Roof Rack For Carrying Rooftop Tent On 2017 Subaru Outback

Updated 10/01/2024 | Published 09/29/2024

Products Featured in This Question

Malone AirFlow2 Roof Rack - Aero Crossbars - Raised Side Rails - Aluminum - 58" Long - Silver

(1690)

$233.95

Thule WingBar Evo Roof Rack for Flush Rails - Aluminum - Black - Qty 2

(55148)

$560.85

Thule WingBar Evo Roof Rack for Flush Rails - Aluminum - Black - Qty 2

(55148)

$560.85

Question:

Hi. I want to buy a roof top rails system for my 2017 outback. I do not trust the factory crap. It will be for a roof top tent that weighs less than 150 pounds. What do you recommend?

asked by: Bruce

Expert Reply:

Hello Bruce, thanks for reaching out. Does your 2017 Subaru outback happen to be the Touring edition? The reason I ask is because I will need to know what kind of rails are on the roof of your Subaru. The touring edition has factory rails that are flush with the roof of the car. The non-touring models have roof rails that are raised up off the roof, so please double check which you have.

For the factory flush rails, I recommend the Thule Roof Rack # TH36YG. This is a full roof rack system, so you get your fit kit, towers, and 47" aero crossbars. The Thule aero bars can easily support a 150 lb tent. Just make sure you note the carrying capacity of your roof and be careful not to exceed that rating. The roof rack can handle whatever weight the roof can handle as far as static weight. The Thule roof racks in generally are quite solid. There fit kits and towers are pretty straightforward to assemble so you won't waste a ton of time messing with parts.

If you have the factory raised rails, use the Thule WingBar Evo Roof Rack # TH44GG instead. This has the same capacity as the other rack I mentioned, only this one uses a shorter 43" bar to better fit the raised rail spacing.

Feel free to reach out with any other questions.

expert reply by: Jesse M