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How to Choose a Roof Bar

Although small in profile, roof bars carry huge responsibility. Without the convenience of roof bars travelling with additional cargo would be very difficult, not to mention unsafe. Roof bars help us to properly utilise our vehicles. With a good quality roof bar, there’s no need to over pack the car’s boot or back seat. We can also carry things that would otherwise be impossible to transport with a car alone, such as kayaks, canoes, and large bikes.

Roof bars can be beneficial to a huge variety of lifestyles, from busy parents to sporty outdoors people. If you’re buying a roof bar for the first time, or you’re looking to upgrade your existing model we can help you find the right one. Thule roof bars offer high quality, and the right model should deliver satisfaction for years to come.

The first step in selecting the right roof bar is to establish a budget. As with most products, it’s important to remember you get what you pay for, and so you may have to adjust your budget slightly to get a roof bar which suits all your needs. You can buy Thule square bars from us for around £36.90, whilst more advanced wing bar and wing bar edge models are around £70 - £80 and Thule sidebars are around £200.

The next thing to consider is how often you’ll use your roof bar, and what you’ll be using it for. If you need the extra luggage space every once in a while, perhaps when visiting family or taking a weekend away, then there’s no need to splash out on the most advanced roof bar on the market. However if you’ll be travelling long distances on these trips it could be worth your while to pay a little bit extra for a roof bar with an aerodynamic design. The Thule Wingbar and wingbar egde are designed to cut through the air like a knife. This reduces wind noise and helps to reduce fuel costs too.

Thule slidebars are at the higher end of the price range because of their excellent performance and advanced design. This type of roof bar is best for sporty outdoors types who rely on their roof bar to transport heavy sporting equipment such as skis, kayaks bikes and other bulky loads. The special design is like no other roof bar: it slides away from the car when loading your equipment, making it easier than ever to handle heavy loads.

Once you’ve decided on the roof bar you want, you’ll need a fitting kit and a footpack too. If you car is already fitted with roof rails, you may only need a footpack to attach your roof bar. If it’s not your first time buying a roof bar, you may already have these, but not all foot packs and fitting kits will work for your chosen roof bar. To find out what equipment you need. Take a look here at our roof bar guide.
Products in this article
Thule Slidebar 892000
Thule Slidebar 892000
Always get a perfect fit with Thule Slide Bars The innovative Thule Slide Bare makes loading and unloading heavy items as simple as possible. By sliding each side of the vehicle, it protects the car from damage and the user from getting dirty! Thule Slide bars are particulary useful for carrying bikes, kayaks, bulky loads and for use on tall vehicles.
£259.95
(Ex £216.62)
Thule WingBar Edge 9592 Silver
Thule WingBar Edge 9592 Silver
Now even closer to perfection - the most safe and silent roof rack is now also available customised fit. The new Thule WingBar Edge is practically noiseless. The low profile and close fit to the roof creates a stunning look and reduces the overall height of the load.
£259.95
(Ex £216.62)
Thule WingBar Edge 9592 Black
Thule WingBar Edge 9592 Black
Now even closer to perfection - the most safe and silent roof rack is now also available customised fit. The new Thule WingBar Edge is practically noiseless. The low profile and close fit to the roof creates a stunning look and reduces the overall height of the load.
£279.95
(Ex £233.29)
thule 961 wingbars
Thule WingBars 961 Silver
Not only is the Thule WingBar safe, stylish and aerodynamic, it's also extremely quiet. In fact, it's so quiet, one can easily forget it's mounted on the roof altogether! Whether you are biking, kayaking, skiing or whatever – the Thule Wing Bar will enable you to engage in an active lifestyle to the full!
£84.95
(Ex £70.79)
thule 961 wingbars
Thule WingBar 961 Black
Not only is the Thule WingBar safe, stylish and aerodynamic, it's also extremely quiet. In fact, it's so quiet, one can easily forget it's mounted on the roof altogether! Whether you are biking, kayaking, skiing or whatever – the Thule WingBar will enable you to engage in an active lifestyle to the full!
£96.95
(Ex £80.79)
Thule Square Bar 712100
Thule Square Bar 712100
Thule Square Black Rapid System Roof Bars 760, 761, 769, 762 & 763 are the most popular roof bars on the market thanks to their tough polyester finish and generous load carrying capacity. Thule Square Roof Bars are compatible with a huge range of load carrying accessories from Thule and most other roof bar manufacturers.
£69.00
(Ex £57.5)