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This folding J-style carrier lets you transport 1 kayak on your roof rack while leaving room on your crossbars for additional gear. Locking clamps deter theft of the rack while you're on the water. Clamp-on or channel mount installation.
Features:
Specs:
The Class 4 has two positions: open in a J-style cradle position to carry a kayak or closed to create overhead clearance for parking in your garage when not in use. To open the carrier, pull the butterfly lever from either side of the base and lift the arm up. To close the Class 4, pull on the butterfly lever and fold the arm down. There are magnets in the arm piece that keep the carrier closed.
With most kayak carriers, tying down your kayak can be a hassle because of shifting straps. The Class 4 simplifies that process with convenient strap ports in the arms and base of the carrier. Once fed through the slots, the straps stay in place while securing your kayak to your vehicle.
The Class 4 comes with clamp-on and channel mount installation options. To utilize the locking clamp-on installation kit, open the Flip mount, slide the strap underneath your crossbars, insert the strap under the lever on the front of the mount, and flip the lever closed. Once installed, tighten the strap tensioner with the provided hex key. This will only have to be done the first time the carrier is installed, then the Class 4 will be set to your bars. Finally, you can adjust the angle of the Class 4, depending on the slope of your vehicle's roof, to create a flat surface for your kayak.
The clamp-on mounting option is perfect for paddlers who leave their rack installed while they're out on the water but remove it when they aren't actively transporting a kayak. It's also great for crossbars that don't have top channels.
To utilize the channel mount installation kit, slide the carrier into your crossbar's top channel, position the cradles to best accommodate your kayak, and tighten the bolts with the provided hex key. This option is perfect for paddlers who prefer to leave the carrier installed between uses.
Whichever mounting option you choose, you'll have peace of mind knowing that the Class 4 is secured to your vehicle. The clamp-on mounting brackets have integrated locks that secure the straps around your crossbars to deter theft. These lock cores can be swapped out (sold separately) if you have other Kuat accessories and want them keyed alike. For the channel mount option, the bolts that secure the carrier in your crossbars' top channels require a hex key to be removed.
California residents: click here
These Kuat kayak racks are excellent. Easier to use than my existing Thule racks which are rubber saddles. I actually have to lift the kayak further with Thule and had broken the rubber saddle previously. The wind noise on the Kuat Class 4 V2 is significantly less than the saddles on the cross bars. I have them mounted on a Subaru Outback Limited factory cross bars. Also, eTrailer.com continues to provide excellent service and quick shipping.
I have a Leitner rack system on my truck. It’s top of the line and heavy duty. Before finding the Küat Class 4 V2 I was told nothing would fit my racks. I kayak and paddle board a lot, so this was frustrating. I went through numerous racks, they all wore out from wobbling and what not. Then I found these, they fit amazing even with the metal band. They also offer a T channel mount that would fit my racks if the bands didn’t work. They are quality built and look amazing. I am so happy, I wish I had found these early and not had to buy so many racks over the years. My racks are 2”x2” square racks.
This review is based on my experience installing these racks and using them to carry my boat on one trip.
I bought these because a previous review praised their low air noise, they appear to be quick to mount, and came with locks, and were $100 less than major brands which did not come with locks.
The process of mounting them went well. I chose to use the straps because this would be easier to put on and off than the T-slot. I found the strap a little tricky to engage, but anticipate this will go away with practice and as I get the tension adjusted.
However, I have two concerns. Most importantly, the but of metal that covers the key slot is stiff. On one lock, I find it quite difficult to fit the key into the lock because this cover does not move easily. I'm worried that this will become more difficult with time, rendering the lock inoperable. At best, it is a nuisance.
Secondly, there is more slop in the hinge than I expected. The upright end can wiggle about 1.5 inches. In practice, this may be a non-issue. When closed, magnets keep the upright in position. Once I loaded my kayak, I didn't detect any wiggle.
The saddles did a good job of holding my kayak. The kayak was more secure than with the "Stackers" I have been using. There are some nice touches: On the up-right there is a slot for the strap so it is always in position. The bottom cradle also has slots for the strap to keep them secure (for those who's cradles are position such that the strap is not captured by the cross-bar upright).
The cradle came with straps for the cradles plus bow and stern. I must give these a mixed review. They have a good buckle that does not let the strap slip so that is great. But the strap itself is lighter weight than most others. OK for now but I anticipate it will fray with use. The end of one strap was not well melted, making it difficult to pass through the buckle. I'll have to re-melt that. So, a little more care could be put into the straps.
Summary: Great product at a good price. I deducted 1 star because of the stiff locks and light weight straps.
This is all based one one use. I wrote this review because etrailer asked and I have the impression this is a new product and needs more reviews. However, I can't say anything about durability or annoyances that appear after multiple use. If no significant problems arise, I'll eventually purchase a second set.
I wanted to share the items I used to be able to haul two Wilderness Systems Tsunami 145 kayaks on my 2006 Scion xB. This may help others who struggle with deciding what to use. I am pleased with my purchase and hope this helps. I originally thought I wanted the Thule Hull-A-Port Aero, but they discontinued making the fit kit for their roof rack systems and I ended up going with the Kuats. I am glad that they didn’t make the fit kit for approximately $[XX] and so they missed out on the rest of my business. Here are the items I used for anyone interested – pictures included. Custom DK Fit Kit for 4 Rhino-Rack 2500 Series Roof Rack Legs - Naked Roof #DK138, Kuat Class 4 V2 Kayak Carrier w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style - Folding - 1 Kayak - Black #KU53VR and these are really cool, Rhino-Rack 2500 Series Legs for Vortex Aero Crossbars - Naked Roofs or Fixed Mounting Points - Qty 4 #RRRLKVA, Rhino-Rack Vortex Aero Crossbars - Aluminum - Black - 54" Long - Qty 2 #RRVA137-B2. The 54” crossbars fit really well and the perfect length in my opinion and it doesn’t stick out like the longer ones would. Also purchased two sets of these Malone QuickLash T-Style Hood Loops for Bow and Stern Tie-Downs - Qty 2 #MPG308.
Very easy to install and use! This would be a 5 star review as I really love the product, but one of the J-style hooks is losing it's rubber protection after just one use. I took my kayak on vacation, about a 2 hour trip away, then 2 hours back home. The rubber is already coming lose. Disappointing, but these are a nice product, other than that.
You cannot go wrong with Kuat! Highly recommend the Class 4 V2 Kayak Roof Rack!
The racks work great and look sharp on our truck. They fold down when not in use, low profile.
Kinda pricey, but they look nice. We'll see how they actually perform when it warms up a bit.
Ash 
3/2/2025
They work fine, but they are very expensive for what they are. Probably would take a much less expensive option had I known better.
delivered on time and fit my rack perfectly. Really like the way etrailer gives you details about the fit of their products.
I have a trac-rac system that I have installed the Kuat kayak carrier on. It was an easy install and I like how it works.Great product!
Order was received a day after placed. Great company and easy to deal with
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Katrina D.
3/7/2024
Oooo that warm weather is coming in soon! Send us some pics of your set up and trips when you go out please!