In the world of Overlanding, the Toyota Tacoma is one of the most popular platforms available. The Tacoma offers everything you need in an off-road situation and it proves to be incredibly reliable. The current model year features several hidden, locking storage areas to keep your gear out of the way, out of sight, and ready to go for your next outing. What’s more, the Tacoma has a smart deck rail system with four heavy-duty, adjustable tie-down cleats to keep your cargo securely strapped down to alleviate any uneasiness about losing or damaging them in your travels. After all, when adventure calls, your gear is called along with it.
Even though a truck’s bed is a great way to store all your equipment, you may end up needing more luggage space for off-road trips. The easiest way to add more luggage space is to invest in an aftermarket roof rack. Choosing the right roof rack for your Toyota Tacoma can be challenging, especially with the virtually endless array of options on the aftermarket. Many roof racks are offered in different materials with unique features and varying amounts of luggage space. To help you find the perfect roof rack for your 2005+ Toyota Tacoma, we have created the following guide showcasing our favorite roof racks.
Why Purchase a Roof Rack?
Before you leave on your next trip, you may want to look into equipping your Toyota Tacoma with a high-quality roof rack. If you find yourself always planning for your next adventure or merely needing more cargo space, investing in a reliable roof rack will behoove you. It’s an especially optimal way to mount large and unwieldy items stylishly and securely that will give you peace of mind while freeing up space for more of your belongings or that of your friends.
Roof racks are a vital part of utility vehicles as they offer additional cargo carrying capacity for items like sports equipment and camping gear. While the Toyota Tacoma has ample space in the bed for storage, sometimes you just need more room. This is where roof racks come in, simultaneously freeing up space inside your vehicle and in the bed. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide what you would like to store and where. Roof racks only expand the list of your vehicle’s cargo-carrying abilities.
Advantages of a Roof Rack
- Maximizes the storage space
- Offers room for additional lighting
- Improve the appearance of your vehicle
- Ensures you get fresh air inside the cabin
- Prevents interior damage to your vehicle
- Makes your vehicle a lot more versatile
- Secure way to transport delicate cargo
Roof racks do not come standard on all vehicles, so you may want to look into purchasing one if you don’t already have it equipped. Roof racks are the most stable means of transporting gear and, while they may not come cheap, are certainly worth the investment. Just make sure that you conduct enough research to ensure that the roof rack you get is of good quality and can handle the load. Also, it is recommended that you have an expert installer attach it so that you don’t find yourself in a pickle along the way. You may not have put much thought into roof racks until now, but should you plan a sudden getaway, a roof rack is there and ready to hold all of the items and gear you have to bring.
A glance at the aftermarket list of roof racks can be overwhelming. Some roof racks can be heavy, thus changing your truck’s center of gravity and curb weight; others may just not seem to fit right with the contours of the roof. We have, therefore, compiled a list of the top seven choices you may want to look into when shopping for one. No two roof racks are the same, as each product offers its own unique features and luggage space. To find the perfect roof rack for your Tacoma, think about what you value most in terms of added benefits to your already impressive truck.
#1 KC HiLiTES
KC HiLiTES M-RACK roof racks offer low-profile aerodynamics and strength with the capability to meet your cargo-carrying needs. The C-Series Curved LED Roof Rack features a lightweight all-aluminum construction that weighs in at just 25 pounds. This leaves your Toyota Tacoma truck’s center of gravity and factory curb weight virtually unchanged.
The KC HiLiTES 50-inch C-Series Curved LED Roof Rack is specifically engineered for your Tacoma truck using advanced vehicle scanning, 3D modeling, and precision laser cutting. The result is a beautiful form-fitting design that hugs the Tacoma roofline perfectly, eliminating unsightly gaps and any awkward positioning that is oftentimes found with “universal” aftermarket roof racks.
Apart from maximizing your Tacoma cargo-carrying capacity, this KC HiLiTES M-RACK roof rack features an integrated 50-inch C-Series Curved LED light bar system. The light bar includes powerful CREE LEDs with a combo 8-degree Spot and 90-degree Spread reflectors. The light bar delivers an impressive 27,000 raw lumens of light in a balanced combination beam pattern that offers incredible forward and side illumination for better visibility. The M-RACK also features four KC KC HiLiTES C-Series Area LED Flood Lights, which are great for lighting up the surrounding area.
The KC HiLiTES 50-inch C-Series Curved LED Roof Rack is designed, engineered, and manufactured right here in the USA. It is expertly designed to scale with all your cargo needs. The horizontal crossbars with hardware tracks offer endless accessory mounting options, expanding the list of things you can do with the roof rack. This roof rack is super easy to install, with no drilling required; the bolts are secure to the existing factory mounting points.
#2 Prinsu Design Studio
One of the most popular roof racks for the 2005+ Toyota Tacoma comes from Prinsu Design Studio. Depending on your needs, Prinsu offers a wide range of different roof racks for your truck. The one pictured here is the Cabrac. What makes the Cabrac special is its modular and highly adjustable design. The Cabrac is designed to work on a double cab, extended cab, or even a shortened extended cab configuration if you need roof space for something like a camper.
The Cabrac consists of two laser-cut 3/16-inch 5052 aluminum side rails that each have three mounting tabs. With these mounting tabs, you can bolt the rack directly into the five factory mounting holes on each side of the roof. This innovative mounting design allows you to mount your Cabrac rack without drilling into the roof of your Tacoma.
The Cabrac’s included crossbars are constructed from a high-quality 2-inch by 1-inch 1020-aluminum extrusion with four T-slot channels and the Prinsu exclusive drop points. The idea behind these unique crossbars is to offer more solutions for tie-down straps, cargo security, and more accessories like cargo basket kits and tool mounts.
To help reduce the negative MPG effects that roof racks typically have, Prinsu includes a 1/8-inch 5052 aluminum plate wind deflector at the front of the roof rack. The aluminum plate helps improve aerodynamics and reduce wind noise, which is something many aftermarket roof racks struggle with.
Options for mounting an aftermarket LED light bar are also available, making it very easy to install a large LED light bar. This Prinsu Design Studios Cabrac roof rack features a black powder-coated finish with a matching black Zinc finish for the assembly hardware and black anodized aluminum cross-bar extrusions.
#3 Cali Raised
Next on our list is another very popular option for overlanders, which is the Cali Raised Double Cab Roof Rack. This roof rack offers a tough and stylish solution for transporting all your outdoor gear. The only real downside to the Cali Raised roof rack is the lack of modularity, meaning this roof rack is only available for double cab Tacomas with no extended cab options. That aside, Cali Raised roof racks are an excellent way to increase the functionality of your Toyota Tacoma.
The entire roof rack is fully CAD-designed and manufactured right here in the USA. Like the Prinsu roof rack, it is designed as a bolt-on solution and utilizes the Tacoma’s factory mounting holes so you don’t have to drill into your roof. Built to match the toughness of the Toyota Tacoma, this roof rack will fit right into your truck lifestyle and support all your load-carrying needs. Cali Raised uses only the best heavy-duty materials for this Economy Roof Rack to ensure it is high-strength, corrosion-resistant, and offers high structural rigidity.
The Economy version of this rack is available with or without an LED cutout, should you choose to add more illumination. The more expensive Premium version offers an adjustable wind deflector for improved MPG and reduced wind noise. This roof rack kit comes with two side plates, six extrusion bars, and a front wind deflector. All the necessary hardware is included and the engine rack is finished with a durable black powder coat for added protection against salt, rust, and grime.
#4 DV8 Offroad
For those who want a roof rack that allows for easy 360-degree lighting, we recommend the DV8 Offroad Roof Rack. What makes this roof rack unique are the four 6-inch LED light bar slots on the sides of the roof rack. It can accommodate up to four 6-inch slim LED lights for heightened visibility all around. On top of that, the front accommodates an LED light bar up to 45 inches wide (brackets for 40 inches are available too). The crossbars can be used to mount nearly anything your heart desires, just slide a bolt head into the crossbar from the end and secure the other side with a nut.
Aside from the unique light bar slots, this roof rack is constructed fairly similar to the other options on this list. It’s comprised of two aluminum side plates with four extruded aluminum crossbars with an air deflector at the front. This lightweight rust-free aluminum rack can keep its weight down by using sound engineering principles to hold everything together.
This roof rack is designed to mount using factory bolt holes, eliminating the need to drill holes into your roof, ultimately making the installation process easy. On top of that, this is one of the most affordable roof racks available. Not only does this roof rack deliver great functionality benefits and endless mounting possibilities, but it also hugs the roof well for a more integrated look.
#5 Warrior Products
If you’re looking for a roof rack that offers a very large platform to mount something as big as a rooftop tent, then Warrior Products Platform Roof Rack is the solution for you. Compared to other roof racks on the market, the Warrior Products one boasts a very wide platform for added versatility and convenience. Warrior Products is committed to building all of its parts right here in the USA using only the highest quality materials. The result is super dependable off-road vehicle parts like this Platform Roof Rack.
The extra-wide platform allows for mounting large items and equipment to make your next adventure all the more fun. The entire rack is constructed from 1.25-inch round tubing with 1-inch square crossbars. The platform itself measures 57.5 inches long and 51.25 inches wide and supports up to 600 pounds of weight.
Like the other roof racks on this list, this one mounts right up to your Toyota Tacoma’s OEM mounting bolts and does not require any drilling or modifications upon installation. Unfortunately, the front air dam is sold separately, however, it functions the same as the air dam on other roof racks.
#6 Front Runner
If you crave customization and options, take a look at the Front Runner Slimline II Roof Rack Kit. What makes this product unique is the abundance of accessories Front Runner offers, such as hi-lift jack brackets, bottle openers, spade/shovel mounts, and more. Front Runner makes it extremely simple to accessorize your roof rack for all your cargo and off-road needs.
The roof rack is crafted from The full-size Slimline II measures 53.5 inches long and comes with the Slimline II tray, wind deflector, and two-foot rails to easily mount the entire kit onto your truck. The Front Runner Slimline II installs using the existing factory mounting points on your Tacoma, so you won’t have to drill into your roof to attach it. What’s more, this kit is compatible with the “shark fin” antenna.
The vehicle-specific foot rails contain one opening to access a Front Runner under-rack mount table (one smaller prep table or one larger camp size table). This allows you to easily store a Front Runner table under all the equipment on your roof rack, which saves an enormous amount of room that would otherwise be required to store the table. All Front Runner roof racks are also backed by a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
#7 ARB 4×4 Accessories
For a more affordable option, look into ARB 4×4 Accessories. The ARB Flat Roof Rack features a fully welded rack assembly that provides the same strength, reliability, and robustness as the rest of the ARB Roof Rack range, but with the added functionality of a flat platform. This product boasts enhanced practicality and boasts an interchangeable fitment for any application that takes an existing ARB Roof Rack with the same dimensions. It’s important to note that fully welded roof racks can also be removed from a vehicle.
The flat roof rack is available in an alloy (with standard Amplimesh mesh floor) or steel (with crossbars only). The six different steel racks are available as non-mesh only. The three alloy racks feature an Amplimesh(R) mesh floor. Existing roof rack mount kits are retained so this product will suit cage, trade, touring, and flat racks in both steel or alloy. The ARB flat racks have a zinc-rich primer for added corrosion resistance and are finished in a millennium powder coating for optimal durability.
Whether you are looking to mount a rooftop tent, jerry cans, or a canoe, the new ARB Flat Rack will provide the strength of an ARB roof rack, with the versatility and clearance of a flat roof rack platform. Popular sizes within the current ARB roof racks range have been replicated in the flat rack variants.
Contact Us
If you are still unsure about which type of roof rack is right for you and your Toyota Tacoma, let our expert parts specialists help you decide. The Vivid Racing team can help you find the perfect roof rack, off-road accessories, lift kit, and anything else you need for your Tacoma truck. You can reach us by phone at 1-480-966-3040 or via email at sales@vividracing.com. We look forward to equipping your ride with some new truck goodies!
UpTop Overland #1 all day long.