# 1
Thule The Stacker - Rooftop Multi-Kayak Carrier
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.
No issues after a year would definitely purchase again.
Sgkramar - 07/16/2020# 2
Rhino-Rack Nautic Roof SUP or Kayak Carrier w/ Tie-Downs - Side Loading - Clamp On
All Rhino-Rack products were excellent. But I was afraid to tighten them up too much and risk breaking them on the tubular Darby single bar roof rack. They kept sliding outboard due to the downward pressure of the kayak. So I put a towel between the bottom of my lightly built kevlar kayak and the bar. The kayak wasn't held up by the Rhino brackets but was safely held from moving side to side, and the towel protected the bottom of the boat...10 hour road trip with some potholes, no damage.
Have only used it once for carrying my kayak. See my previous comment. Now my kayak sits comfortably in the Rhino-Rack cradles fastened to my floating dock. All is covered by a fitted tarp, so theres no water in the boat or sun damage to the boat or cradles. So easy and safe to launch and retrieve a lightly constructed kevlar boat!
David S - 10/04/2021After attempting to mount the individual rack pieces using the “burglar proof” button head screws with the pin in the recess and the short hex wrench with the hollowed out end I discovered that no real burglar would want the rack but would rather have the kayak so the first thing I did after spending 10 minutes trying to insert the hex into the button head screws with the pin inside the recess and attempting to turn the bolts and continually being obstructed by the support pieces and the paint interference on the bolt heads with trying to get the wrench into the recess I knew it was going to be a long frustrating process so I threw them away and purchased new button head stainless steel bolts and a 4mm extended handle hex wrench to turn them. Smartest thing I ever did. You not only have to mount the rack initially but then you have to put the kayak on the roof and remount all pieces again to fit your boat. All kayaks are different to one degree or another. Having to move the individual support and retighten them with the boat on the rack is even more difficult to do than the initial mounting with these “burglar proof” bolts and hex wrench and you will be happy you threw them away before you started the entire process. Try it for yourself at first and then go get the alternate ones. Worth the little investment and stainless steel will not rust away when you want to remove the rack system in the future. Once the rack is on your vehicle and kayak in rack the tie downs supplied are very good quality. Make sure you use the recommended tie down locations and directions, two kayak body ties and ties at front and rear. Due to numerous kayak hull designs it would be nice to have each support pod have a horizontal swivel built into it so it readily conforms to the hull shape. The overall quality of the system should be the last rack you will have to purchase. I only had issues with the supplied bolts and hex wrench. I gave this rack system a three star because of the bolts and hex tool and the individual pods not swiveling and I haven't at this point transported the kayak anywhere so I am waiting to see how it handles long trips with wind loads and constant loading and unloading performances.
# 3
Rhino-Rack 2 Kayak Carrier w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style - Folding - Side Loading
The Rhino-Rack 2 Kayak Carrier I ordered from etrailer was easily reviewed and ordered from their website and ALL communication relative to order confirmation and extreme detail included in their tracking was nothing short of phenomenal! The items were packaged with care and arrived intact. These fit our basic Lexus crossbars and is the perfect product for carrying our two (2) kayaks. My hat goes off to the great folks at etrailer -- It doesn't get any better than this!!!
I searched a lot of websites before finding what I needed on etrailer.com for my 2012 Suzuki GV. I was looking for the proper mounts to install a Kayak rack system. Because my vehicle has a built in rail system it was very confusing what was needed. Thank you etrailer for hooking me up with the appropriate parts for the Rhino system, it worked great!
# 4
Thule Hullavator Pro Kayak Carrier and Lift Assist with Tie-Downs - Side Loading
2018 Ram 2500, wanted a way to travel with 2 sit on top kayaks, With my wife and i in our late 60's it was taking a LONG tome to get the kayaks on the roof of the bed cover. With these i can do it with a short stool. Also carrying the kayaks upside down keeps the top cleaner and stops the water from getting trapped in the kayak (and raining down on me when I unload them).
The hullavator makes it possible for us to continue kayaking. We only need to be able to lift the kayaks halfway and the hullavator does most of the work from halfway to roof by lightening the load. An awesome product!
# 5
Thule Hull-A-Port Kayak Carrier w/Tie-Downs - J-Style - Fixed - Side Loading
I recently made a 4 hour trip home after picking up a new kayak while using the following equipment for the first time: Thule Xsporter Pro Truck Bed Ladder Rack, Thule Hull-A-Port Kayak Carrier w/Tie-Downs - J-Style, Thule Watersports Adapter for Aeroblade/Aeroblade Edge Bars and Thule Bow/Stern Tie-Downs. I'm impressed with the performance of all of those components.
these kayak racks work great and comes with all the needs and just bought my first kayak
# 6
etrailer J-Style Kayak Carrier - Folding - Universal Mount
I've had 2 sets of these carriers for a year now. I've carried my 2 kayaks on several occasions with them. They are secure, steady and well made. They come with all the straps and hardware needed to carry your boat. A nice feature is that they have these little pockets made on to the straps to secure the extra length when you are using them which eliminates the loose ends from being blown around while driving. The folding feature is also great. I mount the carriers on my roof rack and make all the adjustments needed just one time. I can keep them up there for the entire season without having to fuss with them every time I want to take a boat out. I can use one or both of the carriers at any time. The price looks like its more than other sets but it really isn't because, as I said, they come with everything you need AND they fold down when not in use. I realy do like these carriers.
Excellent
Jonathan Luis - 05/11/2022Recently got this and far they have been great for holding down the kayaks. The straps work great but the elastic band which is built in with the straps suck. Other than that great product.
# 7
Rhino-Rack J-Style Kayak Carrier - Fixed - Universal Mount
Kayak carrier has performed exactly as expected. Has been a solid mount point for my kayaks.
Love the quality of the rack and the kayak mounts that I ordered. Five stars! Removed a star for the instructions and for the key for the security locks that broke the second use. The instructions ...work... but take a fair bit of patience to understand. Once deciphered, the mounting goes pretty quickly. Major room for improvement. The key - simple broke in half on the second use. No major stress put on it, just broke lol. Good thing kit comes with two keys so kudo's for that. Have a 2011 RDX. Car handles great with a 14.5 foot 55 lb kayak mounted. Driven up to 50 mph with the kayaks. No noise on the turnpike with just the roof crossbars at 80/90 mph. Overall, I love the rack system and the above two issues aren't show stoppers for me and I'd recommend them to a friend (tho I would help them with installation :).
# 8
Malone DownLoader Kayak Carrier with Tie-Downs - J-Style - Folding - Side Loading
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.
These racks are easy to install and loading our 40 and 50 pound kayaks is easy as well. We hauled over 1500 miles this year, many at max highway speeds, with no issues. All was snug, quiet, and safe. But, always a but, right away, the plastic strap guides popped right off (1 or 2 disappeared). Some black electrical tape fixed that. And the black plastic/vinyl coating on the mounting brackets cracked and peeled off right away too. More tape. However, both Etrailer and Malone were exceptionally responsive to my complaint and suggestions.
# 9
SportRack Kayak Carrier with Tie-Downs - J-Style - Fixed Arms - Roof Mount
Excellent quality carrier, easy loading and unloading, very happy with the purchase. Thanks a lot Patrick!!!
I have found the roof rack/kayak rack equipment that i purchased last year to be quite satisfactory and worth the purchase price. The problem was when we tried to tie on a paddle board. I realize the rack was not designed specifically for a SUP so it was not necessarily the fault of the rack. Otherwise i am happy with my purchase.
# 10
Yakima JayLow Kayak Carrier w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style or Post Style - Folding - 1 or 2 Kayaks
The Yakima JayLows are ready to go out the box and very easy to set up. They attached to our vehicle’s factory crossbars with ease and seemed secure on the road with little to no movement with kayaks attached. We haven’t tested them on the highway yet, but I’m confident that they’ll be fine as long as you strap the kayaks correctly and use tie downs. I’m extremely happy with the JayLows and I’m considering purchasing another set if we get a third kayak. I HIGHLY recommend that you watch the videos on setting up and securing kayaks on the racks prior to first use.
The Yakima products are doing great. Just got home yesterday from a 18 day trip using them in Michigan's upper peninsula. Love them. Great products. Thanks again.
# 11
Rhino-Rack Nautic Stack Kayak Carrier w/ Tie-Downs - Post Style - Folding - 4 Kayaks
Choosing a system for transporting my new (to me, they're actually used) kayaks was TOUGH. I love my little 2017 Honda Fit, and I knew I would love my new kayaks when I got them. I don't want anything bad to happen to either! Also, my car is small and the kayaks are fairly large, comparatively. I've strapped a lot of things to a lot of vehicles, but this is going to be a long term relationship, so I wanted to get it right the first time. I've been researching and reading reviews for months, but I got confirmation that the kayaks were ready for pickup, so I needed to make a decision! I ultimately pulled the trigger on the Rhino-Rack Vortex Aero Crossbars with the 2500 Series Legs and Custom DK Fit Kit for my naked roof car and the Rhino-Rack Nautic Stack Kayak Carrier w/ Tie-Downs. I placed my order on 09/15/21 at 6 PM. The estimated delivery date was 09/23/21, which made me a little sad. I really wanted to pick up my boats on Sunday, 09/19/21, but I figured I'd waited THIS long, I could probably handle waiting another week. I was very pleasantly surprised to receive an email at 8 PM the same evening notifying me that my order had shipped. AND, even better, the UPS tracking was showing delivery on 09/18/21 by 7PM! I was beyond excited, but didn't get my hopes up because shipping has been pretty hit or miss since well before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, UPS delivered my package just before noon on Saturday, which was amazing! I got everything unpacked and reviewed to ensure that I had all I would need to assemble the system - check. Nothing missing, which is always an auspicious start. Then I started reading the instructions - UGH. This is (so far) the ONLY thing I have to complain about. I have put together furniture that had clearer instructions. I probably should have gone to Google to find a [online] video, but I powered through with the instructions provided. Since I've never put together or used a roof rack before, I didn't really know what the final outcome should look like, so that made interpreting the instructions very difficult - the pictures were not super clear, and the accompanying text did not improve the situation. Now that I know what it looks like assembled, I get it, but at the time it was rough. I estimated it took me about 2 hours to get the rack assembled and secured to my car, and towards the end my fiancé arrived and helped me to realize that the foot pads were not properly attached to the feet, which made a huge difference! The kayak carrier was much easier to install, taking maybe 15 additional minutes. The foot pads rest in the groove on the edge of the roof, I assume over the frame of the car. There's absolutely no flex in the roof where the feet sit. The hook part of the clamp rests against the metal of the car, under the rubber seal, so I don't foresee any potential issues with the seal as a result of the rack. The doors close as normal, and the rack has no movement whatsoever once tightened down. I've now used it as a handle to pull myself up towards the roof a few times (I'm about 190 lbs), and I feel totally confident that it's not going anywhere. I now have ideas about how to use the rack to haul around the larger stuff that won't fit INSIDE my car (which isn't much - I HIGHLY recommend this car!). So, the big question - how'd it go with the kayaks? In short - perfection! I was slightly concerned about the boats overhanging the front or back of my car, as they're 12.5 ft long and my car is just over 13 ft long. Eeeeek! I needn't have worried. They fit like a dream, and even without bow or stern tie downs were very secure during our trip home. We took local roads instead of the highway because we didn't tie down the bow and stern, so we probably didn't go over 40 ish MPH, but I saw absolutely no lift (I can see the ends of the boats out of the front windshield). I will be using those tie downs in the future, and anticipate no issues with highway speeds under those conditions. Obviously, only time will tell how everything holds up/works out, but at this stage, I am extremely pleased with my decision and am looking forward to many kayaking adventures to come! I only have one picture at this point, but may take a few more and add them so anyone else considering a similar setup knows what they'll be getting.
'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.
# 12
Rhino-Rack Nautic Roof Kayak Carrier w/ Tie-Downs - Rear Loading - Clamp On
This carrier is perfect for someone that needs to load and unload a kayak by themselves. Comes with nice straps that won’t scratch your car or your kayak.
I was looking to be able to easily put my sit-in kayak on my SUV roof without lifting the kayak over my head (at 73 I can still do that but who knows what's coming). The Rhino-Rack Nautic Roof Top Kayak Carrier does the job! I did replace the bolts with their anti-theft heads with standard stainless steel bolts to make it easier to mount and remove the rack. I also use a separate roller that attaches to the rear glass to assist in rolling the kayak forward on to the roof rack.
# 13
Rhino-Rack J-Style Kayak Carrier - Folding - Universal Mount
We purchased two sets of the Rhino Rack J Style Kayak Carrier since we have two kayaks. They work great and were easy to install. We were particularly impressed with the quality of the tie down straps. We bought them a year ago and used them quite a bit since then with no problems.
These racks are so great! The option to fold them down means I can leave them on the car for a few days between kayak trips. They’re very sturdy and we love that they come with the tie down straps, but I wish the hood/trunk anchors were included. Just another order I guess!
# 14
Yakima ShowDown Kayak or SUP Carrier and Lift Assist w/ Tie-Downs - Side Loading - Clamp On
Very disappointed with Yakima on this lift, it is difficult to use and not well made like the other Yakima kayak racks I have.
The ShowDown was easy to install and is easy to use. I am sorry I didn't get this Lift Assist sooner.
GREAT!! Im currently using it on top of a Jeep Gladiator.
Kathleen - 12/06/2021# 15
Inno Locker Watersport Carrier - Locking - Channel Mount - 1 Boat or 2 Boards
I've used my locking Watersport Carrier numerous times over the past year to carry my two SUP boards. It's been wonderful! The fact that it synches down securly offers an additional level security on long trips, and it's very easy to load on/off. Would definitely recommend!
I can only comment on what my daughter has said, since it was a Christmas gift, and she lives out of state. It works perfectly and has been very durable.
# 16
Malone MegaWing Fishing Kayak Carrier with Tie-Downs - V-Style - Clamp On - 150 lbs
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.
True story- I purchased this product 2x from [online] and both times it came with mismatched/different size T-nuts and Bolts so I tried contacting seller who sent me to [online] where there is no live human being to communicate with. So I had to return and wait for refund but after the same experience with this item 2x I looked elsewhere. I am sure glad I did! Same price! Superhero fast shipping, ordered and received in 3 days!!!!! Live human beings to communicate with if there is a need. All of the parts are correct so now I just have to wait until the temps warm up a little to get this installed and my new fishing kayak home. My new kayak is currently on a table in my office waiting for this roof rack carrier because I made the mistake of ordering from [online] and going 2 weeks trying to get a defective product straightened out and now it is cold again. I wish I had found etrailer.com sooner but definitely have them in my bookmarks now!!
# 17
Thule Top Deck Rooftop Kayak Carrier System with Tie Downs
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.
I bought two sets for my GMC Yukon XL. I've had different racks for two kayaks and in the wind or a long days on the water, loading up was always so difficult. With these I just through them up they sit flat and strap them down.
# 18
Malone SeaWing Kayak Carrier with Tie-Downs - Rear Loading - Clamp On
These racks were exactly what I wanted them for. I have slightly heavy fishing kayaks, so this design is so much easier to get my kayaks on my shell of my Tacoma. I have traveled over 600 miles with kayaks on these racks without a single problem they stay perfectly in place. I would definitely recommend these racks!
Our kayak club has many members that use this carrier. Since I have back issues, I will use mine on a Malone Eco Light trailer toted from to/from the water using a kayak carrier. Note: Being on a low trailer and so 'accessible', instead of the wingnuts, I bought metric hex nuts to double-nut the bolts to add some security.
# 19
Yakima KeelOver Rooftop Canoe Carrier with Tie-Downs - Universal Mount
Easy to install and very secure.
Very good
Ned - 05/11/2022I'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.
1 year later and I havent even taken the brackets off of my car. They are still in perfect condition, dont slip, and Ive never had an issue hauling my canoe on the highway. Easiest way to transport a canoe without an actual canoe trailer.
Chad - 07/25/2020# 20
Inno Multi Cradle Kayak Carrier w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Side Loading - Clamp On - 1 Kayak
I purchased a car rack system as well as the kayak carrier and it arrived in only two days! It was easy to put on and fits my 2013 Hyundai Tucson Limited perfectly. I picked up my new kayak the next day and mad it home with no issue what so ever. I am very satisfied with this product.
Son uses them to transport his kayak, and they work great.
Thule Watersport Carriers Review - 2015 Jeep Cherokee
Today on our 2015 Jeep Cherokee we will be doing a test fit of the Thule SUP Shuttle. This is going to be your stand-up paddleboard and surfboard carrier. Couple neat features about it is it does extend, this being the shortest distance, but it also extends to meet your wider boards, as you can see there. Another cool feature about it is it does have the Flip-Fit brackets, which if you flip them and turn them around they fit smaller bars. If you flip it this way it will fit a wider bar. Really nice feature, makes it quick and easy to get it onto your vehicles no matter what kind of bars you have. As you can see, we've already got one installed and we're going to be putting part number TH811 up on the back end of this vehicle and getting our board up here so you can see how it all fits, looks, and so you can test it on the ride.
SportRack Watersport Carriers Review - 2015 Jeep Cherokee
Today on our 2015 Jeep Cherokee, we'll be doing a test fit of the Sport Rack Kayak Carrier with a J Hook Style Design. It will be designed for, it's designed for one kayak and as you can see we've already got one mounted up here on market rails. We're going to go ahead and show you how to mount the other one up here and get it evenly and set up especially with your kayak on it. The first thing we're going to do is just get it up here, and make sure that this are unthreaded almost all the way. You know what, let's just leave that off of there, we'll make it really simple here. We're going to thread both of those, we'll drop down the plate, put the base over then this plate is going to go underneath, we'll thread this one on there just a little bit just to give it something to bite on to, place the hook style over.
Its been a year and were still enjoying the Stacker setup. We have been hauling around our kayaks to local lakes every other weekend or so, and have had no issues. I have been double checking the hardware and occasionally do have to tighten a mounting knob or two. Im happy that we made this purchase and hope to continue using them for years to come.