Looking for a van rack system to help you carry heavy or long loads that aren’t suitable for your van load space? Well, a roof rack or set of roof bars will help you carry anything from ladders to sheet materials.

There are so many choices to make before you choose the right one for you; the style, the manufacturer and fitment. So, here is our guide to picking the best roof rack or roof bars for you and your van!

What styles are available?

Choosing the most suitable style of van rack for you is always the first step. There are two types of van rack styles to choose from: a gallery roof rack or a set of roof bars.

Gallery Roof Racks are a one-piece roof rack that cover the whole of your van roof; they are made up of multiple crossbars that mount to the existing mounting points on your roof. Our roof racks are made from either steel or aluminium for durability and strength and they often have a built-in roller for easy ladder loading.

Gallery roof racks are recommended for people who need to carry typically heavier items like 8 x 4 material sheets, multiple sets of ladders, scaffold bars etc.

 

The second style are roof bars, which are separate parallel crossbars that stretch across the width of your vehicle. Roof bars are often more lightweight, look sleeker and are more discrete than a roof rack on your vehicle. They are also made from steel or aluminium, but are often cheaper than roof racks. You can purchase roof bars in sets of 2, 3, 4 or 5 depending on the vehicles make and model, and your preference.

Roof bar systems are best for people who need to regularly carry: ladders, long length items, general materials or pipe tubes.

Which roof rack or roof bars to choose.

Roof Racks:

Van Demon sells both Rhino Products and Van Guard accessories roof racks and roof bars.

Rhino offers two types of gallery roof racks, the Rhino Aluminium roof rack or the Rhino Modular roof rack.  The Rhino Aluminium roof rack is made from lightweight aluminium meaning the roof rack is corrosion and rust-resistant. An integrated full-width stainless steel roller is included for easier loading and the load capacity of each bar is 50kg. On Van Demon, Rhino Aluminium roof racks range from £348.76 to £776.56 depending on your van make, model, wheelbase and roof height.

The Rhino Modular Roof Rack is similar to the Aluminium roof rack, but it is manufactured from high tensile steel. It also has a built-in full-width rear roller system and a front aerofoil that will reduce wind noise and drag. The Rhino Modular roof racks from Van Demon range from £267.00 to £609.16 and also depend on the van make, model, wheelbase and roof height.

Lastly, we also sell Van Guard ULTI Racks which are manufactured from a robust, high-grade aluminium. All ULTI Racks have an aerodynamic profile to minimize wind noise and drag, they also include a stainless-steel roller. The load capacity of the ULTI Rack is 150kg or up to your van roofs capacity. The price range for this roof rack depends again on your van specifics, with prices start from £281.54 to £616.70.

Roof Bars:

Van Demon offers two different types of roof bars; the Rhino Delta Bars and the Rhino Kamm Bars and these are available in sets of 2, 3, 4 or 5, depending on van specifics. All the roof bars we offer come with 4 free load stops too! The Rhino Delta Bars are constructed from high-tensile alloyed steel and have an aerodynamic design to reduce wind noise and drag. The roof bars fit into the original mounting points on your van roof and each bar can carry up to 50kg.

The Rhino KammBars are manufactured from lightweight anodized aluminium and finished with an anti-corrosive finish that will prevent the roof bars from rusting and weathering. The main difference between the Delta and Kamm bars is the load capacity, the KammBars can carry loads up to 75kg per bar or up to your van roof capacity.

The Van Guard ULTI Bars are available to buy from Van Demon individually for certain vehicles or in 2, 3, 4 or 5. The load capacity of the ULTI Bars is 55kg per bar and they are manufactured from high-grade anodized aluminium, so they are corrosion resistant. The design of these bars reduces wind noise and aids in better loading because the bars are flat.

 

How to find the correct roof rack or roof bars for your vehicle:

Once you have chosen the style and manufacturer you’d like, the rest is easy! We have a vehicle selector located at the top of each webpage, so you need to select your van make, model and year and it’ll bring all the products suitable for your vehicle from any product category.

If you navigate to the exterior tab and select roof racks and accessories, then use the navigation bar down the left-hand side to choose either ‘roof racks’ or ‘roof bars’ and the brand you have chosen. You also need to ensure you select the wheelbase and roof height of your vehicle from the left-hand side navigation bar, as all van rack systems have different fittings for different wheelbases and roof heights. This will then leave you with all the products that are suitable for your van.

Accessories for easier and safer loading:

You can get different accessories to fit to your van rack system, you can get extra load stops in case you need to hold more ladders or materials, or you can get ladder clamps which hold ladders in place for extra security.

You may need to add a rear roller to your roof bars for easier loading; all rear rollers are also tailored to vehicle specifics including roof height.

Pipe tubes are a great way to keep your materials safe and dry, we offer Rhino and Van Guard pipe tubes. They come in either a 2m or 3m length and you can choose to have the front and rear opening or just rear opening. All pipe tubes available on Van Demon are universal products and they are lockable, with 2 keys for extra security.

Shop our whole roof racks and accessories range, HERE.