Roof Rack Comparison! Prinsu vs upTOP Overland vs Gobi for Your Tacoma or 4Runner

In this video, we compare three roof racks. The racks compared in this video are the Prinsu, upTOP Overland, and the Gobi.

Prinsu Roof Rack:

upTOP Overland:

Heretic 40" Light Bar:

Krazy Beaver Shovel:

Quick Fist:

Maxtrax:

Baja Designs LP4:

R4T Rock Light:

R4T Rock Light Pod:

[seandalejackson]

You sold me on UpTop Overland! These vids help my friend!

[fishtacoma]

Terrific video! Thanks for making this. The Prinsu vs UpTop comparison was super useful

EDIT: Fun fact, the UpTop Overland rack is actually a couple inches wider than the Prinsu, allowing use of all available real estate up there. The Prinsu rack stops at the black trim piece whereas the UpTop rack almost overhands over the cab sides

EDIT2: I realized that was actually covered in the video later on lol

[LionRunner]

Love to see more videos on 4Runner lifts options please. Love to see what lifts have best onroad comfort. Also love to hear more about 4Runner KDSS as there is lot of conflicting info out there about max lift height?, any limitations with wheel articulation after lift?, KDSS spacers, KDSS track bar, how to avoid KDSS lean, etc.. Do's and Don't with KDSS. Last time you talk about it little bit but love to see a detailed video on the topic.Especially on the part where it was mentioned you loose down travel when lifted KDSS vs another Youtuber (Tinkerer's Adventure) says KDSS front has more down travel even after lift, so conflicting info on KDSS. After fixing the KDSS bracket hitting track bar do we have more down travel in rear with KDSS? Comparison video would be soo awesome.

[alexvonl]

The reason for the wind cap at the front of the modular roof racks (Prinsu, Overland etc.) is to reduce the sound generated at speed, since all the components are rectangular and thus not aerodynamic. The Gobi rack does not need that item to mitigate sound, it is merely cosmetic (probably a nod to the modular roof rack low profile trend). Great video and specificity in your vehicles, it looks like all those racks are geared for top mounted tents. Thanks R4T!

[davidf]

I know you can’t have every rack to compare, but I love my Sherpa (which, like the Prinsu you love, also follows the contour of the front/has a wind-guard, etc). Just another to consider, and made in CO!

[ltribley]

A few months later -

Is wind noise, whistling, and resonate frequency vibration the "Achilles heel" of overland roof racks?

I'm new to Overland racks having used the traditional bar racks to haul my kayaks, and other items for years. Remember those basket accessories to hold your gear? Outside of "dealer" reviews who spend time on installation and features few discuss noise issues. But in the user community there is a fair amount of discussion of noise, whistling, and vibration issues with their racks irrespective of manufacturer.

In several cases I've seen users removing their racks because the constant noise issues are irritating since most of us use our Tacoma's as our daily drivers. Actual overland use or other recreational uses are limited to our employer's vacation benefits and weekends so statistically the annual use is pretty low. Traditional top end bar racks such as Yakima or Thule we remove when not in use.

I wish "manufactures" would spend more time on noise issues, go out on the road and as best as possible apply a set of comparable tests across all the racks and provide customers with reliable "noise measurements" for their designs.

The suppression of noise should be an important criterion in rack recommendation. I'm sure if measurements were published racks with the least amount of noise would sell better since design and feature variations are minimal and all the respected manufactures racks will do the same job in handling, securing your load.

As a consumer, other than some design details most of the racks are pretty much clones.

The Prinsu design seems to be the only one that's been adapted to the shape of the Tacoma. While the design is more esthetically pleasing does it reduce noise more effectively than others? One person removed theirs because of noise issue. Use of a rubber gasket would seem to reduce noise but is constantly rubbing - moving (even though by touch it appears not) against the paint surface collecting dust, dirt, fine particles which will affect the finish over time.

We need a "system" to measure noise. Solutions. For example, some wrap paracord to help remove resonate vibrations. Some have replaced the manufactures deflector with their own designs, added "wings", etc.

And most importantly, we need manufactures to do some "real" noise testing as part of their design and development. Such data should be published as a specification and used to market their racks and accessories.

Time to be a little more creative and apply some "aeronautics" into their designs to reduce noise and wind drag and improve efficiency. Remember most of the time we are driving with an empty rack.

If the declining economy and energy shortages still allows Overland and other recreational uses to pick up (it's debatable), competition will grow as the market over-saturates and some of the "players" will be forced out of business.

One aside. Rack manufactures seem to be focused on marketing their racks (roof and bed) within the constraints of the "overland community" when in fact overlanding is restricted to a relatively small part of the US and other countries with a relatively small consumer footprint compared to other general use recreational pursuits.

Let's try marketing to a wider audience base, the general recreational user. Few families can afford the major equipment investments and will continue to "recreate" on a small budget. It will improve cash flow and could be the difference in survivability.

Time for some creativity and innovation for the rest of us.

[AFGixxeR]

I’d be curious to see prinsu vs sherpa

[michaelroback]

Thank you so much for the video. The more I watch it, the more I want them all lol. Leaning towards the Prinsu Rack.

[hunter_pauley]

Team Sherpa all the way.

The UpTop was quite noisy for me.

[InGratitudeIam]

The feet of a roof rack are the most critical component. You really need at least 4 per side to handle dynamic loads. Downward force is a minor issue when compared to the side forces generated when a vehicle sways from side to side on a trail or lousy road. Always add at least one extra set of feet regardless of the brand. Those forces need to be spread out.

[waxifari]

Damn, Hugo poached!?!? Respect to R4T. Hope he did well in the move, he deserves it.

[dylantodd]

Glad I found this channel- I've been trying to compare these racks for the Lexus GX470

[chrisridebike]

I thought you guys sell Sherpa also. Why didn’t you include it?

[jasonvo]

Great video, like your set up . My set up is prinsu roof rack with 10 led same your 3rd tacoma, maybe in the future I would like to change my set up to alpha roof rack, alpha ex and up top overland bed rack. I wish I can up load my picture but the site don't have this option.

[dachirunner]

If you only care for the look, go with the prinsu or west Scott design; if you consider the quality, durability and heavy duty usage as top priority, then go with Southern Style off-road or Sherpa

[ryangoldtooth]

Great video! I have an UpTop Bravo roof rack for my 3rd Gen Tacoma. I noticed that the load bars are not adjustable (sliding front to back). I recently bought the new ROAM 83L case mounts and it does not work well with the UpTop roof rack. Something UpTop should consider changing. I may have to make another mount to make it work. I'm trying to avoid drilling holes in my ROAM case.

[norcalsrt]

U guys need to make the website easier to navigate and find things it's a pain in the ass to browse through it. I wanted to check out your light pods for the rack but they don't show up just the light itself shows up

[the_bearded_firefighter]

Awesome video! But gotta throw up the frontrunner rack lol

[turtlerico]

So which ones won’t get rusty after a year of having it on

[weatherornotsubaru]

I like the UpTOP, but they don't make it for my vehicle (2023 Subaru Ascent). Prinsu does though, so that's what we are going with. Hard to go wrong really it seems. Wish there were more options in general for the Subaru Ascent though.