6 Best Storage Racks For Outdoor Gear In RVs Nomads Swear By
Nomad-approved racks to finally organize your gear.
That moment of Tetris-like frustration is familiar to every RVer. You’re trying to wedge a pair of mountain bikes, a generator, and three camp chairs into a pass-through bay that’s already full. You quickly realize that living small doesn’t mean living without your favorite gear; it means getting smarter about where you put it.
Conquer any trail with the Schwinn Traxion mountain bike, featuring a lightweight aluminum frame and full suspension for a smooth ride. Enjoy effortless gear changes with the 24-speed Shimano drivetrain and reliable stopping power from mechanical disc brakes.
Exterior storage racks aren’t just accessories; they are fundamental to a functional and enjoyable life on the road. They liberate your interior living space from dirty, bulky, or awkward equipment, keeping your home clean and your mind clear. More importantly, the right rack system protects your expensive toys from damage and makes them accessible, so you actually use them.
The key is understanding that there’s no single "best" rack. The ideal solution depends entirely on what you need to carry, the type of RV you drive, and how you travel. It’s a calculated decision that balances weight, access, and security to perfectly suit your adventure.
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Maximize Your Space with These RV Gear Racks
Your RV’s storage bays, no matter how large they seem at first, fill up with surprising speed. The essentials—hoses, electrical cords, leveling blocks—claim their territory, leaving little room for the fun stuff. This is where exterior racks transform your rig’s potential, turning unused space on your bumper, hitch, or ladder into prime real estate for adventure gear.
Before you buy anything, take a hard look at your RV’s specifications. What is the weight rating of your hitch receiver? Can your bumper even support a rack? Many standard travel trailer bumpers are notoriously thin and not rated for the dynamic loads of a bouncing rack. Understanding these limitations is the first step to a safe and successful setup.
Most importantly, always choose a rack that is explicitly RV-rated. A rack designed for a passenger car is not built to withstand the amplified bouncing and swaying forces at the back of a long trailer or motorhome. Using a non-approved rack is a common and costly mistake that can lead to catastrophic failure on the highway.
Swagman Traveler XC2: Your Go-To RV Bike Rack
The Swagman TRAVELER XC2 bike rack is RV-approved and hauls up to two bikes using a 2" Class 3 hitch receiver or RV bumper adapter. Its sturdy, foldable design allows easy bike loading and rear vehicle access.
When it comes to hauling bikes, the Swagman Traveler XC2 is a name you’ll hear over and over, and for good reason. Its most critical feature is its official RV-approved rating. This isn’t just a marketing term; it means the rack is engineered to handle the intense, unique stresses found at the rear of an RV.
This is a platform-style rack, where the bike’s wheels sit in trays, offering far more stability than racks that hang bikes by the frame. The upright ratcheting arms clamp down securely on the bike frames, preventing the sway and collisions that can damage both your bikes and your RV’s finish. It’s a simple, robust design that just works.
The Traveler XC2 is a dedicated two-bike hauler, so it’s perfect for couples or solo nomads. While it may not suit a large family, its focused design delivers reliability. For anyone needing to transport one or two standard bikes securely behind their rig without breaking the bank, this is the proven, go-to solution.
Haul Your Kayaks with a Stromberg Carlson Rack
Kayaks and paddleboards present a unique storage challenge due to their length and awkward shape. The Stromberg Carlson Ladder-Mounted Rack offers an elegant solution by utilizing vertical space. It cleverly attaches to your existing RV ladder, turning it into a sturdy transport system for one or two kayaks.
This approach has a significant advantage: it leaves your hitch receiver completely free. You can still tow a vehicle or use the hitch for a bike rack or cargo carrier. The rack’s arms are padded to protect your watercraft and fold out of the way when not in use, maintaining a slim profile.
However, this solution is entirely dependent on having a strong, securely mounted factory ladder. You must know and respect your ladder’s weight limit, which typically hovers around 250 pounds. When you factor in the weight of the rack itself and your kayaks, it’s crucial to stay well under that maximum for safety.
Yakima EXO GearLocker: Weatherproof Your Gear
Expand your vehicle's storage with the Yakima EXO GearLocker. This 10-cubic-foot, hard-shell cargo carrier easily mounts to the EXO SwingBase, offering secure, weather-resistant storage for gear and luggage. Its aerodynamic design minimizes drag and noise for a smoother journey.
An open cargo basket is useful, but it leaves your gear exposed to road grime, torrential rain, and opportunistic thieves. The Yakima EXO GearLocker is the premium answer to this problem. It’s a durable, hard-shell cargo box that provides 10 cubic feet of fully enclosed, weatherproof, and lockable storage.
The GearLocker is part of Yakima’s modular EXO system, which is built on an innovative swing-away hitch base. This is its killer feature. The entire system, fully loaded, can swing 90 degrees away from your rig, giving you unobstructed access to rear doors or storage bays without having to unload a single thing.
Make no mistake, this is a significant investment in both cost and weight. But for full-time nomads or serious adventurers carrying valuable equipment—be it for climbing, photography, or work—the peace of mind is invaluable. It provides a secure, organized, and easily accessible "garage" right on your hitch.
MORryde Sliding Tray: Effortless Bay Access
Easily access your truck bed cargo with the MORryde sliding tray. This fully assembled, carpeted tray boasts an 800 lb capacity and installs in minutes without measuring or cutting.
The deepest part of a pass-through storage bay is often a black hole where gear goes to be forgotten. The MORryde Sliding Tray is a game-changing upgrade that brings everything out into the light. It’s a robust, ball-bearing-equipped tray that slides out from your storage bay, presenting your gear to you.
Instead of crawling halfway into a dark compartment to retrieve a heavy tote or a tool bag, you simply pull a latch and the tray glides out. These trays can often extend 100% of their length, making every square inch of your bay easily accessible. They are available in dozens of sizes to fit nearly any RV’s pass-through compartment.
Installation is required, and the tray itself adds weight and consumes a few inches of vertical space. However, the ergonomic and organizational benefits are massive. For anyone tired of the "unload everything to get one thing" routine, a sliding cargo tray is one of the highest-impact upgrades you can make.
CURT Hitch Cargo Carrier: Your Versatile Hauler
Carry up to 500 lbs outside your vehicle with this durable steel cargo carrier. It features a folding shank for easy storage and integrated reflectors for enhanced safety on the road.
Sometimes, you just need a simple, open platform for bulky, dirty, or oddly shaped items. The CURT Hitch Cargo Carrier is the quintessential workhorse for this job. It’s a steel basket that plugs into your hitch receiver, instantly adding a versatile deck for things you don’t want inside your RV.
This is the perfect spot for a portable generator, a stack of firewood, a leaky cooler, or a few oversized storage bins. The high mesh sides provide ample tie-down points, giving you the flexibility to secure a wide variety of loads with ratchet straps or a cargo net. It’s a straightforward, effective, and budget-friendly capacity booster.
The tradeoff for this flexibility is that you are entirely responsible for securing and protecting your load. You’ll need a good waterproof cover if rain is in the forecast and a reliable set of straps to ensure nothing shifts in transit. For the RVer who needs an adaptable hauling solution, the CURT carrier is a simple and reliable choice.
Rubbermaid FastTrack: Customize Your Garage Bay
Organize your garage easily with the Rubbermaid FastTrack 24-piece kit. The heavy-duty steel system supports up to 1,750 lbs and features adjustable hooks and rails for customized storage.
For those with a toy hauler garage or a large, unfinished storage bay, the challenge is taming a vast, empty cavern. The Rubbermaid FastTrack Garage System is a brilliant solution borrowed from residential garages. It allows you to transform bare walls into highly efficient, customized storage.
The system starts with a simple steel rail that you securely mount to the bay walls. From there, you can click on an extensive array of specialized hooks, baskets, and shelves without any more tools. There are hooks for shovels, cords, hoses, and camp chairs, creating a designated spot for everything.
The true power of the FastTrack system is its modularity. If you sell your bikes and buy a paddleboard, you can swap out the hooks in thirty seconds. This adaptability is perfect for the evolving needs of an RVer, allowing you to optimize your most valuable storage space without committing to a permanent, inflexible layout.
Final Tips for Installing Your New RV Gear Rack
Your first and most important step is to read the instructions—for both the rack and your RV. Manufacturers provide specific torque values for bolts and crucial information about weight capacity. Guessing is not an option when your gear’s safety is at stake on the highway.
Always consider the physics of weight distribution. Adding 200 pounds of gear on a rack hanging off the rear bumper acts like a lever, reducing the weight on your front axle and tongue. This can negatively impact steering control and potentially induce trailer sway. Always stay within your RV’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and be mindful of how a heavy rear load affects handling.
Before you embark on a cross-country journey, take your newly loaded-up rig for a short shakedown drive. Go over some bumps, take a few turns, and get it up to speed on a local highway. Then, pull over and check every connection. This simple test run is the best way to catch a loose bolt or a poorly secured item before it becomes a real problem.
Ultimately, mastering RV storage isn’t about finding more space; it’s about using the space you have with intention. The right rack system is a force multiplier, unlocking new possibilities for adventure by allowing you to bring the tools of your trade, whether that’s a kayak, a mountain bike, or a grill.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The best setup is a personal equation that factors in your passions, your budget, and the unique characteristics of your rig. By choosing wisely and installing safely, you can build a mobile basecamp that’s less about compromise and more about capability.
A well-organized RV is a more peaceful RV. When your gear has a home, you spend less time managing clutter and more time enjoying the view from your campsite. That, in the end, is what this lifestyle is all about.
