxtrax and store them on my roof rack. Would also put a bicycle fork mount or two up there.

 

[el_kab0ng]

Curious what your thoughts are on a roof rack style. I am wanting to put a roof rack on a 5th gen and love the profile of the Baja Utility (flat rack). But I am curious how many storage options I lose from not having a basket style with the rails around the outside like a Gobi Stealth.

I know everyone is going to have their own opinion and what they are planning on using it for will be different. Just curious what people use in general.

I'm looking to use things like rotopax and maxtrax and store them on my roof rack. Would also put a bicycle fork mount or two up there.

Like this? =)

 

[Seattle206]

I have a flat rack made by Prinsu. It's a 3/4 rack and I've mounted maxtrax/treds, cargo boxes, and ladders. The rack is modular as in you can add/remove as many of the cross rails as you want. You can add tie downs to hold down loose objects or create your own mounts for awnings, rotopax. RTT's, etc.

 

[truc.karl]

With flat rack, you can haul almost anything on top. If you want to secure your cargo easily, a basket type is a better choice.

 

[TK-422]

you can add a basket to a flat rack among many other options.

 

[susanbanthony25]

I noticed a few people have switched from the basket style (mostly Gobi) to a flat style. I am curious as to why you went with the flat style like prinsu and front runner?

 

[delloro]

I went with a lo-pro full length rack and am very satisfied.

 

[GhostRing]

It's probably over-complicated, but I've always been intrigued by racks such as the INTI
(mostly for LandCruisers) as it allows for the basket sides to be lowered into a sort of
platform if needed. That being said - anything that keeps weight low and carries what
you find necessary is the right choice.

 

[jbjones85]

flat here

 

[TK-422]

The reasons I went with Prinsu.

Looks. I wanted one as soon as I saw it.

Wind noise. The more arrow dynamic the quieter it is.

Weight. Aluminum extruded is light and strong.

Price. It is half the price of a full steel rack.

Modular. You can move around the cross bars to your need and avoid moon roofs and such.

I will not knock on the steel ones, they are great for what they do. The same for the basket type. This is just what drove me to get the one I did.

 

[NinjaOne]

I have a flat rack made by Prinsu. It's a 3/4 rack and I've mounted maxtrax/treds, cargo boxes, and ladders. The rack is modular as in you can add/remove as many of the cross rails as you want. You can add tie downs to hold down loose objects or create your own mounts for awnings, rotopax. RTT's, etc.

How's the wind noise?

 

[Seattle206]

How's the wind noise?

It's actually noisy. Since I have the moonroof I needed to increase the gap between the wind fairing and the moonroof. Reason why is the wind fairing sat too low on the roof preventing me from opening my moonroof. If I didn't have the moonroof I wouldn't have encountered this problem and I'm sure the wind noise wouldn't be as bad. I've learned to live with it though.