Prinsu vs Victory Roof Rack: What You Need To Consider

Roof racks can drastically increase your vehicle's carrying capacity and the ability to mount accessories including rooftop tents. With so many roof racks on the market that are much better than your OEM rack, it can be especially difficult to decide on what rack to go with and what rack will suit your adventure and needs best. Fortunately for Tacoma owners, we have created the most expansive comparison of Tacoma roof racks. Many brands are available for not only the Tacoma but also for the 4Runner and many other vehicles such as the Lexus GX460. Regardless of what you drive, you still will likely have trouble deciding on what rack to go with. Prinsu and Victory 4x4 roof racks are some of the industry's most popular. If you are stuck between the two you are in the right place as we compare the racks from each brand below.

Prinsu

Prinsuis considered "The Original" as they were the first to pioneer the common roof rack design over ten years ago. Since that initial version the classic Prinsu roof racks have gone through minor revisions and perfected with thousands of on-road and off-road miles. They also have a huge customer base that has provided valuable feedback and allowed Prinsu to craft a truly exceptional product.

All Prinsu roof racks are made in Idaho Falls, ID with the whole process from cutting and forming the material to powder coat being done in-house. This allows Prinsu to have control over quality and lead times which cannot be said by many manufacturers.

Victory 4x4

Victory 4x4 is the sister company of JcrOffroad which has been providing quality products for the Jeep product for over 15 years. This long history of crafting quality products is evident with Victory 4x4 2ho provides an array of products for many different vehicles ranging from bumpers and skid plates to roof racks

Victory 4x4 roof racks are made in Portage, MI and proudly manufactures their products in the USA. Victory 4x4 also has a lot of control over lead times and quality.

Prinsu Roof Racks

Prior to the 4th quarter of 2023, Prinsu only offered one main style of roof rack. But since the end of 2023, Prinsu now offers both their classic version and the all-new Prinsu Pro Roof Rack. The Prinsu Pro Roof Rack is currently available for a handful of models including the Toyota Tacoma, Toyota Tundra, Toyota 4Runner, Chevy Colorado, Lexus GX460, and more. We expect Prinsu to continually add to this lineup and can expect it to be available for more models in the future. For purposes of this comparison, we will be looking at the original Prinsu rack. We do have a Prinsu vs Prinsu Pro rack comparison to learn more about the differences between the two.

The original Prinsu roof rack is constructed out of two laser-cut side plates and comes with 2x1 inch aluminum extrusion crossbars that work flawlessly for mounting accessories thanks to the integrated drop-in points which allow you to add and remove accessories without the need to remove the crossbar from the rack. A wind deflector and noise-reducing edge trim to reduce noise are also included with all Prinsu racks. When ordering you will have the ability to select between a standard wind deflector or one that will work with a light bar.

Victory 4x4 Roof Racks

Victory 4x4 roof racks are also constructed out of two laser-cut aluminum side plates and come with aluminum cross bars with milled access points allowing accessories to easily be added and removed. Every Victory rack comes with a wind deflector that has an optional lightbar cutout. All Victory roof racks come with stainless steel hardware and come with a black powder coat finish.

Similarities Between Prinsu and Victory Roof Racks

The overall design of the Prinsu and Victory roof racks is very similar. They are low-profile and come with aluminum side rails with t-channel aluminum cross bars. Both racks produce minimal wind noise thanks to the included wind deflector and noise-reducing edge trim. Additionally, both brand's racks come with a black powder coat finish.

How to racks function is also very similar. They each sit up only 2-3 inches above the roof and can support different accessories including rooftop tents. Accessories between the two brands are interchangeable for the most part since they both use 2x1 inch cross bars which is the basis for mounting accessories. Despite the similarities between the two, there are some striking differences that you should be aware of.

Differences Between Prinsu and Victory Roof Racks

Despite the many similarities, the differences between Prinsu and Victory could be a game-changer for you. For starters, the way the two racks mount to vehicles differs slightly.

Mounting Feet:

The Prinsu roof rack mounting feet are incorporated into the side rails. In other words the mounting feet are attached directly to the side rails and constructed out of the same material that the side rail is - aluminum. On the Victory roof rack, the mounting brackets are steel (zinc rich primer coated) and bolt to the aluminum side rails. Prinsu's pre-bent aluminum mounting feet are likely not as strong as steel mounting feet and the bend in the side rail can actually result in added stress to the mounting foot and side rail. The Prinsu Pro Rack now has separate bolt-on mounting feet.

Side Rail:

There are no differences in the material used for the side rail on both the Prinsu and Victory 4x4 racks. What does differ is the design. Victory 4x4's side rail includes cutouts that can be used as a place to put your hands when trying to access something on the top of the rack. Prinsu side rails do not have such large cutouts and look a bit more sleek and aerodynamic than Victory 4x4's offering. Prinsu still offers the ability to add a handle and light mount to the side rails, but you will need to purchase Prinsu Ridgeline Handles to do so.

Rear Cross Bar:

The Victory rack incorporates a rear fairing which they claim provides a more finished look. The Prinsu rack does not come with a rear fairing and instead comes utilizes a rear extruded aluminum cross bar which is the same as the other cross bars on the rack. The Victory rear fairing includes the ability to easily mount lights and the Prinsu includes the drop-in points allowing a slew of accessories to be mounted.

Hardware:

The Prinsu roof racks come with black oxide hardware while the Victory 4x4 roof racks come with black stainless hardware. The stainless hardware will hold up to the elements the best. Prinsu does offer optional stainless hardware for an added cost.

Price:

The Prinsu roof rack is slightly more expensive than the Victory 4x4 rack. For example, the Prinsu Tacoma roof rack is $830 and the equivalent Victory 4x4 roof rack is $749.

In Summary

You really cannot go wrong with a Prinsu or Victory 4x4 roof rack. Both racks provide many of the same benefits with minimal differences outlined above. Roof rack accessories should be another consideration when looking for a roof rack. Prinsu generally offers more accessories for their racks so if there is a must-have accessory then it might make sense to go with a Prinsu rack for that sole purpose. However, if you are worried about corrosion it might make sense to go with the Victory roof rack thanks to the stainless hardware that comes with the rack, or upgrade to Prinsu's optional stainless hardware.

If you are looking at other racks the Prinsu Pro series roof racks are a great option and a Sherpa rack also never disappoints. Truck Brigade is proud to be a leading dealer for vehicle roof racks and has in-depth experience with dozens of brands. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team who would be happy to assist.