# 1
Yakima JayLow Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style - Folding - Clamp On
I really like these kayak racks. They come fully assembled, and they installed easily on the aero crossbars of the factory roof rack on my 2015 Toyota Tacoma. The "ramps" on the front really do help in loading the kayaks, because you don't have to lift the kayak up as high. I opted to get two sets for our two kayaks, rather than try to transport two with one set of racks, because it seemed like it would be much easier to load. I agree with some other reviewers that the directions are a little cryptic, but the installation process is pretty self-evident. I also agree that the provided S hooks are a bit small (I'm going to replace them with carabiners), but these are minor issues. Overall, the racks are very sturdy, and I like the fold down feature. I also got the locks (not available for many of the Thule racks) because it seems like a small investment to protect the larger investment. My wife and I took our kayaks to a lake today using the new racks, and had no problems loading, unloading, or tying them down. Loading is a two-person job, however, at least for us and our 12-foot boats on a pick-up truck. We carry a folding two-step stepladder to make the reach easier. These racks are well worth the cost, and I would certainly recommend them to my fellow kayakers. And great service from etrailer, as always.
The product seems great but I have not figured out how to get it safely attached to my bars. I have an Agricover Adarac on the bed of my truck and the crossbars are 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 inches square. I thought this would work well since it's for up to 3-1/2 x 1-11/16" crossbars, but it isn't secure on these. I'm going to try and figure out an alternate method for attachment though. Thule Hull-a-port Pro's are the perfect (mounting) solution but don't seem to be made any longer.
# 2
Yakima SweetRoll Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Clamp On
I just received my Yakima SweetRoll kayak carrier. I can tell that it is very well made and it fits the crossbars on my Tacoma perfectly. It may be awhile before I go kayaking (it is winter), but I look forward to using this product.
Excellent product but ridiculous that they sell the locks separately. Not cheap I must say. I don't know who would want to buy the rack and not be able to lock it while you leave your vehicle at the trailhead or put water put-in. Poor taste business tactics. Not sure I'll be buying any more Yakima products. Disappointed customer.
# 3
etrailer Kayak Carrier w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style - Folding - Clamp On
Brought home a new kayak yesterday using this J cradle for the first time. Easy to set up and load. Two complaints: not impressed with the strap buckles - had to tie knots to secure. And the 3-inch bolts weren’t long enough to easily attach the cradle to my Rhino Rack crossbars, so I had to replace them. Also got my finger pinched pretty good adjusting the cradle knobs - my fault for not being more careful, but just saying …
Great product for the price - The cradles were very easy to mount (and lay flat once folded). The videos were helpful in showing how to set the straps in the most efficient way. I test-drove my car today with my fishing kayak on top on a 80-mile round trip (a mix of freeway, country road and dirt tracks). The kayak was perfectly still, no particular wind noise and I was able to muscle to kayak up the roof and take it down on my own (it's a 52 lbs boat). I really recommend that product and I'm glad I went for J-Style cradles!
# 4
The MPG346 will work perfect! I am too old to lift this 13.5 ft kayak on my car so this will absolutely take the "work" out of my "play". Picture is of the kayak on my car. The cross rails and saddles were purchased thru etrailer.com. Great service, on time, great products. It will also free up some floor space when the kayak comes home for the winter.
I purchased this to hang my 12 foot kayak up in a place that would keep it out of harms way, but would be easy to load onto my vehicle. Installation went very smoothly... Except, the brackets are designed assuming the support structure (rafter or truss) will run the length of your kayak. Mine run across the kayak from side to side. It was not a problem for me since my rafters are exposed. I installed a couple of short 2X8 blocks between the rafters and attached the brackets to the blocks. If I was installing inside a garage with sheetrock I would not have been able to mount and use this product. I am impressed with the appearance of the system, it seems to be well built. Hoisting my 80 pound kayak 8 feet in the air with the system was not too difficult, but did require a bit of effort. I am pleased with my purchase.
# 5
Lockrack Adjustable XL Watersport Carrier - Canoe, Kayak, or 2 SUPs - Side Loading - Universal Mount
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.
Rec'd earlier this week, so today i will install. The item was obviously a return. The logos are nearly scratched off in places, all the items were loosely thrown in the box, and the 10mm wrench and hex key were missing. i think everything else is there. The keys should be a bright color instead of black, some spray paint will fix that. Anyhoo, i am a little disappointed.
# 6
Rhino-Rack Nautic Stack Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Post Style - Folding - Universal Mount
'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.
# 7
Malone MegaWing Fishing Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Clamp On
Great product for my kayaks. Great experience with etrailer as usual. I recently restored a trailer and converted it for kayaks. Purchased all hubs, bearings, races, lights, etc from etrailer. It's the go to place for trailer products.
Best solution i could find for a 95# 12’ fishing kayak for a F150 with a roof rack (i have a thule removable). It performs really well. Only complaint would be rubber coating on brackets that go under the truck rack rail cracked so i worry ot may come off with age. I still recommend this. I pull a travel trailer so I couldn’t use a bed extender & the roof was my best solution.
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