Comparison
ARB BASE Rack vs Rhino-Rack Pioneer
Short answer
The ARB BASE Rack is a one-piece welded platform with a published 125 kg payload, a dovetail accessory system and a 3 year warranty ($952 for the 1255 x 1285 mm rack), while the Rhino-Rack Pioneer 6 is a 45 mm high channel platform with a 5 year warranty and a separate off-road rating ($1,289 RRP inc GST for the 1300 x 1240 mm platform). Both prices are for the platform alone; each maker sells the mounts to suit the vehicle. The Australian-made third option is Wedgetail Adventure: made in Bayswater VIC, rated 100 or 150 kg dynamic on most fitments and 100% off-road with no derating, with a warranty of 10 years.
Wedgetail figures from Wedgetail product data; competitor figures from the linked sources, updated .
Side by side
| Feature | ARB BASE Rack | Rhino-Rack Pioneer 6 | Wedgetail Adventure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $952.00 (platform, product code 1770070)Source: arb.com.au | $1,289.00 RRP inc GST (platform)Source: rhinorack.com | $1,310 to $5,905 RRP inc GST (139 fitments) |
| Load rating | 125 kg payload; each cross beam rated to 25 kgSource: arb.com.au | 100 or 150 kg dynamic on most fitments, 100% off-road, no derating | |
| Off-road rating | Designed and engineered for off-road use; rated and tested in line with the roof load limit of each individual vehicleSource: arb.com.au | Separate off-road rating, calculated with the formula in each product's fitting instructionsSource: rhinorack.com | 100% of the dynamic rating, no derating |
| Profile height | No height figure published; sold as a low-profile platform on low-profile blade mountsSource: arb.com.au | 45 mm platform height (legs or Backbone extra)Source: rhinorack.com | Installed height not published yet; measure the fitted rack |
| Accessory system | Dovetail extrusion around the full perimeter and along both edges of each internal beam; accessories clamp onSource: arb.com.au | East/West mounting channels, no channel apertures, integrated wiring within all extrusionsSource: rhinorack.com | Wedgetail Adventure accessories; third-party accessories fit, some with a 10 mm spacer to clear the strength lip |
| Construction | One-piece, fully welded (robot welded; no bolts, structural screws or rivets)Source: arb.com.au | Main frame welded; other parts bolt or click together; ships flat pack | |
| Weight | 14.3 kg netSource: arb.com.au | 14.8 kgSource: rhinorack.com | Listed on each fitment's product page |
| Material | Extruded aluminium, black powder coatSource: arb.com.au | Alloy components with a scuff-resistant coatingSource: rhinorack.com | Powder coated aluminium, glass reinforced nylon |
| Warranty | 3 yearsSource: arb.com.au | 5 years on Pioneer platformsSource: rhinorack.com | 10 years (5 years on 1) |
| Made in | ChinaSource: rhinorack.com | Bayswater, Victoria, Australia |
Load rating
ARB lists a 125 kg payload for the 1255 x 1285 mm BASE Rack and rates each cross beam to 25 kg; it says its racks are rated and tested in line with the roof load limit of each vehicle. Rhino-Rack's Pioneer 6 platform page shows no load figure: Rhino-Rack publishes on-road, off-road and static ratings through its load rating calculator, and the off-road rating is worked out with the formula in the product's fitting instructions.
Every Wedgetail is rated 100% off-road to its full dynamic rating, and static is 3.5 x dynamic. Wedgetail Adventure platforms are rated 100 or 150 kg dynamic on most fitments; the exact figure is listed for each vehicle.
| Tent on the move (dynamic) | Tent plus people parked (static) | Platforms | Ranges |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 kg | 123 kg | 1 | Wedgetail Adventure |
| 40 kg | 140 kg | 1 | Oval Steel |
| 60 kg | 210 kg | 2 | Oval Steel and Wedgetail Adventure |
| 70 kg | 245 kg | 1 | Commercial Max |
| 80 kg | 280 kg | 2 | Oval Steel and Wedgetail Adventure |
| 100 kg | 350 kg | 353 | Commercial Max, Oval Steel, Wedgetail Adventure, Wedgetail Core and Wedgetail Trade |
| 120 kg | 420 kg | 1 | Wedgetail Adventure |
| 150 kg | 525 kg | 200 | Commercial Max, Oval Steel, Wedgetail Adventure, Wedgetail Core and Wedgetail Trade |
Profile height
Rhino-Rack lists the Pioneer 6 platform at 45 mm high, before the legs or Backbone that suit your vehicle. ARB publishes no height figure for the BASE Rack; it sells it as a low-profile platform on low-profile blade mounts. Installed height depends on the mount for your vehicle, so compare fitted heights for your own roof, not platform thickness. Wedgetail has not published installed heights yet: measure from the roof to the top of the platform rails on the fitted rack.
Accessory systems
- ARB BASE Rack: a dovetail extrusion runs around the full perimeter and along both edges of each internal beam, so accessories clamp on and off rather than sliding into a channel.
- Rhino-Rack Pioneer 6: mounting channels including East/West channels, no channel apertures, and wiring can run inside the extrusions.
- Wedgetail Adventure: the lip around the platform is there for strength. Some third-party accessories need a 10 mm spacer to clear it, and with that they fit. There is no Wedgetail spacer kit.
Price
The BASE Rack is $952 and the Pioneer 6 1300 x 1240 mm platform is $1,289 RRP inc GST, each before the mount kit for your vehicle. A Wedgetail price is for a complete solution made to suit the vehicle: Wedgetail Adventure is $1,525 to $5,905 RRP inc GST across the range. Compare the full fitted kit for your own vehicle.
Where the Australian-made option fits
Wedgetail Adventure is made in Bayswater, Victoria, Australia. Its main frame is welded and the other parts bolt or click together, so it ships flat pack, and every one of the 134 Wedgetail stockists sells and fits it. For each brand head to head see Wedgetail vs Rhino-Rack and Wedgetail vs ARB.
Questions people ask
Which sits lower, the ARB BASE Rack or the Rhino-Rack Pioneer?
It depends on the mount for your vehicle. Rhino-Rack lists the Pioneer 6 platform at 45 mm high before legs or Backbone; ARB publishes no height figure but sells the BASE Rack as a low-profile platform on low-profile blade mounts.
What is the load rating of the ARB BASE Rack?
ARB lists a 125 kg payload for the 1255 x 1285 mm BASE Rack (1770070), with each cross beam rated to 25 kg, and says its racks are rated in line with each vehicle's roof load limit.
How do accessories attach to each rack?
The BASE Rack uses a dovetail extrusion that accessories clamp onto; the Pioneer 6 uses mounting channels, including East/West channels. A Wedgetail platform takes third-party accessories, some with a 10 mm spacer to clear the strength lip.
Is the ARB BASE Rack welded?
Yes. ARB describes it as one-piece and robot welded, with no bolts, structural screws or rivets. A Wedgetail has a welded main frame with the other parts bolted or clicked together.
Which has the longer warranty?
Rhino-Rack gives 5 years on Pioneer platforms and ARB 3 years on the BASE Rack. Wedgetail Adventure carries 10 years.
Is either one made in Australia?
Rhino-Rack lists China as the country of origin for the Pioneer 6 platform, and ARB's BASE Rack page does not say where it is made. Wedgetail racks are made in Bayswater, Victoria, Australia.
Sources
- arb.com.au/product/1770070-arb-base-rack-1255-x-1285mm, read 14 October 2026
- rhinorack.com/en-au/products/roof-racks/roof-trays/pioneer-platforms, read 14 October 2026
- rhinorack.com/en-au/load-rating-calculator, read 14 October 2026
- rhinorack.com/en-au/warranty-terms, read 14 October 2026
- rhinorack.com/en-au/product/62109, read 14 October 2026