Free Sample
The Complete Handbook of Vehicle Ski & Snowboard Rack Accessories
A practical reference for selecting, installing, maintaining, and profiting from ski and snowboard rack systems
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: Understanding Vehicle Ski & Snowboard Rack Accessories
When a driver straps a pair of skis to a roof rack and drives onto a highway, the forces acting on that rack system are far greater than most people assume. At 110 km/h (about 70 mph), the wind alone can exert a dynamic load of several dozen kilograms on a wide ski carrier. A sudden gust, a hard lane change, or a rough patch of pavement adds dynamic shock loads that can double or triple that figure. If the accessory is undersized, or mounted incorrectly, or matched poorly to the vehicle, the result is a bent bracket, a scratched roof panel, or a set of skis bouncing across the asphalt. This is the practical reality that separates a correct setup from a dangerous one.
Vehicle ski and snowboard rack accessories are the collective term for every component that holds, secures, protects, or positions skis or snowboards on the exterior of a motor vehicle. This includes the obvious items—ski racks, snowboard racks, and universal carriers—but it also includes the mounting hardware that attaches to the vehicle, the locking mechanisms, the aerodynamic fairings, the protective bags and covers, and the replacement parts like clamps and straps. Understanding this category requires understanding the entire system, not just the plastic tray you load your boards into.
The System Approach
Think of a rack installation as a chain of components, each with a specific job. The first link is the vehicle's roof itself, or its