How Much Weight Can a Subaru Crosstrek Roof Rack Hold?

How Much Weight Can a Subaru Crosstrek Roof Rack Hold? Like this car roof rail?

Need a kayak roof rack for your Crosstrek?

Click here for a review of the best kayak rack for Subaru Crosstrek.

Grabbing your favorite kayak or bike and hitting the road can be an awesome way to see the world and experience new places. Unfortunately, this is nearly impossible to do without a vehicle and setup that can handle it all. 

The Subaru Crosstrek is a great vehicle for exploring and taking on new adventures. The key is outfitting a roof rack to hold everything you need to. 

How much weight a Subaru Crosstrek roof rack can hold will directly affect what you can do. The moving weight capacity of a Crosstrek is 176 pounds, according to Subaru Drive, so your roof rack and the contents included need to be less than that figure. 

Although a stock Subaru Crosstrek will not come with a roof rack, rather two roof rails, you can easily install one yourself. Here is some more information about roof racks and weight capacities for your Subaru Crosstrek! 

How Much Weight Can a Subaru Crosstrek Roof Rack Hold

What is Included in a Base Crosstrek? 

If you pull up to the Subaru lot and purchase a basic model of the Crosstrek, a roof rack will typically not be included. If you get an upgraded model, some dealerships will have the car outfitted with these types of add-ons. 

If your vehicle does not have a roof rack included, you will have to add your own. Thankfully, this is easily done due to the two roof rails installed on every model. These rails will be the fixture that keeps any rack you want in place and secure. So, you will probably need to take matters into your own hands. 

What Types of Roof Racks are there? 

There are a few types of roof racks on the market, and the type you buy should directly correlate with what your interests and uses are. 

At the base level, you may need the crossbars. Crossbars connect the roof rails. From here, you can add kayak racks, bike racks, and cargo holders. 

To see a more in-depth dive into the types of Crosstrek roof racks, check out this article.

The type of rack you have is based on your preferences and hobbies. You can have many different types to cater to any activity you would want to do. 

How Much Weight Can a Subaru Crosstrek Roof Rack Hold?

Oftentimes, your roof rack will have a higher rating than the car itself. Even if a rack can hold 300 pounds, you still have to keep in mind Crosstrek’s roof weight limit. So, the question is really about the vehicle’s limits rather than the rack themselves. 

Depending on what you are transporting, you may come nowhere near the weight capacity. For kayaks and bikes especially, you won’t have to worry too much about that capacity. 

An important designation made by Subaru Drive is the capacity change when the car is not moving. That weight capacity jumps to 700 pounds when the car is not moving. So, you can get a roof rack designed to hold a car tent and sleep there on camping trips. 

Tops Roof Rack Brands

There are a few brands that make top-of-the-line roof racks for your Crosstrek. One of the best is Thule. Thule roof racks and accessories dominate the market and are used by a lot of dealerships. Some of the premium packages will come with Thule racks already installed. 

Thule makes cross bars, cargo baskets, large cargo containers, and more. So, this is a good brand to go with. 

Another top brand is Rhino-Rack. They make racks for a ton of vehicles and cover all of the bases for the Crosstrek. This brand is a bit pricey, but the quality is there. 

Otherwise, you can find decent roof racks online and in automotive stores. The key is finding the right quality for your budget. Once this is accomplished, you are good to hit the road. 

Tips for Securing Items to a Roof Rack

Depending on the type of rack, there are a few ways to fully secure the rack itself and the contents thereof. 

Use straps 

Especially with kayaks and larger items, using straps is super important. There are connection points in the front and back to supply that leverage. 

Triple-check all rack connections

The last thing you need when hitting the highway is your rack coming loose and causing all sorts of issues. Always double and triple-check every connection to ensure safety and a firm setup. 

How Much Weight Can a Subaru Crosstrek Roof Rack Hold? Summary

We’ve had a look at how much weight a Subaru Crosstrek roof rack can hold. With this information, you can select the right type of roof rack for your needs, and also what is best for the kayak and gear you have.

When you’re hauling lots of gear and traveling far and wide on adventures, you want to take with you the very best equipment you might need.

Knowing how much weight you can transport helps you to effectively plan your trips and what you take.

We hope with this information, you now feel empowered to go out and set forth!

Need a kayak roof rack for your Crosstrek?

Click here for a review of the best kayak rack for Subaru Crosstrek.