Most Popular Load Assist for 2018 Subaru Impreza

Very sturdy, easy to take off and on for storage firmly holds my 12 foot fishing kayak with no problems. Held it on my car very well in the high winds yesterday. Very satisfied with this product would reccomend to a friend. The straps it comes with hold it very nicely.

Arrived quickly and was very easy to assemble and attach to the roof of my Jeep. Now that I have the initial setup complete with the proper placement of the entire system, attaching and removing the kayaks will be a breeze. Will definitely make hauling our kayaks much easier and safer.

Sturdy cradle and easy to install. Difficult to keep tie down strap looped over top of "U" bar while trying to get it over the kayak, keeps slipping down. We made a channel out of foam to keep the strap in place and now it is easy.

Just installed it. So far so good. Ran 2 bike cables side to side with 4 pad locks to secure it for the summer,

We needed a better way to haul around 3 kayaks and after looking at a number of options, we settled on the Thule Stacker setup. Installation is simple and the stackers provide a sturdy option for hauling multiple kayaks. One of the best features is that they fold down when you don't need to use them. My shopping experience with etrailer was smooth and shipping was prompt.

My wife uses these to carry two small kayaks in the roof of her Subaru. They work great and we very happy with the purchase. She also likes finding her car easier in the parking lots, even with the carriers folded down.

Arrived ahead a schedule. Easy to install. Fit great on my Subaru Impreza. I especially like the included 4 tie down straps. I have a wide open cockpit hybrid kayak for fishing. The flexible rocker supports fit snugly and secure. Highly recommended.

Incredibly easy to install and adjust for a perfect fit. If you’re at least 5’9” you will have no issue hoisting your kayak up onto the rack. The rotation makes this very easy. Absolutely no noise while driving. Secure, tough — I’m very pleased and would recommend this product to anyone!

Super easy to install

4 on canoe rack only because of supplied lower bracket for cross member attachment.

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)

The Hullivator was for my wife to give her the option of loading and unloading by herself. It couldn’t be better. She now goes kayaking anytime she wants with little effort and no need for me to help her. Excellent product that’s worth every cent. Was super easy to install too.

Great canoe rack! Fast service!!

As all Thule products the Thule universally mounted canoe carrier is great. It came with all required items for safe and easy canoe transportation. There are two straps with pull to fasten for the canoe down, two tie down ropes for each end with nice pull tight and release mechanisms for the cord as well, along with two straps to fasten to the canoe ends used with the pull to tighten cords. The Chevy traverse cross bar had to have the plastic end caps removed for use with Thule canoe carrier. This was because my canoe took up the entire cross bar width to allow for Thule mounts. It is not a big deal to remove the plastic end caps. They only provide a finished stream lined look. Happy and Safe Canoeing

Great quality Kayak carrier, and got it 3 days faster that expected, nice job!

On my second attempt to find a carrying rack for a Pelican Mustang 100x recreational/fishing kayak, I took great care seeking out a rack that would provide at least six contact points for the boat. The kicker is trying to get good contact points to securely cradle the shape of the Mustang 100x "twin arched multi chine hull" while also cradling the edge of the deck. Delta kayaks calls a similarly shaped hull a "fusion hull". After doing a ton of google advanced searches for images for a racked up Mustang kayak model, I concluded a J-Style carrier seemed to be a secure solution. The etrailer J-Style - Folding carrier has solved the equation, and for a very reasonable price. Paired with a Sherpa Boat Roller, my 5' 4" wife can load and un-load her Mustang 100x kayak on her own for her afternoon paddles on nearby waterways. Now she needs a cockpit cover to keep out the rain, and her carrying system is complete. And etrailer made it an easy return of the first rack system I tried. Thanks etrailer!

Timely order processing and quick shipments

My kayak holder works exactly as it should. All parts were included and it was an extremely easy set up. etrailer’s customer service department was on top of everything and extremely helpful in placing my order.

I've been using this product for the past year to carry my 10 foot pelican kayak, and is has done the job without any problems. The pads and provided tie-downs hold the kayak securely. Its easy to load the kayak by myself by sliding the kayak onto the holders from the rear. I also appreciate that it comes with a lockable plastic cover over the wing nut to deter would be thieves. This is a great product, and a great value compared to its competitors.

This is a perfect fit for my needs I found this easy to load by myself. I wasn’t sure about the height of the racks but it turned out to be perfect. I had a full size pickup that was way to tall for this 79 yr old to load, but on the Maverick a with the elevated rack system and the Rhino kayak it works great.

I acquired a second kayak and needed a system to fit the factory racks on my 2011 Toyota RAV4. Etrailer.com has always had information on what fits and has always had the item needed for the job. I attached the Yakima BigStack to the top with ease, and, with one other person to hold the kayaks while I secured, tied two of them down for a long road trip to Northern Minnesota. The system worked just fine. The only caveat was in the configuration of multiple boats in the instructions. The diagram has two boats on the same side of the posts, however, I found it more secure to put one on either side ( other reviews of this product on different Internet sites have found similar results.) The boats made it through the trip with no shifting.

Where do I start? I've been whitewater kayaking for 22 or so years now. I've always used used either Yakima or Thule products... Until I bought a 2015 Nissan Rogue with a naked roof. The curvature of the roof and large door jams mean that Yakima and Thule can't make racks for them. I went to a place that does custom installs and again because of the curvature of the roof, they couldn't give me a rack. This meant no kayaking which is really bad news. Enter the Rhino rack system. I purchased the feet, the fit kit, the cross bars and a Yakima "big stack" stacker. The first issue I had is the reccomended size for the Nissan Rogue is only 48 inches. Way too small too haul 4-5 (very light) whitewater kayaks. I called etrailer and they were SUPER helpful, told me I can buy the 65 in cross bars and they'll work fine. I held my breath and placed my order. I was nervous leaving my trusted name brands. The order arrived super fast (they told me it would arrive by Friday but it actually arrived on Thursday) and everything was packaged rock solid. I was impressed. I read the instructions and put the rack system on my car. It took about a hour (it was hot and I worked slowly) but the rack system is SUPER SOLID. I love it. Rhino might have a "forever" customer out of me. -The rack system is very stable. I can't move it with my hands by pushing or pulling. -The rubber stripping you put on the top and bottom of the bar is an awesome added feature AND it reduces wind noise. -Adding the fairing reduced wind noise even further. With four boats on the roof you couldn't hear any extra noise. The ONE thing I dislike is that you need to use the supplied Allen wrench to take the rack on and off the car. It's a small complaint, but other systems I've used in the past don't have them. I paid much less for this system than I would have if I purchased one of the aforementioned systems, but I'm really really satisfied with the product. We will see how well it holds up over long-term use, but it looks awesome!

Holds Kayaks nice and secure

After putting up with foam blocks for too long I met a fellow sea kayaker who had these. They look great, not bulky and would fit in my TracRac channels. My boats are sea kayaks, 18' long, 22" wide. These saddles adapt great to the hull shapes and are very secure. There is enough slip that pushing the boats up onto them is not a problem. The locking mechanism works, I've never had to reset them (except when I goofed up once and whacked one really hard). Also, the straps are very high quality. The one issue I had was with the pegs in the channels. They were supposed to fit but not quite. A little work with the grinder and all is well. This may not be an issue for newer racks, I don't know. Oh, and no wind singing on the road. In any case I love these things.

The Rhino Rack cradles, straps and hardware are all good quality and I have no complaints. The only issue I have, and the reason for only a 4 star rating, is the supplied M6 x 40mm Security Head screws are too long for the factory cross bars on my roof rack. When I first installed the cradles if I had tightened the screws all the way, the ends would have dug into the roof and paint, even before I added the weight of the kayak. In checking, I can purchase some M6 x 25mm Security Head screws from Amazon, but frankly part of me feels that for what I’ve already paid for this kit I shouldn’t have to spend another $15 for the correct length screws, plus the package has 20 screws and I only need 8. However, it appears that is exactly what I will have to do. At least they will be stainless steel, rather than the cheaper material the current screws are. Plus I will have extras for when/if the head strips out. I would suggest Rhino Rack consider included in their kit two sets of screws to meet this need. Keep the length they have, Judy add a set of 25mm. I’m still happy with the purchase but not 100%. I do like how the kayak slides easily on the rear felt lined cradles. Plus Rhino Rack includes every tie down strap that you will need, e.g. one each for the bow and stern in addition to two straps intended to secure the kayak directly to the roof rack cross bars. I would highly suggest you get in the habit of using all four straps, you really don’t need to have a gust of wind lifting the nose and tearing the roof rack off your vehicle. Can happen! My brother-in-law lost his roof rack exactly in this manner. So happy yakking and safe travels down the road. By the way I have paired these cradles with the Rhino Rack RTL002 T-Load Hitch Mounted Load Assist and Support Bar for 2” Hitches also purchased from eTrailer. I’ve attached some photos showing my first and second attempts to solve my dilemma. I need to order the replacement screws. First attempt after dark was a large flat washer, then the next day I added some nuts under the large washer. NOTE: Photos may post in reverse order.

This product was very easy to install. I had it installed in about 15 minutes and my kayak on the roof a few minutes later. The only issue I had was one of the tie-down straps was broken (stitching was not complete or something). Other than that, this product was great! The customer service (Carol and Neil) were great also, helping with the strap problem. Thank you again!

This kayak carrier works great with my factory Rav4 roof rack and 10' Tamarack Angler kayak. I did break one tightener knob but probably over-tightened it. And it was replaced for free. I can load and unload the kayak easily and it doesn't budge going down the freeway. I can even drive in and out of the garage with the kayak on the rack for easy storage hanging from the rafters.

Installed this Thule Top Deck Rooftop Kayak Carrier System with tie onto our Thule Roof rack system. Easy to install and this will carry our handmade 17' Wooden Sea Kayak. Very well made.

These are amazing for loading a kayak high up on a truck rack. You drop the front of the kayak on the wheels and then roll it on up. Dont forget to lock the wheels when securing the kayak.

I put the rollers on a strong arm loader it Works great, the loader fits a 2in receiver it pulls backwards at a 45 degree angle and it is springs loaded you put the kayak onto it then go to the back of the kayak push forward and the kayak is at a 45 degree angle in the air then you push it's on the rollers and stop when you get where you want it let it down gently a d that's it ,take it off in reverse thanks to the wheels it makes it very easy

These kayak J-style racks worked great, AFTER I went to the hardware store and spent $20 on bolts that actually fit my truck rack. It comes with 2-5/8” mounting bolts that aren’t adequate for a heavy truck rack ( mines a Best.Wyle). I had to buy 4” bolts, lock washers, and nuts). I also wish the locking teeth were mitered instead of square. That would make them less prone to breaking and easier to align.

In the meantime, that boy is not to be in this house ever again These kayak carriers are fantastic! They combine with downloaders to make it possible for my wife and I in our advancing years to get our kayaks on top of our car.

The keys are an issue (wish they were metal), but everything else is great! I go sunrise kayaking only and hate putting straps on with cold hands at 3:30 in the morning. I have a Nissan Pathfinder and was able to put this on with another set of Malone J-hooks so that I can have a second kayak when I go with someone. Once the fear subsides of it possibly falling off, you realize how quick and easy this thing is to use. It takes me 1 minute instead of 9-18 minutes to get my kayak up and secure. I have tested it at 75mph without any jiggling or issues. I sat on this in my shopping cart forever and finally pulled the trigger. If you kayak at least 10 times a year or are going at high speeds for extended periods of time in warm weather, totally worth it. If not, well, there are cheaper options out there.

Unfortunately I did not have the best of luck with this product . I spoke with the company multiple times to ensure this would work with my rack. It did not. This system is made to work ONLY on a roof rack . I have a truck with a rack and a slot in the middle . We had to make different bolts and holders to install this. For using 2 Paddleboards we also had to modify the back of the racks holders to actually touch the boards to hold them in place . After the modifications and many many adjustments we have it working and it does hold great.

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.

Pretty disappointing. The product is not really made for Yakima's round bars. It's made for their rectangular bars. Round bar adaptors are included, but they are poor. Even if you clamp them on very very tightly, they will tend to rotate on the bars and the saddles don't stay level when you slide the kayak on. Even during transport, they have been rotating sometimes, causing the kayak to become slightly loose in the saddles. Very disappointing for the price. I would not recommend these for use on round bars.

Works great and very sturdy no issues. I have it on a seinna van...i also bought a suction cup roller for the back window. Left it on all winterin MA. No issues in car wash either

This combo makes loading and unloading a quick and easy one man job.

Very good advise by Lauren to purchase this product, happy to have bought it. My tandem kayak twin heron fits without problem. It's easy to install and easy to get the kayak up and down

My biggest worry is losing a kayak off the roof, and these carriers are super secure. Never had a worry. They come with ropes, and I always use them, but I've never seen the ropes get any added tension because their so secure. Also, with my bad back, these are pretty easy to load and unload. I'm 6'2 and have no trouble even though these are pretty high up on the Highlander. I always protect the car with a rug, but rarely does the kayak even touch the rug. You don't have to lift the whole weight of the kayak up to shoulder height, just get one end up to the load assist, and then slide it on, same thing in reverse to unload. Easily mount to the factory roof rack, no need for an expensive system. Took them off for the winter, and am getting ready to remount for a new year of exploring lakes and rivers.