How to Choose the Perfect Rivian Roof Rack for Your Adventure Needs

Your long-awaited road trip is finally here! After planning the adventure for months, you can’t wait to hit the rugged terrains and cruise across the backcountry while marveling at nature’s splendor.

But as you pack your Rivian truck or SUV, you soon realize that the available space won’t accommodate all your travel essentials. Like any road tripper in a similar situation, you’re held in a tight dilemma you didn’t anticipate.

You reckon that you could sacrifice a few travel items and purchase them in your destination. But what if you didn’t budget for such unforeseen expenses?

Well, roof racks were engineered specially for such circumstances. With a roof rack on your Rivian, there’s no limit to the amount of luggage you can bring on a trip.

The trick is to select a platform that suits your traveling needs. And to help with that, we’ve prepared a rundown of the five critical aspects to consider when scouting for a Rivian roof rack.

1. Vehicle Model

This is the biggest consideration while shopping for a Rivian roof rack.

A quick search through your town may turn up several roof rack dealerships. However, insist on a Rivian roof rack designed exclusively for your vehicle’s model.

This is particularly important, considering that Rivian manufactures both pickup trucks and SUVs.

A roof rack modeled for the R1T pickup truck may not suit your R1S SUV.

2. Rack Style and Design

Roof racks come in various designs, depending primarily on their ease of mounting and dismounting. Popular ones include;

Roof Rails

Roof rails are the most common roof rack style in SUVs and crossovers.

In this roofing system, you preinstall long bars longitudinally on your Rivian’s roof and then attach the rack’s other components.

Roof rails are highly versatile, making them ideal for rich itineraries. However, they can minimize your aerodynamic drag if improperly loaded.

Raised Rail Systems

Like roof rails, raised rail systems involve pre-installing your Rivian with longitudinal bars.

The difference is that the bars are considerably raised rather than settling on the vehicle’s roof.

Raised rail systems protect your vehicle’s roof by providing clearance between the cargo and the roof’s surface. However, this roof rack design may raise your Rivian’s CoG and hamper its maneuverability.

Flush-/Fixed-Point Design

Flush-point roof racks are the most customized of all roof rack designs.

These racks feature clear markings alongside their lengths, allowing for quick installation.

They also sport a lower profile and streamlined construction, making them excellent for dealing with aerodynamic drag.

3. Rack Size

A roof rack’s size mostly denotes its height, although it may also take into account other geometric aspects. Even after finding a roof rack modelled after your Rivian truck or SUV, you may still have to choose from different heights.

High-profile roof racks appeal for their spaciousness. Such racks are particularly suitable for holding taller road trip essentials that must be transported upright, like bicycles and some jerry cans. Taller roof racks also provide extra protection to your roof by deflecting falling debris or low-hanging tree branches.

On the flip side, a taller roof rack can reduce your Rivian’s center of gravity (CoG), impacting its stability. High-profile racks may also impede your access to low parking lots and garages. Depending on how high up the platform is loaded, you may be unable to drive through low-hanging bridges and tunnels, too.

Unless you must transport certain items upright, it’s best to stick to flatter roof racks.

A low-profile roof rack improves your vehicle’s stability by lowering its CoG. Besides, smaller racks handle aerodynamic drag incredibly well, especially if equipped with other wind deflectors.

4. Weight Capacity

Before installing a roof rack on your Rivian, you’ll need to establish the vehicle’s payload and towing capacity. The former mostly applies to trucks, while the latter is critical for trucks and SUVs.

Since you’re planning a road adventure, place more emphasis on the payload capacity of your specific Rivian model.

The R1S SUV has a maximum payload of 1764 pounds. A bulky roof rack would significantly diminish the vehicle’s payload, while a very light rack may crumble under heavy gear.

More importantly, focus on the dynamic rather than static weight limit while shopping for a Rivian roof rack.

5. Durability and Weather Resistance

A roof rack can last years without requiring significant repairs or total replacements. It all depends on the framework’s construction materials.

Steel and aluminum are the gold standard for contemporary roof racks.

Steel is stronger but bulkier. While racks made from this material may safely bear heavy loads, they can reduce your vehicle’s payload significantly.

Many roof rack manufacturers are gravitating toward aluminum for its higher strength-to-weight ratio. The material can be up to 30% lighter but less robust than steel.

Whichever option you prefer, ensure it’s treated adequately for maximum weather resistance. Aim for stainless or galvanized steel, or anodized aluminum. Both materials should also be painted to enhance their resistance against rust and corrosion.

Wrap Up

Outfitting your Rivian with a roof rack is a proactive way to extend the vehicle’s storage space ahead of an adventurous road trip. But while there are plenty of options, insist on a rack engineered after your vehicle’s make.

Size, weather resistance, and aerodynamics are equally important while shopping for a Rivian roof rack. If possible, drive your vehicle to a roof rack dealership and test the framework before ordering it.