HandiWorld have produced a useful inflatable roof rack that packs down small on your travels and protects both your gear and rental vehicles from damage on-the-road.

Ever been charged for err, ‘un-sympathetically restoring’ a rented car’s roof back into shape? Even some ‘careful footwork’ from the inside can’t conceal all surf trip rooftop damage from a careful check-in Clerk on that last-minute airport drop-off.

HandiWorld’s HR2O easy-to-inflate HandiRack tubed roof racks span almost any size vehicle and can carry loads of up to 20kg – perfect for a couple of waveboards and a surfboard. There’s a variety of soft racks on the market but the inflatable aspect is a big space-saver on any trip involving air travel.

The first setup takes about 10 minutes to work it all out, but subsequent fittings are super quick and the system fits 2 and 4-door vehicles, twin sliding door vans and was even tested on cars with ventilation side windows.

It’s sure to save you money on renting roof racks, and the useful carry bag ensures the pump and tubes compact down for easy packing. We easily hauled 2 x 10ft+ SUPs and, on a separate trip, a single windsurfing board bag and shortboard SUP no problems on and off-road with the rack staying fixed and secure. For carrying more gear definitely go for the tougher HandiRack main model.

There are straps supplied but these are not the highest quality so pack your own heavier duty tie-downs – just check they will fit through the D-Rings on the tubes first as these are thinner diameter but appear to be well fixed.

In wet weather you’ll get the usual dripping effect as the webbing helps moisture seep inside, plus the expected noise from rushing air at speed.

At approx. GBP 39.99 / Euro 50.00 / USD 64.00 for the HR20 (20kg capacity) and GBP 54.99 / Euro 68.00 / USD 88.00 for the <80kg model (including free delivery in UK if bought direct) they’re not cheap compared to some soft racks, but bear in mind they’re rugged and pack down well and will save you cash in the long run, will swap between vehicle types and could even work as an everyday rack for lighter loads in fairer climates. BM

More at HandiWorld.com