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This J-style kayak carrier lets you transport 1 kayak on your roof rack. It leaves room on your crossbars for additional gear, and it folds down when not in use. Includes load straps, tie-downs, and mounting hardware.
Features:
Specs:
The Malone DownLoader is a J-style kayak carrier with built-in boarding ramps to make it easier to push your kayak onto your roof by yourself. It holds your kayak on its side to leave plenty of room on your crossbars for another kayak rack, a bike rack, or a cargo carrier. Padding on the arms and base protect your kayak from scratches and scuffs during transport. The arms also fold down when you're not using them to increase overhead clearance for parking.
The carrier includes 2 cam-buckle straps and integrated strap holders to secure your kayak to the rack. The strap holders attach to the top of the carrier to keep the straps in place while loading your kayak. A set of bow/stern tie-downs are also included to secure the kayak to the front and back of your vehicle. If your vehicle doesn't have any tie-down points, you can get an anchor kit (sold separately) which will let you create anchor points in the creases of your vehicle's hood and hatch.
The carrier clamps to most crossbars without the need for tools. Simply set the rack on your crossbars, slide the mounting brackets over the bolts, and secure them with the T-knobs. Foam covers mounting bolts to protect your kayak from scratches.
Customer Satisfaction Score:
98% were satisfied with this product
2% of customers were not satisfied
Ratings & Reviews
We bought 2 of these Malone Downloader kayak racks and couldn't be happier with them. They're easy to put on and off of our 2020 Honda CRV roof rack and they hold our 2 11' kayaks firmly on the car.Even on long trip of a couple hours they work great and we've never had an issue. The straps that go through the top part and over the kayaks take a little practice to get them on correctly so you can make adjustments, but after a few tries it's pretty easy now. Can't wait for the weather to warm up here in MD so we can get the kayaks out for the season and put the Malone racks to use for year 2.
Second order from etrailer, first was for a hitch on the rav4 this one was for a kayak rack and lift assist. One reason for the initial and revisit are the videos. They are well thought out , provide enough info without being boring, and prices that are in line with any other retailer.
I will do business with them again.
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.
These racks are very easy to install, and load.
The Malone AirFlow 2 Roof Rack is the most ridiculous bargain I've come across in a long while. I'd been preparing myself to spend $4-$500 on a Thule. A product I was familiar with and had used in the past with great success with Volkswagen's. After some simple research, Malone kept coming up as a affordable, comparable alternative . These days when you see something that is literally less than half of what your planning to spend, your first thought is "too good to be true" or "you get what you pay for". After calling and consulting with Stacey at etrailer.com I purchased the system and COULD NOT be HAPPIER !! It took me less than 20 minutes to have it completely installed on my 2013 Tucson. The construction of the racks and hardware is top quality. My main use of the system will be hauling kayaks and canoes which this will far exceed. Other than the fact that I saved about $300, etrailer prides itself on customer service and that I can, and will attest to their claim. I called and had a bunch of questions before ordering, Stacey was extremely helpful, knowledgeable, patient, and most of all courteous !! There is no doubt that etrailer.com has become my new source for any towing or recreational needs for my vehicle.
Sturdy build. Love the folding feature. These fit as advertised on my truck rack with the T slot adapter kit. I carried my kayaks on a 3000 mile trip and they always stayed securely in place.
Great racks, Noah was so helpful with everything, he was very knowledgeable and answered all my questions. ordering was so easy. 2 sets of racks will fit Xsmall crossovers Like my 2019 Hyundai Kona. You will not be disappointed with these racks or company.
Works great.
Not just is the product awesome the service and speed in which I got the item was amazing as well. This is now my goto spot for trailer and towing needs.
Does NOT fit Trumgeta truck rack oval c rossbar.
The yellow pads on the crossbars are pool noodles secured by zip ties. They provide padding for a third or even a fourth kayak.
Used 2 sets of these for the first time today! I was nervous about getting 2 kayaks onto the car. The videos are incredibly helpful and made this easy for us to get onto our RAV4 with the Malone downloader. Great product and we had a fun time kayaking!
The rack itself seems great, BUT neither 60mm or 70 mm mounting bolts work for the VA style 2500 series rack. I now have to go to lowes and buy AT LEAST 80mm if not longer so the T Knob can screw in tightly to Jaws adapter and that tightens to the cross bar. The T Knobs have about an inch before you get to the teeth and connect in order to tighten. The thick Jaws are almost too think and takes up room for screw length. The pictures I took you can tell it wont work on a series 2500 VA. I set the T Knob at the least I could before they fell off the screw. I'm surprised no one has complained until now. The other picture shows the parts with the 1 inch space inside the one T Knob
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.
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.
I'm very pleased with the Malone DownLoader Kayak Carrier. Installation was a breeze, much quicker than I anticipated. Our tandem kayak (13.5' long), easily slid into place, fit well and secure in the carrier, and the tie-downs made securing the bow & stern a cinch - and there was plenty of room for our paddleboard! The best feature is the ability to fold the carriers down when not in use - so much better than having to take the rack off after each use.
The only disappointment I have with the product is the "universal fit mounting blocks". They are designed to fit a Malone roof rack with the rectangular cut out for the roof rack but my factory roof rack has oval shaped bars. The carriers do mount but they lean to one side.
Overall, I'm very pleased and would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a kayak carrier!
Mounted two malone downloaders on am aftermarket rack on my ram 3500. The cross bars are 3.5 inches wide but the rack hardware accomidates this no problem. I had to purchase longer bolts as the cross bars are thick amd the bolts that came with the racks were not long enough. Used the rack this weekend and theey are amazing. Loadinf amd unloading our 17ft seawards was a breeze and they were very secure during transport. Great rack great price great service!!!!!
Malone DownLoader Kayak Carriers are a perfect design. Fold down locking mechanism when not in use is a great feature as well as adjustable upright angles for transporting kayaks. Easy to follow instructions along with sturdy tie downs. Highly recommended!
I used these on Toyota Sienna with the Malone aero cross bars. Like others have said, you will need longer bolts than provided to mount on the aero bars. I also used ratchet tie straps since I didn’t feel confident with the tie downs provided. (I had a 100+ mile trip coming up.)
Overall great quality, price, and service from etrailer. The short bolts are the only thing stopping it from a 5 star rating.
These Malone kayak carriers really do the job. Paired with the Malone Telos Load Assist, getting our sea kayaks onto the topper of our Toyota Tundra is easy for this 70 year old. No more major lifting causing aggravation for my back. Tying down each kayak is quick and easy.
This loader has been wonderful to use. I am able to put my kayaks on the roof without help. Tie down goes smoothly. Offloading has been an easy process as well. I do use a small ladder to help with the load and unload because of my height. Since I am of an advance age the loader has kept me active, moving the kayaks to different lakes and rivers with relative ease.
Gwendolyn Y.
7/2/2025
That's awesome to hear, Michael! Sometimes getting a kayak on the roof can be cumbersome so I'm glad these rack makes it easy for you. Do you have a favorite kayaking spot you frequent?
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.
Excellent choice of product and staff helped alot in narrowing down the right choice for the right roof racks. The Rhule roof racks were easy to assemble and attach to the manufacturer's existing roof rails. The video review made by etrailer and assembly was very helpful. The only confusing part of assembly was the measuring sticks that slide into the underlying rails. The assembly video did not address them and they seem to provide no function other than plugging a slot underneath the rack to prevent wind noise. Wish the video addressed that.
Awesome! The Downloader with the Telos Xl made it really easy to load kayaks on my 2019 F150
To be honest, the new style isn't as good as the old style. I purchased one of the old styles about 5 to 6 years ago and I find it much easier to get the levels even. I even had trouble with where I put the Tiedowns on it. I had to ask my husband to put something on either side so that little thing wouldn't move constantly around the top part of the holder. What was happening is when I went to go Tighten the straps, the strap would pop out because that little thing would constantly move. I hope that makes sense. I don't know what any of these items are called. I'm not much of a complainer so I didn't say anything. My husband did ask me to email and explain that the old design was better. I have to say, I struggle with the new ones constantly. I'm just glad I have three of the old designs.
Rebecca
3/15/2026
I emailed before stating that your old design was much better than the new one. Interestingly enough, we just went kayaking over spring break and could not release the teeth to even move the apparatus. I have no idea how my mom did it, but then after kayaking, we couldnt release it again to bring it down. We are unable to pull into the garage with the kayak holders up. We tried what we thought the problem was - tightening the one area the fastener, but that didnt work. We were considering breaking it until I decided to facetime my husband. Here somehow, the area got loose and we had to turn the handle a specific direction while holding the fastener tight. I really do not like your new designs and have been a loyal Maolone kayak product user. I have 2 of the old sets on my car, one of the old sets on my moms car and even have the single loader kayaker support item. But, I will not purchase another Malone kayaking rack, unless the design changes. I constantly have problems with your new design.
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Brian
7/14/2020
Great, a few things I would change though I would have the loops the straps go through without an opening they tend to pop off halfway through the loading procedure. The lifts are a real life and back savior. Had several people ask where I got them. I do suggest giving them a bit of a wipe with paste wax they can bind a bit otherwise