Weve all been there; you think you can fit something into the trunk of your car that just isnt going to go no matter how many ways you pivot it. But theres no need to limit the cargo potential of your car to just the cabin and trunk. In the iconic words of Tom Hardys character from Inception,you mustnt be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling. In this case, dreaming bigger comes in the form of a roof rack. Roof racks, specifically crossbars, provide the base with which you can mount any number of things to the top of your car. With roof racks, theres (almost) no limit to what you can carry.
If youre driving cross country or traveling in inclement weather, for example, you can mount a waterproof cargo box to safely protect and transport your belongings. And if youre heading to the mountains, crossbars can be used to haul your kayaks or mountain bikes. Some people even set up sleeping campers on the roof of their SUV when they go out camping. As long as youre safe, mindful of weight limitations, and make sure to properly tie your equipment down, the opportunities are endless.
There are some important things to bear in mind, however. For one thing, you have to make sure your car is properly equipped to carry these crossbars. All of the options on this list are required to be attached to existing side rails. Plus, most of these options mount to raised side rails namely, rails that have a gap between them and the roof. If your car meets those requirements, then these are the roof rack carriers to get.