Design

The design of this rack is sleek and simple. It’s made from extruded aluminum that makes it sharp and lightweight, and leaves a very small footprint on the roof of your car. It also lies flat, so that your car doesn’t gain any extra height on long car rides.

Capacity

This ski rack can hold an impressive amount of ski gear. It is able to hold six pairs of skis, or four snow boards. It is even able to accommodate skis that are in carrying bags.

Ease of Use

Where this product really shines is how easy it is to use. It works like a chip clip. It opens at one end, and you place your skis or snowboards into place. Once properly adjusted, you simply close the clip down and lock it. Retrieving your skis is easy as pie, and it can conveniently be done with your hands bundled in mittens.

Versatility

The design of this rack is so simple, but it can accommodate more than just traditional skis. It is also able to hold ski poles, snowboards, Nordic, and Alpine skis, as well as water skis. Basically, any type of gear that is long and flat can fit into this ski rack comfortably.

Price

Thule makes some of the best racks on the market, and the price reflects this. This ski rack runs a little on the expensive side, but you know that you are getting the best rack on the market.

Overall Weight

There will be absolutely no problems with installing this rack, it weights in at approximately 7.6 pounds. The light weight rack will make it a snap to install.

Summary

If you are in the market for a new ski rack that is easy to install, versatile enough to hold various types of winter gear, and will save you some space in the trunk of your car, this ski rack hits the bulls-eye on all of those requirements.

You may be paying a little bit more than some of the more affordable options, but that price comes with the comfort of knowing that your ski gear and your car is safe and protected, while you travel to your destination.

Design

Right out of the box, this rack looks sturdy and rugged. It is a solid black that will look great against any color of car, and the soft rubber grips will keep your gear safe and secure. It has the brand Rhino-Rack printed in white letters along the side, and has a lock and key for superior security.

Capacity

The 576 Ski Carrier is able to transport up to six pairs of skis securely, and up to four snowboards. As stated above, there are other size options available for a lower price that accommodate two, three, and four pairs of skis.

Ease of Use

If you love skiing in extreme weather, you won’t have to worry about spending any extra time fiddling with loading and unloading your gear in the middle of a blizzard. This rack is so easy to unload that you will be able to do it without even taking off your gloves. It has an arm that rises up, and users can place all of their gear on the soft rubber grips. Once your gear is in place, you simply lower the arm until it clicks, and then secure it with a lock and key.

Versatility

The design of this rack makes it perfect to carry other gear that isn’t just skis. The Rhino-Rack ski carrier is also great for holding fishing poles, water skis, and paddles.

Price

Rhino-Rack is one of the most trusted brands on the market for quality products, so it is no wonder that it is one of the more expensive ski racks on the market. It you wanted a brand name rack that is made from the highest quality materials and comes with an impressive five year warranty, then this rack is well worth the slightly padded price tag.

Overall Weight

The weight of this rack weighs in at just over 10 pounds, making it incredibly easy to mount to the roof of your car. It comes with all of the necessary hardware and tools to securely affix it to the factory crossbars on your car.

Summary

If you are in the market for a great ski rack that comes with a five year warranty and is from a company that is well known in the ski rack market, this is a perfect purchase. It hits all of the marks of what a skier would want in a ski rack.

Design

The design of this rack is significantly more narrow and thin than most of the other ski racks on the market, bolstering fuel efficiency for those long car rides to the mountains. It comes in a sleek silver with black accents, and has thick rubber padding to ensure that skis do not slide around or become scratched when you are reaching your top speeds on the highway.

Capacity

This rack can comfortably hold six sets of skis, and four snowboards.

Ease of use

This ski rack is so easy to use that users can load and unload their skis without even taking off their mittens. Users simply press the release button to lift up the arms and place all of their equipment on the soft rubber grips. Once the gear is set into place, all you have to do is lower the bar down until it clicks, and then lock the gear into place to ensure that it stays put.

Versatility

This is a great model for not only ski, but also many other types of gear. In the warmer months, it’s the perfect rack to tote your fishing poles, paddles, or water skis.

Price

The bad news is that this rack is one of the most expensive racks that is currently on the market, and the most expensive rack to make this list. However, if you are looking for a ski rack that is made from a trusted company and composed of the best materials, it is well worth the padded price tag.

Overall Weight

The total weight of both racks equals approximately 14 pounds. This means that it will be a snap to climb up to the roof of your car to install these. All of the required hardware and tools are provided to make mounting these rack to the factory crossbars of your car simple and easy.

Summary

If buying a name brand rack is something that is important to you, than you need to look no further than the Thule SnowPack Ski Carrier. Is is thinner and more sleek than many of the other racks, and it is designed with skiers looking to travel long distances to get to the mountains in mind.

Design

The design of this ski rack is similar to the Thule rack. It attaches to the factory crossbars of most models of cars. It sports a thinner and lower profile that helps fuel performance on long car rides. On the inside of this rack is a soft rubber padding to ensure your skis stay protected and will not slip around while driving on bumpy winter roads.

Capacity

The Inno Gravity Snow Rack can hold an impressive six pairs of skis. It also has the capability of holding skis that are in a carrying bag. Additionally, this rack can hold up to four snowboards.

Ease of use:

This rack is so simple to load and upload, you can do it with your mittens on. It opens up like a chip clip, and while open you lay your gear on top. Once it is all in place, you simply close the clip, lock it, and hit the road. Once you arrive at your destination, simply unlock the rack, open it up and remove your skis.

Versatility

The simple design makes it versatile enough to hold a myriad of outdoor gear, In addition to snow skis, this rack can also carry snowboards, ski poles, and waterskis.

Price

The price of this rack is a little bit more expensive than some of the more affordable options out there. However, the ease of use and the reliability of this rack will be well worth the slightly padded price tag.

Overall Weight

The weight of this rack makes it a cinch to install. Weighting in at approximately 10 pounds, you will not be breaking your back installing this mount on the crossbars of your car.

Summary

Less time fiddling with loading up your gear means more time on the mountain. The Inno Gravity Rack ensures that you will not be wasting any additional time loading up your skis on this simple and well designed rack.

Design

The design of this rack is quite similar to many of the more expensive models on the market. It sports the sleek and narrow design that improves gas mileage. It is made from lightweight and durable aluminum, making it easy to install, as well as load and unload. It also has a thicker rubber grip to protect skis from sliding around and becoming scratched or damaged.

Capacity

This set of racks is able to hold up to six pairs of skis, either in carrying bags or not in carrying bags, and can also hold up to four snowboards.

Ease of Use

The chip clip design of this ski rack makes it so easy to use that you can do it with your gloves on. Simply unlock the lock, lift up the arm, and set your gear on top of the rubber grips. After you gear is securely in place, close the arm and lock the lock- and now you are ready to hit the road.

Versatility

This rack is able to hold not only skis, but other types of outdoor gear as well. It is a great way to transport water skis, snowboards, fishing poles, paddles, and ski poles.

Price

What makes this rack great is how affordable it is. It is one of the most affordable racks to make this list. If you are looking to buy a new ski rack, but don’t want to spend the price of some of the more recognized brands, this is an excellent purchase.

Overall Weight

This rack weighs in at a little over 8 pounds, making it easy to install on the most factory crossbars on your car or SUV.

Summary

If you are in the market for a ski rack to free up some trunk space on your next weekend getaway, this is a great option. It hits all of the marks of what makes an effective ski rack, and comes in at a slightly lower price point.

Design

The all black model of this rack is sure to look great with any color of car, and the narrow design will promote fuel efficiency on those long car rides. The deep rubber cushioning provides great protection to your skis, and will prevent them from slipping around on bumpy and weathered winter roads.

Capacity:

This model is capable of holding up to six sets of skis comfortably, and it can also hold up to four snowboards.

Ease of Use

This is so simple to use that you can load and unload your skis in the middle of a snowstorm without so much as taking off your mittens. After installing the unit on the factory crossbars of your car, simply lift up both of the arms and set all of you gear on top of the soft, padded rubber. Once all of you gear is where you want it, close the arms down and securely lock each mechanism, and hit the road.

Versatility

The way that this rack is designed makes it perfect for transporting not only skis, but other outdoor gear such as snowboards, fishing poles, paddles, and ski poles.

Price

These aren’t the least expensive ski racks on the market, but they are not as expensive as some of the top brands. If you are looking to spend a little extra money for a great ski rack, but are unwilling to pay top dollar, these are an excellent choice.

Overall Weight

These racks weigh approximately seven pounds, making them incredibly easy to install on the factory cross bars on the roof of your car. Once the bars are in place, you simple have to screw them tightly together using the tools that are included with purchase.

Summary

If you are in the market for a ski rack that is easy to load and is solid and dependable, no matter how fast you travel down the highway, the SportRack Groomer Ski & Snowboard Rack is an excellent choice. It hits all of the marks of what a skier would want in a rack, but without completely breaking the bank.

Design

The narrow design of this rack makes it ideal for bolstering fuel efficiency on long road trips to the mountains. The soft rubber grips mean that you can load up your skis and snowboards without worrying about them becoming scratched for sliding around while you gain tops speeds traveling down the highway.

Capacity

This rack isn’t capable of holding as many skis as many of the other racks on the market. It can comfortable hold four sets of skis and three adult snowboards.

Ease of use

These racks are so easy to use that you can load and upload all of your equipment without even taking off your mittens. They are designed like a chip clip, and have arms that raise to load up gear. Once you have placed all of your gear on the soft rubber arms, you simply close the arm back down, lock it in place, jump into your car and hit the road.

Versatility

The design of this rack is simple enough that it can be used for a myriad of gear, not just skis. Users have used this rack for carting snowboards, paddles, fishing poles, and water skis. The soft rubber grips keep even the thinnest of gear securely in place.

Price

These aren’t the most expensive racks on the list, but they are not the least expensive. They run right in the middle of the road in terms of price, but they are certainly one of the more affordable options available on the market that sport this superior design.

Overall Weight

The weight of these racks weigh in at approximately 15 pounds. They are a little bit more heavy from some of the other models but they are not heavy enough that they would hinder the ease of installation.

Summary

If you are in the market for a ski rack that is versatile enough to carry most of your outdoor gear for you and you friends and family, and you aren’t willing to pay top dollar for some of the name brand models, this is an excellent choice to suit all of your traveling needs. The less time that you spend loading up your gear means more time left spent enjoying the great outdoors.

Design

The design of this rack is simple and sleek. It comes in all black with sharp red details with the Yakima logo on the side. The inside is lined with soft and durable rubber to ensure that your expensive skis do not get scuffed or scratched when traveling through bumpy winter roads.

Capacity

Unlike some of the other racks out there, this rack is only capable of comfortably supporting four pairs of skis or two snowboards, meaning you will have more room in the back seat of your car to bring more friends along with you on your weekend ski trip to the mountains.

Ease of Use

With just a flick of a button and a twist of a lock, you are ready to go. To load up your skis, all you will have to do is raise the arm and set your gear onto the study rubber grip. Once all of your gear is loaded, simply clamp down the arms until they snap, and then lock it with the key that is included, and you are ready to hit the road.

Versatility

If you also partake in summertime activities, this ski rack will be the perfect addition to help keep your car open and dry. It is capable of carrying fishing poles, paddles, and water skis for all of your summertime adventures.

Price

The price of this unit is not ideal as it’s one of the most expensive ski racks to grace this list. However, Yakima is a brand that stands by its products, so if you are looking for a ski rack that will last you for years, it is well worth the higher cost.

Overall Weight

Installing this unit is a cinch, since both bars weigh in at just over 11 pounds. This makes it simple to climb up onto the roof of your car and secure the racks with the hardware that is included with purchase.

Summary

If you are in the market for a really great ski rack that comes from a company that has been specializing in outdoor gear for years, the Yakima FatCat rack will be the perfect addition for all of your weekend getaways to the mountains.

Design

When fully inflated, it sits flush against the top of your car. It is only available in black, and has a low profile when fully inflated. The great thing about this rack is that when it is not in use, it can easily be unbuckled, rolled up, and placed in a compact carrying bag that you can store in the trunk of your car when you need it.

Capacity

This rack can support an impressive 180 pounds of gear without scratching or scuffing your gear or your car. It is designed to fit three sets of skis, but used have found that with a little fiddling that it can hold four sets of skis.

Ease of Use

Where this rack really shines is how easy it is to use. It you can buckle a seat belt and use an air pump, then you have all the skill that you need to use this ski rack. To install it, you simply run the straps along the inside of your car (you will have to roll down the windows a bit to accommodate this) and buckle the straps so that they are secure. Then, use the air pump to fill the rack with air, and strap your gear to the top of the rack using the appropriate straps.

Versatility

Another great feature of this ski rack is how versatile it is. Not only can it hold skis, but it can also hold fishing poles, surfboards, paddles, snowboards, and water skis.

Price:

Simply put, this is one of the most affordable ski racks to make this list. In fact, it costs about half of what the average rack sells for currently. If you are looking to save a little money in order to spend a few more days on the slopes, this rack is an excellent choice given its low price point.

Overall Weight

Weighing in at a little over five pounds, this rack is not only lightweight, but its weight also makes it a cinch to install.

Summary

If you don’t have factory crossbars and you have no interest in buying additional gear that has to be affixed to your car, this is a great option. It’s simple and easy to use, it folds up after you are done. so that you don’t have to contend with awkward crossbars on the roof of your tiny hybrid. And most importantly, its affordable.

Design

The design of this mount is simple and easy. It juts out from the car a bit, perhaps, about the same distance as a rear-loading bike rack. It does have a little bit of a more clunky design than some of the other models that affix seamlessly to the roof, but it makes up for inferior design and appeal with its ease of use.

Capacity

This rack can hold up to six pairs of skis or four snowboards comfortably, and without the need to lift them over your head and onto the roof of your car.

Ease of use

Loading these skis onto the back of your car is simple and easy, and because they will always be in your rear view mirror there will never be the surprise that something flung off the top of the car without you knowing mid-trip. Simply load your skis onto the clamps, and then secure them down by locking them with a key. Its loads similarly to the models that load on top of the roof, only these run vertically to the ground along the back of your car.

Versatility

This unit is just as versatile as those that load from the roof. It is able to support skis, snowboards and poles in the winter time, and in the summer you can load it up with paddles, fishing poles, and water skis.

Price

The price of this model is one of the more expensive units to make this list. However, if you are someone who doesn't want to bother with climbing on top of your car to load and unload gear, than this price may not be an issue for you.

Overall Weight

Installation may be a little bit awkward due to the weight of this unit. It weighs approximately 21 pounds, making it one of the more heavy models that is on the market.

Summary

If you don’t want to spend the money on a ski rack that affixes to the roof of your car, and ideally would like a rack that resembles a rear-loading bike rack, then this is an excellent option to meet your specific needs.