A kayak travels on roof crossbars in a carrier, held down by two straps over the hull plus a line from each end of the boat to the car. Foam blocks on a bare roof work for short, slow trips. Which way the hull faces depends on the carrier, so follow the instructions for yours. Before you load anything, check the roof weight limit: the car, the crossbars and the carrier each have one.
WaterSportHQ editors have not installed or loaded these carriers. The steps come from REI’s guide to tying down a kayak and from the makers’ own instructions (Yakima, Thule), all read on 2026-10-23 and named where used. The dates on those pages are not shown.
Two ways to carry a kayak on a car
| Way | Best for | Main limit |
|---|---|---|
| Carrier on crossbars | Frequent trips, longer drives, highway speeds | Needs crossbars first; the carrier costs more than foam |
| Foam blocks and straps | Short, slow trips | Paddle Boston says to use a mounted system for frequent, long or rough-road use |
Outdoorplay says temporary pads suit short, slow journeys. Neither it nor Paddle Boston gives a distance or speed, so neither do we. This page covers roof carrying only. Pickup beds and trailers use different gear.
Check your roof before you buy anything
A carrier’s own rating is not your car’s roof rating. Compare the total against the lowest of three limits: your vehicle’s roof load in the owner’s manual, your crossbars’ rating from their maker, and the carrier’s own load limit.
- The car. Look up “roof” or “luggage carrier” in your owner’s manual. As one example, the Toyota 2024 RAV4 owner’s manual (USA and Canada), section 4-1, says “Do not exceed 176.4 lb. (80 kg)” for cargo on the roof luggage carrier. That is one model year’s wording, not a rule for other cars. It speaks of cargo on the carrier, so check whether your manual counts the crossbars.
- The carrier. Thule’s Hullavator Pro manual requires a vehicle that can carry 130 pounds of total roof load, which it defines as rack plus accessories plus load.
- What you add up. Crossbars, the carrier and the kayak. A Yakima JayLow lists 11 pounds and a Thule Hullavator Pro 39.7 pounds (Thule’s figure; the Amazon listing says 43). A 52 pound boat such as the Perception Tribe 11.5 (listed on our beginner kayak guide) plus the JayLow is 63 pounds before the crossbars. With the Hullavator Pro it is 91.7 pounds before the crossbars.
If the total is over the lowest limit, stop. Pick a lighter carrier or boat, or use the manual’s number.
How to load and strap a kayak
These steps follow REI’s guide. If your carrier’s instructions say something different, follow the carrier’s.
- Fit crossbars and the carrier or padding. Have two cam straps about 12 feet or longer ready, and bow and stern lines.
- Lift the kayak with a person at each end, using your legs, and set it in the carrier. REI lists solo options: a lifting rack, rear rollers or a blanket to slide from the back. Thule says the Hullavator Pro lowers the boat to waist height so one person can load it. Wired2Fish says the same carrier still needs two people, so check Thule’s page for your boat’s weight.
- Center the kayak between the crossbars with the bow toward the front of the car.
- Put a cam buckle beside the boat, a little above the bar. Take the free end over the boat, then under the bar on the far side, inside the vehicle attachment point. Bring it back over the boat, under the bar on the near side (again inside the attachment) and through the buckle.
- Do the same at the other bar. Tighten until the boat is snug, not until the hull deforms or cracks.
- Tie off the strap ends below the buckles and shake the kayak to check it does not move.
- Tie a line from the bow and another from the stern to secure points on the car, using a hood loop if needed. REI says not to tie to plastic parts of the car. Yakima, Thule and Malone all require bow and stern lines for roof transport. REI recommends them especially in wind and on the highway.
- Drive about 15 minutes, stop and check everything again.
Which way up the kayak sits depends on the carrier. Yakima’s JayLow holds one kayak in a J-cradle position or two upright in a stacker position. Outdoorplay says saddles carry a boat upright, and that a boat without a carrier goes upside down. Follow the maker’s diagrams for yours.
Three roof carriers and what their makers list
| Carrier | Boats | Load limit (maker) | Crossbar notes (maker) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima JayLow | 1 in a J-cradle, or 2 upright | 100 lb for one; 130 lb for two combined | Minimum bar spread 27.5 in; fits most round, square, factory and aero bars |
| Thule Hull-a-Port XTR | 1 in a J-cradle, or 2 upright | 75 lb for one; 130 lb for two combined | Spread at least 24 in; bar width up to 80.5 mm |
| Thule Hullavator Pro | 1 | 75 lb | Spread at least 24 in; square and T-track bars |
Three facts to check before buying. Yakima’s current JayLow lists 100 and 130 pounds, but units made before February 1, 2026 list 80 and 110 pounds, and the manual still prints 110 on one page. The Amazon listing shows no model year, so it does not say which a delivered unit follows. Thule’s own pages give two figures for how much the Hullavator Pro lifts, 40 pounds on one and 75 on the other, and the Amazon listing shows 40 pounds for load capacity and 43 pounds for the carrier, against Thule’s 75 and 39.7.
Yakima JayLow: a J-cradle you can fit yourself
Yakima lists the JayLow as tool-free to install, 11 pounds, with heavy-duty load straps and bow and stern tie-downs included. The manual says to secure both ends, with the separately sold HoodAnchor if your car has no safe attachment points. It holds one kayak in a J-cradle position.
Skip it if your kayak is over 100 pounds or you want help lifting.
See the Yakima JayLow on Amazon
Thule Hull-a-Port XTR: a folding carrier for one or two boats
Thule lists load straps with buckle protectors and bow and stern ties for one boat, 75 pounds for one kayak or 130 combined for two, and a carrier weight of about 12.5 pounds. The Amazon listing is sold by Amazon, lists up to two kayaks and 12.5 pounds, and shows no load limit or bar spread, so those come from Thule’s page.
Skip it if you need a lifting aid: it has none.
See the Thule Hull-a-Port XTR on Amazon
Thule Hullavator Pro: gas struts to lower the boat
Thule says the Hullavator Pro uses gas struts to lower the boat to waist height, supports a 75 pound boat and weighs 39.7 pounds. Its manual requires 4 inches of clearance between the arm and the vehicle at the loading position and requires bow and stern lines, using the supplied ratcheting rope devices to secure points on the car. The Amazon listing is from a third-party seller and shows 40 pounds of load capacity and 43 pounds of weight, which do not match Thule’s figures. Ask the seller or check Thule’s page before relying on either.
Skip it if your car’s roof limit is under 130 pounds: Thule’s manual requires it.
See the Thule Hullavator Pro on Amazon
Before you buy
- Add the crossbars, carrier and kayak weight and compare the total with your owner’s manual.
- Check the crossbar spread and width your carrier needs against your bars.
- Check the carrier’s listing for the manufacture date of the one you receive.
- Plan to check the load again after about 15 minutes of driving.
- For the boat itself, see our beginner kayak guide, and for other gear, kayak accessories. For carrying a board instead, see how to carry a paddle board on your car.