Roof Carrier Options for Two 17-Foot Kayaks on Subaru XV Crosstrek  

Question:

Expert Reply:

Subaru rates the roof capacity of the 2014 and 2015 XV Crosstrek at 176-lbs maximum. This is the maximum combined weight of everything on it, an aftermarket roof rack, the roof cargo itself plus that of the carrier(s) used to hold it. If you have a different model year you'll want to check your manual to confirm its rating.

An average 17-foot sea kayak weighs in at around 70-lbs. You will want to confirm the actual weight of your kayaks with their particular equipment to ensure that together they will not exceed the vehicle capacity.

For cars without a roof rack and for cases where your roof cargo load is very close to the car's limit a foam block style carrier can sometimes be a good option. These are shown on the linked page. Foam block kayak carriers do not offer the same stability as a roof-rack-mounted carrier like the Yakima JayLow # Y04073 but they are low in cost, lightweight and will work on both bare roofs and on existing OEM and aftermarket roof racks.

If you have enough roof weight capacity for the kayaks and a pair of the 10-lb JayLow then this will be your better option in terms of stability on the highway. Please feel free to tell me about the roof on the car and the kayaks' weight and I will be glad to assist further. A helpful article on watersports carriers is linked.

expert reply by: Adam R

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