Roof Rack Options for Adding a Yakima SkyRise Tent on a 2011 Subaru Forester

Question:

I have a 2011 Subaru forester with factory roof rails and cross bars. I want to buy a roof top tent. Would the recommended crossbars for my vehicle be sufficient to bear the weight of a 2-3 person roof top tent 95- 130 lbs and 2 occupants a combined weight of 325-375lbs ?

asked by: Javier G

Expert Reply:

To determine if the factory crossbars on your 2011 Subaru Forester are compatible with a rooftop tent you will first need to see if there are any specifications for the tent.

For example, the Yakima SkyRise, part # Y07436 for 2 people, requires that your roof rack be supported and no higher than 98" off of the ground. Both the roof of your vehicle and the roof rack need to have a minimum load capacity of 165 lbs as well. I have attached a photo that you can use as a guideline for your roof rack. Keep in mind that these instructions are specific for the Yakima SkyRise and not all roof tents. You can check out the product pages as well for some additional information.

If your current roof rack is not compatible with the SkyRise and you would like to get one that is (granted that your Forester has a roof weight capacity of at least 165 lbs) then I have some recommendations.

If you do not have existing rails then you can use the JetStream roof rack which uses the Crossbars, part # Y00425 for Black, SkyLine Towers # Y53TR, and Landing Pad 11 # Y00233.

Should you have the factory rails that run front to back then you will want to use this setup instead; Crossbars, part # Y00425, and TimberLine Towers # Y33TR.

You can use part # Y07204 to add lock cores to either system for added security.

Be sure to check out the product pages for the SkyRise tents for compatibility.