roof rack comparison

Considering a new roof rack... Prinsu vs Toyota roof rack? I've put on two stock Toyota racks so am familiar with those. Seems like I can do more with the Prinsu.
Any suggestions either way or experiences with one? Want to add a light or two in the future so think the Prinsu is the way to go.

 

I like my prinsu rack. Truck Brigade has free shipping
https://truckbrigade.com/products/prinsu-design-studio-cabrac-roof-rack-toyota-tacoma-2005

This guy did both. Went from oem roof rack to prinsu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31DVeJn9HlM&ab_channel=ZacksJerryRig

 

Good video...and the site offers free shipping!

My next accessory purchase.

Ed

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I went with the OEM rack as all I ever need a roof rack for is toting an occasional ladder, kayak, etc. I like the the cross bars store in-line with the frame rails when not needed. Also, a pretty cost effective add-on given the limited use it sees. Guess your choice really depends on what you need it for.

 

The Prinsu rack is aluminum. Traveling down the road at 70 MPH, I feel more secure with my stuff on the Prinsu rack.

 

The OEM Install is a bit less involved, and some have observed more wind noise with the Prinsu. Personally, the OEM is just for looks mostly while the Prinsu gets the job done (and looks great).

 

This. Comparing the OEM rack to the Prinsu rack (or similar) is like comparing apples and oranges.

 

I went with the OEM roof rack but it was totally dependent on what I was going to use it for. I don't plan on using it all the time but its nice to have that option if I need to tie something down or haul something light weight on the roof. I like that the cross bars stow away which cuts down on the noise as well. Prinsu is more robust and if I was going to continually haul heavier items on the roof then I would have forked out the extra cash for one. I also would have went Prinsu if I wanted to get a RTT so I could attach add-ons on such but I still camp old school with ground tent that went into my decision as well. Price sort of factored into the decision but not as much as what I was going to use it for.

 

Saying the OEM rack is just for looks is not really a fair statement (although it does look pretty good on my white truck). For guys like me that occasionally need to transport something long and light (like a ladder), it works great and the cost is significantly less than the Prinsu setup.

Like someone else said, these two choices are in different leagues.

 

How about these: https://www.victory4x4.com/product/VT23RK.html ? Its a local Michigan company. I heard first of them in a Michigan Overland Facebook group i am also in

 

I have a hatred for the oem roof rack after it damaged my roof, not to mention being made of plastic, had a front runner which was good but over priced. Switching to prinsu now

 

OEM is aluminum and mounts in the same spots.

 

Do you notice an increase in wind noise with the OEM rack when the crossbars are stored away?

 

Short answer; No. But in theory you cannot put anything up on the roof that was not there before and expect zero impact. Having said that, I have never noticed any increase in noise wise when the cross bars are stowed. Like I said before; the OEM rack was the perfect solution for my needs. And well less than $300 to extend the capability of my truck is a solid bang for my buck.

PS: I have a full aftermarket rack on my FJ Cruiser and have really never used it to it's full capability. Based on that I could not justify spending all that money to do the same thing to the Taco.

 

I currently have the OEM rack and honestly mostly bought it for looks. I've put MaxTraxx and a few other lightweight items, but not really much.

I hate the way it looks with the bars stowed, so I mostly keep them extended. It has worked well for me until I went to the Socal basecamp event with four other people in my truck besides me. We had a huge canopy and three tents, along with tables, cooking gear, etc. I ran out of storage room and was very limited what I could put on top of the rack. I made the decision to go with a Sherpa Grand Teton and still waiting for it to be built.

 

I have a Martin Offroad rack which seems to be a copy of Prinsu and other similar racks. I like it a lot, have a cap on the bed with a matching cap rack for a long level surface for kayaks, or long materials. Really adds some capability for hauling awkward items.

 

I had the oem and used it to tow a 2 person ocean kayak. I don't know the length off the top of my head but it was like a foot shorter than the length of the truck ('14 dcsb at the time). Held the weight just fine for all the long distance trips I did, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish it had more points to secure straps to. No road noise when the crossbars were stored. Overall it's a pretty solid rack.

Edit: After seeing @Tacoma091919's post about the martin rack, that's a solid upgrade for 529.

 

I added the OEM rack after a couple thousand miles and did not notice a wind noise difference when the crossbars are stored (and I'm sensitive to noise or frequency changes.)

When the crossbars aren't stored and are in the cargo position I can indeed hear them.

I like the looks and think they're quite useful. I've added eTrack slots to the aft area of my camper shell so have a 3rd point when carrying things really long like paddleboards, lumber and long tubing. My one gripe about the oem crossbars is that they aren't flat but are curved upwards slightly (I assume to follow the cab's profile when stored.)

 

Really like my Grand Teton from Sherpa Equipment Company. 1/4 thick 6061 aluminum, most others are 3/16 thick 5052 aluminum. Is slightly heavier but way more sturdy. Is very pricey too but definitely worth a look. No need for silicone either, utilizes rubber mounting feet. Wind noise is pretty noticable though. Love it either way.

 

We are newly offering a Tacoma Roof Rack! We are building these out of 1/4" aluminum for the side panels and rear fairing. Our front fairing is 1/8" aluminum. Our front fairing can be run with or without a single row lightbar. Crossbars utilize the standard 80/20 extruded aluminum with a track cut to allow installation of track nuts without disassembly. The rack mounts to the truck with the standard mounting holes on the roof. We also have elected for a separate foot design that makes future replacement easy if needed. You don't have to replace your entire side panel if one of your mounts becomes damaged. This rack also mounts without the use of any silicone! Our current pricing is at $595!

If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them!