Would you use a Ute ladder rack?

When you think about a stereotypical ute, the image that comes to mind doesn’t have a ladder rack. Instead, it has a wide open back with excitable, energetic riders sitting on the edge. Or maybe it’s full of rugged outdoor gear. It might even have a large, friendly dog, or some sheep.

Ute ladder racks serve a purpose though, and that purpose is primarily safety. Passengers riding in the back of your ute could easily hurt themselves as you zoom around the roads. All it takes is one unseen pothole or an unmarked bump to cause a slip, a fall, and untold damage.

Also Read This: Why choose an Alloy Ute Tray?

The ladder isn’t just there to give passengers something to hold on to. It has other advantages too. In the drizzly winter or the dusty summer, ute ladders can serve as a frame that you can throw a tarp over. This tarp will keep your riders dry and dust-free, depending on what weather condition is punishing them at the time.

The reason it’s called a ladder rack is because it was mainly used for moving ladders around. There was no viable way to transport a long ladder on a small ute tray. It couldn’t be packed vertically because it would be unstable and might catch on overhead power lines and tree branches. The rack allows ladders to be securely latched across the length of the truck.

As an incidental advantage, anything that has a similar length and dimension to a ladder can be secured the same way. Construction poles, pipes, metal sheeting, fishing poles, sporting equipment … it can all be transported using your ladder rack.

Utes are often used to transport gear, stocks, and equipment. You might assume that having a wide open truck bed offers more storage space, but that’s not necessarily the case. If you pile stuff on your truck bed, you can only go so high before everything collapses. In addition, stacking things in your truck bed without some kind of support can be counter-productive.

They could slip and fall off while you drive, and you wouldn’t even notice. If you use a ladder rack, you can tie down your cargo. The ladder rack can also create additional space, because you can load a piece of equipment across the top of the rack, stretching it over the passenger cabin. You can even attach a luggage carrier to the top of the rack, which gives you more room for cargo.

They could slip and fall off while you drive, and you wouldn’t even notice. If you use a ladder rack, you can tie down your cargo. The ladder rack can also create additional space, because you can load a piece of equipment across the top of the rack, stretching it over the passenger cabin. You can even attach a luggage carrier to the top of the rack, which gives you more room for cargo.