Most Popular Malone for 2017 Subaru Forester

I bought the least expensive item in the category, and I must say I was happy with the results. The Aero Crossbars were pretty easy to install and work well. Very little wind noise, if any. Though with the Cargo basket attached to the rails, there is a little wind noise. The Rola Cargo Basket is very sturdy and seems to be well made and solid. Better then my expectation. The roof/rack mounting hardware works well. The only difficulty I had in assembly was with the rubber sleeves that cover the basket assembly screws to protect them from rusting. These were very challenging to install and I wish I had thought to just use some black duct tape - I suspect most people don't bother with them. That was the only negative - I do lose about 2.5 miles per gallon with the rack installed on my 2017 Subaru Forester, but that was expected. Overall very pleased with the purchase. Found the ordering and shipping went exactly as expected.

Racks appear to be well built and sturdy. Installation was quick and simple. Trick with installation of the rubber gasket is to lay it flat in the sun to soften it up prior to fitment. Very similar to Thule (albeit with a lower weight limit) at a fraction of the price. Photo is of the racks installed on a Forester sport with SUP pads added.

I got a really great deal on this MPG201 kit via the "used" section, which wasn't used - I contacted support and it was listed essentially as "damaged in shipping" but fully functional, which it was. It came with no keys but I used a small flathead screwdriver to unlock them, necessary for rack installation. Not a biggy. One of the plastic feet split on install, which Malone rectified without hassle, and sent keys, when I contacted them with a photo. They make a decent rack for the money, I bought a different kit from them years ago. The connection beneath the roof rails is minimal but seems sufficient for surf and snowboards. I sent photos to Malone who confirmed the install is correct.

Installation was easy. The allen wrench didn't fit into one of the adjusting bolts - maybe the zinc plating was too thick on that one. Overall, the product is great. I used to have a set of bars on another Subaru (big, well known brand) and these seem just as good at a much more reasonable price. My only complaint is that the blue protective film on the lock faces is very hard to get off. The adhesive is too gooey and would not slip off like protective films should. UPSP shipping took forever (maybe due to flooding in Missouri) and the package took an extremely circuitous route. I would think UPS or FedEx more appropriate for this size package. Package was pretty banged up, but no product damage or missing parts.

I chose this cross bar system mainly for the reasonable price and the good reviews. They were very easy to install and I love that they include locks. They attach very tightly to the factory side rails of my 2009 Subaru Forester. I purchased some J style kayak mounts that I attached to the rails. They went on easily and are very solid. I will likely leave the mounts attached to the rails and take the rails on and off as needed. Overall I think these were a great buy.

Fits our 2023 Subaru Forester like a glove. Well made. Like the locking feature.

I installed the roof rack easily. The instructions were clear. The cross bars are strong and heavy. The towers adjust easily with the provided tool. It chirps a bit when I drive. I don’t mind that. I plan to carry two Hornbeck canoes.