Are Roof Racks Bad for Equipment

you get a few scratches on the base from sand/dirt as the boards move around (they do slide back and forth a bit).

rocks/debris can hit your board, but I haven't seen any major damage.  However roof rack faliure can be an issue (search the forum for death on my horroscope).........not that this is an issue with good roof racks. 

Rook, love the unicorn pissing a rainbow!!

They're pretty safe. Just make sure you use it right. Getting a wind deflector or fairing will keep some debris away

I have never had a problem with my Yakima... 100% sure its not going to drop my stuff and as for road grit hitting the tip of my boards... guess it doesnt bother me

i love my thule 726 snowboard carrier, no problem what so ever, and it keep my car clean after whole day of riding.

I have always wondered the same thing, I would much rather keep it in the car and have one of my buddys hunch over akwardly for the whole ride as long as my baby is safe and cozy inside.

i dont even bother with the racks i just put it in my car just incase something does happen 

I've used mine- love them I got the inno nexus ones- the wide ones that take 4 boards- they work great and have that beautiful costco warranty- havent noticed too much debris but my white binding straps got a little discolored in a storm

Roof racks are really nice if you have 3+ people going up and don't have a ton of trunk space.  It can be annoying listening to the tapping on the roof if someone doesn't strap their bindings up good and the driver refuses to stop the whole way home.

wow sorry about the horrorscope. I think if your only going to put your board on top of the card, at least put it into a board bad to protect from debris? 

If you're worried about it you can pack your gear in a board bag and just bungee those directly to the crossbars.  That doesn't require any rack attachment and keep your boards safe (assuming that you secure them properly).  However, then it's your board bag that gets covered in bugs and grime.

my friend is selling his snowboard rack cuz he got a new one. if ur interested.

a lot of good ideas up there:

dnbreaks - bungee up a board bag, I did this on a trip to Mammoth.  I also used simple nylon straps for extra security.  Also, if you don't want a bunch of bugs on your bag from 6-7 hrs of driving, use some clear packaging tape in the front of the bag

CoMtnRider - yes, make sure the bindings and secure, with your straps.  Not only is does it tap on the hood...but if you're bindings loose, all the vibrations can scratch up the roof of your car.

As long as you use common sense, roof racks are just fine.

Yer i was worried about using a roof rack too... not sure about transporting my board without it's board bag on the roof in the elements...

roof racks arent bad for equipments.. i only got 2 rubber line marks on my board from the clips that holds it down and it does get dirty but nothing serious. we use the yakima rack.. pretty good! roof racks are really bad for gas mileage though

I use a roof box, boards stay clean and protected, secure. Can also be used for non boarding purposes.

a box is superior to all, last thing i want is to have wet, dirty ass boards in my vehicle, and i don't want to treat my precious to the rigors of road exposure.

If I had the extra $$ I would buy a rack for the truck. Put the boards in it and throw all the other crap in the bed. Instead I will be throwing the board in a bag and everything in the bed. Got a double cab tacoma so boards will go in the back seat if I will be away from the truck for a bit.