Kuat Grip Slide Out Ski and Snowboard Carrier Review - 2015 Toyota 4Runner
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Review of the Kuat Grip Slide Out Ski and Snowboard Carrier on a 2015 Toyota 4Runner
So you have your 4Runner and you're ready for adventure. You wanna go skiing, you want to go snowboarding. You wanna go up into the mountains, but how do you get your equipment up there That's where a ski and snowboard carrier like this comes in handy. So this is the Kuat Grip Ski and Snowboard Carrier. You can get it in 4 or 6, those are just the different sizes. And if you want something that's really premium, really fun to use, a really cool ski and snowboard carrier, You might be interested in this one.
Before we get into the ski and snowboard carrier, for that. Now, before we get into the ski and snowboard carrier, I'd first like you to know that if you do have a different type of roof rack, your experience will be a little bit different. I highly recommend getting aftermarket roof rack, kind of like what I have on here. I have the Rhino-Rack Vortex roof rack that has longer crossbars, so it gives us more crossbar space as well as a lot more roof clearance than you would get with your factory crossbars. So make sure to check out our roof rack options, especially if you still have the factory crossbars.
Now let's talk about the carrier. So what I have installed is the Kuat Grip 4. So we can carry four pairs of skis or two snowboards. Now I do have two pairs of skis as well as one snowboard on. So you can mix and match as you want.
The Kuat Grip 6 will be a little bit longer, but works the exact same way. You can also get this in different colors. So I have the black version here, but you can also get it in gray, or pearl in those two different colors. Let's take a look at some measurements to see how it fits on top of your 4Runner. So measuring from the top of our roof at kind of the highest point to the bottom of our skis, we have a clearance of about seven inches of height.
Now that does depend on where your roof rack is. So we'll measure that to the top of our roof rack, our roof rack sits at about four and a quarter inches tall. So that will help you figure out, if let's say your ski bindings are too tall. If you have enough roof clearance between your roof and your skis. So the Kuat Grip sits on the bulkier heavy duty side when it comes to the ski and snowboard carrier options that are out there. If you want something that's a bit more aerodynamic, maybe the FatCat EVO from Yakima might be more your style If you want something that specializes in heavy duty grip, as well as that slide out function. That's where this one shines. So notice also how we have multiple lock cores on our carrier. We actually have one, two, three on each lock core, on each carrier so that's six total, but you only need to use one key to access everything. Another design feature here that's a little different compared to others is the handle. Usually you have a large button that you can press with other carriers that makes it easy to open, even with gloves. This one you can actually press up and it releases. Now I would personally just prefer using it just like that, but still accessible, even with your large gloves, you can just hold this, and bring this down, in order to secure it again. So, a nice, interesting feature. I'm not sure how I like it, but it also works. Notice also the double joint in the back that gives you a little bit more clearance for your larger skis and snowboards. My personal thoughts about this ski and snowboard carrier is I really like all the cool different features. It's different from your normal traditional ski and snowboard carrier. Some things I think are really, really cool, like how it slides out, which makes it easier to load and unload your skis and snowboards, especially helpful with your 4Runner, since it does sit a little bit higher up than your other vehicles, you kind of need that support out there, just so it's easier for you in the long run. So if you are interested in a premium ski and snowboard carrier, you want the different color and design options to best fit your adventures. This works out really, really well. So now we're gonna take our skis and snowboards off so we can take a closer look at the carrier. Just press those buttons on the inside and just slide that out. The traditional ski and snowboard carrier usually uses rubber cushions on the inside that goes straight across. That's theirs to help grip onto your skis and snowboards as well as prevent scuffing and scratching. What this does, is it uses rubber teeth. So this is an interesting design. They help support your skis and snowboards, and then they just press down on them to again, cushion them as well as provide that extra grip. This does have a weight capacity of 165 pounds. That weight capacity stays the same, whether you have the Kuat Grip 4, or the 6. What will actually probably limit you is the usable space on the inside. That's why I recommend checking out our product pages where we really go into detail, no matter what product it is on measurements, as well as specs. Our main focus here is to see how much clearance you have on your 4Runner. I do like the strap that this uses to secure the carrier. You have a stainless steel band wrapped in rubber. So that rubber is a cushion between your crossbar and your carrier. So you don't scratch up your crossbar. It fits a more variety of crossbars. So whether you have square, factory, round, or arrow, like what we have here that fits around that. So let's take a look at that install process just because it's really, really easy to do. So to install it you just need to get these straps around your crossbar. So if you have limited clearance underneath your crossbars, see how low-profile these straps are. That could be helpful for you. Just place them kind of where you want them to go. I actually want to install them onto my overhangs. So that's where I'll put them around. This fits right into there. And then once you have it in that notch, you can then rotate it. I keep it extra loose in order to put that strap in before I tighten it down with the included Allen tool in the back. So once you've tightened all four clamps down, don't forget to use your keys as well to make sure everything is locked or unlocked. And that's pretty much it for the install, you can now load your skis and snowboards onto your carrier. So I used the slide out on our carrier. So now it's extended out past our 4Runner, which means it's a little bit more accessible in order to load and unload our skis and snowboards. So with this second pair of ski attach, we can now just push this in. So I'm just gonna adjust my skis a bit to this side, that way it is clear. And then now I can just lower this, make sure it's in the unlocked position, bring this down. You can hear it, click. That's how you know, it's secure, do the same thing on the other side. And then lock it. With both sides secured, and once you have locked all of your different locking cores that's it for loading up your skis and snowboards as well as installing your carrier. You're ready to ride..
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