Kayak Roof Racks
Which Is The Best Kayak Canoe Roof Rack For You?
Welcome to our article on Which is The Best Kayak Roof Rack
Kayaking is a water sport and a very relaxing way to spend a day, either exploring the waterways on your own or having a fun outing with the family. Either way, transporting your kayak has its challenges.
Kayak roof racks are a worthwhile investment as your kayak will be transported safely and easily, without damage to your vehicle. As well as protecting your kayak, a roof rack also doubles up for carrying other items such as surfboards or stand-up paddleboards.
Types of Roof Racks for Kayaks & Canoes
Kayak roof racks come in different styles. J-style rack loads your kayak at 45° leaving a small footprint on your roof and allowing you to store more gear on the roof or even another kayak. Saddle racks are made from individual components installed on different points on your roof and can carry only a single kayak. This is great for wider kayaks or when the weather feels rough.
Stacker kayak roof racks are designed to hold multiple kayaks and are great for family trips or carrying your crew’s kayaks, but there’s contact between the kayaks, and straps secure them.
Lastly, the foam pads are designed for quick and easy use, to transport your kayak as quickly as possible without any tools or a dedicated roof rack. The straps wrap around the inside of your car and provide enough tension to hold the kayak.
Now that you’ve got a general idea about the different types of kayak racks for cars, let’s put together the pieces and answer which is the best kayak roof rack for you.
YAKIMA JayLow Rooftop Mounted Kayak Canoe Rack
The Yakima JayLow Kayak roof rack features a fully assembled product that needs to be installed on your crossbars without any tools. The arms have soft padding and a rubberized grip on the cradles to protect your kayak. The rack itself is heavy-duty and has a powdered coated finish to avoid rusting in moist environments. Yakima also includes all the straps, anchoring hooks, and round crossbar adapters.
The installation is a breeze. Simply mount the arms on the crossbar and rotate the knobs so that the clamp bites down tightly on the crossbar. That’s all there is to it. The rubberized cradles hold the kayak in place when you lift it onto the rack and you can pass the supplied straps through the arms and over the boat, feeding it back into the cam buckle where you can adjust the grip. Yakima also supplies two hooks that anchor to the back and front of your car (in a hitch receiver). These are used with two more straps that tie down the stern and bow for further safety.
There’s a little wiggle room, but that comes with the size of the kayak compared to the rack and shouldn’t be a problem on the highways. It easily fits 10’ – 12’ kayaks, and the rack measures 20” high and requires a crossbar spread of 24”. Another feature we loved is the handheld lever that can adjust the angle of the arm. You turn the arms vertically and use them as a stacker roof rack carrying 2 kayaks, but just be careful to not go over the 110 lbs weight limit.
Pros
- This kayak rack for the car folds shut for a low profile
- There’s rubber padding to fix the kayak in place
- Easy installation
- Straps provided
- Bow and stern straps have a rubber coating to protect the car
- Lockable mechanism
- Can be used as a stacker
Cons
- Locks sold separately
- Rubber padding can get knocked out over time
- Metal tightening bolts with plastic cradles means they can break easily by accidental overtightening
Thule Hullavator Pro Kayak Canoe Rack
The Thule Hullavator Pro Kayak rack for cars is something out of a kayaker’s dream. The kayak rack has a one-of-a-kind lift assist feature that makes it easy to load and place on the car roof.
The rack is made from aluminum and steel with rubber saddles holding the bottom of the kayak and is designed to hug the kayak from underneath and by the side arm cradles. There’s rubber and foam at contact points so you don’t damage your kayak. Installing this rack was super smooth.
You can install it on just about any crossbar but we recommend getting a Thule crossbar so the fit is easy. If you have a factory square crossbar the rack platform needs to be installed on the crossbar using a basic bolt and bracket assembly.
To install the rack align the hole on the edge of the platform with the rack and insert your through pin locking it into place. The other side can automatically be lowered into a bracket that locks the rack arms. The arm spacing can be adjusted by sliding the cradles in the track and it can support a wide range of SUP (stand-up paddle boards) and kayaks.
Lift assist works by gas struts and is worth all the money.
The rack comes down to the side of the car, where you can easily lift your kayak into place and tie it down using supplied straps.
Gas struts can effortlessly pull 40 lbs of the kayak’s weight, but on testing, kayaks weigh a little over that, so you’ll have to push it a little.
There are bow and stern tie-downs that use ratcheting ropes to provide a tight grip and overall the rack feels sturdy and supportive.
Pros
- Easy to install
- Lift assist
- Great for short people
- Lockable mechanism
- All contact points are foam and rubber protected
- Ratcheting bow and stern straps
- Rack arms can be changed for wider boats
Cons
- This kayak rack for car protrudes about 4” to the side
Malone DownLoader Kayak Carrier with Tie-Downs
To wrap our list, we are featuring a kayaker’s favorite budget J-style kayak carrier by Malone. The Malone Downloader features a single arm and cradles with foam to protect your kayak. The Downloader has a basic assembly and mounts to your crossbar using a clamp and two bolts that go through the foam cradles in hex cutouts. The bolts are tightened by hand using wingnuts and we thought that’s a great touch.
The arm can be locked in place using a hub release lever and once you feel comfortable with the position just press the lever down. There are strap guides on the rack and included straps for your bow and stern. These straps aren’t impressive and serve the basic purpose of holding the kayak or SUP in place. The structure itself is aluminum and protected from rust and you can close the arm for top clearance, when not in use. The rack can support kayaks weighing up to 75 lbs.
Pros
- Solid and sturdy fit
- Easy installation
- Included straps
- Contact points are protected
- Inexpensive
- Aluminum build which makes it rust free
Cons
- Requires some maneuvering to load the kayak
Important Consideration:
Before you start adding items to your list, it’s better to check your car’s roof and specifications. Sometimes ignoring little things can be quite costly. If you have a sunroof, buy a kayak rack for the car that provides enough clearance to open the sunroof. If you own a sedan with no crossbars, it’s better to invest in foam pads that can support your kayak’s weight at no extra cost. Lastly, the number of kayaks and surfboards you can carry can also affect your final decision about which is the best kayak roof rack for you. Happy Kayaking!
Common Questions:
What Kind Of Roof Rack Do I Need For A Kayak?
There are many styles of roof racks for kayaks, but the most versatile is the J-style roof rack. Many companies offer them and you can find something that is both reliable and within your budget.
Should A Kayak Be Upside Down On A Roof Rack?
It is generally not recommended to keep a kayak upside down on a roof rack. Most kayaks are either held at a 45-degree angle in J-style kayak carriers or by their hull on the roof.
You may be interested in our article on which straps to use when tying a kayak to your roof.