Having the best surfboard car rack is an essential part of a surfer’s journey. Surfboard car racks keep the surfing boards safe and make sure you get to surf on the high sea safely next time.
Imagine all the trouble of hiring an additional truck or making it a mess to transport your surfboards from one place to another. Well, surfboard car racks make it all easy for the surfers out there.
In our article today, we will present you with the 7 best surfboard car racks. So the next time you go out to surf, you don’t have to worry about moving your surfboards at all.
About Surfboard Car Roof Rack
Surfboard racks are usually used to carry surfboards, kayak boards, and snowboards and take well in general.
Unless you travel solo in a van or a pop-top camper, or you want to be the person whose friends hold the longboard out the window, you’ll need car racks.
What Facts Make an Ideal Surfboard Car Rack?
Choosing vehicle racks is a difficult undertaking. There are several well-known brands that all appear to be rather good.
Then some are, well, less expensive and may appear to be a little questionable. Before you go out and buy a pair of racks, you’ll need to figure out what you’ll be placing on them.
Overhead racks are a personal favorite of mine. They’re simple to use, adaptable and have a lot of capacity. You can add a variety of accessories to make carrying anything from bikes to kayaks to bags a breeze.
When deciding which rack to buy, each brand can offer so many possibilities that making a decision is nearly impossible.
In actuality, your vehicle will decide which choice is best for you. If your automobile already has rails, you’ll need a different system than if it doesn’t.
Round vs. Oblong Surfboard Car Racks
When driving, oblong racks are said to be quieter. When it comes to racks, quieter is a relative concept in my opinion. They are, nonetheless, more aerodynamic and fuel-efficient.
Though it’s not obvious how fuel-efficient they are, everything helps if you’re going to be driving with them in your car all the time.
The oblong design roof racks have the advantage of providing a flatter surface to place items on when loading up. When I strap a board down, it helps me feel like I’m getting a better base.
Overhang vs. Flush Surf Racks
Some racks come to an end where they connect to the base. Flush racks are what they’re called. Others, known as overhang racks, extend a few inches beyond the foundation.
If you plan on strapping items to your racks, I recommend obtaining overhanging racks.
When the racks overhang, the tie-down can be attached to the outside of the tower to keep your board or load from rolling around the center.
Your strap will not slide about while you drive if you wrap both edges of the tie-down to the outside.
Furthermore, overhang racks are frequently less expensive than flat racks
The Rundown
Best for Safe Travel: Dorsal Surfboard Kayak SUP Surf Roof Rack
The package comes with 2 sets of 15 feet straps, 2 cam buckles of 250 lbs in total. Dorsal Surfboards provide a secure way of transporting multiple surfboards at once.
Best for Car with Rails: Curve Surfboard Soft Rack Lockdown Rack
Regular straps are not specially made for cars. Curve Lockdown Rack is made specifically for cars protecting your car rooftop as well as your surfboards.
Best Soft Rack for Car Without Rails: Orion Motor Universal Car Soft Roof Rack Pad
The Orion universal soft car rack is suitable for both guttered and no gutter cars.
However, many people who are specially suffering from the lack of a perfect car rack because their cars don’t come with racks can blindly rely on this item.
Best for Car and SUVs: Block Surf Surfboard Roof Rack
Although Block Surfboard roof rack can be easily installed with a wide variety of vehicles. The best results come with cars and SUVs.
People who deal with 2-3 surfboards often own private cars or SUVs, this simple roof rack was made keeping them in mind.
Best for Technology Lovers: Inno Racks – Locking Surfboard Roof Rack
Those who want to make sure they get the best for their money should get this Inno Locking Surfboard roof rack. It is a heavy-duty, premium quality rack, totally worth the money.
With this, you are not buying a product, but you are buying a lifelong service of quality.
Best for Beginners: Thule 531 Express Surf Strap
Surfers who like to have an easy transfer with minimum set up and ensure security. They should get this surf strap. It is easy to use, simple, and is very affordable.
Best Soft Rack for Easy Installation: Block Surf Wrap-Rax Soft Rack Double
Many of us genuinely seek simplicity in every accessory we use. Heavy duty or any complex setup is a hassle for us. For people who like to keep it simple always, Block Surf Wrap-Rax is the right one for them.
7 Best Surfboard Car Rack
Now you’re going to learn about the product with its features and other details. So keep reading.
1. Dorsal Surfboard Kayak SUP Surf Roof Rack
Having a quality surfboard is not enough, you have to ensure its safety as well. While traveling with a kayak or any other surfboards, the most challenging part is to tie them securely.
Because surfboards or SUPs are not flexible enough for transport, people often mistake, and tie them with regular knots. This doesn’t make sure it’s safe all the way.
Dorsal Tie Down 15 foot Straps make sure you get your best with your surfboards while traveling. It holds up to 1-4 boards at once preventing any harm at all.
It is designed and built to hold any load and deliver them safely from one place to another. Features include:
Key Features
- Made of long-lasting nylon material, UV resistant.
- Durable and supportive triple stitching.
- Buckle is made of long-lasting zinc alloy, also supported by protective pads.
- These straps are safe for vehicles, won’t cause any dent or harm.
2. Curve Surfboard Soft Rack Lockdown – Best Surfboard Car Racks
Owning a private car and traveling with surfboards is often a dilemma; unless you have the right straps to support your boards safely.
Curve Surfboard Soft Rack Lockdown offers a cocoon lockdown for your boards. This modern technology ensures that your boards don’t slide away from one place to another on the car rooftop and create noise over your head.
You can transport up to 3 shortboards at once without having them in contact with each other. Thus, it eliminates the possibility of rail damage.
You can say, Curve soft rack is enriched with every advanced method possible to secure both your surfboards and vehicles.
Key Features
- One loop lockdown system.
- There remains 1-inch foam padding ensuring no contact between a surfboard and car roof.
- The extension of 1-inch foam around the cocoon ensures that no rail damage takes place on the straps.
- You can connect it both via doors or roof rails.
- Your surfboard is always protected with a durable yet soft internal neoprene outline.
3. Orion Motor Tech Universal Car Soft Roof Rack Pad
If you are a regular traveler and a surfer at the same time, we know how it feels. Surfers who need to move frequently need extra support for their surfboards.
Regular cheap straps may do the job somehow, but the security of your kayak or SUP will always remain at risk. This is why Orion makes sure you get the most out of your budget and security at the same time.
The Motor Tech Lightweight Anti-Vibration Universal Car Soft Roof Rack Pad by the Orion is something worth appraisal of. It is highly adjustable and flexible.
Its modern ergonomic technology is suited for different kinds of surfboards including Kayak, Canoe, Snowboards, Paddleboards, and other SUPs. It has become an essential accessory for all water sport boards.
Key Features
- Suitable for almost every vehicle.
- It has a very large load capacity (75 Kg).
- The rack pad is made of soft materials to ensure zero scratching or denting.
- The straps are extra long and durable aircraft buckles to guarantee luggage and their safe arrival.
- It will remain silent over your head (no vibration, lightweight – 1.8 kg only)
4. Block Surf Surfboard Roof Rack
Whether you are a soft board technician or professional surfer, having a budget-friendly yet quality roof rack is all you need.
A regular surfer can invest a lot in the well-being of his surfboard. However, missing a quality roof rack can take all the efforts in vain.
Block Surf Surfboard roof rack is a universal rack for any vehicle you have. It is easy to install and can hold 2-3 surfboards at once. Any car or SUV without a rack can find this soft rack very reliable.
Key Features
- Comes with two 2 pads, 1 for the front and another one for inserting on the back of your car.
- Dual straps make sure your surfboards remain in place.
- Can safely transport thrusters, shortboards, longboards, and other foam boards.
- Can hold several surfboards at once based on their configuration.
5. Inno Racks – Locking Surfboard Roof Rack
Professionals who want to get the utmost privilege of technology and ease the regular task should opt for Inno – Locking Surfboard roof rack.
It may not sound so regular for beginners and intermediate surfers. But this locking surfboard roof rack is an accessory of tough job and heavy reliability.
This roof rack is made of premium materials ensuring the very best service you can have in a decade. You can mount it on almost any car and other vehicles.
With the price offered for a premium quality rack like this, a few more bucks are nothing if you want proper security and reliable service.
Key Features
- Can take in three shortboards or two longboards.
- There remains the floating strap technology for more flexibility.
- The ratcheting mechanism offers higher security and protection.
- Universal mounting technology: can fit on the square, round, aero, and most factory bars.
- The package includes keys and locks.
6. Thule 531 Express Surf Strap
Most surfers like to keep it simple with surfing straps. Having a bigger setup can often be a distraction for them.
Here comes the Thule 531 Express Surf Strap. As simple as it may sound, it can easily secure 2-3 surfboards. It is made to ensure different kinds of surfboards including paddleboards and sailboards remain safe.
However, don’t get too carried away with the simple configuration it has. This very general surf strap is made of durable materials worth years of service.
Key Features
- Secures and Protects different kinds of surfboards.
- Simple mechanism and easy to install.
- You can easily fasten the loop ends near the loading bars.
- Strong nylon-made straps and UV resistance.
- General cinching technology maintains stability all the way.
7. Block Surf Wrap-Rax Soft Rack Double
How great it is to have a simple soft rack with maximum capacity and quality service? Yes, this is what you will be getting with Block Surf Wrap-Rax Soft Rack Double.
It is very simple to use and easily affordable for beginner to intermediate surfers. Even for a heavy-duty soft rack like this, it comes quite conveniently on budget.
This wrap-rax double soft rack is capable of delivering 6 soft boards at once from one place to another. From the buckles to the nylon material, everything here is so simple made yet reliable in service.
Key Features
- Simple and easy to use.
- This double rack can carry up to 4-6 racks at once.
- Aircraft buckles for utmost safety and security.
- Comes with a useful carrying case.
- Made of durable nylon material, sustaining heavyweight.
How Fast Can You Drive With A Surfboard on The Roof?
The answer to this question lies mostly behind the type of soft rack or surf strap you are using.
With any quality soft rack or surf straps, the maximum speed anyone can have is 113 km-h. Any speed above this can cause harm to your boards or even cause serious harm to the passersby.
However, if you are not confident with the quality of the surf straps you are using, you should carry on driving below this limit.
Further Reading:
How to Choose the Best Surfboard Car Rack?
There is no objection that surfers who move frequently need a sturdy car rack. We hope our article has led you to the conclusion that how feasible a car rack can be.
The question is how you can choose the best surfboard car rack for yourself? There are certain facts to check and recheck before you finally decide to purchase a surfboard car rack.
In our buying guide, we will be helping you with the most important things that you must keep in mind while looking for the right surfboard car rack for your journey.
Budget
The first thing that will cross your mind is how much you are willing to pay for your car rack. There are two types of car racks – hard racks and soft racks.
The hard racks are heavy-duty surfboard racks, ready for long journeys. And the soft racks, made of straps. Depending on their manufacturing, they both vary a lot in price also.
However, it’s not always you have to aim for heavy-duty hard racks. First of all, figure out what purpose your surfboard car rack will serve.
If it is manageable with soft racks for you, why bother spending a handsome amount of money? On the contrary, if the urgency to have a hard car rack is unavoidable for you, then you must increase your budget a bit.
Capacity
The second foremost thing that should be kept in mind is the capacity of your surfboard car rack.
There are many car racks that can lock 5-6 surfboards at once; while other models are built for a single surfboard only.
In case you are a single man/ woman who is traveling alone, car racks with less capacity are enough for you. For a family of surfers, the heavy-duty car racks are ideal.
Again, the same goes for the type of board you are carrying as well. For kayak, SUPs, and other larger boards, you should look for solid and rigid car racks.
Material
To have the most out of your surfboard car racks, you need to make sure your car racks are sturdy and durable.
Aluminum and steel make the most durable surfboard car racks. However, the outer part of your car rack must be prepared with soft and sustainable materials like rubber or neoprene foam, so that it doesn’t damage the outline of your surfboards.
Simplicity
If the car rack you use takes a lot of time to be installed, you will gradually become intolerant of it. Some manufacturers provide installation guides with the package which are very useful.
There are several hooks up processes. Some surfboard car racks can have clamps and some others may need buckles to connect with. Whatever the process is, your surfboard should be easy, to begin with.
Other Features
Some other facts should be in your concern as well. Compatibility, weight limit, safety, carrying bag are some of the primary issues that should cross your mind while you purchase the best surfboard car rack.
How to Setup A Surfboard Car Roof Rack? (For Hard Rack for Soft rack)
Soft racks are convenient because they can be stored when not in use, but they can harm your car’s roof if you remove and reattach them frequently. Hard racks provide a long-term storage solution for your boards.
They’re wonderful since you can rapidly strap and unclip your board, reducing the amount of time you have to prepare before and after surfing.
Hard racks, on the other hand, cannot be transported when you travel or frequently switch cars, so it’s all about what you require.
When it comes to board placement, start with the waxed side (deck) down and your fins facing up. The tail (fin end) of the car should be facing forward toward the front.
Your surfboard flying off the racks is bad for your board and, more importantly, dangerous to others, so make sure your board is firmly secured on the racks, double-check your straps multiple times before leaving.
How many surfboards can I stack on top of each other?
You can stack boards to carry more, but no more than three boards should be stacked on top of each other! IN ORDER TO STACK TWO OR MORE BOARDS, FOAM PADDING MUST BE PLACED IN BETWEEN THE BOARDS.
Strips of foam cushioning can be found throughout the clubhouse (pieces of the same foam tubes used to protect the crossbars).
The Verdict
The main purpose of this content is to recommend you the best surfboard car rack in the market right now. We have researched and found 7 surfboard racks highly suitable for your car.
However, there are different types and the matter compatibility is another fact. Plus you need to properly under how to assemble it. I have already discussed those topics.
So, now it’s your turn to choose wisely. Before saying bye-bye let us suggest to you another related content for the bikers – the best surfboard rack for motorcycles.