Using Kayak Carrier Along With Thule Canyopn Rooftop cargo Basket TH859XT

Updated 06/15/2020 | Published 06/06/2017

Products Featured in This Question

Thule Canyon XT Roof Cargo Basket - Steel - 49" x 40" x 6" - 150 lbs

(107)

$499.95

Telesteps Folding Step Stool - Aluminum - 300 lbs

(6)

$36.53

Thule Canyon XT Roof Cargo Basket - Steel - 69" x 40" x 6" - 150 lbs

(107)

$779.90

Question:

I have a Thule Canyon XT roof basket on my 2014 Subaru Crosstrek. I am looking to start transporting a kayak as well. Do you know pf any products that would attach to the roof basket? I am hoping to find something that can be added to the basket vs having to remove the it.

asked by: Chris

Expert Reply:

Thule does not offer any kayak carrier accessory that can be fitted to their Canyon rooftop cargo basket # TH859XT. I called my most well-seasoned Thule contact and she confirmed no such product is on the drawing board for the future.

In truth, even if such an item was available, it might not be your best option. Since kayak weights vary from the low 30s for smaller sit-on types up to the 140s for well-equipped fishing kayaks the vehicle roof capacity can come into play. The Canyon basket # TH859XT weighs about 29-lbs and the larger version # TH859XT-8591XT about 39-lbs. Depending on your kayak's weight you may need all the Crosstrek's roof weight capacity for the kayak.

If you can shift the basket to one side of the car to have enough room for the kayak to sit next to it then you might want a foam block type carrier. Such carriers are very lightweight, inexpensive and require no alterations to the vehicle. You can see many examples of such carriers on the linked page, such as the Malone # MPG152.

If you remove the basket from your roof rack the foam kayak carriers can be installed on the bars.

You may care to consider an accessory, a simple folding step # TE97FR, to make your cargo loading and unloading easier. This lightweight item comes fully-assembled and gives you a foot of extra reach.

expert reply by: Adam R

Jeremy

6/10/2020

Are any of the available roof racks built well enough and designed in a way to carry a lightweight canoe inverted and strapped directly to the basket? My Kevlar canoe is less that 50 lbs and the basket could still be used for carrying duffels, etc. the only problem I see is width and the cross bar sections that the canoe would rest on.

Chris R.

6/15/2020

Most roof racks have about the same weight capacity. The limiting factor is almost always the roof itself. You'll want to check your vehicle's owner's manual to see if it lists a weight limit. As long as you stay under this limit I don't really see an issue with this setup. Do you know how wide the basket would need to be for this to work? Can you tell me what model vehicle you have?

Jeremy

6/15/2020

@ChrisR Thanks Chris - I have a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I would need a 36" spread on the basket rails to allow the canoe to sit on the cross bars of the rack. My concern was the way the weight would sit on the front and back cross rails of the rack. I assume they are strong enough to handle that, but wanted to confirm. I like some of the expandable racks, but thought having the weight on opposing ends may cause issues. Thanks for the input!