Most Popular Side Loading for 2020 Nissan Pathfinder

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,

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)

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.

This product is excellent. I have transported my kayak on these J Hooks several times going 70+ mph down the highway. It never moves. The bolts that come with it are short. If you have a thick roof rack, you will need longer stainless steel bolts. Make sure you you orient the blue straps with the buckle on top so you can pull down to tighten it up.

've previously used the Yakima Kayak Stacker (old style), which worked fine but I always worried the straps would slip off the hook at the top while I was loading boats. They also didn't fold down, so had to be removed after use unless you wanted to look odd and cause a whistle while you drove down the road. They didn't have a universal attachment option, requiring adapters depending on the style and make of your crossbars. More recently I got the Thule "The Stacker", which is a superior solution. You thread the strap through a closed loop at the top, so you don't worry about straps slipping off while you're loading boats. They fold down after use and have a universal style attachment that fits around most styles and makes of crossbars. Good stuff. I really like the straps that come with these, as there is a rubber cover that slips over the metal cam buckle to protect your car's paint while you're tossing the strap over your boats to strap everything in. In order to shuttle our boats for river trips, we needed stackers to fit on both our cars, so it was time for another set. I had never heard of Rhino Rack before, but the lower price than Thile caught my eye, so I read about them and decided to give them a try. The Rhino Rack Nautical Stack used a closed loop at the top, which I liked better than the Yakima or Malone options, and came with the hardware necessary to install them into the C-channel of my Malone aero crossbars, which I wanted to try. I remember that with the Malone stacker, you had to buy the C-channel mount hardware separately. I really like the Rhino Rack Nautical Stack. They are a single post design, unlike the loop style of the Thule "The Stacker". I don't know if this cuts down on vortex drag, but it definitely saves you a couple horizontal inches up where the boats stack. The Rhino Rack Nautical Stack has textured rubber strips on either side of the post, which I believe is intended to cut down on vortex drag, but is also quite helpful in that boats tend to slip much less when you're just leaning them up against the post as you load up before you strap them. That's smart. The Rhino Rack Nautical Stack feels really solid. The mechanism for folding them down and locking them upright is easy to use and feels solid. Installation instructions were good. I tried to install into the C-channels without removing the rubber tubing in my Malone aero crossbars, but couldn't get the little squares to slide into the slots with the rubber tubing in place, so had to cut the tubing, slide the Nautical Stacks into place, then cut down some of the tubing I had removed and replace it in the remaining unfilled crossbar slot. That's not a knock on the Nautical Stack; just a tip in case you're trying to do the same kind of install I did. The one area in which I was less impressed was the tie-down straps that come with this kit. The metal cam buckles have no covering at all, so I'll probably still use my old Yakima and Thule straps instead and use these as backups. But overall, I think these are going to work at least as well, if not better, than the Thule option, and for quite a bit less money.

My wife and I purchased the Rhino Rack Nautic Stack to transport 4 kayaks. We considered similar products by Yakima and Thule, but the acceptable weight limit for the Rhino Rack was there deciding factor. Each of our kayaks weighs 38lbs, and the Rhino Rack was the only item that could handle this load. We were very pleased with etrailer's service and advice. George was extremely helpful. I would highly recommend buying the hood anchors and an extra set of the down straps. The tire down straps are far superior to ratchet-type tie downs that you buy elsewhere - they are strong and SOOO easy to use. I highly recommend the Nautic Stack and etrailer. P.s. we use a bike lock for the Rhino Rack and for our kayaks and they work great for overnight theft protection when we take the kayaks out of town.

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!

They fit well and I feel my Kayak is safe tied down correctly.

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

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.

Excellent product! We have two other sets!

I've been using the product for two summers now and it is perfect for what I'm using it for. My canoe is an Old Town Discovery 133, it's very wide and I initially had trouble fitting it in the brackets with how relatively narrow my Rav4 is, but the instructions that came with them mentioned I could just flip them around. That worked perfectly. I only use the brackets and the tie down straps from the kit to tie the boat to the crossbars, and then use the painter lines I put on the bow and stern of the boat to tie those to the car. That rides on the highway very easily with no shifting. With two people, the load/unload time is around 10 minutes as long as one person knows what they are doing. This kit had exactly what I was looking for, seems built to last, and if I ever need another kit to help tie a canoe to a car then I know I can trust this product to get the job done safely and reliably.

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!

We purchased the carrier for our 2011 Sienna to add to our factory installed roof rack. My 15 year old and I manage using it all the time with no issues. We’ve put both our double and our single kayaks up top with no issues. We leave our rack on all the time and have noticed some sun damage to the foam and plastic, so will it last forever in the TX heat? Probably not, but for the price and ease of use, I’d gladly buy another in a few years. Thank you. I reference the YouTube video whenever I forget exactly how the toe downs go, it’s so helpful. Happy customer.

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.

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.

Jeep wangler 2024 4xe with skyone touch top .Amazing the setup for my fishing kayak 12 feet. Everyone was looking at my setup on the road , and it was secure. Big thx to Kurt w & Paul B to recomand this kayak setup 10/10 www.Etrailer.com

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.

We needed a carrier solution that folded down easily because of our garage door height. The Malone Pro2 Kayak Carrier has performed flawlessly over the past year. The kayaks remain stable and never shift even at freeway speeds. The foam blocks fit our crossbar well and offered a rattle free ride, which is nice. The one drawback to this system is how difficult it can be to actually route the straps. Without a ladder, it can be nearly impossible to get the strap over the kayak and hooked into the carrier properly. After you find a system that works for you, it becomes easier but I still think that the stationary carriers are more user friendly in that regard.

Good quality materials and easy to install - and uninstall. Two changes would give this product 5 stars: Some type of strap holder at the top of the back rack would make it easier to strap down the kayaks and some type of security lock so someone doesn't borrow your new racks while you are out kayaking. One unique thing to remember for the 2017 Toyota RAV4: the back OEM cross bar is about 3" shorter than the front cross bar - this takes some adjustments for the placement of the racks to fit 2 kayaks and still open the rear hatch.

Used them a couple times and they are performing as expected. I have to mount the kayaks a little forward to clear the 5-er, but they road well at 65 mph into a head wind. Yes, bow straps are used.

I used the rack to carry my wind surfing board for a ten hour trip to outer banks. Installation went well and easily.Loved design and ease to load and unload as well as to secure rack. One caution though. After riding for about 30 miles I stopped to check cable and had to retighten the cables which had slackened slightly due, I think, to amount of cable on source spool. Had to tighten about two clicks. The board was not in jeopardy of becoming separated from rack.

My representative who helped me was the most helpful representative that I have come in contact with. All representatives are very helpful, but she stood out as she assisted me from start to finish on my order. This is exactly why I use e-trailer for my shopping experiences.

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 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.

Thule does make a good product, however these are kind of difficult to set and adjust properly. Once you do get them set, they work flawlessly. It’s the initial set up that is a bit frustrating. Other than that, they work as intended.

Installed it today on my Thule rack. Great product!

They feel sturdy enough,easy to install om Malone kayak trailer. We'll see how they hold you to Gulf of Mexico salt air.

Super easy to install, quality built, rock solid paring with crossbars. Zero doubt about safety. Could not ask for a better product. Worth every penny. And they fit perfectly with the Malone crossbars for my 2019 Equinox. Customer Service via chat helped me find the one and only pair that would fit those crossbars. So glad I found etrailer.

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.