# 1
Malone SeaWing Kayak Roof Rack w/ Load Assist and Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Clamp On
I am happy with my purchase of the Malone SeaWing with the load assist feature. I use it a lot and it is holding up well. I have square crossbars, and the wing base can be flipped over during assembly to fit square bars perfectly. The load assist really does make it easy to get my 14 and 16 foot kayaks on the car by myself. Another reviewer stated that the load assist feature put black streaks on his thermoformed kayak, and I had the same experience. I fixed that by wrapping heavy duty, double sided Velcro around the areas of contact, and that has worked fine. They are still in place one year later. Four stars because Malone should have covered the load assist sliders in a non-marking material.
The lift assist would not work with a skin on frame kayak. Repeated use would damage the skin. You can see in the pic that the load assist pushes in on the skin, and would not slide all the way into the storage position without lots of pressure on the kayak. Etrailer would not take retuttome inern since I installed the rack, but there was no way to know without trying. So bottom line - don't try to use this on a skin on frame kayak. And don't count on etrailer for returns when they sell a product that doesn't work as advertised.
# 2
Malone DownLoader Kayak Roof Rack w/ Lift Assist and Tie-Downs - J-Style - Clamp On
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.
About a year ago, I purchased one set of the Malone Downloader w/Lift Assist (MPG114MD-351XL) and second set of Downloader J-Style Folding Racks (MPG114MD) for use on a 2014 Subaru Outback with standard Subaru roof racks. I had no issue with installation and use of any of the parts using the enclosed instructions and online videos. Everything seems to fit properly and securely; no broken, unusable, or missing parts. Over the past year we've use the racks extensively for our 10.5 ft recreational kayaks on both short local trips and longer highway trips. We augmented the roof racks with T-handle hood and tailgate tie-downs and some locally purchased camlock tie-down cords. Everything working great with 10's of racking/unracking episodes. We've only used the Lift Assist maybe 1 of 10 trips when there's only a single person lifting, so can't provide as much feedback. However, the Lift Assist does work exactly as advertised and we're happy with the results. In addition, the friendly and well-informed folks at etrailer.com were a huge help with answering tech questions. Well done!
# 3
Malone DownLoader Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style - Folding - Clamp On
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.
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.
# 4
Malone SeaWing Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Clamp On
Easy loading with a secure tie-down. This is the kayak carrier you should get the first time. I've used flat bars with foam pads - they deform the hull of plastic boats. I've used J-hook style carriers which work well and hold the boat securely without hull deformation, but they increased the windage and are too hard to load on the top of a 4WD pickup. The Malone SeaWings let me slide the kayak on from the rear of the cab while standing in the pickup bed. I use an old bath mat to protect the cab and I can have the boat loaded and tied down in about 5-10 minutes. I also think the load is much more secure than any of the other carriers I've used, especially if the tie-down strap is wrapped around the load bar. The design of the SeaWing puts the main load out on the curved portion of the hull rather than across the flatter area of the bottom and totally avoids deforming the hull. In 90-100 degree heat this is very important to me. Great product. I'll probably get a second pair so I can load two boats on the truck.
We are very pleased with this product. My wife's 12.5" and my 17" kayaks are easy to load, tie down and, hold them both securely for highway speeds. Once we are at the launch site, kayaks are just as easily offloaded. Great design, simple and elegant.
# 5
Malone MegaWing Fishing Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Clamp On
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.
I am very happy with this purchase. I ordered two sets to hold my two large ocean kayaks on my roof rack. The kayaks are approximately 34” wide and I was concerned how sturdy the mounts would be but the reinforced plastic feels very durable and accommodated the width of my kayaks easily. Mounting to my Yakima aero bars was no problem with the hardware provided. I used the longer screws and there was plenty of length to thread on the nuts and the screws have plenty of clearance from my roof. The included straps are also of a heavier webbing than I expected. I assumed I would use my own but the kit straps With locking adjusters are nicer. I did not use the Included front and rear rope straps as I do not Trust the knots and takes too long to get it tight enough to feel secure. An additional set of ratchet straps does the trick. Overall I am super satisfied with the quality and value of these kayak holders and very glad I went with these over some of the J-style options which would have added substantially more height to my vehicle.
What our customers are saying:
"Thanks for my order super fast shipping quality excellent. will order again. thanks again. A+A+A+ to deal with."