Factory OEM or Thule Roof Rack??

Fellow Taco DC owners,

I am in the process of deciding whether to get the OEM Factory Roof Rack or the Thule Aero Foot Roof Rack. I would love the advice of any owners on here.

My initial preference is for the OEM rack due to looks. I can get it on eBay for $225. Looks like Thule is a tad more expensive.

I know the main drawback of the factory OEM rack is the 100lb. weight limit. How much can the Thule setup hold?

I've got a tonneau cover so that leaves out the Xsporter...only roof options.

Needs:

- Mostly 1 kayak, sometimes 2 kayaks

- 1 Canoe at times

Thanks for the help!

 

despite the higher price, i would go with the thule. i have a thule on my dc, and absolutely love it. not only is it stronger, but it actually locks to your roof, all you need to steel an oem one is a set of hand tools. the thule can safely hold about 200 lbs, but legally, i think they aren't allowed to advertise more than 120 or something because if you load a roof rack up too much, topheaqvyness can be dangerous on turns. this may not apply to you, but i found that when the crossbars are deployed in the oem rack, the crossbars were too far appart to mount my bike rack. the thule ones give you more room to play with to better fit your needs. so my recomendation is to spend a little extra to get the thule. oh, and also get a wind fairing (deflector), it will tremendously help eliminate wind noise.

good luck with your decision.

 

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What can I say? I love the factory rack. I have a lock on the bike attachment. I think it depends on your use, you should go Thule/Yakima for somethings. For bikes, this one works well. I've got the roll-up cover for situations where the bed would need to be accessed. It's all about preference. Good Luck man.

 

I have the Thule, pics are in my gallery. It has worked great for me, at times I have had 3 kayaks up there (150lbs), the 3rd one sandwiched b/w my J-hooks. After almost 2 years of heavy use, the rack has held up very well.