kayak carrier

[NeXterior]

 Hi! Is it better to use tiedown straps for kayak? I saw Bakflip CS carrier at 4WheelOnline. Is ita good Kayak rack to use for the truck bed? Would like to know if anyone here puts their kayak on their truck bed too. I am open to brands that you will suggest.

[Faye Dangelo]

We use foam blocks and tie downs —never had a problem

[mbhazeltine]

foam blocks are my go to approach - have J racks, saddles etc - but keep coming back to foam blocks.  Think about transporting your kayak cockpit down if you have the spacing. Also be mindful of those L brackets on your rack - looks like those could do some damage.

 

[rfolster]

On 4/19/2021 at 1:52 AM, NeXterior said:

 Hi! Is it better to use tiedown straps for kayak?

I want to make sure that we are getting terminology and concepts right.  What exactly do you mean by "tiedown" straps?  You definitely need straps to hold a kayak to whatever transport system you are incorporating, whether it is foam blocks, j-bars, cradle feet, etc.  If you are asking about whether or not to use a bed-rack with mounting system vs just laying the boat on the cab roof and tail gate using only straps and padding, you are better off with the bed-rack since you put less stress on the boat and the truck and it is more secure.

You will want something to protect the boat from the bars, since two hard objects against each other will cause damage to the softer object (your boat!).  J-hook support systems are popular, but since they hold the boat on its side, they create the highest overall height, and not ideal for taller vehicles like your truck/rack.  Cradle-style feet (like on the car in the above pictures) will support the boat well, and can be used on your truck rack.  The only downside is that they hold the boat top-side up, and so the bow and stern will create high points to be aware of.  This is also true with the foam blocks (seen on the truck), but they tend to be less expensive than the cradle feet and less bar-shape specific (round / square / oval).  I have even seen "pool noodles" put over rack bars as a cushion, but keep in mind that they are not made for that purpose, and so effetiveness and lifespan will need to be taken into consideration.

If you are able to manage it, mounting the boats upside down (as mbhazeltine) suggested using foam blocks on the bed-rack will offer the lowest overall height.  The boat topsides are also flatter than the bottom sides, so you get more support upside down than right side up.  What you need to watch out for is that the bow of the boats may curve down enough to hit the cab of the truck, which would be bad.  You would need a tall enough rack to prevent that from happening.

Hopefully this will help you understand that the actual truck bed rack you choose, whether it is the Bakflip CS carrier or some other brand of rack, doesn't matter as much as what mounting system you want to secure the boats to the rack.  You should consider that first, and then decide if the rack you want will work with it.