thule
We’ve used a thule rack and thule stacker on Massachusetts’ and Maine’s salty roads for at least 10 years with no problems. The bars have no corrosion, even at the ends where our plastic endcaps have long ago fallen off. (The bars appear to be galvanized under the plastic sheathing). Our thule box has also survived 3 years of constant use without showing any wear or corrosion. The locks work as well as they ever did.
Yakima user
– Last Updated: Mar-26-10 10:28 AM EST –
I've been using Yakima products for about 12 years. I still have and use the hulley rollers.
I gave my original bars to my son, we just needed to buy new clips and it fit rock solid on his 95 Buick Skylark. I had used them on a a 92 Buick Regal, then a 92 Olds 98. Once I got my Vue in 02, I didn't need the bars. But were used on my son's car. I then gave my son my Vue, took the crossbars off the Skylark and gave them to my son in law, he's got a Malibu. He paddleboards.
Last summer I got a Rav4, and bought new bars, low riders and saddles for the front that clip to the factory rack, two sets of hully rollers (12 years old) on the back bar. Saddles and bars have locks.
Yakima's products have proven to me that they are of high quality, robust and durable. Also, a round bar is inherently stronger than a square bar.
I can carry two boats, typically an 18 foot kayak or a surf ski. Have gone on many long drive trips and my racks have been rock solid.
Nate, thanks very much! (nm)
I don’t often drive in NJ, so …
– Last Updated: Mar-26-10 11:31 AM EST –
Andy, I do not doubt your experiences, but are your NJ roads heavily salted in winter?
If so, do you run with your racks in the winter?
Salt is the deicer of choice in my area of Central Upstate NY. Road crews hit every road with the stuff, from the interstates to my city street. If we get any snow/ice, even a threat of either, they are going to put salt down, everywhere!
The salt not only attacks roof racks, but it can do a pretty impressive job on your car too! :-(
I’ve got three sets of bars, one going
back to 1990. The oldest bars do rust. However, it has not been a problem because the vinyl sheath limits the reach of the water. Our cars are usually parked in a carport where they have a chance to dry out.
My last two sets of Yakima cross bars
– Last Updated: Mar-26-10 11:24 AM EST –
have been armored with the plastic or vinyl sheathing. It has not made an appreciable difference in corrosion resistance.
Again the issue is the heavy salting of Upstate, NY roads in the winter.
It looks like you hail from Georgia. To the best of my knowledge they don't use much/any salt there as a deicer.
Oh Yeah!
Our NJ roads are heavily salted. And I do keep my racks on all winter, just in case an opportunity arises. I always get my car washed after a salt episode, more for the car than the racks, but the rack gets washed too.
Andy
NJ Yakima Holder
I live in New Jersey by the beach, and there is a good amount of salt in the air at times and salt water coming off boats from paddling. The roads are treated with salt and/or sand in the winter(particularly large amount after a much heavier than usual snowfall this year).
As an owner of a Yakima rack and Thule J-cradles, I’ve had no complaints or problems with rust, corrosion, or locks being stuck. I can say that I ordered 2 lock keys from Yakima after I bought the racks, and their sales staff was competent and friendly.
In the spring-late fall months I leave the rack on my car permanently, and simply rinse with fresh water after paddling in the ocean or any salt water body. For the winter, I store my rack in the garage and put it on my car the day of a planned trip with my ski-coffin. I’ve never noticed build up or problems bringing it in during the winter, and have never made any special effort to get road salt off during winter months.
I think ultimately the two rack companies are similar enough that you should just see what you can get the better value on, and what looks more natural on your personal vehicle.
The washing maybe the answer to
– Last Updated: Mar-26-10 12:03 PM EST –
your Yakima rack's longevity. If I washed my vehicle everyday our local road crews put salt down this past winter it would have been 3-4 times per week.
Actually I would have to wash my car nearly everyday.
To clarify, so much salt is used on our roads that they actually appear 'white' throughout the winter. Even if it only rains on a given winter day, there is so much dissolved salt on the road surface that it easily get kicked up onto passing vehicles.
The roads stay this way until we have several heavy rains in the late winter or early spring. We still have some local roads with appreciable residual dissolved salt on them. As I said, they do not mess around here when it comes to deicing.
As far as washing goes, my vehicle is normally parked outside, so repeated applications of water to it in the winter time would not lead to a positive outcome either.
I didn’t mention anything about Florida
I live in the NC mountains.
I paddle mostly fresh water all summer long and I do paddle salt water during four winter months in Florida
cheers,
jackL
No problems with my Thule.
Haven’t used Yakima.
I have a Yakima
I had one major problem early on and only a minor complaint since.
The major problem was a cradle Yakima made called a Mako saddle. It did major damage to one of my glass kayaks. Yakima made good on repairs without a fight which is a lot more than I can say for the dealer, Jersey Paddler.
The minor complaint is that some of the end caps for the cross bars are loose fitting. I have two sets of bars. This has led to water intrusion and rust.
Still, all in all a great rack system that has made many trips up and down the east coast. Especially good for hauling canoes. In fact, this weekend the rack will carry a Mad River Explorer 16 RX 1300 miles to Florida. I have more faith in the rack than I do in the SUV under it.
Settled on Yakima
Thanks folks…
I went with the Yakima. I purchased through RackAttack.com and must say I am very pleased with the service. Also there was no charge for shipping which was a big deal as the size and weight of the package was big.
Decker
I’ve decided to go the Thule route this
time around, based on my own experiences and several comments made here. As I stated above Yakima locks, cross bars (the ends) and tower components are not proven terribly corrosion resistant in our Upstate NY winter environment.
I am going to try Thule this time around. I’ll let you know how that works out in the next 3-4 years. 
I
have a 2006 Mazda 6 and getting either brand to work correctly is difficult. The slope of the rear makes it a pain to get the bars square and with the proper distance between them. Bought a Yakima set and made 4 trips with them and all required stops to snap a tower back into place…scary that they pull out of the clamp area! The Mazda sedan is not the ideal hauler with regards to getting good spacing according to Yakima tech I spoke to. What I don’t like about Yakima: cheesy locks that anyone with a large screwdriver or similar can break and way too soft of rubber/plastic coating on the bars which are easily gouged and will probably rust. I now use this cheapee set that at least will NOT move around in wind, but I keep my speed down to 55 most times with 2 up…not ideal, but works IF tied down securely. Actually looking for a Dodge/Chrysler van for my business needs as they make excellent haulers (and campers too). http://www.discountramps.com/roof-rails.htm
They also carry many other vehicle racks.
Thule vs Yakima
Two foreign owned companies with extremely similiar over priced products. Not to much to get all excited about here.