Best Minivan Watersport Carriers

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.

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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.

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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 :).

We found the strapping to be difficult. You have to somehow throw the straps up and over the kayak after it is in the J rack. If someone has a tip that would be great. We watched you tube videos but nothing made it easier. Once the kayak is strapped in I think it would travel fine but it's not an easy thing to accomplish.

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.

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These are good racks, only its not really easy or friendly to install on the wingbar evo, although it was indicated that it was compatible. I think the screws provided with the adapter kit are a little too short and because of that, the j rack doesn't fit well in the T slot. Too much of a chore for the average person.

The yellow pads on the crossbars are pool noodles secured by zip ties. They provide padding for a third or even a fourth kayak.

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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.

Does what I needed it to do: carry my kayaks on my car! Website is great for installation information, too.

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Sturdy cradle and easy to install. Difficult to keep tie down strap looped over top of "U" bar while trying to get it over the kayak, keeps slipping down. We made a channel out of foam to keep the strap in place and now it is easy.

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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.

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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.

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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.

After 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.

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I am very pleased with the Yakima Bowdown and with the service that etrailer.com provided. I had received my order just a day or so before a large Yakima sale. I contacted etrailer.com and they were outstanding and applied the sale price. I really appreciated their effort and excellent customer service. Judy M. and Anna S. are excellent. I need to order new Yakima crossbars next and I will definitely be giving my business to etrailer.com

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Ordering was easy, delivery was fast. Installation was complete in less than twenty min. Haven't tried them yet, next week.

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Combo review - the trailer is PERFECT (MMalone MicroSportXT Trailer - 78" Crossbars - Retractable Tongue). I put it together over several evenings after work. Directions and online videos were helpful - pretty easy build. Have used the trailer several times and am so happy with it. Lightweight, easy to load the boat. I added the kickstand, which is handy for keeping the trailer level and for pushing the trailer around. So happy with this trailer and etrailer.com - very responsive.

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Their great, but unfortunately the black canvas coverings have faded and are now light purple, I am going to have to replace them. Is there any warranty offered? I would hate to have to order from [other vendor]. They offer a one year replacement warranty for discoloration in the 1st year. Please let me know! Thanks again!

I ordered the Thule Portage from etrailer after some availability issues with another seller. Great service, I even asked to have my 2 item free shipping in 2 shipments to avoid a wait and it was at my door within a week. etrailer is my goto supplier, they always seem to have items not in stock elsewhere. The Portage works great on the Rhino Rack I bought from etrailer also.

Very versatile and easy to install. We fit the brackets so that they seat the inside of the gunnels. Works well! Ordered these from Etrailer at the same time we placed an order for crossbars from Thule. This arrived and we are still waiting on the new crossbars.

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.

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'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.

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Fit well onto my crossbars. Included everything you need to be able to use it right out of the box. I prefer the versatility of the post style over the cradles. Seems like solid construction that I anticipate lasting.

We needed a carrier solution that folded down easily because of our garage door height. The Malone Pro2 Kayak Carrier has performed flawlessly over the past year. The kayaks remain stable and never shift even at freeway speeds. The foam blocks fit our crossbar well and offered a rattle free ride, which is nice. The one drawback to this system is how difficult it can be to actually route the straps. Without a ladder, it can be nearly impossible to get the strap over the kayak and hooked into the carrier properly. After you find a system that works for you, it becomes easier but I still think that the stationary carriers are more user friendly in that regard.

This is a very thought out design; hence it works on my GMC Yukon SUV. The carrier extends to match the width of your board to have more of a snug fit. The brackets that attach the carrier to your vehicle work facing down or up. At first I had them facing up and I thought this rack would not work, as the rack was still too loose. Then I learned that the brackets can face down as well, which makes it work for my rack. I'm using the factory racks from GMC, which aren't the greatest, and are a little thin, but the carrier fits snug. I get a much better fit for my boards now and feel safe traveling at higher speeds, as my boards aren't going anywhere, once I use the tie downs. I haven't used the extra hook tie down, as I don't think I need it, but if I ever travel a long distance with the boards, I will definitely use it. There are a couple videos from etrailer showing how to mount them. Once you get the brackets facing the way you need for your vehicle rack, it's a quick install.

With a little help from youtube, this was one of the easiest things I've ever assembled! LOVE my new SUP rack!!

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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!

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This is not a great fit for a truck. The main carrier works very well and I word suggest that instead of getting the extension get another folding rack. Using the the extension forces you to reach all the way across the roof, which is difficult to do while trying to use the included straps. Would work very well for a small compact car that you can reach from the ground.

We love the kayak racks. They are just what I was looking for at a reasonable price.We did have to make minor adjustments on the hanging brackets so the screws are closer together and fit security on our side boards. A pleased customer

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Mounted the kayak rack yesterday and wanted to offer some feedback. In general, a pretty easy process. The screws do seem to be pretty soft; easy to strip a bit, even with 1/8" holes drilled. No disaster, but could be improved. What is wrong is that the straps seem backward. The clamp is mounted so that you must pull up to tighten the strap. Would be better/simpler to pull down on the strap. I see why the longer strap is at the top, but still bad mechanics. I mounted my rack pretty high on the wall, and not being tall, will have a problem using the strap as oriented. In addition, the clamp strap has no means to adjust its length. My kayak (a Poke boat) is pretty slim in cross-section, which makes tightening the strap very difficult unless I get on a ladder. I realize that some of this issue is due to the height that I mounted the rack, but I had to make sure that it put my boat completely out of the way of the car, bikes, etc., with which it shares the space. Would give the rack a good rating, but the odd engineering design and lack of a way to adjust the strap length are disappointing. Overall, does what I need though, just could be a killer rack with some slight changes.

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Excellent quality carrier, easy loading and unloading, very happy with the purchase. Thanks a lot Patrick!!!

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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.

I am glad to provide a review that you requested of the Erickson jetski lift sling. I have used the sling for over 10 years; more later on the purchase made one year year ago. Our home has a saltwater beach, so we use a dolly for moving the jetski down on a boat lift to the edge of the beach, then to the water. When not in use, the jetski is in a small boat house, resting on a bunk. We use the sling for moving the boat to the dolly, with a lift attached to a chain hoist on an I-beam trolley. For maintaining balance, I put tape markers at the center of gravity on each side, as indicated in the photo For occasional tips to the dealer, I use another chain winch on a boom. I move the boat on the dolly to a spot beneath the boom, then use the sling for lifting the boat onto my pickup; and of course, use the sling again for the reverse process. I might add that the dealer also uses an Erickson sling for moving jet skis in his boat yard This device has been an absolute essential for this 85 year old owner, converting an otherwise strenuous and risky undertaking to a simple, pleasant, safe task. Last year, in my senility, I could not find the sling, so I ordered another one. In accordance with the immutable law of cussedness, I found the old one a day or so after the new one arrived, and then forgot about it. For several obvious reasons, it's rather unlikely that I'll wear the old one out, so my question is: can I return the new one?? it's still in the original shipping container.

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Thank you etrailer.com for the free shipping. This is exactly what I needed. etrailer was able to get it to me 2 weeks quicker than Amazon Prime that cost me $$$ every year for membership. The sling seems to be well made and looks like it will last for a while. I have owned one of this brand before, had it for about 5 years until someone decided they needed it more than I did. If this one holds up like the other one did I will be very happy

This roller and pad setup allowed me to get a 68 lb kayak on and off my car by myself. Could not do that with the Jlow racksI

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Fast shipping and easy installation

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The Rhino Rack cradles, straps and hardware are all good quality and I have no complaints. The only issue I have, and the reason for only a 4 star rating, is the supplied M6 x 40mm Security Head screws are too long for the factory cross bars on my roof rack. When I first installed the cradles if I had tightened the screws all the way, the ends would have dug into the roof and paint, even before I added the weight of the kayak. In checking, I can purchase some M6 x 25mm Security Head screws from Amazon, but frankly part of me feels that for what I’ve already paid for this kit I shouldn’t have to spend another $15 for the correct length screws, plus the package has 20 screws and I only need 8. However, it appears that is exactly what I will have to do. At least they will be stainless steel, rather than the cheaper material the current screws are. Plus I will have extras for when/if the head strips out. I would suggest Rhino Rack consider included in their kit two sets of screws to meet this need. Keep the length they have, Judy add a set of 25mm. I’m still happy with the purchase but not 100%. I do like how the kayak slides easily on the rear felt lined cradles. Plus Rhino Rack includes every tie down strap that you will need, e.g. one each for the bow and stern in addition to two straps intended to secure the kayak directly to the roof rack cross bars. I would highly suggest you get in the habit of using all four straps, you really don’t need to have a gust of wind lifting the nose and tearing the roof rack off your vehicle. Can happen! My brother-in-law lost his roof rack exactly in this manner. So happy yakking and safe travels down the road. By the way I have paired these cradles with the Rhino Rack RTL002 T-Load Hitch Mounted Load Assist and Support Bar for 2” Hitches also purchased from eTrailer. I’ve attached some photos showing my first and second attempts to solve my dilemma. I need to order the replacement screws. First attempt after dark was a large flat washer, then the next day I added some nuts under the large washer. NOTE: Photos may post in reverse order.

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Love my Rhino Rack. Installed myself without complication. Thank you etrailer for great product with the best price!

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I did a bit of testing to figure out how long it would take for the vacuum to loose pressure. I left the racks installed over night following the installation instructions and when I checked on the sucking cups the next day, there was one that needed to be pumped twice, but outside of that all of them were holding on nice a tight. After strapping up a 12.6 Slingshot Nitro Standup Paddle board and driving an hour up the road. Everything held up perfectly. I did not exceed 55MPH on my way up just to make sure all was well. On my way back I went up to 65MPH and no issues. I would recommend having a none lint cloth with you to clean the surface and the suction cups prior to re-installing the SeaSucker back onto the car roof. Overall, very confident in it's ability to hold the board in place and not have extra hardware to install permanently on my Rover!

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These work great. My trip to the beach would be around 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes and these things could easily hold my surfboard onto the top of my car. It held tight through rough winds, rain and on extremely sunny days. I would stop multiple times on my trip the first two times to check and see if it was all still suctioned down, and it always was. After that, I never felt the need to stop and check the suction. I would recommend this to anyone who is trying to find a way to carry a board out on their car without having to pay a crazy amount for something permanent. I would have to tear everything down while at the beach and put it all back up for my trip back, but it fits easily in my trunk and it's fairly simple and easy to set up. Not too much of a hassle.