12 Best Drum Racks For Secure Drum Mounting [2024]

Every drummer requires hardware.

It often ends up being the most substantial and even heaviest part of a drummer’s overall setup.

Your needs will likely vary depending on how you want to configure your layout.

For many drummers, a drum rack is the simple and logical answer, for cymbals, rack toms and more.

In this guide, we’ll look at 12 drum racks for secure drum mounting.

Gibraltar GCS-450C 4-Post Curved Rack

Gibraltar is a quality provider of drum racks and hardware.

If you’ve been a drummer for any length of time, you already know about them.

Some of their artists include Al Wilson, Benny Horowitz, Darryl Howell, J.D. Blair, London May, Ron Powell and Zach Lind.

The Gibraltar GCS-450C four-post curved rack is a chrome three-sided curved rack system with three curved horizontal bars and four legs.

This system works with single or double bass configuration.

It offers plenty of mounting space while keeping a small footprint.

It’s also easy to set up and tear down, you can expand and customize off it and it can boost your stage presence too.

Drummers generally love the Gibraltar though reportedly the side bars must be at the same height as the front bar, which some found to be less flexible than they wanted.

Overall, however, there is relatively little negative to say about this rack.

Pearl DR80 3 Sided Rack

The Pearl DR80 three-sided rack comes with four clamps and sturdy top rails made of black anodized aluminum, and is fully compatible with all Pearl tom and cymbal holders.

The product weighs 21 pounds and measures 29.5 x 35.4 x 35.4 inches.

Customers love the overall durability and ease of use of the Pearl rack.

Some have pointed out it’s not sturdy enough for touring while others said the fixed height just didn’t offer them the flexibility they needed.

Otherwise, you should be very happy with the Pearl.

Gibraltar GCS-400C Road Series Rack

The Gibraltar GCS-400C road series rack is a basic chrome rack with curved wings.

It comes with two 30” vertical T-legs with angle adjustment, cymbal mounts, 46” curved horizontal front bar with two multi-clamps and memory locks and two 24” curved wing extensions with GMC multi-clamp and memory lock.

It’s a relatively lightweight rack at 13.23 pounds measuring 46.5 x 8.6 x 7.9 inches.

The Gibraltar rack is another awesome product.

What some customers didn’t like about it, however, is that they felt they could get a better rack for the same amount of money.

That may be the case depending on what you’re looking for, but this could still be the right fit for you.

Gibraltar GRS-850DBL Curved Double-Bass Rack

As the name would suggest, the Gibraltar GRS-850DBL curved double-bass rack is ideal for double-bass players who need added flexibility.

Though it has a relatively small footprint, the rack will accommodate up to six toms and eight cymbals.

It can also be used as a single-bass rack with side extension.

The setup includes two GRSTLA T-leg assemblies, one GRSMTLA mini T-leg assembly, three 36” vertical bars, two 40” curved horizontal bars, four GRSMC multi-clamps, four GRSHML hinged memory locks, 10 GPRML memory locks, two GRSRA right angle clamps, two GRSSRA stackable right angle clamps and one GRP-LOGO badge.

The rack weights 35.3 pounds and measures 45 x 10 x 7.5 inches.

This is a sturdy, heavy duty rack.

Pacific Drums By DW Chrome Over Steel Main Rack With 2 Side Wings

Pacific Drums and Percussion was established by Drum Workshop Inc. (DW) in 1999 to provide affordably priced percussion instruments.

This Pacific Drums over steel main rack, however, is heavy duty to say the least.

It features chrome-plated steel tubing, reinforced clamps and accessories, nameplate with built-in level, soft-grip rubber feet with integrated spikes, TechLock locking screws and PDP V-clamps.

It comes with one 42” stainless steel curved bar, four 1.5”-1.5” rack clamps, two 1.5”-1.5” T-leg clamps, one 1.5” V-angle adjustable clamp, two 1.5”-3.4” tube top cymbal adapters, two cymbal arms, four 1.5” V-clamps, 11 1.5” hinged memory locks, four rubber feet, one hi-torque drum key and one Pacific nameplate bar level.

The rack weights 21 pounds and measures 50 x 20 x 10 inches.

As advertised, this Pacific Drums rack is a beast and will stand up to much abuse.

Gibraltar GSSMS Stealth Side Mounting System

The Gibraltar GSSMS stealth side mounting system works with your existing stands to increase your mounting capacity.

It is marketed as an easy and convenient replacement for tripod stands.

This product weighs 15 pounds and measures 5.4 x 31.7 x 8.1 inches.

This is another sturdy solution for those who need to customize their setup.

Gibraltar GSCYMARM Drum Set Rack

The Gibraltar GSCYMARM drum set rack features a spider rack system with an open-framework design.

The package includes two SC-UCB ultra adjust boom arms, two SC-SBBT short cymbal boom, three SC-LBBT long cymbal booms and one SC-CLRA cymbal L-rod attachment.

This rack gives you room for crash, china and ride cymbals that can be adjusted to just about any position.

The rack weighs 21 pounds and measures 26.1 x 9.6 x 7.1 inches.

If you have a big setup then you’ll enjoy the GSCYMARM spider rack.

Drum Workshop CPRKMAIN Rack Main Package

Drum Workshop or DW offers drums, hardware, accessories, DVDs and more.

Their artist roster includes the likes of Andrew Hurley of Fall Out Boy, Brandon Barnes of Rise Against, Carter Beauford of Dave Matthews Band, Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters (or in this case Them Crooked Vultures), Eric Kretz of Stone Temple Pilots and more.

The Drum Workshop CPRKMAIN rack comes with a heavy-gauge stainless steel tubing, matching heavy-duty clamps, soft-grip rubber feet with integrated spikes, name badge with built-in level and tube-mounted DWSM934 cymbal arms.

The rack weight 32 pounds and measures 49 x 12 x 11 inches.

Customers love the DW Drums rack, but some didn’t like that they had to use memory locks with it.

Pacific Drums By DW Chrome Over Steel Main And Side Combo Rack

The Pacific Drums main and side combo rack is made with durable heavy-duty chrome-plated steel tubing and can accommodate a variety of setups.

It comes with a nameplate, build-in level for accurate setups, soft grip rubber feet with integrated spikes and TechLock locking screws.

The package includes one 42” stainless steel curved bar, four 36” stainless steel straight bars, three 24” stainless steel straight bar, one 1.5”-1.5” rack clamp, three 1.5”-1.5” T-clamp, one 1.5” V-angle adjustable clamp, two 1.5”-3/4” tube top cymbal adapter, two standard cymbal arms, four 1.5” V-clamps, 15 1.5” hinged memory locks, six rubber feet, two hi-torque drum keys and one Pacific nameplate bar level.

The kit weighs 51 pounds and measures 50 x 12 x 10 inches.

Though the rack does not come with instructions, it’s a great product.

Pearl DR501C ICON Rack, Front Rack With Curved Bar

The Pearl DR501C ICON front rack with curved bar comes with T-style feet, two PCX-100 pipe clamps and one PCL-100 ICON rack leg post.

This rack weighs 21 pounds and measures 48 x 10 x 4 inches.

People love this rack – there’s nothing bad to say about it.

Pearl DR503C ICON Rack, 3 Curved Bars

Pearl Drums has a strong reputation among drummers.

Some known Pearl artists include Matt Abts, Jimmy Adams, David Agoglia, Taha Ahmed, Kenneth “Bam” Alexander, Robert Allen, Bobby Allende, Mike Alonso and others.

The Pearl DR503C ICON rack comes with 34” long legs and 36” rack bars, memory clamps and T-style feet, four PCX-100 clamps and two PCL-100 clamps.

This rack is ideal for bigger kits – it’s too big for a five-piece kit.

Drummers generally love the Pearl rack for its versatility and the way in which it allows you to set up your kit exactly how you want it.

There are no significant negatives to speak of for this rack.

Gibraltar GCS-302C Drum Set Rack

The Gibraltar GCS-302C is a modular, two-post front curved rack.

It comes with two GPR30 30” straight bars with RMAA attachments for cymbal arms, one GPR46C 46” curved horizontal bar, two GCSQCLTLA large chrome T leg assemblies, two GCRA chrome right angle clamps, two GCRMC chrome multi clamps, two GCHML hinged memory locks and two 4425MB mini boom arms.

This is an excellent rack system overall and we can’t find any negative reviews related to it.

What Should I Look For In A Drum Rack?

Every drummer has different needs.

You may have a big kit.

You may have a small kit.

You may have more cymbals.

You may have fewer cymbals.

You may be looking to put your existing gear on a sturdier rack.

You may be interested in expanding your current setup by adding a side rack.

Maybe you’re looking for a setup you can leave at home, in a jam space, or at the studio.

Perhaps you need a setup you can easily take on the road and set up and tear down quickly.

You’re the only one that can answer these questions but it’s a good place to start when deciding on a rack.

Aside from that, here are some good things to keep in mind:

A Durable Kit

Overall, we find drum hardware to be reliable, especially when it’s being made by brands like:

• Pearl
• Gibraltar
• Pacific Drums
• DW

Unless you’re buying from a lesser known brand you should end up with a sturdy piece of kit.

It is probably the most important factor here, but it’s fair to say not much more needs to be said about it.

If you’re in any doubt, check the reviews to see if people have had any issues with the rack, you’re thinking about purchasing.

Easy To Use Setup

Set up and teardown is something you must keep in mind when purchasing a drum rack or drum shield.

Although it’s not a big deal if you don’t intend to move your kit often, if you’re a touring drummer, you’ll likely want to keep it compact and easy to move (unless, of course, you have roadies doing everything for you).

You’ll also want to keep in mind how long it takes to set up and teardown, so you can arrive at venues at an appropriate time for your gigs.

While I’m not suggesting that easy to use racks are always better, it is an important factor for many.

Convenience

This goes hand in hand with the last point.

Is the rack easy to use and carry around?

Can you move it without too much effort?

Is it easy to set up and teardown and if not, can you learn to do it quickly?

Does it allow you to set your drum kit up the way you want to?

Can you add to it or customize?

Also, does the rack work with your existing setup?

These are important questions to ask as you shop for a rack.

Customizability

Some drummers like being able to customize their setup more than others.

So, this would not be a priority for all buyers.

But if you need to set up multiple cymbals at different heights, for instance, or if you’re thinking about expanding your kit down the line, or adding to the rack, it’s nice to have a rack that allows for some customization.

If you’re relatively certain you’re not going to be adding to your kit, then you can always get a rack that will work for now.

Cost Effective Gear

It’s okay to spend more if you need a bigger, more feature-rich rack and you have the money to be able to do it.

Otherwise, we always recommend sticking to your budget so as not to incur unnecessary expenses, or for that matter, debt.

It’s so easy to buy on impulse, but oftentimes we end up paying it for it later, which isn’t a bundle of fun.

Plan accordingly and spend an amount you can feel comfortable spending.

Final Thoughts

There are different setups and not all of them require that you use a drum rack.

But there are plenty of good reasons to use one, including the fact that you can prevent your drum kit from being damaged and you can mount your toms and cymbals without worrying about them falling and breaking.

So, many drummers find it to be a worthy investment.

It allows them to customize their setup and get everything where they want it.

So, check out the racks in this guide and find one that’s right for you and your needs.