How to Choose Roof Rack or Bed Bars for Overlanding

Whether you’re headed to Yosemite, Yellowstone, or the Rocky Mountain High, don’t short site your trip.  Planning ahead and knowing what to pack, and what to install on your truck is important to know ahead of a major trip.

Let’s say you’re planning on hunting, one of my customers called this morning and told me about his favorite hobby (more of a lifestyle) that he does with man’s best friend - competition duck hunting and fetching. He’ll take the shot and his trained dog will retrieve it. There are hundreds of people and retrieving companions at these events! With so many dogs around, it’s tempting for them to run and play.

Best (HMOR) 3 Set Truck Bed Bar Rack System

He told me he plans on using his newly purchased Heavy Metal Off-Road (HMOR) 3 Set Bed Bar Rack System equipped with the dog leash mounting bracket to secure his dog in the bed of the truck. A properly lengthened leash and body harness setup will keep her safe inside the bed, without having to keep her in an uncomfortable kennel all day. AND, they can sleep comfortably at night in their new roof top tent secured to the bed bars. The dual HMOR mounting plates on one side will secure fresh water and supplies for them, while the light mounts allow a pair of LED Pods to light up their nightly endeavors. It’s overlanding, camping and hunting all in one, and it’s excellent planning!

What to look for in Capacity and Load Rating for Truck Bars for the Bed

No matter what truck you drive, whether a Tacoma, Jeep Gladiator, or Frontier, when it comes to weight capacity, it’s very important to choose the proper product that meets your expected usage and needs. There are two distinct load ratings you need to consider: static and dynamic. Static load rating is parked weight on flat ground. Dynamic load rating is while the vehicle is in motion. Proper specification is defined by thorough testing by the manufacturer. 

HMOR racks are designed to handle 3750 lbs of static weight PER bar, before reaching its yield point (point at which it deforms permanently). That means you won’t have to worry about these racks holding up to what you have to throw on there while camping.

HMOR racks can handle 395 lbs of dynamic weight PER bar, and that’s not even taking into account when the pair or 3set of bars are secured together once a roof top tent is clamped down, effectively making it a solid rack. The dynamic rating will always be your limiting factor in any setup.

Roof Racks Vs. Bed Bars Vs. Bed Racks

Bed bars / racks mount to the bed, roof racks mount to the roof of the cab

• Bed bars are a version of bed racks that are individually and infinitely adjustable to fit your needs. They come in various heights to reduce wind drag / lower center of gravity, or to give maximum possible bed storage height.
• Bed racks are solid structures that span the length of your bed and might have integrated modular features
• A quality rack system should either not interfere, or should complement each other

What to look for in a Roof Top Tent, Bars

Roof top tents are used duringOverlanding, Off-Roading, Hunting, and Exploration.
You should always choose from reputable brands that are known for quality. You don't want failing zippers, fading or weakening fabric, fabric more susceptible to mold. You will have choices between hard or soft shells, weight and strength vs light and ease of use.

Choose a unit that not only has the weight capacity you need, but has the square footage comfortable for the # of people sleeping in the tent.

Bed Bar Accessories

Weld-on options to mount: HMOR universal mounting plate tabs to mount the HMOR mounting plate to mount accessories to the plate and out of the bed space such as shovels, axes, traction mats, etc.

• Hi-Lift Jack mounting tabs
• LED light tabs
• Dog leash mount tab
• Roll cage clamps for even more versatile mounting options

There is a well known Toyota Tacoma issue with bed bars and we recommend our bed stiffeners as a great option in solving this issue.

Check out the details on our product page here:

https://heavymetaloff-road.com/tacoma-truck-bed-stiffener-brackets-05-21-heavy-metal-off-road.html

Bed Bar Style Functionality and Appearance

HMOR bars are compatible with certain roll-up style Tonneau Covers, however most racks do not allow the use of any cover. Pick one or the other.  Bed bars are smooth, sleek, and don’t weigh much. Attachments are easy to add, and so is gear. They provide convenient access into the truck bed from all sides.

HMOR bed bars provide the same functionality as most any other rack out there, with its own style.

Conclusion

Think about what you want to do in the short term, and then think about what you might expand into. Choose the right options and features ahead of time, even if you think you don’t need it, because later down the road, you probably will. 

Installing a HMOR rack is a one person job, so as soon as you have your rack, you’ll have it on in no time. 

Heavy Metal Off-Road helps you plan not only with a speedy turnaround time, but we have the knowledge and experience you can always rely on. Call or email us questions to let us help you plan the right truck build with our products.