I'm looking into a rack for my '03 dodge quad cab, and I'm trying to decide between the thule xsporter and yakima outdoorsman 300. Yakima Outdoorsman 300 Ladder Rack with 58" CrossBars for Compact Trucks - Y01136-Y00409 Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars ( 12 Customer Reviews ) Order: Relevance Newest Rating - High to Low Rating - Low to High Keep your truck bed free of cargo and still haul a full load with the Outdoorsman 300. It's in the top 3 bestselling car bike racks and has dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Kuat NV 2 Bike N106 or Saris Superclamp EX. They worked great for my canoe. This will help you save up time in looking for the best ski rack to secure your skis during transport. Trucks are neat in that you can have an aluminum rack tig welded for about what you’d pay for these toy racks. Ski Racks are great investments if you are the kind who takes to the mountain and enjoys snowy adventures. I have had this for about 3 months, and it is in like new condition. It has adjustable arms and they have rubber padding that protects your gear. Wind drag greatly affects your fuel usage. Or, Yakima’s built-in SkiLift riser that allows tall bound snowboards that Thule has yet to allow. The Thule setup, without having to buy new rollers/cradles is about $630. As much as we all love to hop in on a winter road trip with your valuable skis, it can be challenging. No noise, whistling, wind resistance and high fuel consumption because it’s at the back. Their ski and snowboard mounts get you and all your gears to the mountains with ease and comfort. We upload hundreds of AD FREE videos to help make your rack shopping easy...we want to make your PURCHASE easy too! Same as a cheap one doesn’t always mean it’s a knock-off. This Yakima rack takes the whole gamut of Yakima accessories for kick ass multi-sport compatibility, and features heavy-duty construction that can hold up to 300 … This should involve minimal effort from the user and should not take a lot of time. Thule SnowPack Ski and Snowboard Carrier installs with its SpeedLink universal mounting system. The long and narrow design is useful as I can still fit a Thule Prologue bike tray and wheel holder on the roof (50" load bars) The Thule Ascent design has a 2 sets of clam-shell clamps that will work with an aero roof bar, the Thule square load bars or the round Yakima style, in general about anybodies load bars, aero or … For trucks, have the rack encase the canopy and bear on the bed rails. Good luck. Make sure you get them into the position you want them to be. The carrier lets you carry up to 6 pairs of skis or 4 snowboards with reduced wind noise and drag. I have narrowed my rack decision for my 97 Nissan pickup down to the Yakima Outdoorsman 300 Compact or the Thule Xsporter Compact. Thule specializes in ski racks that are style specific. Take a look at the racks that kayak manufacturers have custom built! The vast majority of vehicles out there have supported roof rack fits from both Yakima and Thule. What’s next after putting up your ski rack? Thule Hull-a-portsBought one of these at NJ Paddlesport back in the spring. Not a lot of brands in the rack industry offer a selection as wide as Thule’s. They also offer cable locks but are sold separately. JackL. Have had no problems, except for having to lift my yak up to place into the J. The biggest difference between Thule (and the standard Rhino Rack stuff) and Yakima is that Thule is required to be crash tested in the EU (since it is a Swedish company). Tim A [OP] Well-Known Member. Make sure to loosen up the bottom clamp a little for the skis to easily slide into it. You have a lot to choose from with their extensive models. Thule specializes in ski racks that are style specific. Its vertical spring system can contain thick snowboards. I took it out of the box in the store and it's super-solid and heavy duty. They also work perfectly for. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. YAKIMA, Outdoorsman 300 Truck Bed Rack System for Hauling Ladders and Lumber, Compact 4.4 out of 5 stars 26 $239.00 $ 239 . Thule vs Yakima: Finding the Right Ski Rack, for 2″ hitches: 6 pairs of skis or 4 snowboards, Working like a clip, Thule has an oversized push-button at the edge of each arm. Anyone with experience with these two products please provide some input to help me decide. They are bulky, long and just simply can’t be made to fit into small spaces. Aerodynamics have been considered great in the production of the Yakima FatCat EVO 6 Ski and Snowboard Carrier. I’ll take my toy one and go home now! You can design the rack to accomodate accessories from factory systems. The truth is, all Thule and Yakima’s ski racks are worth investing in. And it cost about $400. I've owned both a Thule and Yakima. With all the brands out in the market, we narrowed it down to the two of the finest names, Thule and Yakima. It isn’t fun to have to spend so many hours trying to figure out how to fit all your gears to your vehicle. I am having a hard time deciding between the two. My preference is Yakima over Thule because the individual bike rails for Yakima will mount to either a round bar (Yakima) or a rectangle bar (Thule). Mine can hold all my toy holders, such as my ski racks, my bike racks and my yak saddles. Working like a clip, Thule has an oversized push-button at the edge of each arm. These push-buttons are easy to use even with your gloves on. Paid a arm and a leg for them, and then had to modify them to stay up right on the round Yakama bars, when their instructions specifically stated that they would work on them. These releases the arms in an upward motion, so you’d be able to lie down your ski or snowboard and tuck them in safely. ($415 vs $360) Then I saw that Yakima is having a $50 rebate on that rack this month which would make the price almost the same. The products we reviewed are both compatible with existing bike racks. Rack shops that carry both brands will know which works best on your car. These locks guarantee the security of your skis and snowboards. No one likes the annoying wind drag noise on any road trip. Yakima believes that any outdoor enthusiast should be able to take with them all their gears without leaving any friends behind. YAKIMA OUTDOORSMAN 300 MANUAL >> DOWNLOAD YAKIMA OUTDOORSMAN 300 MANUAL >> READ ONLINE yakima outdoorsman 300 compact yakima overhaul hd review yakima outdoorsman 300 vs thule xsporter yakima outdoorsman 300 parts yakima overhaul hd yakima overhaul rack low profile truck bed rackyakima bedrock. I looked at both side-by-side in the box and all of the fittings are the same size. Clamp it down to keep them in place. The type of vehicle you drive is a major consideration in picking the type of ski rack. Anyone with experience with these two products please provide some input to help me decide. If you are a true-blooded outdoor enthusiast, you will know how Thule and Yakima get its name on most reviews of the best outdoor gears. But, be sure they are aerodynamically and ergonomically designed to reduce wind resistance. Both are excellent racks roof racks. Having your ski racks on top of your vehicle makes it feel more like it is one with the car. Thule vs Yakima – Who Makes the Best Kayak Rack? THULE T2 AND YAKIMA HOLDUP RACKS. It also causes whistling at certain driving speeds. Simply add it to your current dual-arm, hitch-mounted bike rack. View warranty details Accessories for Thule Xsporter Pro I don’t recall putting cars down, or making any references to trucks being manly. The push-buttons are not hard to operate you can do so even with thick and heavy gloves on. Either way, having your ski rack attached to the hitch helps you reduce concerns about wind drags. I am having a hard time deciding between the two. Apr 1, 2010 at 3:20 PM #1 #1. This is an awesome bed rack system that can be used with or without a range of accessories to carry anything under the sun. One Yakima advantage not already mentioned is that on some vehicles, with window-clamp style brackets, because of the change from front to back in the angle of the windows/roof line, the rectangular Thule crossbars do not alway contact the cargo on their flat tops. Yakima, on the other hand, is more on allowing you to survey options and go with what looks best. They help in extending the life of your skis. for 1-1/4″ hitches (Class I and Class II): 4 pairs of skis or 2 snowboards. It should match your vehicle. There are far too many manufacturers of ski racks in the market. The digging around that I've done through Googling suggests that Yakima Universal MightMounts ARE compatible with any elliptical-shaped bar, including the Thule … The Tram Ski and Snowboard Carrier has hinged arms that open easily with large push-buttons. The Outdoorsman clamps to the truck bed and provides a heavy-duty support that handles up to 300 pounds. So I decided to turn my rack into a mixed case: With Yakima’s razzle-dazzle bike tray mounted alongside fresh produce from Thule, I set out to see which of these powerhouses deserves the champion’s … Thule and Yakima Ski Racks’ price range from $26.00 to $400.00. Thule is dedicated to providing exceptional products that are quality tested and guaranteed against defects in materials and workmanship. Thule T2 Pro is a well-known and one of the most expensive options. Install by using the existing cradles and rubber straps. Put it back and clamp it down securely. This great rack adds serious space to your pickup — no drilling necessary. I too have owned several Yakima and Thule systems. Meanwhile, Yakima HitchSki Snowboard installs as a bike would to your bike rack. Comparison of Yakima Outdoorsman 300 Ladder Rack with 58" CrossBars for Compact Trucks vs Thule Xsporter Pro Adjustable Height Truck Bed Ladder Rack - Aluminum - 450 lbs - Silver not too sure about those two models…but if it is between Thule square bars and Yakima round bars, I’d take Thule every time. About 15 years ago, I switched everything over to Yakima (from Thule). 😳 Crazy Black Friday deals up to 85% OFF – Check Now! Joined: Dec 26, 2009 Member: #28169 Messages: 447 Gender: Male Montana Vehicle: 2011 TRD Offroad 6 spd Double Cab. This adds aesthetics while keeping it durable and corrosion-resistant. Aside from Same Key System (SKS) that Yakima takes pride of, this model’s clamps have a unique design to where they cannot be detached from your roof rack system except when the carrier is open and the lever on the inside is in the unlocked position. Personally, I can’t ride a BMX bike anymore because I’ll hurt myself, and I run 3.8-inch tires on my fat bike, so the Yakima fits … Never any strength issues, vibration etc. If raw alloy looks ugly to you, have it powder coated for $100! Either way, two main factors to consider are price and configuration. THULE VS YAKIMA #690622. If you're serious about the great outdoors, check out Yakima's Outdoorsman 300. Product Comparison. They include rubber washers instead of lock washers, and then when you try and tighten the the phillips head bolts down, the washers have so much play that they work they way over the head of the bolt. I ended up drlling a hole in the bars for each, and used a self tapping screw to prevent them from rolling. Yakima 300 Outdoorsman Roof Rack. I got all kinds of useless hardware, which I guess is some newly graduated mechanical engineer’s claim to fame. I think…The Xsporter is a better unit as a whole but it also costs more. The yakima Outdoorsamn is a little bit less substantal than the xsporter but having worked with both i’d send the extra money. Thule and Yakima both took advantage of the technology improving locking systems, so there is a lot to watch out for from these two. So do the deciding on Yakima Outdoorsman 300 … One good feature about this carrier is that you can raise it up to about two and a half inches up to accommodate skis with tall bindings. For a buyer’s guide, we will use the following factors to compare and differentiate the two of the biggest rivals in the ski rack manufacturing. Following through Thule’s, Yakima also takes advantage of the technology that utilizes only but one key. To do it, just set the rack on top of your crossbars, run the stainless-steel straps under, and hook the straps onto the brackets. After checking out the head to head comparisons of 4 of Thule and Yakima’s ski racks, we proceed with what you need to look for in getting your gear to help you with your skis hauling. While you want to make sure your skis can be effortlessly loaded and unloaded to and from your racks, it shouldn’t be the same case to thieves and robbers. Carry skis and snowboards with larger bindings. Check your owner’s manual to find out its over-all weight capacity to know the type and quantity of gear it can take along. We are sure you have invested in a sleek pair of skis that will make you the next professional skier. It has soft, flexible rubber pads to protect your winter toys from shaking and rattling during drives. The low-profile Thule Edge system offers a sleek, integrated design, while the Thule Evo system maximizes the … For simply carrying bikes, I don't have a preference. That’s right, loading them with your skis. Deciding which ski rack to get for your next winter trip needs you to make a thorough assessment of all the information you get from each brand. It’s quite hard to pick one. With different preferences on how to mount it, Yakima lets you do it either the T-Slot method and clamp style. No judgment is better than that, that has been personally experienced. Yakima keeps up with being stylish. Poor materials also lead to noisy ski racks. With J cradles the round bars let the cradles rotate so both cradles can conform to the shape of the hull. It uses cradles and straps and cushions your snow gears for added protection. Both brands make the best ski racks and sometimes their product may seem to be almost identical to each other. Considering security in picking your ski rack is essential. It also has raisers that keep your roof from skis coming in direct contact. They also work perfectly for kids skis. The next generation of roof racks. Been hauling stuff for many years. I have for sale a complete set (two pair, or all 4 towers) of the Yakima Outdoorsman 300 compact. Cheers, JackL. Way stronger. Then I noticed that www.rackattack.com is having a 20% off sale on Yakima racks this month. Thule SnowPack Ski and Snowboard Carrier is a low-profile carrier that can carry up to 6 pairs of skis or 4 snowboards. The versatile, no drill Yakima Outdoorsman 300 lets you create a top-of-vehicle truck rack system for your pickup truck, without the need for a camper shell, while leaving you full access to the truck bed. Their experiences are first hand and will tell you whether the product is worth your every cent. An expensive rack doesn’t always mean quality. Thule vs Yakima: Finding the Right Ski Rack. Chose it because it fits the factory rack on my Subaru Forester, and seemed like a good deal at $80. I was able to pick up the Yakima HoldUp and the Plus 2 add-on for $560 total (free shipping … Then after you have them as tight as you can get them, and put the kayak on, you can’t tighten them any more since the phillips head which is now under the kayak turns when you tighten the knurled knob which is on the bottom. The only thing I don't like is the price, but the quality is there. While Thule and Yakima both have their One-Key and Same-Key systems, it wouldn’t be bad to invest in some trusty lock cables. You don’t see these guys using toy store bought junk. They also included some half inch long plastic bushing spacers, which the instructions specifically said were for use with the Yakama bars. I used these on my truck, you can take them on and off no problem and they are solid. Go for a rack that mounts up easily. But, if this is your first time to hear these names, read on. After all, you already spent a dime on your skis, why not spend a little more to protect them? JackL, Custom racksI would srtongly advise you to have a rack custom welded for your truck. Thule T2 Pro is $294.18 more expensive than an average car bike rack ($155.77). I would strongly advise anyone who can afford it to get either a Thule, Yakama or other good brand rack over a custom built one. These ski racks need to be made of the most suitable materials. Too many technical specifications and features make it even more difficult to find exactly what you are looking for. Yakima Outdoorsman 300 - Full Size Product Rating[SALE] Yakima Outdoorsman 300 - Full SizeYakima Outdoorsman 300 - Full Size Varieties of Tire Measurement Calculators Tire size calculators use diverse measurement devices. To make all your gears to your vehicle makes it feel more like it is also nice have... 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