Subaru Crosstrek Roof Racks

The Subaru Crosstrek (XV) represents an ideal blend between an SUV and a sedan. It can handle the streets of the city and the country roads. The only problem is it lacks a proper roof rack system to take full advantage of this versatility.

Here at Kayamping.net we have done the research for you and developed this guide to teach not only what is required to get a roof rack, but to save you time by showing you which racks we think are best.

The Crosstrek requires aftermarket crossbars in order to support a roof rack. This is true for all types of roof racks like kayak racks, roof racks, baskets, or cargo carriers. A strong set of crossbars is the foundation of your roof rack system.

Below we have outlined, three of the top crossbars for the Subaru Crosstrek. Depending on your specific situation, select the best crossbar for how you intend to use the roof rack now and in the future.

Crossbars need to be treated as an investment for the following three reasons:

1. The will likely outlive the life of the vehicle and can be used on future purchases.
2. They are a support structure designed to hold your gear at interstate speeds.
3. They will be on your vehicle at all times, so they should be comfortable in both style and functionality.

Sermon over, now lets get to the best crossbars on the market.

The Yakima Railbar is quite simply, the greatest crossbar ever designed. It is an improvement upon all rival crossbars by offering owners the quietest ride possible. The secret lies in the wing-shape of the crossbar that slices through the air with extremely low drag.

If you don't trust me, think about this. Whispbar started as a New Zealand based start-up that sold only the Whispbar. After multiple years of success, they were purchased by the industry giant, Yakima. With all of Yakima's resources they could not replicate Whispbar's success so they bought the company and renamed it the Railbar!

The Railbar represents someone looking at the complaints of users and answering the call. The blades are so quiet you won't even know they are there.

The value on these bars is astonishing. The price point puts them in the premium category of crossbars but not by much. Crossbars are an investment and should be treated as such because they will often outlive the life of the vehicle.

The sturdy 165 lb. weight capability gives it the strength to handle any load you throw at it. Your getting a sleek, light weight crossbar capable of carrying any load you hand it.

The Jetstream headlines the new "StreamLine System" of roof racks launched in 2016 by Yakima. Featuring JetFlow technology (teardrop shaped), this aerobar quietly cuts through the air with minimal drag. While not as quite as the Whispbar, this crossbar outperforms the rest of the market.

The lightweight all aluminum construction features multiple inner chambers coined JetStruss technology to withstand loads up to 165 pounds. Offered in two colors (silver or black), this stylish crossbar set boosts the appeal of most modern vehicles while adding functionality to boot.

Along the top and bottom of the JetStream runs T-Slot channels manufactured to accommodate lightning fast attachment and removal of accessories like kayak racks, bike racks, and cargo boxes. To maintain the aerodynamics of the bar, the T-Slots are covered by a rubber stripping that slips down into the channel when in use and pops back into place when not. Known as SmartFill,  this seamless transition is adored by consumers for removing the need to custom trim the rubber stripping for each new accessory.

Brightlines really filled a niche with the creation of these Subaru Crosstrek specific crossbars. They are an easy and cheap entry-point perfect for first time crossbar users or people who will use the bar infrequently. The simple wing-shape produces little noise and frankly gets the job done.

Unlike other aftermarket bars, Brightlines already did the measuring for you. These bars adjust only a few inches either way because they were designed specifically for the Crosstrek. This makes installation quick and painless, usually under 20 minutes from box to roof top.

Like all things in the automotive world, there are companies that create identical products to the OEM at fractions of the cost. The Brightlines Aerobar for the Subaru Crosstrek did exactly this. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who could tell the difference between these and the OEM bars.

The Brightlines crossbars feature 150lbs of carrying capacity and a sleek aerodynamic design that stays quiet even at highway speeds. Although they do make more noise than the crossbar mentioned above, they are still a vast improvement upon round or square bars.

This product does not have T-slots so none of those products will work. However, all other major brands and accessories should fit just fine.

The Rhino Rack Cargo basket sits at the sweet spot of price point and functionality. It offers more utility than most of the premium carriers with a cost more similar to the budget brands. Compared to other top picks like the Yakima LoadWarrior or Thule Canyon, the Rhino has the highest carrying capacity at 165 lbs. Couple that with 9in. high walls and this thing can haul any type of gear.

The Rhino Rack has universal crossbar adapters, which means it will fit almost any crossbar set on the market. The adapters consist of brackets that were cleverly engineered by the manufacturer to not impact the baskets floor. Other cargo basket have the crossbar brackets annoyingly rise up through the basket and force gear to rest on the bolts. This leaves cargo susceptible to tears and snags.

As is the case with all cargo carriers, owners will experience a loss of 1-2 MPGs and can expect wind noise at interstate speeds. This basket performs about average in that category even with the flashy wind fairing. Creative owners can add a homemade fairing slanted in the opposite direction to direct air underneath the rack. This improvement will drastically decrease wind noise for this basket or any others.

Overall the Rhino Rack roof mount cargo basket is an appealing addition to any car. It can handle behemoth loads at lower than industry prices. The lines on the basket compliments the design line on modern vehicles so this roof rack has both town and country appeal.

This high end cargo basket produced by the roof rack juggernaut Yakima, represents the premium category of car-top baskets. The LoadWarrior is the perfect year-round roof rack for the everyday adventurer. Complete with a windscreen to lower wind noise, this cargo basket fits nicely on any vehicle.

Engineered by Yakima means designed with the consumer in mind. Out of the box this rack requires very little assembly, which means installation is a breeze.

The LoadWarrior is a one stop shop for those interested in gaining additional storage space. It has finished second in our rankings but only marginally. The Rhino Rack offers more carry capacity at a cheaper price, but the two carriers function the same otherwise.

The CURT 18115 roof rack embodies functionality without sacrificing form. The tough looking box hauls an impressive 150lbs. of gear while only weighing a minimal 31lbs. High carrying capacity plus low carrier weight enables you the maximize your vehicles roof hauling capability.

Stacked up against the premium brand cargo carries, the CURT's similar size but considerably lower price point makes it an excellent option for those on a budget. You might be asking "so why would I pay for a carrier 3x its price?"

The answer is the quality of the support parts. The basket itself is high strength steel coated in black paint to prevent rust. The provided mounting hardware does not have the same rust resistance, however there is a solution. You can either purchase different nuts and bolts of the same size or coat the manufacturer's parts in a new layer of paint.

If you're willing to roll up your sleeves a little bit you can get a cargo basket competitive with brands like Thule, Yakima, or Rhino for fractions of the price.

Crossbar positioning can vary depending on your preferences so we measaured three different points. Just make sure the bars can handle the maximum and minimum distance. The roof is not a perfect square so the roof rails are closer together near the trunk and grow further apart as you approach the windshield.

Front: 43-44" Middle: 40-41" Rear: 38.75-40”

All vehicles have posted weight ratings for their roofs. This is the total amount of weight that can safely be on top of the car while it is in-transit. Crossbars and roof racks are included in the weight rating calculation meaning the more these items weigh the less gear you can bring.

The Subaru Crosstrek has a posted weight rating of 150lbs. A crossbar of 20 lbs. now reduces the Crosstrek's carrying capacity to 130lbs. Add on a cargo carrier of 25 lbs. and this means you can only load only 105 lbs. of gear, safely on top of the Subaru.

Be thinking of the average amount gear weight you will want to transport and purchase roof rack accessory to support that.

The material that your roof rack is made from will often determine the longevity of the item itself. In most cases, steel will be your best bet for purchasing roof rack items because it will last forever and can handle a beating.

Steel doesn't bend or break, and it can endure years of weathering before showing any signs of fatigue. If you are going to choose a steel roof rack, make sure it has a powder-coating to prevent rust. Surfaces not covered by a protective paint layer will deteriorate far quicker than the rest of the unit. Even worse, is the copper-brown rust stains could bleed onto your car and ruin its paint job.

Car manufacturers pay entire teams of engineers to design vehicles with as little drag as possible. We have all seen commercials depicting scientists in white coats observing their latest vehicle model in a wind tunnel test. The smooth lines are a vehicle are there to reduce air turbulance, which equals a quieter ride and better fuel economy for their customers.

Unfortunately, auto manufacturers sell roof racks as an add-on accessory after purchase. This allows them to perform govenmental fuel economy regulation tests without accounting for roof rack wind noise. For consumers, this means roof racks do not get the same level of engineering as the rest of the car.

Adding any kind of accessory to the exterior of a car will add some noise and fuel economy losses. The degree of impact varies with each product, but simply put the more accessory the greater the impact.

If wind noise or fuel economy are high priorities for you, selecting roof racks that are easily detachable is the best choice.

Installing any of the products recommended in this guide, does not take a master mechanic or even your go to handy man. All products of installation manuals and there are tons of Youtube videos that can show you how to do it step by step.

The Crosstrek makes installation easier than your average car because of the raised roof rails. The space between roof and rail allow for crossbars to grab the bar all the way around. Installation for these type of connections is often much easier than other crossbar connection methods.

You are going to want to ensure the rack you buy can accommodate all the things you plan to transport with some room to breathe. Once you get the capacity to fully use your Crosstrek’s roof, things you never knew about will need to be loaded on there.

To get a complete look at the capacity of the roof rack, you will want to look primarily at the weight carrying capacity and storage space volume. Sometimes it is not the pure weight of something that makes it difficult to carry, the shape plays a role too. A cargo carrier is designed to keep the elements out, but it comes with restrictions on shape.

Lastly, take a look at whether the weather will play a role. Do you want to put suitcase on the roof or gas canisters? The suit cases need to stay dry in order for you to have a good vacation, but gas canisters can handle the rain.