How to Choose the Right Roof Rack Cross Bars

Struggling to choose the right roof rack cross bars for your vehicle? A1 Roof Racks has all the information you need to help you make the right choice.

Whether you’re looking for roof racks for work, leisure or for the occasional trip to the hardware store, it’s important to choose the right style for your needs. This is especially important when it comes to cross bars as there are some key differences between the major styles.

To help you make the right choice, we’ve put together information on the main kits available, including the various bar options currently on the market. With suggested uses and design elements for each type of cross bar, this guide should go a long way to demystifying the process for you.

If you are looking for information about how to choose the right roof racks check out our blog on the different mounting types.

What are roof rack cross bars?

Let’s start at the beginning. Roof rack cross bars are the two bars that run across the width of your vehicle’s roof. They support the weight of your cargo and are used to mount activity-specific roof rack accessories to carry skis, kayaks, luggage, bikes, surfboards, hardware products and other bulky items.

Are there different types of roof rack cross bars?

While the idea of cross bars is simple, there are several types of crossbar designs to choose from, which could impact your choice of roof rack system. As a guide, cross bars are available in oval, square, heavy-duty (HD) and aerodynamic styles. While you might think you can just buy the first pair of bars you find online, it’s important to know how they will work for your intended purpose before you buy.

What are the major roof rack brands?

Another consideration is the brand of roof rack cross bar you choose. There are three main roof rack cross bar manufacturers in Australia - Rhino-Rack, Yakima and Thule. In most cases, matching bars and accessories from the same manufacturer will be less hassle than mixing and matching brands, but if you have a specific requirement that needs a mix-and-match system, it can be done.

Check out this rundown of the major cross bar styles and products from the three major brands on the market.

Rhino-Rack Roof Rack Cross Bars

Rhino-Rack is a staple roof rack in Australia - if you are looking for cross bars, it’s almost a given that you will have already come across them in your search. The three bar types that Rhino offers are the ‘Vortex’, ‘HD’ and ‘Euro’ bars.

Vortex (Aerodynamic Cross Bar)

Rhino-Rack’s Vortex roof rack system features the Vortex Generating Strip (VGS) - hence its name. The VGS strips produce a vortex of air as you drive. Together with the aerodynamic oval design, this helps to combat wind noise produced by the crossbar, while the rubber helps stop your gear from sliding around.

The industry-standard channel makes it easy to fit most load-carrying accessories on the market, from bike carriers to conduits. Vortex bars come with locking end caps and can be fitted using a variety of mounting options, depending on your vehicle.

The Vortex bar is mainly aimed at recreational use, with the channel size appropriate for leisure accessories like bike and kayak carriers. The slight curve of the bar isn’t ideal for wide, flat loads and the VGS strip may pull out if you drag something like timber across them.

Ideal for:

  • Bike carriers
  • Awnings
  • Kayak and watercraft carriers
  • Lightbars
  • Fishing rod carriers
  • Snowsport carriers

Heavy Duty Bars (Square Cross Bar)

Rhino-Racks Heavy Duty bars are what you want if you regularly transport ladders, timber or conduit. The bar is straight and the accessory channel is wider for trade style accessories like ladder carriers and conduit clamps, making it ideal for tradies and commercial applications.

The Heavy Duty bar comes with a hard-wearing rubber strip installed in the channel. While this does reduce some noise, it’s mainly in place to prevent sliding and to protect your load. Note, when installing accessories, you will need to cut the strip to allow for fitment.

Heavy Duty bars are a practical and functional square shape, perfect for big loads. However, the square lines of this shape can result in some wind noise. This isn’t always an issue as these types of bars are made for commercial utes and vans, which are often noisy with a full load of tools.

If noise is something you are worried about, check out some of the other HD options available, like the Yakima TrimHD bars.

Ideal for:

  • Ladders and ladder racks
  • Conduit
  • Building materials
  • Rooftop tents
  • Recovery tracks

Euro Bars (Square Cross Bar)

Rhino-Rack’s Euro Bar is a strong, lightweight and minimal bar, delivering an affordable daily carrying solution. These are ideal if you don’t intend to use accessories as they don’t have an integrated accessory channel, although they are still compatible with other Rhino-Rack products.

Adaptable, easy to use, strong and light, this rack is designed to fit bare roof vehicles in less than 30 minutes by utilising a removable moulded pad mount and clamp system. While the square bar shape makes them somewhat louder than other options, it also provides more flexibility in use.

Perfect for solo travellers and families, the Euro Bar is a great entry-level cross bar for anyone looking for an affordable, versatile and lightweight solution to carry their camping and luggage needs.

Ideal for:

  • Surfboards
  • Camping gear
  • Roof Box’s

Yakima Cross Bars

Yakima bars are heavily focused on aerodynamics while still being highly functional and aesthetically pleasing. All Yakima bars have accessory channels that allow for the fitment of most kinds of load-carrying accessories making it easy to adapt to different needs.

Yakima uses ‘Smart-Foot technology’, which is a system that means most of the bar kits are almost completely preassembled with minimal setup required to install the racks on your vehicle. This saves time and frustration and makes Yakima a great choice for anyone new to cross bars and roof rack kits.

Aero bar (Aerodynamic Cross Bar)

The Yakima Aero Bar is one of the most popular roof racks on the market. They are aerodynamically shaped to reduce the impact of wind noise, drag and vibration caused by roof racks. The bar shape was designed by a former Rolls Royce aircraft engineer who was focused on retaining clean lines and functionality.

The quiet, aerodynamic design means that leaving these bars on your vehicle day to day won’t become an annoyance. This is particularly true when Yakima’s low profile Railbars are used, which have been designed for vehicles with factory equipped raised side rails to fit as low and snug to the vehicle as possible.

Yakima uses a standard recreational channel size on the Aero bar, meaning that you can fit almost any non-trades accessory from other brands you need to make your load carrying easier. Available in matte black and silver these bars look great while still providing the support you need to carry almost any load.

Ideal for:

  • Bike carriers
  • Awnings
  • Kayak and watercraft carriers
  • Fishing rod carriers
  • Snowsport carriers
  • Roof Boxes

HD Bar (Oval Cross Bar)

Much like Rhino-Rack’s Heavy Duty bar, the HD bar from Yakima is intended for commercial and trade load carrying. The channel size is the industry standard size for trade use and allows for easy fitment of standard trade accessories, such as ladder racks.

A nice to have feature of these bars is the integrated tie-down points at each end, which makes load securing easy. Together with load strips that protect as they securely hold your gear, you’ll never have to stop and check your load as you drive to the next job again. There is also a bottle opener at either end of the bar so you can enjoy knock-off after a hard day’s work.

The Yakima HD bars have an oval shape which means they retain the functionality of trade style bars (with the larger channel) while still providing a degree of noise reduction. This makes this cross bar style a great choice for everyday use.

Ideal for:

  • Ladders and ladder racks
  • Conduit
  • Building materials
  • Rooftop tents
  • Recovery tracks

TrimHD (Aerodynamic Cross Bar)

Designed and tested in Australia, the LockNLoad TrimHD caters to heavy loads while delivering quietness and maximum utility. The engineered lightweight aluminium construction delivers superior support without weighing things down while improved aerodynamics makes for a quieter ride.

Yakima’s TrimHD bar is something of a cross between the Aero bar and HD bar. It retains the integrated tie-down point and the durability of the HD bar and pairs that with the recreational channel size and low-profile design of the Aero bar.

Featuring load strips with an air diffuser ridge to help with load carrying and wind noise reduction, the TrimHD bar is the ‘jack of all trades’ of roof racks. This cross bar solution is perfect for recreational use, capable of trips to the hardware store and ideal for the daily commute.

Ideal for:

  • Bike carriers
  • Awnings
  • Kayak and watercraft carriers
  • Fishing rod carriers
  • Snowsport carriers
  • Roof Boxes

Prorack Cross Bars

Owned by Yakima, Prorack shares a lot of the same products, including the Aero and Heavy Duty bars. With roots in aviation, Prorack roof rack cross bars feature aerodynamic styling, with a focus on innovation, reliability and affordability to make carrying loads easier.

Since 1994, Prorack’s research and development team have looked at ways to reduce noise and drag, one of the biggest challenges facing roof rack cross bar manufacturers. This has resulted in a product range that combines practicality with strength and clean lines.

Standard P Bar (Square Cross Bar)

This is a simple, everyday roof rack that’s economical and made to last with corrosion-free aluminium. Easy to install, this makes the ideal kit for anyone using roof racks for the first time. While not as aerodynamic as the Aero range, this product still provides a level of noise reduction.

Like all Prorack roof racks, fitting the bars to your vehicle is really straightforward which is why this cross bar style is the main competitor to the Rhino-Rack Euro Bars. Perfect for family getaways, beach escapes and outdoor adventures, this is a great starter kit that won’t let you down.

Ideal for:

  • Surfboards
  • Camping gear
  • Roof Boxes

Thule Cross Bars

Constantly aiming at staying one step ahead, and working closely together with the car industry, Thule offers a great balance between aesthetics and versatility. The Thule Edge system offers a sleek, integrated design, implementing a more low-profile look than equivalent ‘flush bar’ systems.

The Thule Evo system maximizes the loading area and comes with a variety of load bar options. This is Thule’s take on the ‘overhang’ or ‘through bar’ system. 100% made in Sweden and tested to the limits and beyond, Thule roof rack cross bars are a strong and reliable addition to the market.

WingBar (Aerodynamic Cross Bar)

Thule’s Wingbar is their aerodynamic option. The bar is a unique shape that uses a wedge design for exceptional noise reduction while not sacrificing style. The top of the bar utilises a ‘WindDiffuser’ technology that disturbs airflow, reducing noise and drag.

On the bottom side of the WingBar, Thule has implemented a ‘SmartSlides’ aero cover inside the channel. This helps to reduce wind noise and as it’s spring-loaded it will automatically take up any free space, assisting in quick installation.

In addition, Thule’s WingBar uses the standard recreational channel size. This means most load-carrying accessories will fit, giving you more flexibility and control to explore your roof rack options.

Ideal for:

  • Bike carriers
  • Awnings
  • Kayak and watercraft carriers
  • Fishing rod carriers
  • Snowsport carriers
  • Roof Box’s

SquareBar (Square Cross Bar)

Thule’s SquareBar, much like Rhino-Rack’s ‘Euro’ and Prorack’s ‘Standard P’ bars, is a lightweight and economical daily use bar, making it a great choice for families. With no accessory channel, these are easy to install, although you may be limited in what accessories you can attach down the track.

The advantage of this style is in the ease of fitment and the flexibility in being able to tie on timber, attach a cargo carrier or carry a surfboard as needed. As an affordable entry point, the square bar design is a great choice if you don’t need specific accessories for kayaks and snow gear.

Ideal for:

  • Surfboards
  • Camping gear

Are you still struggling to choose the right roof rack cross bar?

With so many roof rack cross bar styles and brands to choose from, it’s no surprise if you are struggling to make the right choice. Having a better understanding of each style and its intended use will help - although, with so many brands available, you might still have some questions.

Luckily, A1 Roof Racks is here to help. Our aim is to deliver the best vehicle accessories from trusted brands at the best prices, wherever you are. With access to products from leading manufacturers and an amazing customer service team, we’re here to help you make the right choice.

Contact us online or call us today on 02 8318 7755 for expert advice.