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Rhino-Rack Nautic 581 Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Channel Mount
Rhino Rack

Rhino-Rack Nautic 581 Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Channel Mount

Part Number: RR581
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$157.84
Retail:$193.99
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Watersport Carriers
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Kayak carrier lets you load and carry 1 kayak on your roof rack crossbars. Fabric covers on rear saddles allow easy loading from the back of the vehicle. High-grip saddles hold your kayak securely in place. Mounts to most crossbars with C-channels. Great Prices for the best watersport carriers from Rhino Rack. Rhino-Rack Nautic 581 Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Channel Mount part number RR581 can be ordered online at etrailer.com or call 1-800-940-8924 for expert service.
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  • Reviews (62)
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Rhino Rack Watersport Carriers - RR581

  • Kayak
  • Roof Mount Carrier
  • Saddle-Style
  • Rhino Rack
  • Track Mount
  • No Load Assist
  • Rear Loading

Kayak carrier lets you load and carry 1 kayak on your roof rack crossbars. Fabric covers on rear saddles allow easy loading from the back of the vehicle. High-grip saddles hold your kayak securely in place. Mounts to most crossbars with C-channels.


Features:

  • 4 Saddle-style cradles let you transport 1 kayak hull side down on your roof rack crossbars
  • Spring-loaded rear cradles let 1 person easily load a kayak from the rear of a vehicle
    • Felt pads on cradles let kayak slide up and onto your crossbars
    • Cradle heads pivot to accommodate the various widths of the kayak as it's loaded
  • Rubber-padded front cradles with 3 flexible joints securely grip your hull
    • Soft rubber pads protect kayak hull from scratches and abrasions
  • 2 Load straps with a padded cam buckles secure kayak to your roof rack
  • 2 Bow/stern tie-downs anchor kayak to your vehicle
  • Easy installation on most crossbars with C-channels
  • UV-resistant, glass-reinforced nylon saddles and stainless steel hardware ensure durability
  • Built-in security hardware deters theft - leg bolts require special tool (included) to loosen


Specs:

  • Application: most crossbars with top channels
  • Minimum crossbar spread: 23-9/16"
  • Saddle surface area: 7-7/8" x 2-15/16"
  • Tie-down strap length: 9-3/4'
  • Bow/stern rope length: 18'
  • 5-Year limited warranty


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581 Rhino Rack Nautic Roof-Mounted Kayak Carrier with Tie-Downs - Rear Loading - C-Channel Mounts

Installation Details RR581 Installation instructions


California residents: click here


Customer Satisfaction Score:

Ratings & Reviews

4.5

62 reviews
Kayak carrier lets you load and carry 1 kayak on your roof rack crossbars. Fabric covers on rear saddles allow easy loading from the back of the vehicle. High-grip saddles hold your kayak securely in place. Mounts to most crossbars with C-channels.

by:

This is a perfect fit for my needs I found this easy to load by myself. I wasn’t sure about the height of the racks but it turned out to be perfect. I had a full size pickup that was way to tall for this 79 yr old to load, but on the Maverick a with the elevated rack system and the Rhino kayak it works great.

Chuck profile picture

Chuck

4/14/2025

We are very pleased with our bed cover and racks. This is what I expected. We have not had a disappointment with any product we purchased from etrailer

JamesonC profile picture
Etrailer Expert

Jameson C.

4/14/2025

@Chuck Glad to hear!


by:

Not the products fault. They were supposed to fit the pre-Thule TracOne rack. Directly asked etrailers support.They don’t fit it. Returned them and grumbled



by:

Works great on my Ram truck. I pull a 5th wheel RV so I can’t use the truck bed for my kayaks. I bought the Rhino Rack roof rack from etrailer, as well. It is very easy to slide the kayak onto the roof with this carrier. Then I slide my second kayak on top of the first one. It is easy to do by myself, which is what I was looking for. I’d also like to give a shout-out to etrailer for their great customer service! They had both of these items in stock, and actually beat the price on Amazon.

Enrica profile picture

Enrica

7/13/2021

Perfect. We RV full time and we’ve driven thousands of miles with 2 kayaks on the racks. We have had zero issues with the racks and they still look like new. I can install or remove the racks in less than 10 minutes.



by:

My OldTown Sportsman PDL120 was shifting around to much in very windy conditions. I bought the large Yakima kayak saddles/supports from etrailer.



by:

I recently purchased the Rhino rack below with these boat supports:
Rhino-Rack Nautic 581 Rear Loading Kayak Carrier - Saddle Style - Rear Loading - Channel Mount
Item # RR581

Also, I attached a Yakima Jaylow kayak carrier, all to a 2019 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

On the 54 inch aero bars, I was able to carry a Hobie Compass Duo kayak (35" beam, carried flat on the Rhino pads) and West Marine Pompano 120 (28" beam, propped up as shown on the Jaylow racks). To have enough width, the Jaylows and the Rhino pads are mounted as far out as they can go, and the straps are looped back under the rack pillars on the car.

The bow and stern were secured with hood loops on each side (front diagonal straps on the Hobie), on the front placed under the hood where shown (this is the only place I could find a good metal-metal contact under the hood, and no electronics in the way), and in the back, tucked under the rear door.

We did a 500 mile round trip to the beach and back, with no problems at all with the mounts. Little noise, no movement. My only recommendation is to figure out some kind of load assist for the large tandem kayak, to make it easier if one of the folks loading is under 5'8" in height or so. We worked it out, but only after a few failed attempts (especially when the boat is wet, and loaders are tired).

Carol C at etrailer provided thoughtful, expert, and knowledgeable tech support for our purchase. Many thanks!



by:

Great product, fits the rack well and I don’t expect to have any issues with it.
Placed them on a 2016 Colorado with a bak flip topper and the Truxedo Rlevation rack system.



by:

Sturdy, hasn’t been removed from my car, I use it for a paddle board and a canoe, no issues. Looks very sleek. Easy install as well.



by:

The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is the kayak carrier mounts had the wrong hardware but Phillip at etrailer went the extra mile to get the right hardware to us. That is why we appreciate this company so much-outstanding customer service!!



by:

Quality build and design. However had to grind the T-bolts to get them to fit in my Thule TracRac channels. Tight otherwise - have to use a small rubber mallet to move the saddles into position. Rear sliders only pivot side to side - not front to back. Cannot find a position where they make full contact on my OldTown Loon. Maybe strapping down tight in the hot sun will 'fire form' them. Tie down straps with rubber coated cam buckles are a nice touch.

William profile picture

William

2/27/2023

1 Year later and holding up well. The felt pads are still intact and permanently attached. I wrapped my crossbar with rope where the keel of the kayak first makes contact - the spread of the pads leaves a kayak on metal initial contact.



by:

I've been using this product for the past year to carry my 10 foot pelican kayak, and is has done the job without any problems. The pads and provided tie-downs hold the kayak securely. Its easy to load the kayak by myself by sliding the kayak onto the holders from the rear. I also appreciate that it comes with a lockable plastic cover over the wing nut to deter would be thieves. This is a great product, and a great value compared to its competitors.

Brad F. profile picture

Brad F.

8/3/2018

Its been another year, and the carrier is still working great. When you get the holders in the right position, the kayak stays secure



by:

So Far So Good! Easy to load/offload, synch straps secure kayak well.

Chris profile picture

Chris

11/2/2023

Kayak Rack has been working very well, and has made two trips to South Dakota with no issues of keeping the boat well secured. I would recommend this product to anyone with a roof rack.

MikeL profile picture
Etrailer Expert

Mike L.

11/15/2023

@Chris We're happy to hear that! We're glad your Rhino-Rack # RR581 is helping make your kayaking adventures easier!


by:

Buying from etrailer is the ONLY way to go. The customer service is excellent from start to finish and afterwards if you need. This rack is a simple install and adjusts to many types of kayaks. Much less expensive then the others and high quality. I just completed a trip through a bad storm with no issues. So easy for me to load and secure

Lynne profile picture

Lynne

8/22/2021

I still love it!



by:

Great item. Holds Kayaks excellently. Easy install. And trailer continues to impress with excellent customer service. Items arrived sooner then estimated!

Rick profile picture

Rick

5/14/2022

Have used it numerous times and works great. Easy to load and unload. We have a fifth wheel RV and this allows us to take our Kayaks where ever we go!



by:

Easy to install and great quality. Definitely a must for kayaks.



by:

A year later and this kit is working fine. If you have a sit-on-top Kayak, these don't work very well, unless you really crank down the tension on the straps...not good for the kayak. We wound up flipping the kayak over and carrying it upside down. This seems to work well, but would be MUCH better with two of the rear felt holders instead of the front rubber holder. The felt holders go nice and snug up against the side of the kayak.

I'd buy a second set of the rear holders, but Rhino doesn't sell just the rear holders.



by:

The rack itself is just perfect for my sport kayak. My only problem is I put it on a lifted jeep and I am too short to get it on without a huge struggle from the rear. I got a suction cup roller bar to put on the back window which really helped. I might have been better getting a side loader with a pull out cheater bar like I had when I had a sea kayak. The product itself is just fine..... it’s me.



by:

I use the RR581 to carry my 11.5', 75 lb., kayak. It's quite easy to slide the kayak into the carrier with the aid of a boatroller that attaches to the car with suction cups. The kayak is held on the carrier with four straps (included with the carrier). I'm quite happy with this purchase.



by:

Bought a Rhino Rack cross bar and kayak carrier. Contacted etrailer by phone to confirm the fit to my vehicle. Very helpful individual who let me know what was in stock. Both items were delivered in one week. Easily installed with very clear directions. Videos instructions on the web site are available and helpful.

Insalled the items and used them the next day to haul my kayak on a 700 mile round trip with no issues.

I would certainly use etrailer again.



by:

I load our two sea kayaks from the rear, sliding them up over the trunk onto the crossbars and the cradles. I hang a strip of carpet down from the roof to enable me to do this.



by:

The folks at etrailer helped walk me through exactly which parts I needed for a saddle style kayak rack for my 2013 Taurus. I couldn't have ordered it without the help of customer service. In addition, the video for installation was also helpful, although I did need to read the directions thoroughly as well. Love my rack!



by:

The product seems to be great so far but it was VERY difficult to get the issue of an incomplete order shipped; there was no mounting hardware and I even sent great pictures of exactly what we got. The first request to that was asking me to tell them what i did not get! (Everything NOT in the PICTURE was not adequate english :)
The 3rd lady I spoke with (Mary) understood and was able to help me but in order to do so, I needed to place a new order on my credit card and then return the incorrect box with partial in it which I would not do until I recieved my replacement order a few weeks later.



by:

Kayak racks were very easy to install, now I just need to load the kayak and see how they hold up.

Robert profile picture

Robert

9/6/2021

No issues yet.



by:

Racks are similar to the Thule glide-n-set, which is probably one of the best saddle designs for the Native Ultimates that I like to paddle. I like the locking covers and adjustments. Makes things easy on the Rhino Vortex bars.



by:

My kayak does not have hard chines so it has a tendency to list during travel in this rack. After about 50-100 miles check the lines for tightness. With my boat this does not USUALLY reveal undue looseness but this tendency will probably vary depending on the configuration of the boat being tied down.



by: 05/30/2022

These carriers worked perfectly. Simple to install and adjust. They keep the kayak nicely secured to the car rack.


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Show More Reviews

See what our Experts say about this Rhino Rack Watersport Carriers

  • What Rear-Loading Kayak Will Work for My Tandem Hobie Kayak that Weighs 99 Pounds?
    I went ahead and called my contact at Rhino-Rack, and they confirmed that the Nautic 581 carrier # RR581 has a maximum weight rating that is the same as the roof rack system that you mount it on. Most of the time, roof racks are rated above 99 pounds. However, if you want to be sure about the weight capacity, I recommend the Yakima BigCatch Kayak Carrier w/ Tie-Downs # Y04091. The BigCatch has an impressive maximum weight capacity of 150 pounds, which is plenty of capacity to accomodate...
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  • Difference Between Rhino-Rack Nautic 581 and Nautic 571 Rear-Loading Kayak Carriers
    The primary difference between the two Rhino-Rack Nautic rear-loading kayak carriers # RR581 and # RR571 is the type of roof crossbar they will install on. The # RR581 works with crossbars that have an internal channel (please see the photo I linked for you) while the # RR571 works on a whole range of crossbar types including round, square, aero, elliptical, and most factory crossbars. The bars' spread needs to be at least 23-9/16-inches measured center to center for this carrier to fit. Review...
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  • Kayak Carrier that Can Fit Channels of Chevy Colorado Truck Bed Crossbars
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  • Will the Rhino-Rack Nautic 581 Kayak Roof Rack Work With the Thule TracRac Ladder Rack
    Bob, yes the Rhino-Rack Nautic 581 Kayak Roof Rack w/ Tie-Downs # RR581 is compatible with the Thule TracRac.
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  • Will Rhino-Rack Kayak Rack - J-Style Hold Old Town Sportsman BigWater ePDL+ 132 Fishing Kayak
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    We do offer a few kayak carriers that you can use with the Thule TracRac TracONE Truck Bed Ladder Rack. You will need to use a channel mount carrier. Since the crossbars on the TracOne are a bit oversized, none of the clamp on carriers we sell will fit. I recommend using the Thule Hull-A-Port Aero Kayak Roof Rack # TH849000. This is a J-style carrier which will install into the top channel or T-slots on the Thule crossbars. It also has a built in lock, so you can secure the rack to your...
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  • Kayak Carrier Reccommendation for Thule TracRac CapRac Roof Rack
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  • Will The Rhino-Rack Nautic 581 Kayak Carrier Fit Thule Wingbar EVO Crossbars?
    The Rhino-Rack Nautic 581 Rear Loading Kayak Carrier # RR581 can fit onto any crossbar that has the top channel. It should have no issue fitting onto the Thule Wingbar EVO crossbar channel. Make sure the knob on the kayak carrier is loose enough to slide into the channel track. I have attached a demonstration video to help with this process. If you are still having issues installing it then feel free to send me some photos and more information so I can figure out what else might be going on.
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  • Does Rhino-Rack Nautic 581 Fit Top Channels of Yakima Crossbars
    Yes the Rhino-Rack Nautic 581 Rear Loading Kayak Carrier # RR581 that you referenced does fit the top channels of Yakima crossbars.
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    We do have the Telescoping Rack for TruXedo Elevate Rack System # TX24NV that you are wanting which is just the ladder rack portion of the Elevate system without the rails. This is also confirmed as a fit for the Retrax covers like what you have as well. Since these load bars are larger than roof rack bars you'd need to go with a kayak carrier that can attach to the top channels of a load bar like the part # RR581.
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  • Best Kayak Carrier for a SylvanSport Go Easy Trailer
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  • Is There a Replacement Saddle for Rola Hull-Hauler Kayak Carrier
    If one of the saddles is lost for your Rola Hull-Hauler Kayak Carrier 59913 then you'll unfortunately need to go with a different carrier as the Rola carrier doesn't have replacement parts. For your application I recommend replacing it with the Rhino-Rack Nautic which comes with 2 different mounting hardware styles; Channel Mount # RR581 and Clamp On # RR571. The channel mount is an upgrade if you want to utilize t-tracks on your crossbars whereas the clamp on version is the standard option....
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  • Differences Between the Rhino-Rack Nautic SUP 570 and 581
    I'm sorry about the confusion! The main differences between the Rhino-Rack Nautic SUP Series 570 # RR570 and the Nautic SUP Series # 581 # RR581 is that the 581 includes only channel-mounting hardware while the 570 only includes clamp-on hardware. For these two different hardware styles, they install differently onto your Rhino-Rack aero crossbars. If the channel-mount option is important for you, you can definitely free free to change out the cradles. As far as why you didn't see it...
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    Image 1 for
  • How Should I Transport My Kayak On The Fiberglass Cap Of My 1997 Ford Ranger
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Do you have a question about this Watersport Carrier?


Info for this part was:

Employee Zack K
Video Edited:
Zack K
Employee Tyler C
Updated by:
Tyler C
Employee Kathleen M
Updated by:
Kathleen M
Employee Wilson B
Updated by:
Wilson B
Employee Alex H
Updated by:
Alex H
Employee Michael B
Updated by:
Michael B
Employee Ashley K
Updated by:
Ashley K
Employee Jameson C
Expert Research:
Jameson C
Employee Matthew K
Installed by:
Matthew K
Employee Steven C
Installed by:
Steven C
Employee Dustin K
Video by:
Dustin K

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