Thule Roof Bar Kits

Carrying additional items on your roof can be any easy way of winning extra storage or being able to mount accessories without a permanent bracket being needed. Most modern vehicles already have pre-installed points that can be used to fit roof bars, but you need to check what your vehicle has to know which products you’ll need to purchase.

What can roof bars carry?

Roof bars enable you to transport bulky items such as luggage or camping equipment with ease, a fantastic commercial use such as carrying longer lengths of building materials that wont always fit inside the vehicle, saving space inside for passengers or other items. Dual purpose uses could be storing longer items but also utilising this as a mounting platform for roll out awnings, allowing you to benefit during work and leisure hours.

Do I have to take them off when they’re not in use?

Most people that don’t use their vehicle for commercial use won’t get much use out of them during the week, but you can leave them fitted to save time for when they are required. Thule design all their bar sets to be aerodynamic, which helps minimise wind noise from the bar profiles as you drive. They don’t restrict visibility and are perfectly safe to leave on all the time, although you may find that accessories with straps may flap around, so for comfort you may want to remove these.

What are the different type of bars for?

SquareBar sets are entry level option from Thule and give you great value for money. Whilst you can use them every day, they’re especially popular for people that will only use them occasionally due to the lower price tag associated with them.

For a high specification option, the bar set to go for is the WingBar, with integrated T-track system for accessory mounting, rubber dampening, and an overall highly efficient and low drag profile. The WingBars are made from Aluminium rather than steel so are a much lighter design, which increases the cost slightly.

The commercial option from Thule is the ProBar, a multipurpose triple T-track system on the topside, underside and backside of each bar for maximum tie down or accessory points in any combination, with a profile shaped like a ‘D’ for well-tuned aerodynamics.

The biggest consideration would be the T- track capabilities of each bar, which can be used for additional accessories such as roof mounted bike carriers or tie down points. Some roof bars do not have track systems included, and cannot be retrofitted, so it’s worth considering what you will end up using your roof bars for to find out which is the best suited. It’s also worth noting that the WingBars are designed to be more aerodynamic and are therefore quieter for everyday use.

What is the T-track system?

The bolts that can be slotted into the track grooves are shaped like a upside ‘T’, these allow accessories to be quickly and easily mounted or adjusted, without the need to dismantle the bar further.