I have a 110S (coil springs), with roof rails but no roof rack. I have a set of crossbars I'll attach occasionally when I need to put a Thule box on top, but I leave them off most of the time because the vehicle is already too tall for some parking garages, and I need to park at the airport a couple of times a month.

But... I have a few things which I might want to attach to the outside of the vehicle when off-roading. One is a shovel.

There are various paddle/shovel holders (rings, basically) that can attach to roof racks. Here's an example:
https://yakima.com/products/topgrip?...567.1685372226

Has anyone found a way to attach something like that directly to the roof rails? Is there an insert that can go into the rails that the rings/attachments can bolt into? I was thinking some something like PowerfulUK's "roof rail eyelet kit" (https://www.powerfuluk.com/vehicles/...nder-l663.html). Can the inserts from that kit be used to attach paddle/shovel rings (or any other kind of Thule/Yakima attachment)? I realize there might be a 90-degree problem (roof rack rails run perpendicular to the line of travel; the roof rails themselves run parallel).

Alternatively, has anyone installed the PowerfulUK "utility side rail" (https://www.powerfuluk.com/vehicles/...0-right.html)? That might do the trick, but it appears to take only their little ring attachments. Can you attach something else to that rail - and if not, what's it used for?

I realize one option is to go full molle plate, but I'm hoping to avoid that - I won't need it 99% of the time, and it will just add weight, wind noise, etc.

I'm looking to benefit from someone's experience before I spend a few hundred bucks to experiment. Thanks if you have anything to suggest!

 

QuickGrips work a treat. You could use them on your rack or crossbars. At $12 they are cheap and fit for purpose.

These like everything else attach with Thule M6 bolts designed to fit the Thule T-track on the crossbars. About $3 a bolt if memory serves but generic cheaper ones are probably out there. All in, your shovel mount will be about $16

 

Those look great but they appear to require a roof rack or cross bars. From how they attach do you think there’s a way to bolt them directly to the roof rails with no crossbars installed?

 

My apologies. I didn't read your post properly. I don't have an info on attaching them to the rails directly .

 

I looked at them though - maybe they will work with the roof rail brackets from the Powerful UK roof rail eyes…