Meet RadRack: The World’s First Rear-Tire Surf Rack

If you've ever struggled with getting surfboards to the beach, the RadRack team knows your pain, and has a pretty rad solution. Photo courtesy RadRack

A few years ago, Brian Spinrad had a problem. Just after purchasing his dream car, a Ford Bronco, he wanted to take his family, including his kids, to the beach and surf. Issue was, he couldn’t strap his surfboard to the top of his Bronco because of its soft roof. He couldn't fit the boards inside the vehicle, either. When this problem presented itself time and time again, the only way forward, it seemed, was to sell his beloved car.

“The idea of the Bronco was awesome, but having kids and being able to transport our boards down the shore wasn't working," he said.

That's when Brian thought of a solution: a surf rack for the back of the vehicle, and in this case, a surf rack that fit on the back tire. Teaming up with Breanne Sommer, they collectively searched everywhere for something similar. But it didn't exist. Yet.

Instead of giving up and selling his car, Brian along with Breanne and help from Robert Spinrad, decided to create a permanent solution to this problem not just for themselves, but for other surfers.

The result is RadRack: the world's only patented rear over-the-tire mounted surf rack designed specifically for vehicles with rear-mounted spare tires.

Having faced the same problem, we checked it out ourselves. There's no doubt about it: it's a brilliant invention. Keep reading for 5 specific things that we loved about it, and you will too.

#1: RadRack is built by surfers. 

Photo courtesy RadRack

The best products today are made by people who witnessed the need. That’s the first thing we loved about the RadRack surf rack.

Look at Brian's story. Traditional roof racks weren't an option because of the Bronco's soft tops. After wondering if he should take the windows out of his car and put the boards through the windows ... risking ended up on @kookslams ... or running the boards over the car seat and tearing up his new car's interior ... and making it uncomfortable for all passengers ... Brian and Breanne, with support from Robert Spinrad, decided to build one themselves.

“One weekend, I took PVC piping and a bunch of other parts I had in the garage, whipped something together, and created the first RadRack,” Brian said. I saw the creation myself: it had pool noodles for support, bungee cords running around it to hold the boards in, and cradle for the boards to stand in. Surprisingly, the rack lasted him a few months, and in his free time, he looked for inspiration to improve it. Nobody has ever attempted to put a board on the back of a car. So every mistake became another step toward the final design."

The RadRack team has moved far beyond their prototype. Today, the latest iterations offer far more stability and durability, including aluminum tubing.

What I learned is that he first prototype worked, but their latests are as good as it gets in the rack industry.

That's why it's so critical that RadRack was built by surfers, because only they understand the problems, and therefore the solutions.

The RadRack team knew that lifting heavy boards after a long surf session can be painful; now there's no overhead lifting. The RadRack team knew that surfboards tear up your interior with saltwater, sand and wax; now, that's not a problem because your board stays outside your car.

Because the team knows all these problems, they sought to provide a solution to every single one. And that's one of the main reasons we love this product.

Photo courtesy RadRack

#2: RadRack protects your surfboards (and your roof).

In the world of Amazon, Temu, buyer hesitancy and even anxiety is real. This is especially true especially when it comes to this kind of gear that will be in the sun and exposure to salt. This is even more true with your precious and expensive surfboards (and foil boards—RadRack holds both types of boards).

But there's no hesitancy or anxiety with the RadRack: its built simply with just a few components, and those components are built to last regardless of how many pot holes your beach roads you drive through.

Not only that; the RadRack team has personally tested their product on the highway, in heavy rain and thousands of real-world miles. The result? The boards and the rack were all just fine, thanks to their latest iteration of board cushions.

Something that I personally told the RadRack team: oftentimes, when you strap boards to your roof and hit the interstate, and you hear the wind whipping at the boards, you often have intense anxiety about the boards falling off. Because the RadRack surf rack sits on the back of the car, the vehicle's mass protects the boards from that intense wind and lets you drive easy.

And stay tuned: because as we speak, the team is working with an existing surfboard locking system that's compatible with RadRack, with plans to make it available to customers as an optional accessory.

#3: RadRack fits more than half a dozen vehicles. 

If you're like us and you love the RadRack, but you don't have a Ford Bronco, can you still buy it? You bet! The RadRack fits many other vehicles, including:

• Ford Broncos 

• Jeep Wranglers 

• Land Rover Defenders 

• Mercedes-Benz G-Wagons 

• Toyota FJ Cruisers 

• Suzuki Jimnys 

• and more

And best of all: it's simple to put on and go. So, if the waves are unexpectedly firing, you can get the RadRack on the car and loaded with your boards (A four-board expandable version is already in development) in just as much time—if not less—than the traditional roof rack.

Photo courtesy RadRack

#4: The Rack is useful and not restrictive.

Unlike many external carriers, RadRack stays attached to the rear-mounted spare tire, allowing the rack and boards to move with the tailgate so you still have full access to the cargo area. Like I said, the RadRack team has thought through all of these problems and found simple solutions.

There's no drilling. No permanent modifications. Best of all? It installs in minutes. (Like I said, if the waves are firing, you can get this bad boy installed in no time and get to the surf.)

As you can see, RadRack isn't really about transporting boards as much as it is about making it easier to keep surfing.

For dads and moms like us, for families trying to get to the beach together, for older surfers, and for anyone who's tired of climbing on the roof or trashing the inside of their vehicle. That's really what RadRack is all about.

#5: The RadRack is affordable.

Let's be honest: surf racks can be insanely expensive, and cheap alternatives are, well, cheap and don't last. Even worse, they put your boards at risk.

What we also love about RadRack is its price point: at $439.99, you get a durable, patented rack that will store your boards for you for the foreseeable future.

(That patent is a HUGE deal, making RadRack the world's only patented rear over-the-tire mounted surfboard rack.)

Remember how our first point was that RadRack is built by surfers? Well, that affects the price point. Brian told me that many people have recommended that the team prices it far more higher. His response:

"I don't think the average surfer has that kind of money," he said. "So, we're doing everything we can to keep the price down while keeping the quality good."

Pretty rad, right?

Honorable Mention...

The RadRack team isn't just looking to sell surf racks; they're looking to improve everyone's surf experience, which is why they're working on a partnership with a surf report and community platform to give RadRack owners access to real-time surf reports, local conditions, and a community built by surfers, for surfers.

The Bottom Line

The RadRack team are some of the most passionate entrepreneurs in our surf space, but as many of you know, launching a biz can be hard.

Things have been moving pretty fast lately for their team. Between getting the patent approved, exhibiting at CARV, all of the media attention, and now accepting an invitation to participate in an upcoming season of The Blox Entrepreneurship Bootcamp with Weston Bergmann, they're looking forward to learning from the mentors, investors, and other founders while working toward getting RadRack into production.

The only concern? They need pre-orders to move into production. They've funded this venture from day one because they believe in what they're building.

They're looking for pre-orders and a strategic partner who can help take RadRack to the next level while allowing them to stay true to their roots by continuing to sell through independent surf shops.

As a surf community, we look after one another in and out of the water. RadRack isn't just another surf accessory. It's solving a problem that thousands of surfers with rear-mounted spare tire vehicles have dealt with for years. No doubt about it: we're rooting for this team.

That's why we recommend that whether you're a buyer, surf shop owner, or entrepreneur, you reach out and lend a helping hand (don't forget to follow them @radrack682) so this rack can help keep the passion for surfing alive for others in our community.