# Ski Rack, Luggage rack - does it matter which term you use for that thing on car roofs? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 20, 2013, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ski-rack-luggage-rack-does-it-matter-which-term-you-use-for-that-thing-on-car-roofs/671761 "2013-10-20T23:27:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ski-rack-luggage-rack-does-it-matter-which-term-you-use-for-that-thing-on-car-roofs/671761/1 "2013-10-20T23:27:43Z")
My early childhood years were spent on a snowy Air Force base. Ski rack became part of my vocabulary. No one actually skied in my family or transported skis. Thats just the name for that rack that attaches to the car roof. I hear luggage rack a lot these days. Is either term acceptable? Anyone particularly care what gets tied to it and what it has to be called? Anyone call it something else? Like a car rack, nice rack, or big rack? 😉 What is that thing anyhow? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ski-rack-luggage-rack-does-it-matter-which-term-you-use-for-that-thing-on-car-roofs/671761/2 "2013-10-20T23:32:31Z")
Can you throw a suitcase up there and lash it down without touching the roof? If it’s just two or three bars going across, that’s not a luggage rack. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ski-rack-luggage-rack-does-it-matter-which-term-you-use-for-that-thing-on-car-roofs/671761/3 "2013-10-20T23:43:57Z")
Good point Peremensoe. Scratching up the car roof is not good. The one my dad had carried luggage. It attached to the car with suction cups. I recall long car trips loaded down with luggage when he was transferred to a new base. He always called it a ski rack. I see a lot of new cars with rails on the car roof. Seems to be factory installed. I’m not sure how you attach stuff without scratching the paint. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ski-rack-luggage-rack-does-it-matter-which-term-you-use-for-that-thing-on-car-roofs/671761/4 "2013-10-20T23:56:32Z")
I call it a [roof rack](http://www.rhinorack.com.au/BarType_Heavy-Duty-Aero_2.aspx). The roof rack can then have additional fittings attached specific for different purposes. My roof rack has [bicycle carriers](http://www.rhinorack.com.au/AccSubCategory_Roof-Top-Bike-Carriers_Page_1_Accessory_RBC011_434_12.aspx) attached. You can also get [ski carriers](http://www.rhinorack.com.au/AccSubCategory_Ski---Snowboard-Carriers_BarType_2_17.aspx), [luggage carriers](http://www.rhinorack.com.au/AccSubCategory_Alloy-Trays_BarType_2_1.aspx), etc. The rails that you see on some cars are just the [attachment point](http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/attachments/gen-1-1995-1999/20186d1309364238-looking-roof-racks-img_0430.jpg) for the roof racks. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ski-rack-luggage-rack-does-it-matter-which-term-you-use-for-that-thing-on-car-roofs/671761/5 "2013-10-21T00:02:47Z")
I see. There’s a integrated carrier system with various options for transporting luggage, skis, bicycles. Interesting. Thanks for the explanation. I haven’t dealt with a car rack since helping my dad as a teenager. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ski-rack-luggage-rack-does-it-matter-which-term-you-use-for-that-thing-on-car-roofs/671761/6 "2013-10-21T19:22:08Z")
Richard Pearse got it. They’re roof racks, onto which you can attach holders for various items. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ski-rack-luggage-rack-does-it-matter-which-term-you-use-for-that-thing-on-car-roofs/671761/7 "2013-10-21T19:43:18Z")
Whatever you do, do not point towards your car while your wife/girlfriend is still in it and say loudly, “Just take a look at that rack!” I’m definitely not going to make that mistake with my _2nd_ wife. ---
**Author:** ![TashaKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@TashaKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TashaKitty)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ski-rack-luggage-rack-does-it-matter-which-term-you-use-for-that-thing-on-car-roofs/671761/8 "2013-10-21T20:00:22Z")
I grew up calling it a roof rack, because that’s what my parents called it. ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ski-rack-luggage-rack-does-it-matter-which-term-you-use-for-that-thing-on-car-roofs/671761/9 "2013-10-21T20:24:31Z")
Just like the others, I call it a roof rack. It can then be used to transport anything with impunity. Not that I think it really matters. If you feel like calling it a ski rack but only put bikes on it…well, whatever! ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ski-rack-luggage-rack-does-it-matter-which-term-you-use-for-that-thing-on-car-roofs/671761/10 "2013-10-22T04:40:44Z")
Yep. Roof rack. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ski-rack-luggage-rack-does-it-matter-which-term-you-use-for-that-thing-on-car-roofs/671761/11 "2013-10-22T05:03:24Z")
Are you in a manufacturer’s database, looking for a replacement to install, and you can’t find the stock number / part number? You may have to go with nomenclature for your search, and the database may be unforgiving of any variations. Otherwise, if you’re just talking about it to other human beings, it probably doesn’t matter.