The Surfboard Racks Blog

Thule has some excellent surf racks for those who have SUV’s. Best of all you don’t even need a Thule hard rack to use them and they have tons of different styles and types to accommodate any surfer.

The most basic of the SUV type rack is the hard rack pads with strap combo. Thule has a wide variety of surf pads, coming in both the Aero and regular rack types which you can use to help transport your boards to and from the beach. Each pad comes in either an 18 inch or 24 inch to accommodate bigger boards. One of our favorite types of Thule racks is the Thule 531 Express Surf Strap. This is by far the cheapest, fastest, and one of the most convenient ways to load up your surfboards on your hard racks. To use the 531 Express Strap you simply purchase some racks pads, Thule or not, lay on your boards and bungee down the straps. The Surf Strap simply wraps around your loads straps and keeps your boards locked in place. Best of all it works for surfboards and SUP’s alike.

Pricing and info for the Thule 531 Express Surf Strap

Don’t have a SUV but a truck? Have no fear Thule still has you covered as Thule also has one of the better tailgate truck racks using the typical pad and strap system. The Thule 808 Surf Tailgate Pad is also one of our favorites which wraps around your tailgate with two straps and then straps down your to your surfboard. 18 inches in size allows for a variety of boards to be hauled around. The best thing about the Thule Tailgate Pad is the fact that the top strap is sewn into the pad making it very sturdy and less likely to allow moment of your surfboard.

Pricing and Info for the Thule 808 Surf Tailgate Pad

*Remember when using a tailgate pad you need to protect the front of your surfboard. It is wise to get a nose pad or wrap it in a towel to protect your board.

Future post will include the Thule 809 Double Decker Surfboard Carrier and the Thule 810 SUP Taxi Paddleboard Carrier as these are some of Thule’s more permanent and expensive options. So stayed tuned and happy surfing.

Truck Options

There are many surfboard racks designed to store or carry your surfboard.  We all drive many different types of vehicles, SUV’s, wagons, sedans, motorbikes, scooters even push bikes, but what if you drive a truck?

Often, surfboards can be too long to fit in the back of your truck, however you need not be concerned, this has been considered.  There are racks to carry your surfboard that will fit to the back of your truck to stop the board from moving around from side to side.

The XM Surfboard Truck Tailgate Rack System is one such rack that fits securely onto the back of your truck.  It’s padded with foam, and will hold your board securely with its durable strap and clip system, and is designed to fit most trucks.

The straps are adjustable, and the addition of a new high-tech cam buckle will give you peace of mind that your precious board will be safe and secure, and priced at around $20, its certainly affordable.

At the time of this post paddlesurf had the XM surfboard rack but no longer carries it. You can get the very similar Block Surf tail-gate rack at about the same price and it works the exact same way.

You can find them here @

http://www.paddlesurfwarehouse.com/SUP-Truck-Tailgate-Pad-p/pswtailgate.htm

You can even go with the Paddle Surf, the one in the picture for over-sized boards for your truck. Simply lay your board down in the bed and strap in. The the other strap, this one also keeps it from sliding from side to side as well as from moving forward or backwards.

This one can be found @

http://www.esurfboardracks.com/collections/car-racks/products/block-surf-tail-gate-rack

Van Options

A lot of surfers drive vans, and while you can fit surfboard racks on the top of your roof, maybe you would prefer to fit the inside with racks. This then poses a new problem of space.  By resting the board in the back or on top of the back seats, it isn’t really a safe option and could become a missile in the case of having to stop quickly or a collision.

Internal racks could be the answer to your dilemma.  They can be a bit tricky to find and you may have to tailor your own. I have even seen people take a set of regular roof racks and turn them upside down, or stainless steel towel rails will do the trick too. Secure your board by using an occy strap around the tail of the board and the rack. You can also use rubber to wrap around the rail, so your board doesn’t rub. It’s a great idea for using that extra space up there.

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