Does anyone know of a better kayak rack than the Subaru brand? I don't like the idea of carrying my 'yak on it's side and when it's not loaded, the rack sticks straight up in the air.
http://www.subaruparts.com/catalog/?section=527#1510
Doesn't look good imo. Are their aftermarket parts to snap onto the Baja's roof rails? I have a 14 foot kayak seakayak and it makes much more sense for it to be loaded flat to the roof.
Kayak racks
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thebigkahuna
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Kayak racks
Last edited by thebigkahuna on Tue Mar 15, 2005 9:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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thebigkahuna
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Guess I'll reply to my own topic. 
After some digging on the internet I came
up with this,
http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/product ... 28&sku=883
Looks good to me. Now I just need the Baja!
Does anyone have this or some other setup they can recommend?
After some digging on the internet I came up with this,
http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/product ... 28&sku=883
Looks good to me. Now I just need the Baja!
Does anyone have this or some other setup they can recommend?
One thing you'll realize when you get the Baja is that the crossbar mounts (the plastic part the bars stick into) are pretty flimsy and flex quite a bit. This is one of those things about Bajas that is more about looks than function and is so frustrating for owners.
I tried a few types, in fact I almost lost my kayak on the upright type like Subaru sells when it flexed so much the kayak rolled inside the straps and started to slide. The only way I realized it was that suddenly all the tailgaters backed way up
Adding to the kayak problem (or touring kayaks anyway) is the short distance between crossbars on the roof.
Another problem is the wing cross section of the crossbars on the Baja. Not many products will sit on there, and almost none will sit at the angle they're supposed to.
I ended up just using the bar pads and carrying my kayak upside down. They're like $10 and distribute the weight broadly enought that the amount of flex is acceptable or at least not dangerous to other people on the road.
Your other alternative is to get aftermarket crossbars (most companies make Subaru rail adapters), or maybe you already have some.
I tried a few types, in fact I almost lost my kayak on the upright type like Subaru sells when it flexed so much the kayak rolled inside the straps and started to slide. The only way I realized it was that suddenly all the tailgaters backed way up
Adding to the kayak problem (or touring kayaks anyway) is the short distance between crossbars on the roof.
Another problem is the wing cross section of the crossbars on the Baja. Not many products will sit on there, and almost none will sit at the angle they're supposed to.
I ended up just using the bar pads and carrying my kayak upside down. They're like $10 and distribute the weight broadly enought that the amount of flex is acceptable or at least not dangerous to other people on the road.
Your other alternative is to get aftermarket crossbars (most companies make Subaru rail adapters), or maybe you already have some.
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holland_patrick
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