Surfing Waves

So whats the difference between a soft and hard rack, and what is the better investment,
thnks guys

I had the same dilema, made more annoying by the fact that hard racks were hard to fit onto my lil car. Didn't have the right size or guttering or blah blah. Had to get them custom fit. 'Soo much money but it's already payed itself off in 4 months aye.

Soft racks are a bit more work to put on and off every surf. You kind of attach them onto your car for every surf and tie your board onto that. If you don't surf that often or have the self discipline and patience of a god.. and you don't mind spending those few extra minutes removing them while 'epic green and peeling' calls you from the seaward side of the carpark.. then go fo it.

If you surf lots and like the better stability and ruggedness of hard racks, then go fo it. I like em because it's easy to just use your ties and you get your routine all sussed and it's as quick as... and you can pile a heap of boards and feel (more!) confident that you won't drive over them when they slip forwards. oh no. so sad.

Thinking long term mite help you out heaps. Look at how often you go out surfing. And how lazy you are. And if you plan to keep that car or get a new one soon... you know...

Was that any help?

hmmm.. what else have I missed out???

Oh yeh.

Hard racks are permenantly attached. Soft racks are temporary and need removal each time.

no that helps alot, one question though, so when i mount a hard rack, i am what? drilling holes into my roof and planting it on?

no, your car will have mountings for them, and you buy a rack designed for your car. either a sliding bit in the plastic trim reveals the gutter or you will hav a gutter on the roof along the top of the doors, the rack comes with a clip which fits over that and usually clips on to the top of the door frame, then tightens with a nut to make it secure.

Hey, I had a similar dilemma. I was sticking my board in the car until I needed room for loads of mates too! I went to my local surf shop and asked about my options.

I bought soft racks (after explaining I had a three door hatchback, and being told it would still work through the boot) but the soft racks just wouldn't fit on. The metal bit can't be moved and it got in the way of one the hinges on the boot so it couldn't tighten round the board and the boot wouldn't have closed even if it did. .

They gave me a full refund and I went to Halfords and bought a roof rack. It did cost a bit, but it was well worth it and it's no hassle. They fitted it for me in 20mins (I did my "pathetic woman without practical skills" act in the shop - although it's not really an act, I'm useless at stuff like that!)

It fits into slots on top of your car (or does on mine anyway!) and the board feels really secure when it's tied on - plus it doesn't make any noise when you're doing 70 down the motorway (which I thought it would).

I'm happy with it

k thnxs guys

Hard racks are the way foward in reality esp if your going fairly reguly... I've mentioned this before, It may seem easyer to remove and put on soft racks but once you get in a routein with hard racks its just as fast if not quicker.
To make thngs better hardracks are safer, and more effectent at passing air with them being raised and all. And of course you can tie anything to hard racks so it can be used to more than just boards... very usefull for yoinking pallets for beach firewood :p

Soft racks could come in very handy when you travel abroad with your board.

Hi there,

I had a similar dilema a while back. I have a company car and they could take it off me at any time and give me a different one so I was reluctant to buy an expensive hard rack for them to change the car. So I bought a soft rack, and it is really easy to use, and as someone said going on holiday is great with them. However, if you don't set it up in the right place you get one hell of a noise when you drive at over 50mph, a kind of lound hum, which even drowns out the stereo no matter how loud you play it. I think I have cracked how and where to put it on, but I still get the odd day where you get the noise. Secondly, if it rains the wated soaks through the strap and into the car and eventually on to you and the car seat. It also manages to force through the rubber where the strap is and you get wetter quicker!!!! Lastly it can mark the paint work on your car where the stras touch the paintwork. I only hope T-cut works as good as peolpe say. If you live close to a beach then its worth it, I live about 30 mins from the beach and its ok, if you live a few hours away then I may think differently. We are going to Devon in a coulple of weeks and I told the other half my plans and the first thing she commented on was "The noise again". Hope this helps

Remembering back to the day s when I used one I found that by putting a twist or two in the straps that secure the board pads stops the humming.

Sell the car, get a van. its the only way

PapaWoolacombe, you may have saved my life!

Put a couple of twists in yesterday and it just made a different noise

Play about withthe combinations.. you can usualy get it to stop alltogether.

thanks guy for allll the help, but in the long run, im planning on buying a 73 VW van, so i might get a rack for that when i got my surfn buds in the back, what do u guys thnk bout tthat?

Get no stings breakdown cover....

? huh

If your thinking of going down the air cooled dub route.... Make sure you have fully comp breakdown cover with no catches!

ooo ok