Gear guide · Bed racks
Bed Racks for Tacoma, Tundra and Gladiator Compared
If you're buying on load rating, here's the top of each list. Tacoma: two Xtrusion Overland racks tie at 500 lb, including the XTR3 Soft Topper Bed Rack. Tundra: two Xtrusion Overland racks tie at 500 lb, including the XTR3. Gladiator: the upTOP Overland TRUSS Soft Top Compatible Bed Rack at 400 lb. Those are off-road dynamic figures where a maker publishes both, which is the number that matters if a rooftop tent is going up there.
What surprised us is how many racks don't publish a rating at all. Only 16 of 55 Tacoma racks, 14 of 46 Tundra racks and 2 of 9 Gladiator racks list a dynamic number. A rack without a rating may be perfectly strong. You just can't check it against your tent, and that's the comparison you need.
Jump to: Tacoma · Tundra · Gladiator
Price doesn't track the rating
Two Tacoma racks show why. Cali Raised's Overland Bed Rack ($849.99) and Leitner's ACS Forged ($1,950) publish the same 400 lb off-road dynamic rating. The difference is everywhere else. Leitner publishes an 800 lb on-road figure and 1,400 lb static, while Cali Raised lists 1,500 lb static "tested" and 750 lb "recommended". If you'll sleep two adults up top, that static number is the one to compare.
Height and bed covers
Height decides what the rack is good for. Low bars like Xtrusion's XBRS (6 or 8 inches) keep a tent close to the bed rails, but you lose most of the space underneath. Cab-height racks, such as Sherpa's PAK rack-height version, put a tent level with the roofline. Mid-height and custom-height racks, like Tuwa Pro's Shiprock Mid or Xtrusion's custom XTR1 and XTR3, split the difference. If you run a tonneau or soft topper, shop the cover-specific versions: Xtrusion makes XTR1 racks for Retrax XR covers and XTR3 racks for soft toppers, upTOP sells a soft-top-compatible TRUSS, and BillieBars lists a Tundra rack for covers with T-slots.
Rack weight is the hidden number
Every pound of rack comes out of your payload before the tent does. Only 20 of the 88 racks across these three trucks publish a weight, from 30 lb (CBI Offroad) to 118 lb (CBI Offroad). That's a spread of 88 lb, and all of it counts against payload. If a rack you like doesn't list one, ask before you buy.
13 racks list both the Tacoma and Tundra, usually as separate sizes. Always buy the variant for your exact bed length and model year.
Tacoma bed racks (55)
55 racks from 21 brands, priced $359.99 to $2,594.99 with a median of $959. 16 publish a dynamic rating, and 13 of those are 400 lb or more. It's the deepest list here, and the easiest truck to shop by numbers. The table shows the 20 with the highest published ratings first. See all and filter by "Fits: Tacoma".
Tundra bed racks (46)
46 racks, priced $546 to $2,594.99 with a median of $1,091.09. Many of the names are the same as on the Tacoma list, sized for the longer bed, and 14 publish a dynamic rating. The table shows the 20 with the highest published ratings first. See all and filter by "Fits: Tundra".
Gladiator bed racks (9)
9 racks, and only 2 publish a dynamic rating. RCI makes 5 of the 9 and sells them by height (9-inch bars, then 12- and 18-inch racks), but none of those listings publish a load rating. If you're putting a tent on a Gladiator, get the rack maker's rating in writing before you buy.
| Rack | Dynamic | Static | Rack weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| upTOP Overland TRUSS Soft Top Compatible Bed Rack | 400 lb | 1200 lb | – | $1,274 -9% |
| Kuat Ibex Bed Rack | 300 lb | 1200 lb | – | $1,489 |
| Rci 9″ Bed Bars | – | 1500 lb | – | $619 |
| Rci 12" Sport Bed Rack | – | – | 73 lb | $649 |
| Rci 12" HD Bed Rack | – | 1500 lb | – | $799 |
| Rci 18" HD Bed Rack | – | 1500 lb | – | $809 |
| Rci 12" HD Bed Rack - Aluminum | – | 1500 lb | 68 lb | $959 |
| SofTopper Exo Truck Bed Rack | – | 1000 lb | – | $1,349 |
| upTOP Overland Diamondback TRUSS Bed Rack | – | 1100 lb | – | $1,364.07 -9% |
FAQ
Which bed rack has the highest load rating for a Tacoma?
Among racks we list with a published dynamic rating, the top of the Tacoma list is this: two Xtrusion Overland racks tie at 500 lb, including the XTR3 Soft Topper Bed Rack. That uses the off-road figure where the maker publishes two.
Which bed racks fit both the Tacoma and Tundra?
13 racks in our catalog list both trucks, usually as separate size options. Pick the variant for your exact bed length and model year.
Why do some racks show a dash for load rating?
The maker's listing doesn't publish one. We don't estimate ratings.
How is fitment decided?
Only from the product listing: the title first, then the maker's tags and fitment text. If a listing doesn't name a truck, we don't count it for that truck.
Matching a tent? See rooftop tents for a Tacoma and roof racks for rooftop tents.
Source: TrailReady Deals catalog data (prices, published specs and fitment from each product listing).