Subaru roof load limits vary more by model year than almost any other make, and the Wilderness trims are rated far higher than the standard cars. Check the year as well as the model.
| Vehicle | Years | Roof | Dynamic roof load |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru Outback | 2014–2019 | Factory raised rails | 74.8 kg (165 lb)sourceManual text reproduced verbatim: total roof load 176 lb (80 kg); the factory roof rack set itself is rated 165 lb (75 kg), so 75 kg governs. Same wording in the 2017 Outback manual p.458. |
| Subaru Outback | 2020–2024 | Factory raised rails | 68 kg (150 lb)Lower-confidence figure - check your own manual before loading to it.source150 lb (68 kg) is the figure most consistently reported for this generation. An 88 lb figure also circulates but owners trace it to a Legacy sedan with a crossbar kit, not the Outback. Erring to the lower well-supported number. Not read from the PDF. |
| Subaru Crosstrek | 2016–2026 | Factory raised rails | 68 kg (150 lb)Includes the rack - subtract your bars before you size the tent.source2016 manual quoted: the roof rail system is designed to carry loads (cargo, crossbars and carrying attachment) of no more than 150 lb (68 kg) - so the figure INCLUDES the crossbars. Not read from the PDF. |
| Subaru Forester | 2010–2021 | Factory raised rails | 68 kg (150 lb)Lower-confidence figure - check your own manual before loading to it.sourceThe manual contradicts itself: an owner reports one page giving 150 lb (68 kg) and the next giving 176 lb (80 kg) for cargo plus crossbars plus attachments. Publishing the LOWER of the two. Confirm against your own manual before loading to 80 kg. |
| Subaru Outback Wilderness | 2022–2026 | Factory raised rails | Not published yetWe have not been able to confirm this one against the manufacturer. We will not print a number we cannot cite. |
4 of 5 entries here carry a figure we can cite. The rest are listed so you can see what we are still working through.
Finding your own figure takes about 30 seconds
- Open your owner's manual (the PDF on the manufacturer's site works) and search for "roof load" or "roof luggage".
- The number you want is the DYNAMIC limit - the one that applies while driving.
- Check your rack's own rating too. The lower of the two is your real limit.
- Subtract the rack weight. What is left is what the tent can weigh. Leave 10-20% spare.
The part that panics most people: your car is rated far lower than the tent plus two adults. That is fine. Dynamic load applies while driving. Once you are parked, the static limit applies, and it is three to five times higher. The people sleeping up there are not the constraint - the drive is.
Send us your year, model and roof type and we will confirm it against the manual and add it here.