Best Roof Rack Setup for a 2022 Ford Escape Carrying an Awning and Water Tank  

Question:

Expert Reply:

Hi Michelle, it's nice to hear from you.

For your 2022 Ford Escape without a sunroof, the best fit for the kind of setup you’re building is the Thule WingBar Evo roof rack system part # TH68KG. It gives you a strong and very quiet aero style setup that works really well for awnings, shower assemblies, and utility gear without adding a ton of wind noise or making the Escape feel clunky on longer drives. The WingBar Evo bars are rated for 165 pounds, but the important thing to remember is Ford’s roof capacity is still the limiting factor. Ford recommends checking the owner’s manual for the roof load limit, and multiple sources referencing the Escape without a sunroof consistently place that limit around 100 pounds including the weight of the rack and accessories.

The other thing I’d strongly recommend is double checking that all of your accessories are compatible with aero style crossbars before ordering everything. Most awnings and overland accessories work perfectly fine with the Thule bars either through clamp mounts or the T-slot channels but it's still something I would check into if it were me. If you let me know which awning and shower you have, I am happy to check compatibility.

I honestly think you’re approaching this the right way already by planning to travel with the water tank only partially filled. Ten gallons of water alone weighs about 83 pounds, so once you add the rack, awning, mounting brackets, and shower assembly, you can get close to the Escape’s roof limit pretty quickly. The nice thing about the WingBar Evo setup is the load gets distributed well across the roof and the aerodynamic shape helps keep the vehicle from feeling noisy or top heavy during longer trips.

For the kind of setup you’re describing, I think this gives you the cleanest and most confidence inspiring option while still staying mindful of the Escape’s roof structure and load limits.

What kind of trips are you planning to use the shower and 180 awning setup on?

expert reply by: Heather A

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Michelle M.

5/20/2026

Hi Heather I am impressed with your knowledge and information on the subject!! Too be honest I am an impatient person and just ordered some racks from ford yesterday. I almost went with the Thule that you suggested but was unsure about what length to purchase and went the easy way and ford told me which ones to buy I hope they aren’t noisy and are quality. If I’m not happy with them I will be sure to get the thules from etrailer. I live in the Adirondack mountains in New York and there is an abundance of free camping without hookup to explore. I’ve completed the Adirondack 46 er mountains and now I want to go to New Hampshire and start their 100 mountain climbs. Needless to say I’m hoping all of this setup works out for me. With support like yours really makes it less stressful. Thank you so much, take care Michelle M

Heather A.

5/20/2026

@MichelleM Wow!! First off, completing the Adirondack 46 is seriously impressive. That takes a level of grit and consistency most people never fully appreciate unless they’ve spent time in those mountains themselves. Also thank you for the kind words. And don’t feel bad at all about going with the Ford racks. I probably would have done the same thing in your shoes just to get moving faster and avoid overthinking it. There’s a good chance they’ll work out just fine for your setup, especially since you’re already being smart about the weight side of things. The nice part is now you’ll get some real world experience with them before deciding if you want to change anything later. If it turns out they don't work for your awning or shower, let me know and I can help. Tell me more about the New Hampshire 100 mountain, that sounds intense!