Comparison
Front Runner vs Yakima: Slimline II or LockNLoad?
Short answer
Neither is better on every count: the Front Runner Slimline II is a T-slot tray made in South Africa with a 5 year warranty and no load figure on its tray page, while the Yakima LockNLoad is a slatted platform rated 100 to 150 kg on its RuggedLine mounts, reduced off-road, with a limited lifetime warranty. Platform only, the 1345 x 1358 mm Slimline II tray (RRSTG07) is $1,330 and 22.31 kg installed, and the 1530 x 1250 mm assembled LockNLoad (8005076) is $1,250 and 22.9 kg; neither price includes the vehicle mount, and Yakima's RuggedLine mounts are $550. The Australian-made 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, platform only
| Feature | Front Runner Slimline II tray | Yakima LockNLoad Platform | Wedgetail Adventure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,330.00 (tray only; does not include a mounting system)Source: dometic.com | $1,250 (1530 x 1250 mm, assembled, SKU 8005076)Source: yakima.com.au | $1,310 to $5,905 RRP inc GST (139 fitments) |
| Size | 1345 mm wide x 1358 mm longSource: dometic.com | 1530 x 1250 mm (assembled platform, SKU 8005076)Source: yakima.com.au | Made to suit each vehicle; size listed on each fitment's product page |
| Vehicle mounting | Does not include a mounting system; fits an existing Front Runner roof rack mounting systemSource: dometic.com | Vehicle mounting is a separate product: LockNLoad RuggedLine platform-to-vehicle mounting system, $550Source: yakima.com.au | Complete solution with a mounting kit made to suit each vehicle |
| Load rating | 100 kg to 150 kg product load rating for LockNLoad on RuggedLine (refer to product instructions per SKU)Source: yakima.com.au | 100 or 150 kg dynamic on most fitments, 100% off-road, no derating | |
| Off-road rating | No numeric rating on the tray page; Dometic says it was designed and built specifically for off-road useSource: dometic.com | Load ratings apply to well-formed sealed roads; off-road an off-road reduction percentage is subtracted, set by product and mount type (the chart lists 0%, 20%, 33% and 50%)Source: yakima.com.au | 100% of the dynamic rating, no derating |
| Static rating | Static = 3 x dynamic (confirm with your vehicle maker)Source: yakima.com.au | 3.5 x dynamic (100 or 150 kg dynamic becomes 350 or 525 kg static on most platforms) | |
| Weight | 22.31 kg approximate installed weightSource: dometic.com | 22.9 kg (1530 x 1250 mm)Source: yakima.com.au | Listed on each fitment's product page |
| Accessory system | T-slot slats and slotted side railsSource: dometic.com | 7 east-west slats with 21 mm accessory slots, plus slots on the underside of all perimeter sidesSource: yakima.com.au | Wedgetail Adventure accessories; third-party accessories fit, some with a 10 mm spacer to clear the strength lip |
| Construction | Slats secured with locking nuts into a double-walled aluminium extrusion channel in the side profiles; assembled by the customerSource: dometic.com | Sold fully assembled, or as a separate unassembled versionSource: yakima.com.au | Main frame welded; other parts bolt or click together; ships flat pack |
| Material | Black epoxy powder-coated T6 aluminiumSource: dometic.com | Powder-coated, corrosion-resistant aluminiumSource: yakima.com.au | Powder coated aluminium, glass reinforced nylon |
| Wind deflector | Wind deflector included (one pair, WDST006, 1345 mm)Source: dometic.com | Integrated wind deflectorSource: yakima.com.au | Included |
| Warranty | 5 years ("All Dometic Front Runner Series racks are backed by a 5-year warranty")Source: dometic.com | Limited Lifetime on roof racks, mounts and accessories; use on unsealed roads or off-road terrain where not explicitly permitted is not coveredSource: yakima.com.au | 10 years (5 years on 1) |
| Made in | South Africa ("manufactured in South Africa entirely using corrosion free aluminum")Source: dometic.com | Not stated on the product page; Yakima describes the RuggedLine mounting system as designed and tested in AustraliaSource: yakima.com.au | Bayswater, Victoria, Australia |
Price: both platforms are sold without the vehicle mount
Front Runner lists the 1345 x 1358 mm Slimline II tray at $1,330 and says it does not include a mounting system. Yakima lists the 1530 x 1250 mm assembled LockNLoad at $1,250, and its RuggedLine platform-to-vehicle mounting system is a separate $550 product. Front Runner also sells complete vehicle kits with legs included, compared in Rhino-Rack Pioneer vs Front Runner Slimline II.
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.
Load and off-road ratings
Yakima publishes a 100 kg to 150 kg product load rating for LockNLoad on RuggedLine and refers buyers to the product instructions for each SKU. Its ratings apply to well-formed sealed roads; off-road, a reduction set by product and mount type is subtracted, and its chart lists 0%, 20%, 33% and 50%. Yakima puts static at 3 x dynamic.
Front Runner gives no numeric rating on the Slimline II tray page and says the tray was designed and built specifically for off-road use. Whichever you choose, the vehicle maker's roof limit still applies.
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. Off-road load ratings explained.
| 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 |
Accessories and assembly
- Front Runner Slimline II: T-slot slats and slotted side rails. The slats are secured with locking nuts into a double-walled extrusion channel in the side profiles, and the customer assembles the tray.
- Yakima LockNLoad: seven east-west slats with 21 mm accessory slots, plus slots on the underside of all perimeter sides. Sold fully assembled, or as a separate unassembled version.
- 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; see do third-party accessories fit a Wedgetail.
Weight, material and origin
Front Runner lists the Slimline II tray at 22.31 kg approximate installed weight, in black epoxy powder-coated T6 aluminium, and says it is manufactured in South Africa. Yakima lists the assembled LockNLoad at 22.9 kg in powder-coated, corrosion-resistant aluminium; its product page does not say where it is made, and Yakima describes the RuggedLine mounts as designed and tested in Australia. Rack weight counts against the vehicle's roof limit, so subtract it before you load.
Warranty
Front Runner states that all Dometic Front Runner Series racks carry a 5-year warranty. Yakima gives a limited lifetime warranty on roof racks, mounts and accessories, but use on unsealed roads or off-road terrain where not explicitly permitted is not covered. Wedgetail Adventure carries 10 years.
Who each one suits
- Front Runner Slimline II: buyers who want a T-slot tray with slotted side rails and a wind deflector in the box, on a Front Runner mounting system or as part of a complete Front Runner vehicle kit.
- Yakima LockNLoad: buyers who want a platform that arrives assembled, with a published 100 to 150 kg rating on RuggedLine mounts, and who will stay within the off-road reduction for their mount.
- Wedgetail Adventure: buyers who want a rack made in Australia, sold as a complete solution for the vehicle, with one rating that holds on and off road.
Where the Australian-made option fits
Wedgetail Adventure is made in Bayswater, Victoria, Australia. The 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 Front Runner and Wedgetail vs Yakima; for brands that make racks here see Australian-made roof racks.
Questions people ask
Is Front Runner or Yakima better for a 4WD in Australia?
Neither is better on every count. Yakima publishes a 100 to 150 kg rating for LockNLoad on RuggedLine with an off-road reduction; Front Runner publishes no numeric rating on the Slimline II tray page. Choose on the mount for your make, model and year, the gear you will carry and the rating that applies off-road.
Which costs less, the Slimline II or the LockNLoad?
For the platform alone, Yakima lists the 1530 x 1250 mm LockNLoad at $1,250 and Front Runner the 1345 x 1358 mm Slimline II tray at $1,330. Neither includes the vehicle mount; Yakima's RuggedLine mounts are $550.
Can I put a rooftop tent on either one?
Check the static and off-road figures for your exact kit first. Yakima puts static at 3 x dynamic on a 100 to 150 kg rating; Front Runner gives no figure on the tray page. On a Wedgetail platform static is 3.5 x dynamic (350 or 525 kg static on most platforms) and the dynamic rating holds off-road.
Where are Front Runner and Yakima platforms made?
Front Runner says the Slimline II tray is manufactured in South Africa. Yakima's LockNLoad page does not say; Yakima describes its RuggedLine mounts as designed and tested in Australia. Wedgetail racks are made in Bayswater, Victoria, Australia.
Which has the longer warranty?
Yakima on length: a limited lifetime warranty against Front Runner's 5 years, but Yakima's does not cover use on unsealed roads or off-road terrain where not explicitly permitted. Wedgetail Adventure carries 10 years.
Will my Front Runner or Yakima accessories fit a Wedgetail?
Yes. Third-party accessories fit a Wedgetail platform; some need a 10 mm spacer to clear the strength lip, and with that they fit. There is no Wedgetail spacer kit.
Sources
- dometic.com/en-au/product/slimline-ii-tray-1345-w-x-1358-l, read 14 October 2026
- dometic.com/en-au/product/toyota-land-cruiser-double-cab-bakkie-pick..., read 14 October 2026
- yakima.com.au/collections/platforms/products/locknload-platform-new, read 14 October 2026
- yakima.com.au/collections/platforms/products/locknload-ruggedline, read 14 October 2026
- yakima.com.au/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/YAKIMA-Load-Rating-Documen..., read 14 October 2026
- yakima.com.au/pages/warranty-disclaimer, read 14 October 2026
- yakima.com.au/collections/platforms, read 14 October 2026