Platform, Tradie and Tray Overview

The Australian lifestyle lets us get out into the great outdoors and of course, we want to take as much of our gear as we can. Putting a basket or platform on your 4wd can allow you to load up the roof of the vehicle with all of your toys and necessary equipment, leaving room in the vehicle for the family or the mates. But what is the difference between the options and which one should you pick?

1. Platforms
2. Tradies
3. Trays
4. Types of Mounts
5. Accessories

Platforms

A flat platform is usually the most popular option, as the lack of sides helps keep the overall height of the vehicle to a minimum, and makes it easier to slide heavier items on from the side of the vehicle. We have platforms from a range of suppliers with different looks, features, accessories, and plenty of customisable options to suit your personality. 

Tradie

Tradies or Open-ended trays are, as the name suggests, popular with tradesmen. The raised sides but open ends allow for goods to be slid on from the rear and guided to prevent them from sliding sideways. The sides also offer a place to grab the rack or to tie your load off against. Even for those that aren't tradesmen, a Tradie can offer practical advantages if say you were carrying a small tinnie or quad bike.

Tray

If you want something with 4 sides we can offer you a tray. Generally, with a fairing across the front to help with noise reduction and plenty of points to tie your load down trays offer a more traditional roof basket option. A Tray is an ideal choice for those carrying soft luggage bags.

Types of Mounts

The options of mounts you can have for your vehicle will depend on what the rack manufacturer has been able to get to suit your roof type. Some brands will offer multiple mounting options. Using the SELECT YOUR VEHICLE tool on the main page of our website will show you what mounting options are available to you.

Legs

Leg mounts are a common mounting option for a large number of vehicles, they offer a straightforward attachment system that is easy to remove as well as a strong and durable connection to the roof.  Legs are usually quite easy to remove if you don't want to have the rack on all of the time or wash the roof. They are also quite often the only mounting option for your vehicle.

Spines

On selected (but an increasing number of) vehicles you may have the option of a spine mount. These include but are not limited to the Rhino-Rack Backbone, Yakima Ruggedline, and Tracklander Toughbar. The upside of these can be a high static load rating, neater look, lower profile, and better weight distribution. 

Accessories

Let's be honest you're not just after the platform, you're going to want to bolt bits onto it to enhance your carrying experience. Whether it's a spare wheel holder, awning, jerry can holder, or just some eye bolts to help you tie down your gear all of our brands have a range of add-ons. But if your question is "I don't like this brand's product, can I use the other brands?" the answer is quite often yes. In many (but not all) cases, you can attach one brand's accessory to another brand's platform or tray. We are working to have all of our listings indicate which racks a specific accessory is compatible with, but if it isn't clear or you need more advice our team is always happy to answer your question.