Load Ratings Explained

When calculating how much you can carry on your roof there are few factors you need to consider, the vehicles roof load rating, weight and capacity of your roof racks, weight of accessories and driving conditions all need to be taken into account.

This guide will help you understand how much you can carry to get you well on your way for your next adventure with Kaymar!

Quick guide to calculations

The amount you can carry on your roof is the lowest of:

• Your vehicles roof load rating (this can be found in the vehicle owner’s manual)
• The load rating of your roof racks or platform (this can be found in the instructions or on our website)

This will give you the carrying capacity when driving on a sealed road, which is known as the Dynamic load rating:

• When stationary, this rating can be multiplied by a factor of 2.5 to give you the static load rating, this is especially relevant for rooftop tents which you can climb into when static, but not (for a few reasons really) when driving (dynamic).

Depending on your roof rack or platform set up, there may be an offroad rating reduction that needs to be applied when not on a sealed road:

• Check the product instructions and website to see if this is applicable to your set up.

Keep in mind a few important points:

• Always include the weight of your roof racks or platform in the calculations.
• Always distribute loads evenly across roof racks or your platform.
• Always ensure your loads are properly secured and check them regularly.

If you are using an accessory carrier, e.g. a bike carrier this will have it’s own weight limit, make sure you are aware of this and do not overload.

Useful Example

You’ve had a look at your vehicle user manual and your roof rack/platform and have determined:

• Your Roof Load Rating is 220lbs
• Your Kaymar Platform and Ridge Mounts are rated to 880lbs and weight 70lbs.

Based on this the lowest rating is the 220lbs roof load rating, so this is the maximum amount you can carry on your roof.

Keep in mind that this includes the Platform and Ridge Mounts that weight 70lbs, so the maximum remaining capacity (the amount you can put on your platform) is 150lbs

That’s the dynamic, while driving, load rating.

If the vehicle is parked, that will increase by a factor of 2.5, so:

Static roof load rating is now 440lbs (the 220lbs from before x2.5), less the 70lbs platform and Ridge Mounts leaves a weight capacity of 370lbs.
In the example above, if your roof top tent weighs 130lbs, that leaves 240lbs for it’s occupants (just don’t get too raucous in there or the dynamic limits may apply).

As always, if in doubt reach out to us and we’ll be more than happy to help.