# 1
Rhino-Rack Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style - Folding - Clamp On
These work great and I was able to install them on the OEM rack for my truck. The only downside is that the threads for the clamp hang down a little too close to the roof for comfort.
The Rhino-Rack 2 Kayak Carrier I ordered from etrailer was easily reviewed and ordered from their website and ALL communication relative to order confirmation and extreme detail included in their tracking was nothing short of phenomenal! The items were packaged with care and arrived intact. These fit our basic Lexus crossbars and is the perfect product for carrying our two (2) kayaks. My hat goes off to the great folks at etrailer -- It doesn't get any better than this!!!
# 2
Yakima KeelOver Canoe Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Gunwale Brackets - Clamp On
I purchased the product to make it possible to haul a 30+ year-old White fiberglass canoe on the standard roof-rack of a 2013 Subaru Outback. The kit works very well, but some experimentation was involved. Due to the tapering width of the canoe, I use haul kit with the front guides reversed to face the inside of the canoe gunwhales. In the back the guides are used as intended, facing the outside of the gunwhales.
Product was as advertised, however it was missing four bolts that I had to get at a hardware store, but other than that it was fine. Service from etrailer team was outstanding.
# 3
Yakima SweetRoll Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Clamp On
Excellent product, easy install, secure on the crossbars, a bit lower ride height and a simple rolling mechanism. A significant improvement over my older Yakima Handroll racks.
The Sweet Roll will not support my Old Town Topwater 10.6. The brackets spread out on the crossbar under the weight. This year I will try a Yakima Big Catch. The Sweet Roll works fine with our Old Town Loons.
# 4
Malone DownLoader Kayak Roof Rack w/ Lift Assist and Tie-Downs - J-Style - Clamp On
I can't lift my kayak onto my roof rack like I could when I was younger. This looked like a perfect answer to keep me actively using my kayak. It is simple to use, but it does take some strength as you have to lift your kayak onto the loader and must lift the kayak up onto the roof rack as it only loads to just before the top, so keep that in mind. The legs need to be about 6" - 8" longer as mine don't touch the ground at the connectors. I can only reach the ground with them lowered to where they are almost out of the holder. They also touch the Jeep, so I am going to have to carry something to fit between the loader and the Jeep to prevent scratching the door paint. I think if the legs were longer and they fit with both the holder/connectors then I think they might not touch the Jeep. I would have given 5 stars if the legs were long enough. It works with both my moulded J rack and my fold down J rack. It works with both style of kayaks, rounded and straight hulls.
About a year ago, I purchased one set of the Malone Downloader w/Lift Assist (MPG114MD-351XL) and second set of Downloader J-Style Folding Racks (MPG114MD) for use on a 2014 Subaru Outback with standard Subaru roof racks. I had no issue with installation and use of any of the parts using the enclosed instructions and online videos. Everything seems to fit properly and securely; no broken, unusable, or missing parts. Over the past year we've use the racks extensively for our 10.5 ft recreational kayaks on both short local trips and longer highway trips. We augmented the roof racks with T-handle hood and tailgate tie-downs and some locally purchased camlock tie-down cords. Everything working great with 10's of racking/unracking episodes. We've only used the Lift Assist maybe 1 of 10 trips when there's only a single person lifting, so can't provide as much feedback. However, the Lift Assist does work exactly as advertised and we're happy with the results. In addition, the friendly and well-informed folks at etrailer.com were a huge help with answering tech questions. Well done!
# 5
Swagman Contour Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style - Fixed - Clamp On
The carriers are nicely equipped with everything you need to secure your kayak to your roof rack. The only downside is the clamps don't seat well on the Subaru Outback (2017) crossbars. The clamps are shaped to favor a square bar. As a result the actual bar surface area this holder contacts is very little and even when screwed down nice and tight, the boat was able to move side to side and scratch the coating off of the OEM cross bars. I did order these in a pinch as I was pressed for time & my original pick was out of stock so it is what it is. Very nice carrier for the price, but I'd recommend only if you've got square bars.
The product is of good construction but probably due to how it fits on my crossbars it needs additional support. The crossbars for my Honda Pilot are wide blade type and these racks seem more appropriate for narrower square type crossbars. Even with the rack fastened very tightly, the rack can twist back and forth. Last year on a trip across Montana the wind was pretty gusty and it caused the front one to pivot quite a bit and we had to pull off and apply a ratcheting strap over the kayak and under the factory rails to ensure it was held tight and wouldn't move again. This year on the same trip we had bad winds but had a roof rack mounted behind these racks giving it support on the tall side. We had to strap it real good to make sure it didn't move. If we hadn't had that additional support behind it and add'l straps we probably would have had more problems. I think if the top metal bracket had a wider channel to fit our crossbars it would be much more stable. The way it is now it just sandwiches 2 metal plates between my crossbar which allows it to pivot under stress.
# 6
Malone MegaWing Fishing Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Clamp On
I can now load my 14' tandem kayak by myself. Excellent product.
# 7
Inno Locker Watersport Roof Rack w/ Crossbar Pads - Locking - Clamp On
Heavy duty. Easy enough to install. Instructions aren't great, but you can figure it out. The crane is a good idea in theory, but could use some design refinement as it only lifts just enough to tuck a paddleboard underneath. The rachet system is great and the rubber coverings for the wires are super helpful for preventing scratches.
I installed the unit and so far i love it. It holds the kayak very securely, and they are very sturdy and robust
# 8
Yakima Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style w/ Rollers - Clamp On
Just got these in the mail. They fit the stock rack on my 02 Subaru outback great and feel extremely durable. I have a very wide and heavy Jackson kayak Big Rig and I feel these will hold it great. Prior to these I trailered it or struggled to get it on the roof. Just roll it up there and secure it. This was the best product for me as all the other racks are so dang light and flimsy. Furthermore this was the best price I could find and I'm lazy and don't want to order the products separate. One and done and you save $ Great buy!
This worked GREAT on my 2015 Outback with factory installed roof racks. Right out of the box I installed the SKS lock cores (purchased separately) clamped them on, locked them down, added my kayak and I was off for a day on the river. Just a matter of minutes to install everything. Highly recommend.
# 9
Rhino-Rack Nautic SUP or Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Clamp On
I've owned this product for a year now,and originally bought it for an okt13,and just recently upgraded to a hobie outback. I've gotten a lot of uses out of this so far and have done a ton of kayaking.most of my trips I travel long distance from Pittsburgh to Virginia Beach.so far I must say I love these types of straddles! Very nice support and I like the fact that they allow you to mount your kayak upright,instead of upside down on the bar which results in scratching up the gunnels.definitley recommend this product!
Looks like is quality product, looking forward to using it soon. Prompt shipping, satisfied.
# 10
Malone SeaWing Kayak Roof Rack w/ Load Assist and Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Clamp On
Easy to install on my Outback. Very helpful for loading and unloading my kayak.
the product seems to be of high quality. Definitely makes loading my Hurricane santee 116 sport a breeze. The company is extremely efficient in their shipping of the order. Very Happy thus far!
# 11
Rhino-Rack SUP and Surfboard Pads w/ Tie-Downs for Crossbars - Universal - 33-1/2" Long - Qty 2
These pads worked well on our Yakima RailBar Crossbars- Item #Y00448-0449 that we also bought from etrailer around 2020/2021. Not sure if etrailer carries the exact Yakima Crossbars anymore, but think they have a similar model. Both the pads and crossbars work well to haul our kayak on our 2019 Subaru Forester. etrailer's customer service rocks! We had a lot of questions purchasing both items and they were great to talk to!
The product came quickly and was so easy to install on my existing roof rails! It is absolutely perfect to fit many needs above and beyond my kayaks and paddle boards. They look so good on my new 2019 Jag F-Pace I might leave them on all the time.
# 12
Yakima ShowDown Kayak or SUP Roof Rack and Lift Assist w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Clamp On
Wow is all I can say. I put the Malone cross bars on and then this went up in less than an hour. For an older very petite woman, It went up very easy. Yes, be aware shorties: you need a step stool to be able to get the rack up. I have a folding one that will go in my car. Yep so glad I did this. Thank you Paul B for the help in getting exactly what I needed.
Awesome paddleboard rack system...my wife loves it on her 2015 jeep wrangler..
# 13
Yakima JayLow Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style - Folding - Clamp On
Well-made high quality product. The kayak racks fit perfectly onto the roof rack of our 2018 Subaru Outback. The one downside was the difficulty in getting the hold-down straps around the top of the loop on each of the racks after the kayaks were loaded on, even when following the strapping instructions to the letter. It would be nice if there were some way of holding the strap in place on the top of the loop without it slipping down.
The rack installs very easily and is mostly intuitive to use. I feel more comfortable with a kayak in the jay low rack than I did with the kayak flat on my old car rack -- the kayak's weight and shape help to hold it into position. The straps are pretty easy to figure out, etc. My only complaint is less about the jay low than about the new Subaru Outback I own. There are no tie-downs locations on the front of the car! So, if the front tie-downs are needed, then perhaps this is not the best rack if you own a new Subaru. On the other hand, I've now used the rack three times without bothering with the front tie-down. Go figure.
# 14
Thule DockGlide Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Universal Mount
I need replacements when a pair of Dockgrips was was lost or stolen. When others were stocked out, etrailer came through. Fast shipping and courteous service!
The Thule DockGlide Kayak Carrier and the Tie-Downs that came with it are a very functional High Quality Product. Once the DockGlide Carrier was properly positioned on the Cross bars it attached easily and solidly with the associated hardware. The Kayak slides on and off the Carrier very easily and is quite secure once properly tied down. I enjoy Kayaking and the DockGlide Kayak Carrier enables me to get where I want to go.
# 15
Thule Compass Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style - Folding - Clamp On
Wry disappointed in such an expensive rack and kayak carrier. It is extremely difficult to reach the carrier to place two kayaks. We are very uncomfortable transporting the kayaks for longer and highway travel. I would not recommend these to others. We likely will purchase something other in the future. I’d rather put the kayak in a car or pickup truck that they would fit in.
We bought this Kayak rack for my mom to put on her 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee so her and my dad could haul their kayaks easier. The mounting hardware was a little tricky at first but once we figured it out, it wasn't bad at all. It holds the kayaks in place nicely. Had no issues with them getting loose or moving around. Seems to be built well and they're very happy with it so far.
# 16
Malone DownLoader Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style - Folding - Clamp On
I had the moulded downloader and needed the folding in order to fit in the garage. The top feed for the tie straps isn't as good as the moulded J-style rack, the strap came out of one, but the kayak stayed where it needed to be. It is easy to raise and lower the rack, but I am not always sure at what angle I am supposed to set them. With the moulded J-style, they are at the perfect angle for holding a kayak. I wish the clamp that goes under the bars were a better fit for the oval bars, but they do send two different size bolts and the longer ones work.
The Malone DownLoader is very good value for the money. The J-style cradle is nice when you have to muscle a kayak on top of a tall crossover or SUV. You can hook the edge of the cockpit onto the base of the cradle and flip the kayak up onto the metal hoop support. Carrier installation and removal is easy and doesn't require any tools. Materials are good, but not great and that's what prevents this product from getting 5 stars IMO. The foam padding is nice enough and has been durable, but the metal plate that attaches the carrier to the roof rails is plastic coated steel and the plastic cracks over time, and leads to rust on the steel plate beneath. Not a big deal, but it might compromise the plate over time. I also wish that the provided nylon straps were longer, and that the ratchet buckles were covered in rubber to protect the roof of the vehicle and the windshield when you're trying to get them around the hull of the boat. We quickly replaced these with longer aftermarket straps that have rubber covers over the buckles. Those minor points aside, the Malone DownLoader kayak carrier gets the job done easily and safely, and does so at a very affordable price point.
# 17
Yakima JayHook Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style - Fixed - Clamp On
easy to install...very haPPY WITH YOUR SERvice
Have only taken it out once so far but it was easy to put on and use. Could be easy for someone to steal, I put bike locks on mine to prevent that.
# 18
Rhino-Rack Nautic Roof Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Clamp On
I don't have an issue with the product per second but my kayak was too wide to effectively use it. I could never get the boat in the right spot on the cradles and just ended up removing the cradle and sliding it directly onto the cross rails. The only complaint I have is the installation method. You have to use an Allen key with a hole for a peg. Unless you plan on leaving the cradle in place all the time, this is a real pain to install. Some quick release cams, like you find on bicycles, would make installation much simpler.
Haven't installed yet but product looks very good and as advertised.
# 19
Thule Hullavator Pro Kayak Roof Rack and Lift Assist w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Universal Mount
Works great.
Bought a pair of these to go on 59" rhino rack bars on our Outback Wilderness and am really pleased. I left the bars full width - they are not a head banger on the car - and mounted the Hullavators as far outboard as possible which means the kayaks clear the side of the car and wing mirrors without folding them in. I did have to modify one Hullavator to make the Hobie Lynx fit (36" wide Lynx = 36" max Hullavator width)
# 20
Thule Hull-A-Port Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style - Fixed - Clamp On
This fits 2018 Outback with no issues at all. Comes with all straps and extra for front and back tie down. First time putting them on took about 30min. Every time after about 10-15min. Have a 10 and 11ft kayak and they work perfectly. Etrailer was quick on responses, better priced, and shipped quickly. Will use them again.
I purchased two sets of Thule Hull-A- Port Carrier with Tie-Downs (J-Style, fixed side - loading) last year. They have been installed on our Subaru Outback all of this summer. I like that they are easy to install, easy to use, well built, and that Outback fits under a standard garage door with them installed. Its a snap to pop the kayaks on and go! If you paddle longer boats (my kayaks are 14, 14.5 and 15 feet long) I recommend getting the Thule Bow/Stern Tie Downs (TH530) for convenient temporary bow & stern tie down points, without crawling under the vehicle to attach to the frame.
What our customers are saying:
"Your internet site is very well organized and easy to use...My order was shipped very promptly and included everything I ordered...All in all this was a simple procedure for what can be a complicated order. I would use your company again or recommend you to others. Your selection was broad and your prices fair."