Why Do People Put Ladders On 4Runners (And Do You Need One?)

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The Toyota 4Runner may be built in Japan, but it's a popular model in the United States, especially for adventure seekers that like to ride in style. With the 4Runner's growing popularity among outdoor enthusiasts and overlanders, people are finding ways to pile more gear, supplies, and toys in, and on, them.

Many Toyota 4Runner owners install aftermarket roof racks to hold more gear on top, but even the base 2025 SR5 4Runner comes with a serviceable roof rack (roof rail) installed as part of its standard equipment. A roof rack allows owners to attach cargo carriers such as soft canvas bags or any of the hard-shell varieties. Some owners even choose to carry off-road recovery gear on their upgraded roof racks.

So, why do people put ladders on the backs of 4Runners? The obvious answer is so they can reach the roof rack without standing on a tire. The roof of the 2025 Toyota 4Runner stands over 6-feet from ground level. Unless you're pretty tall, that's going to put even the stock roof rail of the SR5 4Runner above eye level. While many Toyota 4Runner owners choose to add a ladder to the back to make loading and unloading the roof rack easier and safer, there are other uses for the ladder that may convince you to add one to your 4Runner.

While more convenient access to the gear storage on top of a 4Runner is a key benefit of installing a ladder, there are other benefits that might shift the accessory from your "Nice to Have" list to "You Need This Now." Redditor "rguess" says that even at 6-feet 2-inches they use the ladder to shovel snow off the roof during the winter in the mountains, and claims it's a convenient place to hang a trash bag when breaking camp in the summer.

Some 4Runner ladders incorporate a Molle system that allows you to securely attach even more gear to the ladder. Potential accessories for this type of ladder include extra gasoline and water storage containers, shovels, jacks, or one of the highly-rated recovery board you can buy on Amazon. Amazon also has a wide variety of Toyota 4Runner ladders starting at around $200, such as this one from Hooke Road.

Do you need a ladder on the back of your Toyota 4Runner? Probably not, but it could come in handy, especially if you're even just a little vertically challenged. The upside to having a ladder on the back, is that even if you never use it, it will add character to the looks of your Toyota 4Runner.