Van roof racks have a reputation problem. They are heavy, awkward to fit on your own, noisy at motorway speeds, and they add enough height to catch out the inattentive driver at a multi-storey entrance. Rhino Products has launched the KammEdge, its latest premium roof rack, built to address all four of those complaints at once.
What is different about the KammEdge
The KammEdge is around 15% lighter than Rhino's existing KammRack, making it the lightest rack the company has produced. The weight reduction matters in two ways: it is easier for one person to lift and position during fitting, and it uses less of your van's payload allowance once it is up.
Payload is a bigger issue for trades than it sometimes gets credit for. UK vans have a legal maximum payload set by the manufacturer, typically somewhere between 800kg and 1,300kg depending on the model and variant. Add a roof rack, ladders, tools, materials and crew, and it is surprisingly easy to exceed that figure. A lighter rack preserves more of that allowance for what actually earns money: the load you carry to site.
The rack sits lower on the roofline than a conventional design. The practical effect is a reduction in overall vehicle height, which eases access to height-restricted routes and low-clearance car parks without having to remove the rack. Combined with a lower centre of gravity for roof-mounted loads, it is a more stable configuration when loaded.
The Kamm-shaped crossbars
The crossbars use a Kamm profile, the same aerodynamic cross-section as Rhino's KammRack. The shape is designed to let air flow cleanly around the bar as the van moves, reducing wind resistance and the wind noise that a flat or rectangular section generates. At motorway speeds, the difference between a flat crossbar and a shaped one is audible and measurable in fuel consumption. Rhino has been using this profile across its premium range for some time; the KammEdge carries it at a lower weight and price point.
Fitting
Rhino has focused on making the KammEdge a realistic single-person fit. Legs come pre-assembled and side frames click together rather than requiring separate bolting. The full-width rear roller is included as standard, which is the feature most trades find genuinely useful: it lets you slide loads along the roof without lifting them above the bar height, which is the point in roof rack loading that causes most back strain and balancing difficulties.
The combination of lower weight, pre-assembled components and a rear roller is aimed at the owner-driver or small crew who fits and removes roof-mounted kit regularly without a dedicated vehicle workshop.
What to consider when speccing a van roof rack
Any roof rack purchase needs to account for a few factors beyond the rack itself. Load capacity is the headline figure, but maximum roof load for your specific van model is equally important and varies significantly. Adding a roof rack also affects overall vehicle height, which matters for drivers using height-restricted sites or multi-storey car parks: always check the rack's fitted height against your van model before buying.
If you carry ladders or long materials regularly, check what crossbar spread and load rating the rack provides and whether you need load bars at specific spacing for the ladder clamps or side extensions you use. The KammEdge is a premium aluminium rack with a full-width rear roller, which puts it firmly in the category for trades that use the roof regularly rather than occasionally.
Rhino Products has been making vehicle equipment for UK trades for over 25 years. The KammEdge is the latest addition to a range that also includes ladder clamps, side extensions, rear step extensions and other van roof accessories.
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