Ski rack on pickup: why?

[The AD]

A couple days ago a saw a pickup with a ski rack mounted in the bed (or, technically, across the top of the bed on cross-bars, I guess). Am I missing something here? Why wouldn't you just put your skis in the bed?

[girlski0912]

I wonder about this everytime that I see a pick up with a rack on top. WHY? It does create more of a draft which in turn increases gas consumption, so that's a plus.

[denmeado]

You know I was just wondering the same thing this weekend....saw someone with that setup at A-Basin....maybe to leave room for other gear below?? Or so everyone knows you're going skiing!

[MrZach]

I've got a ski rack on top of the cab (along with two bike trays). It serves two purposes:
1) Lets me use the bed for hauling whatever
2) Security

[Toadman]

On the way up to Crystal I saw a p/u truck with a cargo box on a rack across the bed of his truck. I guess it adds versatility? Maybe his BMW 325xi was in the shop.

[Donkey Punch]

Leaves room for other gear, keeps things from sliding around getting banged up, including your truck bed (for all those pretty trucks that never get used). Plus over the bed looks sweet IMO.

[Eldo]

Why wouldn't you just put your skis in the bed?

Because you can lock your skis in a rack for when you leave your vehicle unattended on the way to or from the hill?

Had a buddy get his skis jacked from his pickup bed in the 30 seconds it took him to go inside and pay for gas. He figures someone in a truck next to him probably just reached over and moved the skis from one bed to the other, then drove off without filling up. So no license plate number to find the guy.

[lemon boy]

I much prefer the grand county style:

chevy 4x4 pickup truck with no bed and a rocket box mounted to the frame rails.

[The AD]

Because you can lock your skis in a rack for when you leave your vehicle unattended on the way to or from the hill?

That's a good reason. I never thought of that.

[montanagirl]

I much prefer the grand county style:

chevy 4x4 pickup truck with no bed and a rocket box mounted to the frame rails.

I know which truck this is- let me see if I can snap a photo over the next few days. This one is a classic and I know the owner has no plans to change this- is a classic. Dude know how to tune skis though, have to give him some slack because of that.

[PlayHarder]

Lockable is the biggest reason for me, like Eldo said stopping for coffee or gas is a big one and, since I usually head out with at least 2 pairs of skis, it gives me a place to leave the pair(s) I'm not skiing. Leaving the box itself free for other stuff is a pretty close 2nd and keeping multiple pairs of skis and bindings from getting banged around is a bonus.

[Arty50]

I wonder about this everytime that I see a pick up with a rack on top. WHY? It does create more of a draft which in turn increases gas consumption, so that's a plus.

[nerd]Are you sure about that? Mythbusters covered the whole tailgate gas consumption thing awhile back. Leaving the tailgate up actually produced better gas milage than putting the tailgate down.

Now, the rack might disrupt the vortex caused by having the tailgate up; but we'd have to test this out to see for sure.[/nerd]

[Jer]

I can see a rack on a cap on a pickup. That leaves the cap for all your other shit or truck camping or whatever. Plus you can use the rack for other things like canoes/kayaks/surfboards/flyrods. If I want to leave my skis in my truck, I just put them in the cab. I can jam like three pairs of 193's in there, plus a bunch of other shit.

[axebiker]

I had a rack on the bedrails of my 1993 Nissan pickup - mainly for security purposes. I usually always had at least three sets of skis when I went. It was also a standard cab (not extended), so there wasn't much room in it. It worked well.

[RobT]

First security for me. Second keep them from needing to be tied down, or falling off of my flat bed. Third out of the way of sheet goods and any other crap I want to put under them.

I have to take it off whenever I pull a gooseneck trailer though. I'm puting thule box over the cab and leaving the bed clear next winter.

Rob

[Adolf Allerbush]

First security for me. Second keep them from needing to be tied down, or falling off of my flat bed. Third out of the way of sheet goods and any other crap I want to put under them.

I have to take it off whenever I pull a gooseneck trailer though. I'm puting thule box over the cab and leaving the bed clear next winter.

Rob

So, if you didn't tie them down or have your rack on your P/U bed they'd fly out? i don't understand, do you not have a gate? I've driven pretty fast with skis in the back and they've never flown out.

[This End Up]

A couple days ago a saw a pickup with a ski rack mounted in the bed (or, technically, across the top of the bed on cross-bars, I guess). Am I missing something here? Why wouldn't you just put your skis in the bed?

Never understood that myself. I bought a rack for my SUV but never use it, I just cram everything inside, I never really ran out of room. For my new pickup I'm buying a lockable camper shell.

If someone is considering putting a rack on a pickup then I'd recommend taking a step back, coming to grips with the fact that you are more of a Subaru kinda person and less of a pickup kinda person (not that there is anything wrong with that) and sell the gas guzzling, politically incorrect pickup.

However, this is core:

no bed and a rocket box mounted to the frame rails

[RobT]

So, if you didn't tie them down or have your rack on your P/U bed they'd fly out? i don't understand, do you not have a gate? I've driven pretty fast with skis in the back and they've never flown out.

I have a flatbed as opposed to the traditional p/u bed, so no sides or tailgate. I can keep them on there, but I have to drive far more carefully than I prefer to. Use a Thule box on cross bars rigged to stake pockets to keep the skis safe.

Rob

[summit]

[nerd]Are you sure about that? Mythbusters covered the whole tailgate gas consumption thing awhile back. Leaving the tailgate up actually produced better gas milage than putting the tailgate down.

Now, the rack might disrupt the vortex caused by having the tailgate up; but we'd have to test this out to see for sure.[/nerd]

[nerd]Fd=0.5 * p * v^2 * Cd* A

The tailgate myth was about reducing Cd (drag coefficient) by reducing turbulent flow.

Putting a box on top of your car increases A (reference area) no questions asked.

Anyone with a box has observed the mileage difference. It is usually 1-4mpg depending on the setup and box.[/nerd]

If I had a truck, I'd have a box on it.

[The AD]

If someone is considering putting a rack on a pickup then I'd recommend taking a step back, coming to grips with the fact that you are more of a Subaru kinda person and less of a pickup kinda person

Unless it's a gun rack.

[lemon boy]

[nerd]Fd=0.5 * p * v^2 * Cd* A

The tailgate myth was about reducing Cd (drag coefficient) by reducing turbulent flow.

Putting a box on top of your car increases A (reference area) no questions asked.

Anyone with a box has observed the mileage difference. It is usually 1-4mpg depending on the setup and box.[/nerd]

If I had a truck, I'd have a box on it.

but what's not clear is if the rack on the bed as is being discussed would interfere with the bubble of air that causes the gate up to be superiorily aerodynamic or not.

Regardless, girlski, arty and you are all tremendous nerds.

[altagirl]

Bwa... Hahahaha. I want you to tell Mr.AG he should sell his truck because he's really a Subaru person.


Anyway, in addition to the reasons presented - that the pickup/rack across the bed system lets you lock your skis, keeps them from smacking into each other while driving around, and leaves bed space for other things...

My subarus were of no use in towing the enclosed motorcycle trailer. So we do actually need a truck.



We also run the bikes on racks on rails across the bed (just swap out which racks are on the rails depending on the season). This is ideal for fitting all our camp gear underneath and keeping the bikes secure while traveling. He's got a camper shell on his other truck and I think it's a pain in the ass. Sure you can lock stuff up, but fitting bikes and such in there is a pain, we'd never be able to haul as much gear and bikes camping, and if you had to haul something really big you're screwed...

And when you need to put something large in the bed with the rack system, you just unlock the rack, lift it off and that takes about 30 seconds to convert it back to a fully open bed. It's a pretty useful system, if you ask me. And I'm admittedly more of a Subaru person. (Though I sold the Suby for a Honda Element recently...)

[Danno]

Never understood that myself. I bought a rack for my SUV but never use it, I just cram everything inside, I never really ran out of room. For my new pickup I'm buying a lockable camper shell.

If someone is considering putting a rack on a pickup then I'd recommend taking a step back, coming to grips with the fact that you are more of a Subaru kinda person and less of a pickup kinda person (not that there is anything wrong with that) and sell the gas guzzling, politically incorrect pickup.

you = idiot

If you think that a lockable camper shell is secure, fell free to put all of your valuables back there, and trust that lock.

I have a thule rack on top of my shell, and a rocket box on that rack where my skis go. Not only does this actually keep my skis safe from theft (and not visible to prying eyes looking for something to steal) but also keeps the skis out of the way of my dog, who usually inhabits the back of my truck.

[BaltiHimal]

Oh boy, my first post, AD, seeing as you're in Seattle, you very well could have seen my Tundra with a rack set up in the bed. The reasons for this are the following: I have a cab-over camper (which negates the need for a topper), it got annoying putting spare skis in the cab when not in use (also, I was always worried I would trash the leather), and finally, as several have already mentioned, it allowed me to lock my stuff up.

[RootSkier]

If someone is considering putting a rack on a pickup then I'd recommend taking a step back, coming to grips with the fact that you are more of a Subaru kinda person and less of a pickup kinda person

You sir, are a fucking moron.

Try fitting four kayaks in the bed of your Tacoma, along with a long weekend's worth of drinking/camping gear, and then tell me that you wish you had a lesbo cruiser, you fucking dork.