If you’ve travelled with passengers, you’ll know that trying to squeeze everyone’s camping gear into one vehicle is akin to why guys don’t wear bikinis. Sure, you can shift things around and try to make it work, but the stark reality is you’ll NEVER get everything in there.

But before you turn to a cargo trailer as the answer, consider the hassle of towing, licensing, storing and maintaining that trailer. No, what you need – what most campers need – is a roof rack.

BENEFITS OF A ROOF RACK

An expedition-style roof rack doesn’t just double or triple your vehicle’s packing space; it also serves as a foundation for many more add-ons and improvements, such as an awning, rooftop tent, or even outdoor shower.

Fortunately, South Africa produces some of the world’s best roof racks. But amongst those, few rival Eezi-Awn and their 40+ year history serving the camping / overland market.

A well-designed roof rack can often complement your vehicle’s features instead of standing out like a bulky afterthought.

1 – EXPEDITION ROOF RACK

One of the unique features of an Eezi-Awn K9 roof rack is its expedition-style construction and double-slat design. Unlike other racks that only have lateral slats running in one direction, an Eezi-Awn rack is supported longitudinally and laterally.

This means the rack can carry significantly more weight without the slats bending or fatiguing on corrugated roads. It also means the gaps between the slats are smaller, so loose items (like bags of firewood) are less likely to shift between them.

More importantly, the slats are rigid and don’t bow when you walk on them, so the roof rack can be mounted super close to your vehicle’s roof line. This brings us to the next point…

2 – A TRULY LOW-PROFILE ROOF RACK

The ability to mount a roof rack as low as possible makes it look less like a bulky afterthought and more like a factory-fitted item. It also helps reduce wind noise and resistance and provides better clearance for underground parking.

Eezi-Awn’s dual-slat design doesn’t bow when you walk on it, so the rack can be mounted super close to your vehicle’s roof for a genuinely low-profile setup.

3 – SIMPLE MOUNTING SYSTEM

Eezi-Awn K9 roof racks are renowned for their simple yet sturdy mounting system. Unlike other racks, which use small, intricate tools that easily strip or round their edges, Eezi-Awn’s mounting system is super simple and robust, using standard tool sizes that won’t strip if you regularly remove the rack.

4 – ROOF RACK ACCESSORIES

One advantage of choosing an Eezi-Awn K9 roof rack is the wide range of accessories that work seamlessly with the rack. This allows you to customise your roof rack with everything from jerry-can holders and high-lift jack mounts to awnings and rooftop tents.

5 – HISTORY & INNOVATION

As mentioned before, Eezi-Awn manufactured the first rooftop tents in Southern Africa, which profoundly influenced how people camp and travel worldwide. Since then, the company has remained at the forefront of innovation and overland travel.

In its most basic sense, an Eezi-Awn K9 roof rack will significantly improve your vehicle’s packing space and versatility, but beyond that, it’s a long-term investment from a long-term company that shows no signs of taking a back seat.

Click here to find your new Eezi-Awn K9 Roof Rack on our Rack Selector

Credit/Source: 4WD Revolution

 

SOUTH African company Eezi-Awn has developed a true expedition-strength, flat-deck roof rack that delivers superior carrying capacity, as well as low wind noise and minimal drag.

From the moment I slid the K9 Roof Rack from its cardboard packaging, I was relieved at not having to bolt, pop-rivet or screw the whole rack together. Yep, this complete flat rack is fully welded and coated in a matte-black finish. All that’s required is the fitting of the leg kit to the rack and my Toyota LandCruiser, which is ridiculously easy.

There are no plastic parts, except a finishing cover on the corners, which means the whole rack is a solid, lightweight unit.

While many racks settle for three pairs of feet (to connect the rack to the roof), the K9 shares the load via 10 separate feet. These extra feet ensure no damage is done to the vehicle, and they also allow for vertical adjustment of the flat deck. This allows the low-profile extrusions to be fitted snug with the roof line, which results in lower drag, lower centre of gravity and increased overhead clearance.

An optional table and table slide is mounted under the rack – a great storage solution that means valuable space isn’t taken up inside the vehicle or on top of the rack. Instead, the stainless-steel table slides in from the rear and locks into position via a flip-up attachment, which has the option to fit a padlock. I don’t get why some tables are fitted to a vehicle – who wants to sit and eat staring at the side of a 4×4? The only downside is that the rack legs need to be set higher to accommodate the table.

The axe, shovel and high-lift mounting kits are similarly spot-on. Being able to carry these oft-used tools without them taking up valuable space is ideal, and I can see these three tools taking up residence on the rack permanently given they can all be padlocked into position.

The K9 kit also keeps dust out of your high-lift jack, as it comes complete with a protective bag – top marks again!

The dual jerry-can holder and spare wheel mount can quickly be attached to the slots within the slats. Obviously we wouldn’t be carrying these two options all the time, but they are quick and easy to install – just keep an eye on their weight and distribution.

It seems everyone has a side awning fitted to their rig these days, and the K9 makes it very easy to add one to either side of the rack via a simple bolt-on attachment. And, not that I have an Eezi-Awn rooftop tent (or other fold-in-half-style tent), but there is also a tent mounting kit that easily slots into the top slats.

All up, the K9 is the most versatile, practical and rugged rack I’ve ever seen or used. It’s not noisy (other than a slight thrum of the table over rough roads) and it’s easy to tie down gear or slot accessories into the track system.

It’s hard to pick a fault with the K9 and I’d give it a 99/100 score.

The Eezi-Awn K9 Rak is suitable for a wide range of vehicles and is supported within Australia by Dolium.