After a long, fun-filled day of fishing and kayaking, the last thing you want to do is pack up and carry your kayak and gear home. While a kayak rook rack is a must for transporting your kayak, you want to make sure that you have one that is easy-to-use and strong enough to keep your kayak from flying off the roof. We’ve evaluated hundreds of kayak roof racks on the market and have come up with this list of the best kayak rook racks and carriers. You won’t need a trailer with these kayak carriers, just a standard roof rack.
Overall Best Kayak Roof Rack
This sturdy kayak roof rack carrier is strong enough to hold a 150lb kayak and includes straps to secure the kayak in place.
Features:
- 75lb load capacity
- Fits most crossbars
- Steel construction
- Double kayak roof rack
- Included tie-down straps
Best Kayak Rack for Truck
This sturdy kayak roof rack carrier is strong enough to hold a 150lb kayak and includes straps to secure the kayak in place.
Features:
- 800lb load capacity
- Adjustable
- 2-pack
- Easy install
Best Kayak Roof Racks and Carriers
1. TMS J-Bar Double Kayak Roof Rack
The TMS J-Bar Rack Kayak Carrier is a simple and affordable solution to carry your kayak. It secures the kayak on its side, consuming a small amount of space on the load bar. A maximum of four sets of kayak racks could be mounted on a full-size truck, saving your space. This roof rack has a steel design with adjustable padding for strength and protection. It has a wide mouth bar which offers easy loading and unloading. It can accommodate kayaks up to 36 inches wide and weighing up to 75lbs. The package comes with four ratcheting bow and stern tie-downs to securely mount the kayaks.
2. Thule Hull-a-Port Aero Rooftop Kayak Carrier
Made by the most respected brand for roof racks, Thule’s Hull-a-Port Aero Rooftop Kayak Carrier is no less respected. This versatile roof rack can carry one kayak in the J-style or two kayaks when stacked. It can also hold two stand-up paddleboards and surfboards when laying flat. It comes with rubber saddles and foam padding for maximum protection. A theft-resistant design makes sure that the carrier stays attached to the load bars.
3. TMS 800 LB Adjustable Kayak Rack for Trucks
The TMS Truck Kayak Rack is a simple and affordable solution to carry your kayak on most trucks. With a height of 30 inches when mounted to the sides of your truck bed, this kayak rack will clear most cabs. The rack has adjustable width and can fit truck beds 5 feet to 7 feet wide. It can hold up to 800 lbs which is way more than you need for a kayak.
4. Attwood Kayak Car-Top Carrier Kit – Best Kayak Rack for Car Without Rails
The Attwood 11438-7 Kayak Car-Top Carrier Kit is another great choice if you are looking for a great kayak roof rack without rails. Just lay down the pads on the roof of your car and set your kayak, canoe, paddleboard, or anything else on top of the pads. This kayak carrier kit includes a set of supporting foam blocks to protect your kayak as well as your car from scratches. It further includes two straps with adjusting buckles and clips for a more secure hold of the kayak. Additionally, it consists of a 15-feet polypropylene rope. The included ratchet straps are made of a sturdy poly web with vinyl-coated clips.
5. Amazon Basics Universal Cross Rail Roof Rack
The Amazon Basics Universal Cross Rail Roof Rack is a set of universal locking cross bars which support your kayak on your roof rack. It is great for cars and SUVs with existing raised side rails with a gap. With its kayak mount feature, you are ensured that the bow and the stern are strapped to the vehicle bumpers for maximum safety. With fitting rails that are up to 46 inches apart, you are given plenty of space to use for your kayaks. It has a load capacity of up to 165 lbs.
6. Malone Auto Racks DownLoader Kayak Carrier
The Malone Auto Racks DownLoader Kayak Carrier is J-style kayak carrier with a built-in boarding ramp for easy loading. Its fold-down technology is essential in increasing the overhead clearance. Its oversized padding is able to protect the kayak during transport. This kayak roof rack has a JAWZ mounting hardware which fits round, square, and oval cross rails. It also comes with heavy-duty straps with buckle protectors and pre-coated mounting bolts.
7. Yakima Jaylow Kayak Carrier
The Yakima Jaylow Kayak Carrier is another excellent choice for your kayak storage and transport needs. This kayak roof rack is able to support a kayak that is up to 80 lbs in a J-cradle position. It could also support two kayaks with a combined weight of up to 110 lbs in a vertical position. In addition to this, this product is noted for its minimum crossbar which spreads of 24 inches or more.
8. Rhino Rack Aero Bar – Jeep Wrangler Kayak Rack
These crossbars are specifically designed for Jeep Wranglers and can be used to transport everything from kayaks to skis. These crossbars clamp-on to the existing rain gutters for easy installation. It fits Wrangler JL & JK models.
9. Thule Hullavator Pro Rooftop Kayak Carrier
This premium single kayak holder by the king of rooftop carriers features an array of great features including a lift assist roof rack system allowing operation by only one person. The gas-assist struts lift and lower 40 lbs of the kayak’s weight and the rack can hold a kayak weighing up to 75 lbs.
10. JDM Auto Lights Universal Roof Rack
The JDM Auto Lights Universal Roof Rack is a durable and robust dual kayak roof rack with a solid heavy-duty steel construction. With a large load capacity, you will be able to load even your heavy kayaks safely on your SUVs. Its wide mouth J bar offers easier loading and unloading of the kayak. This product is also noted for its surface rust-resistance coating, ensuring you that it would last a long time.
11. Rhino-Rack Saddle Kayak Roof Rack
Rhino-Rack is another major player in the roof rack space. These saddles for kayaks fit most popular brands of roof rack crossbars making them a universal option. Simple, yet effective.
12. TMS Kayak Roof J Rack
The final product on our list is the TMS Kayak Roof J Rack, a simple and affordable solution to carry your kayak. It secures the kayak on its side, consuming a small amount of space on the load bar. A maximum of four sets of kayak racks could be mounted on a full-size truck, saving your space. This roof rack has a steel design with adjustable padding for strength and protection. It has a wide mouth bar which offers easy loading and unloading. It could accommodate kayaks up to 36 inches wide.
Before You Buy a Kayak Roof Rack
Get Crossbars or Railings if You Need Them
In order to use most of these kayak roof racks, you will need a set of crossbars. You can find some great ones here. Some kayak racks do not have rails (such as the Attwood rack below) so you can use them on cars or SUVs without crossbars, but in most cases, you will need pre-installed crossbars or railings.
Consider the Weight Limits
All of these kayak roof racks can hold the weight of a standard kayak (up to 80 lbs) and many can hold substantially more. Make sure that the crossbars your car has can hold this amount of weight as well. If you plan to haul two kayaks, make sure your crossbars can support double the weight (160lbs).
Types of Racks
There are several types of rooftop carriers for kayaks for putting your kayak on the roof of your vehicle:
- J-Style: These kayak roof racks hold the kayak upright at a slant. The J-shape tends to make lifting a kayak on them easier and saves space on a car’s roof in case you want to carry two kayaks.
- Stackers: With these types of kayak racks, you lay the kayak flat on top of pads or sometimes even directly on the crossbars themselves. These are great because they can carry stand-up paddle boards as well.
- Temporary Pads: If your car roof doesn’t have crossbars, you may opt for temporary pads. These lay on top of your car and support the kayak.
- Saddles:Â These kayak holders usually consist of two pads that hold a kayak upright on either side. Most of the weight is on the crossbar and the kayak is held by the straps.
What to Look For in Kayak Roof Racks and Carriers
One of the main things that you should be doing before purchasing any kayak roof rack is to evaluate the features that each one has. This way, you will be guaranteed that you will be picking the ideal kayak roof rack based that is functional and of high quality. Here are two of the features that you should look for when picking the best kayak roof racks.
The Base Roof Setup of Your Car
One of the first things that you should be taking into consideration is the setup of your car’s base roof. There are four possible setups: the bare roof, the side rails, the factory cross bars, and the aftermarket cross bars. If your roof is naked or with side rails, consider picking foam or inflatable pads. If sophistication is your game, you could pick the two crossbars.
The Construction of the Rack
The construction of the rack is another factor that you should consider. This is due to the fact that the material and its constructions could directly affect its strength and its durability. Pick the kayak roof rack that is power-coated to ensure that it will last a long time. You want to make sure that the roof rack is easy-to-install and easy-to-use so that you don’t waste time installing it and putting the kayak on.
The features which were mentioned above are just some of the key features that you should take into consideration when picking the best kayak roof racks.
Table of Contents
