Yakima or Stock roof rails?

[Lugboot]

We just picked up a 2015 Trail with no factory crossbars and plan to put Yakima crossbars on it--this will let us pick the crossbar width we want for more carrying options, like multiple bikes and a roof box at the same time, while allowing a higher a load capacity. Our experience in the past is that with a fairing, wind noise is minimal.

Of course it helps that we have a bunch of Yakima stuff from other vehicles we just got rid of.

One note concerning Yakima and other roof boxes when comparing prices--Yakima has an amazing warranty. We owned a BlackTop Pro 21 for 8 years and one of the front latches no longer held the lid shut at highway speeds. There was no way I was going to put up with strapping a Yakima box shut like all those crappy Sears and other car clams you see on the road so I contacted them about it. I was able to find the receipt (believe it or not) and they replaced the box with a new Sky Box Carbonite for no cost, under warranty, and shipped it to me for nothing. If I would not have been able to find the receipt, they were still offering to give me 40% off a replacement box.

 

[GoldenBoy]

I have the Thule Aeroblades on my T4R and have had the Yakima Whisbars on my Golf R, neither made noise. It's the people that get square bars and hang them a couple feet off either side that have issues with noise. The aero type bars also look way better since they adjust to the rack width rather than hanging over the rails.

 

[RAD4Runner]

I could be mistaken, but doesn't it just depend on which model Yakima or Thule you buy?
Either way, it's a good reminder to take a look at how the different options connect to the rails and can damage them.

Yes.

I guess you like the Thule towers better than the Yakima ones? I am currently looking at both. Thanks

Yes, I prefer the Thule Traverse compared to the equivalent Yakima.

Also IF you ever need to use the crossbars on a different vehicle without factory rails, note how the feet/towers rest on horizontal surface. From personal experience and looking at other vehicles, Thule feet usually rest on horizontal surface, while Yakima feet rest on sloping part of the roof. Former is more secure.

I just did 6000+ miles with a fully loaded yakima load warrior mounted directly to the factory cross bars and it was the single solitary thing I had to worry about every mile.

Also not how many factory crossbars have plastic load bearing members, while Thule and Yakima load-bars/cross-bars rest on
metal parts.