I have a 2002 Ranger xlt with a Leer 100R topper on the back and I am looking to add a rack to the top of it for my snowboards and mtn bikes. I am just not sure which brand is better Yakima or Thule. If anyone has any previous experience with either system let me know if it was a good or bad experience so I can see what is a better fit. Thanks

 

I think they are both great and both have accessories for just about anything you want to put up there. Look at the Leer Browning, they use Thule with a rail mount which is nice and might be easy to mount up yourself.

 

Thule FTW. I have it on one of our VW's. I have Thule cross bars and a pod. The build quality is nice compared to others.

 

i have the thule ski rack on my mom's 4runner that i used to use to go snowboarding. its like 4-5 years old now, and works like its new.

 

i have a yakima space case that has been driven to upstate New York and back many times and it's still goin strong (about 800 miles one way). but one thing about the bikes you might want to get a trailer hitch and a bike rack to go in that because it's a bit of a pain lifting a bike on top of a truck because it's at a strange level and you have to worry about scratching your truck up and yeah i have just found it easier to use a hitch mount bike rack. by the way what kind of bike do you have?

 

Howdy, I have the Yakima towers, Thule cross bars ($25.00 less), and a Thule 21sort box on my '03 Subaru Forester. At time of purchase, Thule wasn't making towers to fit the 03 Forester. Seeing not much difference in quality, both were excellent, IMHO. So, I decided to go with cost as the reason to buy what I did. Thule had a better selection on roof boxes. Oh, these items were puchased winter of '03, so don't know how much it applies to today.
Hope this helps, as opposed to confusing the issue.

 

I have a Yakima rack on my truck for my mountain bikes and kayak. I love them, work great, never had a problem with them. BTW I don't mind putting the Mountain Bikes ontop the truck b/c i'm 6'7", but I could see where that could be a pain for some.

 

I've always used Thule. Started because they were built better back in the day, and I still will only buy them because everything I've bought has lasted so well.

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I have a yakima for a class three hitch, dont use it anymore but its just sitting here.

 

It looks like Thule is a better buy as far as cost wise and it really seems that both companys are good but I am starting to think that thule is the direction I am headed

 

I had Yakima on my civic and they make some quality products, I say go Yakima!

 

I work for REI and sell both Thule and Yakima all the time. both are very good quality and construction. you can't really go wrong. if you want a rack on your cab i would go with the yakima tower set up and if you one on your cap get a thule track system or gutter mounts. good luck and if you want to look at some options check out http://www.rei.com/racks and click on the rack fitters, you can see all the options from both companies.