What SportRack does

SportRack, Inc. is a Seymour, Connecticut-based manufacturer and direct-to-consumer retailer of vehicle-mounted cargo and sporting-equipment carriers, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sweden's Thule Group. The company sells roof cargo boxes, hitch and roof cargo baskets and bags, hitch and roof bike racks, snowsport carriers, and watersport (kayak) carriers, supported by a deep spare-parts catalog. Products are engineered for universal fit on most roof racks and common hitch receivers, using standardized materials — impact-resistant ABS for cargo boxes, corrosion-resistant aluminum for snowsport carriers, powder-coated steel for hitch products, and water-resistant nylon for soft cargo.

The company runs a hybrid go-to-market combining direct e-commerce through sportrack.com (with Canadian mirror sites in English and French) and an authorized online dealer network surfaced through a dealer-locator tool. Pricing spans accessory items under $10 up to premium cargo boxes at $499.95, with mid-tier hitch and bike racks clustering in the $150-$410 range. A limited lifetime warranty and 30-day money-back guarantee back the consumer value proposition, and a Fit Guide tool filters products by vehicle make/model/year to reduce purchase friction. The Thule Group parent supplies shared engineering, parts infrastructure, and capital; SportRack itself employs 11-50 people and is governed under Connecticut corporate law, with operations and warranty coverage spanning the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Name

SportRack

Legal name

SportRack, Inc.

Website

https://sportrack.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SportRack is a Connecticut-based manufacturer and DTC retailer of vehicle-mounted cargo boxes, bike racks, and snowsport/watersport carriers, operating as a value sub-brand of Thule Group serving outdoor-active consumers across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seymour

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: SportRack sells products directly to consumers through their e-commerce website sportrack.com, processing orders and shipping throughout the United States. Customers can purchase products, spare parts, and accessories directly from the website.
2. Dealer Network Distribution: SportRack distributes products through an online dealer network. The website includes a dealer locator tool to help customers find authorized dealers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SportRack manufactures and distributes vehicle-mounted cargo carriers and sporting equipment racks, including roof cargo boxes, hitch cargo baskets, hitch-mounted and roof-mounted bike racks, vertical and horizontal kayak carriers, and snowsport racks for skis and snowboards. Products are designed for universal fit on most roof racks and vehicle configurations, sold direct-to-consumer via sportrack.com and through an authorized dealer network in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Product overview

SportRack offers a comprehensive portfolio of vehicle-mounted outdoor adventure gear carriers designed to make it easy for everyone to get outside. The product lineup centers on two main categories: cargo carriers (including roof cargo boxes, hitch cargo baskets, and roof cargo bags) and bike carriers (hitch-mounted, rear mount, spare tire, and roof top carriers). Supporting these core categories are snowsport carriers for skis and snowboards, watersport carriers including vertical and horizontal kayak racks, and a full range of spare parts. Featured products include the Horizon L roof cargo box (16 cubic foot capacity), Crest 2 locking bike rack, Groomer Deluxe snowsport rack, and Mooring Deluxe kayak carrier. All products are designed for universal fit on most roof racks and vehicle configurations, with the company providing a Fit Guide tool to help customers find compatible products for their specific vehicles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Horizon L Cargo Box

Quantifiable outcome

• Universal fit on most roof racks reduces compatibility concerns
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Thule: Thule is SportRack's parent company and the global premium leader in roof racks, cargo boxes, bike racks, and hitch-mounted carriers. It is comparable as the umbrella brand whose product portfolio overlaps SportRack's entire catalog at a higher price tier.
• Curt Manufacturing: Curt is a major US manufacturer of hitches, ball mounts, and hitch-mounted accessories (cargo carriers, bike racks). It overlaps with SportRack's hitch basket and hitch bike rack categories and shares the same vehicle-fitment installation context.

Direct peers

• Rhino-Rack: Rhino-Rack manufactures roof racks, cargo baskets, bike carriers, kayak carriers, and snowsport mounts with a similar universal-fit value proposition. It is a direct peer in vehicle-mounted outdoor gear systems sold through dealer and DTC channels.
• Kuat: Kuat specializes in hitch-mounted bike racks (and a growing cargo line) at a premium tier. It overlaps directly with SportRack's Crest, Ridge, and Pathway hitch bike rack lines on product type, channel (DTC + dealer), and customer use case.
• Allen Sports: Allen Sports is a value-tier bike rack manufacturer with a broad hitch/trunk/spare-tire lineup. It competes head-to-head with SportRack's entry-level bike rack SKUs on price-sensitive Amazon and big-box channels.
• Swagman: Swagman designs hitch, roof, and spare-tire bike racks plus kayak and ski carriers. It is a direct peer in vehicle-mounted recreational gear carriers sold through outdoor and sporting goods dealers.
• Yakima: Yakima designs and sells roof racks, cargo boxes, bike racks, and ski/snowboard mounts across the same consumer segments (outdoor enthusiasts, families, cyclists). It is the closest direct competitor to SportRack in hitch and roof-mounted cargo and bike carriers in North America.
• Hollywood Racks: Hollywood Racks produces hitch, trunk, spare-tire, and roof bike racks at value and mid-tier price points. It is a direct peer to SportRack in affordable hitch-mounted bike carriers for recreational and family cyclists.
• Saris: Saris manufactures hitch, trunk, and roof bike racks plus trainers. Its hitch bike rack portfolio (e.g., Freedom, SuperClamp) directly competes with SportRack's Crest/Ridge/Pathway lines for the same cycling-enthusiast customer.

Emerging players

• 1UP USA: 1UP USA is a premium, direct-to-consumer hitch bike rack brand with strong enthusiast following. It is comparable as a single-category-focused competitor shaping buyer expectations for hitch bike rack quality, against which SportRack's broader portfolio must position.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SportRack