Tested on hundreds of vehicles over the years, Prinsu has become a household name for the overland space. There is a reason why Prinsu is as big as they are. They just work. Prinsu has spent over a decade perfecting a system trusted by hundreds of enthusiasts. Whether you off-road, overland, or use your rack to transport gear, they have a solution and the accessories to support all of us. Last year, we covered a post comparing the original to the pro. In that post, we broke down everything you need to know about the new Pro and at exactly what point it makes sense to upgrade or stay with the original design.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Pro rack, it is totally re-engineered from the ground up. The new rack is stronger, smarter, and more adaptable than before. With a 100% bolt-on installation, no drilling required, and an impressive 700lb dynamic and 1200lb static load capacity, the Prinsu Pro is designed to handle everything you throw at it.
In this post, we didn’t want to go into extreme detail on the Pro since we already covered that comparison post. Instead, this post will give you a look at the Prinsu Pro on the new 6th Gen 4Runner.
Black Friday + Promo Code (2025)
- Use code – TRAILCO – to save an extra 5% off!
- Save 20% total now for Black Friday!
Table Of Contents
The Redesign
There’s a lot of chatter out there when it comes to roof racks. A lot of people compare the Prinsu name to other racks with experiences from the original Prinsu rack that was manufactured almost a decade ago.
What most of these people fail to realize is that Prinsu still offers that original, but they also have the Pro series. The original one did have some challenges compared to what’s currently being offered in the market; it was lighter duty, the mounting feet weren’t as stout, the side rails were thinner, lighter duty crossbars, and the gasket on the fairing was basic. They’ve made updates to the original (like better hardware) in efforts to improve the original line. However, everything is updated with the new Prinsu Pro.
The Pro now features 44% stronger crossbars with multiple drop-in points, improved mounting feet design, dual side rails with mounting points on top, and slots throughout the entire side rails as well for additional mounting.
The new Pro took everything they learned from the original (the first CNC/extrusion rack on the market) and made it stronger, more configurable, and more customizable.
All-New Crossbar Design
The 44% strength increase in the redesigned crossbars offers the ability to mount more weight, if needed. For example, if you’re looking to run a rooftop tent or anything pushing over 150lbs, then the Pro rack will support it. With an all-new extrusion shape that improves rigidity and reduces flex under heavy loads, you can feel confident that weight spread across multiple crossbars will prevent rattling and flex.
The new crossbar design is still compatible with existing Prinsu mounting accessories and hardware, and the new bars are designed to reduce wind noise and distribute weight more efficiently.
Limitless Mounting Options
With the new Pro, you get 6 integrated drop-in points per crossbar, which simplifies accessory mounting options for accessories like Maxtrax, awnings, RTTs, recovery gear, solar panels, and more. The modularity this rack offers is perfect for both daily use and extended overland trips.
Prinsu offers one of the largest ecosystems of mounting brackets and tie-down solutions, so if you do choose them, it’s nice to know they have an insane line of brackets and hardware to complement the rack.
No-Drill Installation
Like most racks on the market, Prinsu is a bolt-on installation for the 2025+ 4Runner and comes with a brand new OE-style Permatex silicon gasket maker to seal the connection points on the roof. Not all racks come with a brand new tube of black gasket maker. Check out my step-by-step installation on the rack over at 6thGen4Runner.com.
On the new 6G 4Runner, the Pro features updated mounting brackets to match the new roof channel spacing and the reshaped roofline. Unlike the previous generation that required some alignment and adjustment near the shark fin antenna, the new design clears everything right out of the box.
Corrosion-Resistant Hardware
Most of the guys who complain about Prinsu talk about the rust on the hardware. Since the release of the Pro, Prinsu has made stainless steel hardware a standard for rust-free longevity.
In addition, the side rails are all powder-coated aluminum for weather resistance.
Just make sure if you do buy additional 1/4-20 hardware for other accessories, that you also buy stainless steel hardware, because if you don’t, they will rust. I have a bag of random 1/4-20 hardware in my toolbox, and sometimes forget that it’s just that, a mixed bag. So since then, I bought a bag of black stainless 1/4-20 hardware just for future accessories that get bolted to the rack.
Dual Side Rail Design
The biggest advantage of the Pro is the two-part side rail construction with a reinforced bend at the top because it adds a ton of structural integrity… although that bent rail at the top has proven to give me an issue when uninstalling RTTs. What I liked about my Backwoods Adventure Mods rack over the Prinsu was that it was stout but also didn’t have a bend at the top of the side rails. That allowed me to easily unbolt the crossbars with an RTT mounted while keeping the side rails fixed in position, so that when I went to reinstall the tent, it was an easy drop-in and the crossbars were exactly where they needed to be. With the bent side rails, you have to completely remove the crossbars from the tent in order to remove the tent, and then when you go to reinstall your tent again, you have to line everything back up. Furthermore, if you don’t have a moonroof, this process becomes a pain over and over again. None of this is a big deal if you don’t install/uninstall RTTs often, but I do. Just something to consider when going into the purchase.
For height reference on the Pro, it adds about 2.25 inches above the roofline, keeping the overall height manageable for standard garages.
Load Capacity
Prinsu Pro is designed to carry 700lb dynamic and 1200lb static, which is plenty for the lightweight tents I run. I have had zero issues with flex, sway, or rattle on the Pro while mounted on the 6th Gen 4Runner. Compared to the original, this is a huge step up in performance.
Made In The USA
Everything Prinsu is All-American manufacturing, precision CNC construction, and Prinsu carries a lifetime structural warranty.
Final Thoughts
The Pro is a killer rack for the 6th Gen 4Runner. All the CNC cut racks on the market are very similar these days, with a few differences here and there, mostly being design, accessories offered in-house, and how the rack bolts to the roof. I would recommend waiting for a sale if you’re looking at the Prinsu Pro.
CBI/Prinsu does offer a handful of sales throughout the year, and Black Friday sale is live. That’s a big one. You really can’t go wrong there.
This is my 3rd Prinsu rack and I haven’t had any real problems with any of them.
