Anyone know of a kayak carrier brand worth the price? They all seem expensive. Looking to carry 2 recreational kayaks on a Mini-Cooper.

Two kayaks on a Mini Cooper!? You’ll look like a sailboat goin down the road!
Edited to add:
Just catch a tailwind and throw it neutral!!

Real men would be ashamed to ask such a question.

Better wait for Paul to respond.

Mine are TMS? Bought them from the debil-Amazon when I couldn't source locally.
Been happy with them, like $65 back in 19

Don't worry...he will have his steel toes on.

It's a 4 door cooper!

I was going to buy a new Ranger a few months ago - got nervous about the economy and holding off so we're trying to make do with what she has. They're not the longer sea kayaks but shorter recreational/river stuff. I certainty wouldn't bother with anything above a class 2 rapid in it. Mostly for floating down the river, looking at trees and drinking beers.

Like the old saying, Good isn't cheap and cheap isn't good.
The last thing you want is a kayak flying off your car and hitting someone else's car or motorcycle
I use Malone racks and carriers.
Do you need cross bars and mounts?
Bang for the buck Malone cross bars are great. Much cheaper than Thule and just as good.

That'd still offer no dignity.

Not ashamed but silly me for coming to an outdoor resource to ask about outdoor things.

I'll look it up. Thanks. It's not the cost but making sure if I'm paying, I get the value.

I went with a small trailer, as the weight of the 'yaks got to be too much for me to manhandle up on top of the 4Runner.

4 door?

That makes more sense.

Holiday roaaaaaaaaaad!

Pansy and Tulips are outdoor things too.

You'd get better advice here on what kinda truck you need to haul your Ranger Bass boat around.

As long as you don't ride in the back seat - it's comfortable enough for me at 6 feet. She's only 5'4" and 130lbs so it works for her. It's like driving around a pregnant roller-skate tho. I suspect it would be real fun with real power.

My wife uses one of these for her 'yak on a Lexus NX. Mounts to her Thule.

Nice in that she's about 5' 4" and she can get it mounted while on the side of the car. Also low profile when not in use.

https://yakima.com/products/showdown

If it's a Clubman with facrory side rails these should work.
Malone AirFlow2 Roof Rack

You and blackfart need to hook up and confirm each others badazz masculinity.

#2tuff4u



mike r

Thule. Buy once cry once.

Good crossbars and ratchet straps have been working for decades.

Ratchet straps are a great way to destroy a kayak

Lol, how many kayaks have you destroyed with ratchet straps?

Probably the best idea yet, multi use.

Seen crazy prices on kayak carriers and then I see folks using a $2 pool noodle to protect their roof but tied down the same way.

To each his own.



Fear Not.....

I'll 3rd the trailer idea. If I'm hauling more than one kayak I almost always use the trailer. When carrying on the roof, I use wing-style cradles. I don't like J-style cradles because the boats will catch a bunch of side wind that can twist the racks and cause failures. Just buy good stuff, not cheap Amazon-Chinese-Knock-Off-Junk. Thule, Yakima, Malone, Goodboy, Etc.

Ratchet straps are not needed on kayaks. Cam buckle straps are all you need. Social media is chock full of picture of kayaks where heat and ratchet straps didn't agree with the factory shape of a kayak.

My favorite cam straps are NRS with the rubber bumpers, and I've used straps from about every manufacturer out there over the last 20-something years. These: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B082MTZ1XZ/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_8?smid=A3U06N8F90FXV2&th=1

The NRS straps are pretty good. Aloso like that they weave in the length into the webbing so it's easy to see what you're trying to untangle.

I’m using a combination of Yakima and Kuat on my car and Kuat on our SUV for bikes. Yakima is quality but not cheap. Kuat is top drawer just not sure if they offer kayak carriers.

Mini Cooper ?

Wait till DeFlave sees this thread

Or Flave

I will. Take a bunch of your tampax and line then out so they wont scratch your mini's paint when you sent kayaks on top.. Then cut off the ripcords and use them to lash down your kayaks.

My kayak carrier is a Chevrolet Silverado 2door with an 8ft box. 2 feet of kayak stick out the back so stay back an extra 2 feet.

kwg

My first thought was to get a small trailer. Maybe check out craigslist.

Any machine is a smoke machine if you use it wrong enough.

Tell me more about things you have read on the internet.

Cross bars with a pad and cam buckle strap deck side down. Hobie Outback's a bit of a bitch to get up on the lifted Crew Max Tundra alone.

We have Yakima kayak stackers. They have worked well for the last 17 years attached to our Honda Pilot or Odyssey.

Got lucky 2 years ago getting my wife a kayak and a spare.....guy had a Ford Escape tried some how to tie to the roof for a trip to northern Michigan only went a couple miles on the Expressway and both came off at 70 mph.....no damage to either one just scared the the owner and he sold them 2 for the price of one....$ 220 for both......
Sold the one for double what I payed for 2 Kayaks....

Yeah, a Packer Fan.

See if there’s a MI kayaking forum, and troll the classifieds. I picked up Thule feet and crossbars along with straps and bow lines for about 30% of new cost. Courtesy of the local kayak fishing forum.

Just picked up a Thule rack in great condition at a garage sale for $2.