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Yakima Whispbar roof rack
Yakima Whispbar roof rack

The 3 Best Car Racks of Summer 2012

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Yakima Whispbar roof rack

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Yakima Whispbar Roof Rack

Yakima’s all-new blade-slim crossbars reduce drag between 40 and 70 percent over traditional round bars. More impressive is how quiet they are, even at 65 miles per hour. Pro: compatible with nearly 75 percent of current attachments. Con: costs roughly 20 percent more than classic bars.

Thule Apex Swing bike rack

Thule Apex Swing bike rack
Thule Apex Swing bike rack (Courtesy of Thule)

Like Yakima, also introduced a more aerodynamic roof-bar design this year, called Aeroblade. But we were just as excited by the Apex Swing, the sturdiest, easiest-to-use swing-away hitch-mount bike rack we’ve ever tested. Smart: one integrated lock joins the trailer to your car; the other secures your bikes.

Sylvan Sport Go Trailer-Camper

Sylvan Sport Go trailer-camper
Sylvan Sport Go trailer-camper (Courtesy of Sylvan Sport)

Trust us: it’s worth the price. Extremely well made, this swallows up all your weekend toys (it includes a weathertight gear box) and is compatible with Yakima and Thule racks. Pop the ABS plastic top and it morphs into a base of operations. It comes with two sleeping pads, and an optional panel lets you fit four in minutes.

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