The short answer: The Leitner ACS ROOF, developed with Rally Innovations, is a full platform roof rack built specifically for the 2022 to 2025 Outback Wilderness and the 2026 and newer Forester Wilderness. It sits inside the factory roof rails, so it adds no height to the car. It bolts to the factory mounting points with no drilling, no cutting, and no headliner removal, and it installs in under an hour with hand tools. It's priced at $1,560, and Rally Innovations ran it on the Alcan 5000 before it went on sale.

The Wilderness trims are the Subarus people actually take down forest roads, and the factory rails were never meant to carry a full load of gear. Most aftermarket platform racks fix that by sitting on top of the rails, which adds height, or by bolting through the roof, which means dropping the headliner and paying a shop. This rack does neither. Here's what fits, how it goes on, and how it held up on a 5,000 mile rally to Alaska and back.

Which Subarus Does It Fit?

The ACS ROOF for Subaru is built around the Wilderness trims' factory roof rails. Two applications are available.

Confirm fitment for your specific vehicle at leitnerdesigns.com before ordering.

Leitner doesn't list this rack for other Outback or Forester trims. The Wilderness rails are what it's designed around.

Why Doesn't It Add Any Height?

Because it doesn't sit on top of anything. The platform fits down inside the opening between the factory Wilderness rails rather than riding above them, so the roofline of the car stays exactly where Subaru put it. Garage clearance doesn't change, parking structure clearance doesn't change, and the car still looks like a Wilderness from the side.

It's also why the rack doesn't need any holes. It uses the structure that's already there.

How Hard Is the Install?

This is the part most Subaru owners care about, because it's where other racks get expensive. A rack that bolts through the roof typically means dropping the headliner, drilling, and resealing, which is roughly a seven hour shop job. At typical shop rates that's $700 to $1,200 in labor before you've loaded anything on top, and it puts holes in a roof that's still under factory warranty.

The ACS ROOF bolts to the factory mounting points with billet aluminum mounts. Nothing goes through the roof. The T30 and T40 Torx bits you need are in the box, and the only tool you supply is a 10mm open-end wrench. Leitner's install target is under an hour in a driveway.

No drilling. The rack uses the factory mounting points, so there are no new holes to seal.

No headliner removal. Nothing goes through the roof, so the interior never comes apart.

No shop bill. With the tools in the box and an hour of your time, the labor cost is zero.

How Did It Hold Up on the Alcan 5000?

Before the rack went on sale, Rally Innovations ran it on the Alcan 5000, a rally of roughly 5,000 miles from the Lower 48 to Alaska and back over some of the most remote roads in North America. That means gravel, washboard, frost heaves, and long days at speed with the rack loaded, which is a harder test than anything a parking lot or a test rig can produce.

The rack came back dusty and intact. That's the whole point of running it there first: the people buying it are going to take it down forest roads, and it's already done a harder version of that trip.

What Does It Hold?

Always follow your vehicle manufacturer's roof load rating. Where the car's rating is lower than the rack's, the car's rating applies. Check your owner's manual.

Load Bars and Accessories

Each load bar adjusts fore and aft within a 4-inch range, so you can fine-tune the spacing to fit a cargo box, a bike tray, or a set of traction boards. The bar layout is fixed and designed around the Wilderness roof, which is part of how the rack stays inside the factory rails instead of stacking on top of them.

What About Storage?

If you want lockable storage up top, Leitner's GearPOD ROOF mounts to the ACS ROOF. Instead of a lid that lifts from the top, the side wall of the box is the door, swinging up and out of the way so you can reach straight in from the side of the car. On a Subaru, that means getting to your gear without climbing on the door sill.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the ACS ROOF fit a standard Outback or Forester?

It's built around the Wilderness trims' factory roof rails, and Leitner lists it for the 2022 to 2025 Outback Wilderness and the 2026 and newer Forester Wilderness only.

Does it add height to my Subaru?

No. The rack sits inside the factory Wilderness roof rails rather than on top of them, so the roofline doesn't change.

Do I have to drill my roof or remove the headliner?

No. The rack bolts to the factory mounting points with billet aluminum mounts. There's no drilling, no cutting, and the headliner stays in place.

How long does it take to install?

Under an hour. The Torx bits are included, and the only tool you need to supply is a 10mm open-end wrench.

Does it work with the sunroof?

Yes. The rack is compatible with the factory sunroof.

How much weight can it hold?

The ACS ROOF is rated at 1,000 lbs static, 500 lbs on-road, and 250 lbs off-road. Your vehicle's roof load rating still applies and governs where it's lower, so check your owner's manual.

Can I use my Thule or Yakima accessories?

The T-track accepts accessories from Thule, Rhino-Rack, and Yakima.

Where can I buy it?

The ACS ROOF for Subaru is $1,560 and available from both Leitner Designs and Rally Innovations.

The Bottom Line

Zero inches taller, zero holes drilled, and on the car in under an hour. For a Wilderness owner, that's the whole argument: a full platform rack with no shop bill and no change to how the car fits in the garage.

It holds 1,000 lbs parked and 250 lbs off-road, it's already done 5,000 miles to Alaska and back, and it's designed, engineered, and manufactured by Leitner in Corona, California, with Rally Innovations.

[Shop ACS ROOF for Subaru: link to product page]