How to Maximise Your Roof Rack For Long Road Trips

You’ve done the research. You know where you’re going, what you’re bringing, and what sights and destinations you plan on hitting up once you get there. You’ve done this before, and the experience is all that matters. But getting there is the hard part, and planning and packing are what makes that experience go over without a hitch. It’s not anyone’s favourite part of the trip, but it is a necessary one.

Whether camping or taking a day trip on trails or on the water, having a Yakima roof rack will help you to maximise security, space, and protection for your vehicle and your goods. From there, you need to pack the right goods and pack them tightly to make sure everything gets to your destination safe and sound. But what does that look like?

Raising the Roof

The right roof rack makes all the difference. Consider your vehicle and its capabilities, its size, its weight. You have to plan carefully before you decide which Yakima is right for you. For most vehicles, Whispbars are suitable to attach and enhance your carrying capacity. Elegant and ideal, there are some options for strength, protection, and security that fit adventures of all types. For heavier duty trips, LockN’Load roof racks provide stable security for boxes and equipment for adventure vehicles. Your equipment will also dictate what you need to carry: a bike and a kayak do not need the same kind of rack, and you should plan accordingly. Consider your needs when you shop for your roof rack, and then consider what you’ll need on your trip.

Bringing the Goods

Whether it’s your first adventure or your hundredth, you need to consider location, conditions, and possibilities. On short day trips, you need only what’s necessary to get you there and back: your equipment, water and small perishables, and the will to succeed. Packing for these trips is easy enough, with your roof rack, ute, or Yakima Whispbar holding your kayak, bicycle, or skis. But when camping, this becomes a more difficult task.

Long-term trips require you to consider your needs: food, water, cooking equipment, hygienic products, clothes. When filling your bags and your boxes, it’s important to pack appropriately. Items that need to be safe while shifting need to be secured, and need to be protected from harm. Then there’s the gear you need to make your trip the experience it deserves to be. You need to pack tight on your roof rack, and you need to secure it to your roof, your ute, or your bike racks in front or back.

Holding Tight

Not all straps are created equal, in make or in function. Yakima’s Heavy Duty Straps get the job done in securing your boxes and your equipment to the roof rack and make sure that once it’s there, it doesn’t budge. Make sure you have the right length and number of straps. For kayaks and bikes, be sure to check out specific straps like Yakima’s hood anchor, giving you more security across more of your vehicle. Gear and goods in boxes need to be placed and strapped down in such a way that they won’t move around in the box, and that box needs to be strapped to the roof in such a way as to make shifting minimal.

It’s not the most pleasant part of your trip, but planning to make sure you have the right material is one of the best ways to making sure that your trip doesn’t turn sour because of an avoidable mistake. Having the right security for your equipment means that you can spend less time worrying and more time living the life you want to live.

It’s your adventure: make the most of it.