Best Jeep Roof Racks: Boost Your Carrying Capacity

We’ve been off-roading for years, and we’ve been taking road trips for longer. Thanks, Mom and Dad. For this, we leaned on our experience with roof racks we’ve used in the past and recently, and then researched dozens of Jeep roof racks currently available for sale, and carefully parsed dozens of owner comments on each product. 

We weighed our experiences, as well as other owner assessments, and prioritized well-known, high-quality Jeep roof rack brands and owner reports that spoke to construction quality, ease of use, and durability. We didn’t skimp, either. We provided options for all price points and all folks. 

Everyone within the off-road and accessory world knows ARB’s name. It’s one of the most well-known, well-loved brands around, building reliable products that’ll handle just about anything you can throw at them. And the company makes everything from winches to lights to the subject of this buying guide, roof racks. 

ARB’s steel roof rack basket with mesh floor takes our top spot because it’s an all-in-one solution that has the right features for the right price and doesn’t skimp on specs. This specific model is built for the four-door Wrangler, and spans a whopping 87 L x 44 W x 7 H inches. It’ll also safely load up to 165 pounds of gear without issue. Stainless steel hardware comes with the rack and it mounts directly to the Jeep’s structure, so it isn’t going anywhere. 

What we really like about the ARB rack is that you can attach accessories like accessory lighting, axes, jacks, and more, and not loose any cargo space as they all attach to the sides. Further, the mesh floor makes it incredibly easy to throw gear up there without worrying about putting it into other boxes or storage containers. As for price, right now, it’ll set you back $1,010 from 4WheelParts, which isn’t bad at all. 

A bunch of The Drive’s editors have kids. What does that have to do with roof racks? Listen, kids are expensive and we can’t spend all our hard-earned money on outfitting our rigs. That’s where we search out good bargains, deals, and toys that’ll still do the job but won’t break the bank. Enter Arksen’s Universal Roof Rack. 

This roof rack is a great value choice for carrying extra bags, luggage, equipment, and camping gear, including a rooftop tent. If you’re searching for a Jeep roof rack that will fit essential items, this is an excellent choice. This rack is equipped with heavy-duty bottom metal bars for durability and safety. It’s built with a steel wind fairing that helps to reduce noise and wind resistance. Plus, its storage volume is large compared to some rival brands. It’s easy to assemble and has a rugged ridge to securely keep items in place.

And at the time of writing, you can pick up the Arksen for just $150, plus a $10 off coupon. Nice. However, you need to carefully load belongings onto the rack because uneven weight distribution can make items unstable, but that’s true about all racks.

Garvin’s Expedition roof rack is a truly burly thing. Made of heavy-duty 1-1/4" square tubing, the Expedition rack can support up to 600 pounds of static weight, and a dynamic load of up to 300 pounds, which is just crazy. Using The Drive’s patented Newfoundland scale, that’s two Newfies strapped to your roof while moving, and four while stationary. 

No drilling is required for installation, as this rack bolts up directly to factory locations, and was designed even to offer enough clearance as you could remove the factory hard or soft tops. It also spans the entire length of a four-door Jeep, measuring 54 W x 93.5 L by 4 H inches. That’s a lot of extra storage room for all sorts of adventures you could be having. There’s also an optional wind deflector available to offer some reduction of buffeting and better fuel economy. 

That said, it’s the priciest option on this list. At the time of writing, this rack costs an eye-watering $2,030 for the standard and Hemi-optioned Jeep Wranglers, and $2,130 for the Wrangler 4XE. That’s a healthy chunk of change, but nothing on this list beats the Garvin’s capabilities.

Front Runner is one of our favorite brands. Managing Editor Jonathon Klein swears by the outfit, which is owned by Dometic. He has both a Dometic cooler and Front Runner’s Wolf Pack Pro off-road storage boxes, which have survived continual abuse thanks to them being strapped to his Can-Am. 

The Extreme Slimline II roof rack kit, however, takes those attributes to the next level as this rack is ready for the apocalypse. With a three-point attachment system, including the front set mounting to your Jeep’s hood, this rack will stay secure no matter where you are or what trail or road you find yourself on. But don’t worry about installation, it’s made of lightweight, but heavy-duty T6 aluminum so you’re not going to break your back trying to lift it onto your Jeep.

The rack is rated for up to 600 pounds of static load, which makes it perfect for all your rooftop tent needs. And according to Front Runner, “Options available to add [are] expedition rails and additional slats to create [a] solid platform. Front Runner Roof Rack Kits include a Front Runner off-road rated all aluminum roof rack tray, wind deflector, and the vehicle specific mounting system.” All in an extremely slim package, which makes parking in your garage all the more easy. 

It isn’t cheap, though. At the time of writing, RealTruck has this listed at $2,249, which isn’t the most expensive roof rack we’ve seen for Jeeps, but it isn’t the cheapest either.

When you have disparate parts all across your rig, universality becomes an important feature on whatever else you’re adding. For instance, you might have Thule, Yakima, or factory roof crossbars. But how do those interact with a proposed rack? Well, if you get the N-Fab Universal roof rack, you’re golden from the get-go as, like its name suggests, it’s a universal part.

Made of durable steel, and able to work with every crossbar on the market, the N-Fab Universal roof rack can expand and contract between 24 and 41 inches in length to make installation easy. It also has built-in anchor points for securing cargo and gear, as well as a lifetime structural warranty. Max payload capacity is set at 180 pounds, which is more than enough for most weekend or road trips, and has integrated accessory spaces both front and rear for mounting accessory lighting. 

There are also two sizes, small and large, which denote width lengths of 34 inches or 38 inches. As for price, it’s on the lower end of the spectrum of this list, as at the time of writing, it’ll only set you back $799.

You can’t go wrong with any on this list, however, our top pick has to go to ARB’s Jeep roof rack offering. Its combination of price, features, and strength make it our best overall pick. But if you need other features, check out the rest. 

There are a variety of attachment options to consider before purchasing a new roof rack. Many vehicles, likely your Jeep, came from the factory with some sort of roof rail, but if they did not, there are still quite a few options out there to get you out on your next adventure. 

This type of roof mount is functional and looks stylish on top of a vehicle. This rail sits directly on the roof and provides a streamlined appearance. Plus, these racks sit lower, making them suitable for taller vehicles to travel through garages and height-restricted areas with no hassle.

A raised rail roof rack is popular standard equipment on station wagons, SUVs, and minivans. You can easily add adjustable crossbars or a roof basket, which means you have the flexibility to place your load where you want it on the roof.

These factory-added tracks run from the front to the back along the outer edges of your Jeep’s roof. The tracks run parallel to one another and allow you to add a crossbar system. This type of roof rack is versatile due to its flexible positioning which means you can adjust your roof rack to exactly where you need it.

This type of attachment allows you to secure a crossbar along the outer edge of the roof at two points on each side. Generally, the connection points are located under a removable panel or a flip-up panel, making them a subtle design. 

It’s a common misconception that you can’t mount anything to your vehicle without some type of rail. There are products that attach securely to the top of the window frame to allow you to mount a crossbar and give you some of the same capability of more permanent rail-mounted solutions.

This is possibly the most important feature of a roof rack as you’ll have to calculate how much equipment you’ll be carrying and its weight before making a purchase. The average rack can hold at least 80 pounds, but note whether it mentions static or dynamic weight. Static refers to the amount of weight the rack will hold while stationary (i.e. camping) and dynamic is the amount of weight it will hold while out on the road or trails. Also, carefully consider the shape and weight distribution of the items you plan to transport and make sure they will work with your new rack.

The rack should be made from durable, sturdy materials while remaining a light bar. The heavier the roof rack, the more weight it’ll add to your vehicle, which can increase fuel consumption. Look for materials such as aluminum, which is 30 percent lighter than steel but still provides exceptional strength and load-carrying capacity.

Once you’ve placed your equipment on the roof rack, you want it to remain still throughout the journey. Look into the different straps included (or not included) to prevent any accidents during your journey. The roof rack should be capable of securely holding items you plan to transport, such as a kayak, and be a suitable size and shape for your items.

They aren’t cheap, that’s for sure. Most good-quality Jeep roof racks will set you back between $800 and $2,200. 

You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.