Outback car-top with no luggage racks?

[jcl4rc]

This may have been asked before, but the search functionality still isn't working for me (I get "no results" for every search I run, even "kayak" or "fish").

I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on my first kayak, a 2020 Outback. I will need to car-top it, however, on a sedan with no roof racks. My understanding from searching around is that you can do this with a 'soft luggage rack' (strap pads to the roof, then kayak to the pads) or with removable luggage racks (like these) but am looking for a little more comfort before spending the money. Thanks in advance, and if you have a particular soft-luggage-rack system you'd recommend, I'd welcome it.

Jason

[Turtle]

I used to use a Malone soft inflateable "rack" system on my Prius with my Malibu Mini X. Honestly, I didn't love it and it was hard enough to use with a smaller kayak. I can't imagine using it with my Ocean Trident or Revo 13. I bought a used Yakima rack for about $100 and set it up... I don't regret it for a second. I ended up getting aftermarket kayak carriers for the rack, but I could use it with just the rack and pads.

With my current setup, I load the boats with a roller that goes on the hatchback window. I put the front end of the boat on that, then lift it from the rear and slide/roll it forward til the front end hits the rear kayak carrier. Then I lever it up on that and push the boat forward until it is on both racks, then I strap it down. With the malone soft/inflatable rack, that wouldn't be possible. The boat wouldn't slide and I don't think it was stable enough on the roof anyway for that. That said, MAYBE it would work if you could lift the boat overhead and set it down directly onto the inflatable rack. That's what I did with the Mini X. I'm on the shorter side, but relatively young and the weight didn't cause me a big problem... even then, it wasn't fun and probably discouraged me from kayaking as much as I do now. There's no way I could do that alone with a boat as heavy/large as an Outback. Also, check the weight max on whatever inflateable/soft rack you're looking at, I wouldn't be surprised if the Outback is too heavy anyway.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news... but I think its worth it to spend a little extra and get a "real" rack outfitted for your model sedan. I'd hate to see a boat as nice as the outback either not getting used or being unsafe on the roof.

[dsaavedra]

Let me preface this by saying I've never cartopped a kayak ever, but.... for a boat as big and heavy, not to mention expensive, as an Outback, I would not car top it on anything other than a roof rack that is actually bolted to the car. I think you can find OEM roof racks for just about any car these days. I have a friend who uses those foam blocks to carry a Pelican on a Prius and it works fine, if not a little annoying to set up. But he's cartopping a $200 Pelican that weighs 35 pounds. I wouldn't even consider it for an Outback.

[Red_Beard]

I have a Hobie Compass which is at least 20, if not 30, pounds lighter than an Outback, and I would strongly advise you against skimping on the roof rack. A kayak that heavy can easily slip right off the front of your car with those temporary racks in the event of a quick stop. I have a Thule roof rack which I pair with a Thule Hullavator. The later is a good bit of extra money, but I've found it to be a fantastic investment. I spent over a year cartopping my Compass without the Hullavator, and did some damage to my car on a couple occasions when I lost control of it while off loading it. The second time it feel on my passenger side mirror and completely destroyed it which cost nearly $400 to replace. I almost injured my knee on that second occasion as well which would have been even worse. I have had zero incidents loading and unloading my kayak since getting the Hullavator. There are other cheaper alternatives for loading assist devices though, and a sedan won't be as high of a lift as my Subaru Outback, so those might work for you as well. But at an absolute minimum, you need a roof rack to tie it down properly.

[bignose]

The outback weighs over 100 lbs.?
I would not trust a strap on rack to carry that much weight.

Many years ago, I used the strap on cheap-o racks to carry a 16 foot , 57 lb. Old Town canoe on the roof of a Mazda RX-7 sports car (I was a lot younger, and stupider back then). The canoe was longer than the car......and the rails were pretty close together because the roof was small.
Even with front and rear bridles, which I seldom see kayakers run, the boat moved around on the roof under cornering and braking loads. Foam blocks under the gunnels were marginally better.

Visualize what could happen if your kayak left the car at highway speeds.........

Spend the money. Get a rack!

[jcl4rc]

Thanks, everybody. Between these suggestions and other research I've done, I'm convinced that soft racks are OUT. I've also confirmed that I have fixed mounting points on the top of my car (old Mazda 3 hatchback) so I'm seriously considering a bolt-mounted system, like Thule or Yakima.

New question: are there any less-expensive alternative to those brands? Both seem to be $500-600. I don't want to skimp on safety or protecting my boat, but I don't want to pay extra for the name, either (which seems like it has to be the case, given the price and what you get for it...). Any other names that are just as good, but cheaper?

Thanks.

Jason

[dsaavedra]

Thanks, everybody. Between these suggestions and other research I've done, I'm convinced that soft racks are OUT. I've also confirmed that I have fixed mounting points on the top of my car (old Mazda 3 hatchback) so I'm seriously considering a bolt-mounted system, like Thule or Yakima.

New question: are there any less-expensive alternative to those brands? Both seem to be $500-600. I don't want to skimp on safety or protecting my boat, but I don't want to pay extra for the name, either (which seems like it has to be the case, given the price and what you get for it...). Any other names that are just as good, but cheaper?

Thanks.

Jason

Thule and Yakima are definitely the two big names for aftermarket roof racks and accessories. I think you can generally buy their stuff with confidence. I don't know of any others by name but, again, I don't cartop so I don't pay too close attention. You can also look at OEM (original equipment manufacturer) roof racks. They will probably still be a couple hundred bucks but you can be assured that they will be compatible with your car because they come from the same manufacturer. I found a couple websites for Mazda parts through a quick google search and I'm sure you could turn up better results if you included the year and exact model of your car.

[Jman]

+1 on avoiding a soft rack. Soft racks are a temporary solution and put your vehicle at risk of damage, especially with a larger kayak.

Besides Thule, Yakima, and OEM, Rhino Rack is another company that makes aftermarket roof rack systems - I've used their Rhino Rack T-Load hitch mount and loved it. The fixed point roof mount is also a better option to protect your vehicle compared to the gutter feet style aftermarket racks. The gutter rack weakens the seals on your doors and can cause quarter panel damage due to the weight.

I've used Thule products and wish I had bought Yakima. Yakima has way better customer support and there is more versatility in their products. I also tend to see more Yakima rack systems on Craigslist, which may be helpful if you want to save money. The other consideration to think about is how you plan to load your Outback on your vehicle. At the bare minimum you only need the bars to transport the kayak upside down (could add surf pads to the bars). If you plan to use other rack styles, such as a j-rack, cradle, etc. you will want to make sure the bar type (round, square, aero, etc.) fits the accessory you're interested in. I've used the plain bar, where you hoist the kayak up on your shoulder to lift it up and flip it on the rack, a roller bar to roll the kayak up from the boot of the car, and a tailgate-style loader (Rhino Rack T-loader). If you're prone to upper extremity injuries or struggle to lift the kayak up, I think the Rhino Rack T-loader is the safest way to do it, but the suction cup mounted rollers mentioned earlier do work as well.