Recommended Roof Rack For A 2022 Nissan Pathfinder With Raised Rails

Question:

I have two sets of Goodboy Kayak V-Racks w/attached ama racks holds two OC canoes plus amas that I’d like to move over to our 2016 Nissan Pathfinder. The Pathfinder has raised siderails but no cross bars yet. After looking at the OEM cross bars I’m not sure if they’d be enough to support the racks and canoes. So my questions are: Am I right to not trust the OEM cross bars? What would you suggest? Should I be concerned about the sturdiness/strength of the siderails?

asked by: Jonathan D

Expert Reply:

OEM crossbars are typically underrated for most applications so you're right to be skeptical of their sturdiness. You can check the capacity of your raised rails in the owner's manual to ensure you're not overloading them. I recommend going with a Rhino-Rack system, which tends to be the best bang for your buck in terms of quality. You'll need the following components to attach to your raised rails:

Rhino-Rack Vortex Aero Crossbars - Aluminum - Silver - 59" Long - Qty 2 # RRVA150S-2
Rhino-Rack SX Series Legs for Vortex Aero Crossbars - Raised Factory Side Rails - Qty 4 # RRSX100

I went with the longer crossbars to give you a bit more room for the Canoes/kayak holders but you can also use shorter 49" crossbars # RRVA126B-2 if you'd prefer. Both of these systems would have a 165lb capacity but you'll still want to verify what your roof/rails can actually hold and go with the lowest number.

expert reply by: Kevin C