Roof rack buying guide: Which roof rack fits your van?
As a professional, you know how important it is to organise your van efficiently. A well-chosen roof rack makes a real difference in terms of safety, ease of use and fuel consumption. But how do you know which rack best suits your vehicle and your daily needs?
In this guide, we list the key considerations to help you make a thoughtful decision, based on your situation and our expertise as a manufacturer of durable, custom-made solutions.
How to choose the right roof rack for your van?
Not every roof rack is suitable for every situation. When choosing the right roof rack, it’s important to consider a number of practical factors. Below, we outline the most important points to help you make a well-considered choice that matches your daily use.
1. How frequently do you use the roof rack?
The intensity of use largely determines which type of roof rack is best suited for you.
- Occasional use: Choose load bars or a flat roof rack. Load bars are lightweight and easy to remove. Both options are sufficient for occasional transport.
- Daily use: Opt for an open or enclosed roof rack. These provide greater stability, durability and ease of use for frequent loading and unloading.
2. What type of load do you transport?
The materials you carry play an important role in selecting the right model.
- Long materials (such as pipes, timber or ladders): An enclosed roof rack with raised edges keeps everything securely in place.
- Irregular or wide objects: An open roof rack offers more flexibility and side access.
- Light, compact loads: A flat roof rack is sufficient and helps keep the overall vehicle height lower.
Important: Always take safety regulations for load transport into account.
3. What is the height of your van and where do you usually park?
A roof rack affects the total height of your vehicle. This is an important factor in cities and parking garages.
- Low-roof vans: A flat roof rack or load bars help keep the height to a minimum.
- Medium-roof vans: Suitable for open or enclosed roof racks, depending on your preference.
- High-roof vans: Choose a robust model with raised edges to transport loads safely at height.
What types of roof racks are available?
Before making a decision, it’s important to consider your intended use. Do you need to transport long pipes, ladders or timber? Or heavier loads such as toolboxes or machinery? We offer several models via our product finder:
Roof rack with closed sides:
- The most popular roof rack among professionals.
- Equipped with raised side panels for extra security when fastening loads.
- Ideal for daily and intensive transport of materials such as ladders or beams.
- Offers maximum safety and stability, even at higher speeds.
Roof rack with open sides:
- Features open, raised side panels.
- Provides more flexibility when securing irregular loads.
- Thanks to its open design, materials such as ladders with a wide base can easily be loaded from the sides.
- Expandable with a height extension kit, allowing larger loads to fit through the sides.
Flat roof rack:
- No raised edges, making loads easily accessible from all sides.
- Suitable for lighter or occasional loads.
- Popular with light commercial vehicles and camper vans.
Load carriers:
- Compact solution for occasional use.
- Quick and easy to install or remove depending on your needs.
- Budget-friendly alternative to a full roof rack.
Why choose a mobietec roof rack?
Mobietec has been a trusted manufacturer of aluminium roof racks for professionals across Europe for many years. Our solutions are developed with attention to detail, safety and ease of use. What you can expect from a mobietec roof rack:
- Lightweight & corrosion-resistant aluminium: Up to 30% lighter than steel. That is beneficial for both fuel consumption and payload capacity. Resistant to all weather conditions, with a long service life, even under intensive outdoor use.
- Modular system: Easily adapt your roof rack to your needs. You are able to add (or remove) crossbars or accessories to perfectly match your working conditions.
- Custom-made solutions available: For special applications such as pickup trucks or vehicles with box bodies, we design roof racks fully tailored to the vehicle type and your specific use case.
- Fast delivery & easy installation: Thanks to efficient production and stock management, our roof racks are quickly available. Their smart design also ensures smooth installation without major modifications to your vehicle.
- Certified quality: All our roof racks are TÜV-certified and comply with the strictest European safety and durability standards. This guarantees a reliable solution you can count on every day.
Conclusion: Which roof rack is right for you?
The right roof rack depends on how often you use it, what you transport and which vehicle you drive. With the right model, you save time, work more safely and extend the lifespan of your van.
Still unsure or looking for tailored advice? Our specialists are happy to help via our contact form.
and instantly get an overview of all roof racks suitable for your van.
Looking for a safe solution for your vehicle without risk of body damage? Our mobietec roof racks are mounted on rails or supports
- Large vans: we mount on rails, which distribute the weight evenly on the roof to avoid damage to the body.
- Smaller cars: we mount on supports, equipped with an additional safety mechanism for overweight loads. These supports ensure that the weight is evenly distributed over the roof surface, avoiding point loads and maintaining the integrity of your vehicle.
Our roof racks can carry almost a ton, but your car cannot. Always consult the manufacturer for the maximum load capacity of your car to avoid damage. The main advantage of aluminum roof racks is their light weight, allowing you to make the most of the load capacity. Our roof racks are mounted on rails (or support profiles) or brackets. These ensure even weight distribution over the roof surface. Roof racks on supports are designed to bend first as a warning before damage to the body from overloading occurs.
mobietec roof racks are available from numerous garages and vehicle converters in Europe. Request a quote online from your nearest dealer of choice. Or search directly for a dealer in your area and drop by.
The fuel consumption of a vehicle with roof rack can vary depending on the design and material of the roof rack. At mobietec, our roof racks reduce fuel consumption thanks to their low weight and aerodynamic design. This also helps reduce CO2 emissions, making them more environmentally friendly. Our roof racks are made of anodized aluminum, a very long-lasting material that is 100% recyclable, including black anodized aluminum. Unlike painted or steel roof racks, which are not recyclable, our aluminum roof racks offer a sustainable solution to your transportation needs.
A vehicle's roof load is the maximum weight your vehicle can carry on its roof. This maximum weight includes not only the load, but also the weight of the roof rack. It is crucial not to exceed this limit, as it can seriously affect your car's handling and cause dangerous situations. Always check your vehicle's manual for the specific roof load and make sure your total load is within this limit.
