What is Reddit's opinion of TMS J-Bar Rack HD Kayak Carrier Canoe Boat Surf Ski Roof Top Mounted on Car SUV Crossbar?

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Lifetime makes good stuff. I have their Tamarack, and the Teton is pretty similar. I have two of these roof racks and they work great, they even come with cam straps to tie down. Bringing a dog onboard might be a bit of a stretch though, I’ve never tried that but I don’t think I’d have room in my tamarack

I have used the universal kayak racks for 30 bucks on Amazon and I have also just laid it across the bar. Both work fine. The OB has flat bars though and the bought racks have a round bracket but just tightening them down really made it secure. I have not used them since they got replaced (a tree ripped them off during the hurricanes) but even when they were used, they held up to some pretty rigorous kayak hauling.

Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003V57NUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_6UcKAb1JFHDBC

We haven't bought one yet, but these are pretty wide, so foam blocks probably won't work since they'd have to be side by side. I'm thinking a J rack. Something like this

http://www.amazon.com/TMS-KAYAK-RK-J-1BOX-Universal-Carrier/dp/B003V57NUQ/ref=sr_1_1

Yeah I actually just set it up today and used it to the lake and back with no problems. I don’t know exactly what crossbar I have but it’s a pretty generic Amazon one and then I bought these J racks TMS J-Bar Rack HD Kayak Carrier Canoe Boat Surf Ski Roof Top Mounted on Car SUV Crossbar https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003V57NUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_M3WREZ100SW3KREN9DCX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I didn’t see a point in buying expensive j racks as they do the exact same thing.

I’m not sure what type of SUV or racks you’re using, but something doesn’t seem quite right. I generally haul mine with my truck, however my wife has this set of j-cradles for her Grand Cherokee: Lifetime Warranty TMS J-Bar Rack... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003V57NUQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share we’ve been on several long trips with both our kayaks on this cradle. Long for us = a couple that were 13+ hours and a couple that were 8+ hours at speeds exceeding 70mph. We use just two straps around the body of the kayak and j-cradles. We’ve had no issue at all. On the longer trips, we would use a strap for each bow and stern that just came back to the j-cradle itself to help stabilize the bow of the kayaks and keep the body straps tight. This isn’t how bow and stern straps should go — they should go to the front and rear of the vehicle, however her Jeep doesn’t have a good anchoring system for this from the factory. That’s no issue because like I said, this has worked great for us. It takes about 15 mins at the most to get both kayaks loaded and strapped like this.

Nah it's some no name amazon j rack. Holds one, but you can easily mount two sets to the crossbars for two kayaks. The only thing I did was swap out the bolts and ratchet straps that came with it for some better quality ones.

Definitely don't lie flat unless you're going to use a good layer of foam and front/back ties.

EDIT: Here's the link for mine https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B003V57NUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_fm_apa_i_9g8eEbFH932HR

The Mopar roof rack. I have a cheap kayak rack I screw onto it from my pathfinder. And then I plan on putting 2nd yak on the Mopar rack itself. If it isn't sturdy I'll buy another cheapo kayak attachment on Amazon.

Said cheapo attachments.... Lifetime Warranty TMS J-Bar Rack HD Kayak Carrier Canoe Boat Surf Ski Roof Top Mounted on Car SUV Crossbar https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003V57NUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_b7nbBb1JE5QD4

Thats also a little bit of my concern.These were the ones I bought because I was being a little cheap after buying the kayaks and they had decent reviews. They seem pretty sturdy on the local roads that I've been on. I may have to be less cheap and go out and buy some more "premium" ones. I think I spent like 60 bucks for the two sets that I have so they probably aren't the best quality.

Thanks man. I picked them up on Amazon for $35 before they jacked the price up to $50.

www.amazon.com/TMS-J-Bar-Carrier-Mounted-Crossbar/dp/B003V57NUQ&ved=0ahUKEwir54G43t_NAhWK5CYKHcTEDfMQFggvMAA&usg=AFQjCNFpiDCkPh-39iYIW7x-eHDS9KKzmQ&sig2=QL6_CeejYo01DPzr6JikPw

I've had these kayak racks for about 4 years, so no, they are not manufacturer (which I think is Thule). I had them on a '14 Outback until last month.

I looked up the big-name brands at the time and was blown away by the price for a basic rack - not any of those with an elevator system or anything - $100+ was insane, I thought. The way I looked at it was a kayak rack is actually very simple construction. Bent steel with some foam and a mounting bracket system. So I looked on Amazon and found a pair for something like $25 shipped.

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The shape that the camps are molded to doesn't fit the exact shape of the crossbar, but this does not hinder them from being safely tightened. When cranked tight, it has no slippage whatsoever. And I test with a few tugs every time I use them. Great price, great purchase, would recommend 100%.

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This is the exact same product I purchased. Note the price was about $25 at the time, and has gone up. You might be able to find cheaper, or even a double set for around this same price. All the top Amazon products in the category all look to be the exact same thing.

https://www.amazon.com/TMS-J-Bar-Carrier-Mounted-Crossbar/dp/B003V57NUQ

I use this one TMS J-Bar Rack HD Kayak Carrier Canoe Boat Surf Ski Roof Top Mounted on Car SUV Crossbar https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003V57NUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_32Z4R6YEHPE1WCJHMW5A?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

They no longer sell that rack (Its a Chinese one that was unbranded and sold on amazon), just search online and you can find a variety of universal ones.

The J-hooks are TMS branded and have served me well for a few thousand miles, half of which on the interstate. Link- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003V57NUQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I went with this brand because at the time they had the best rating to price ratio in my budget.

The straps I use (black in the above photo) are a similar buckle type strap to what comes with the j-hooks but better quality. Again I dont have a brand name, they were given to me years ago.

The rope for the fore and aft lines Is a poly-blend rope that is about 3/8 thick.

My hood loops are Yakima brand loops, but any would do. mine Bolt down but you can get something like these for cheap- https://www.amazon.com/Shoreline-Marine-Propel-Trunk-tie-Down/dp/B01CRBXQUK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Y0TADTUHCEVH&keywords=hood+loops+for+kayaks&qid=1552765728&s=gateway&sprefix=hood+loops%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-1 (there is a photo of a chevy spark using these with two kayaks on the roof in the reviews)

I use a ladder rack with J-Bars on my truck, works well. The ones below aren't the brand I have, although they're a dead ringer for them so I would look for something similar. There are plenty of high end options as well, but something like this has worked for me. I intended to get something to get me started and then upgrade, but really haven't found a need to. I haul two kayaks on the roof rack with them regularly.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003V57NUQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A24FJG9QJIEUE2&psc=1

For straps, I use these. The ones that come with most J-bars are pretty flimsy. I use 2 straps per J-bar, one on each side around the kayak and through the underside of the J-Bar mount. They don't seem to beat the boats up, but there are some padded straps out there as well if you're concerned with that.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I8ZJPHS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3ULYOC5GAHXTM&psc=1

For trips, when I have to leave my kayak sitting on the truck overnight, I run a couple of heavy duty bike locks through the scuppers and around the ladder rack. It won't stop a determined thief, but it'll make it take longer at least. Also works as a backup, backup strap in case the mounts failed while driving down the road... it'd be the hell out of the truck and boat, but keep the boat attached likely. If you're staying in iffy areas, you might invest in some of those super heavy duty tough to cut chain and lock systems that cost a couple hundred bucks.

As far as accessories go, my opinion is don't mess with your boat until you've been fishing in it a couple times. It's really hard to tell where you want your rod holders, fish finder, if you want an anchor, etc until you've been out there. If you want, you can even take a crayon or sharpie, and out on the water mark spots where you want to mount your gear so that it's at hand and not in the way of your paddle stroke.

The one exception to that is, looks like that boat has gear tracks which is going to be really nice, since you can mount rod holders and whatnot without having to drill, and move them later if needed. Your most important piece of gear is a good, comfortable PFD. Next thing I would get... a paddle leash. Best 10-12 bucks you can spend. After that I'd start with a track compatible rod holder or two. You may find you want to mount one or two on your center console, but I wouldn't until you're sure. Some sort of crate behind your seat can be really useful... I have rod holders on mine, so rods I'm not using or when I'm embarking are upright behind me, and I usually have a cooler bag with drinks and a snack in the crate.

Since it's your first boat, I would start light gear wise, I'd just take a primary and a backup rod, and a small tacklebox with what you want to use that day... get used to how your boat handles before there's more stuff to deal with/tangle/get in the way, and then work up as need arises... plus it's less stuff to deal with when heading home after paddling all day for the first couple trips.

Lifetime Warranty TMS J-Bar Rack HD Kayak Carrier Canoe Boat Surf Ski Roof Top Mounted on Car SUV Crossbar https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003V57NUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ldgyzbKTDDMVG

I got these on my crossbars and had zero issues last summer.

https://smile.amazon.com/Lifetime-Warranty-TMS-Carrier-Crossbar/dp/B003V57NUQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1493324975&sr=8-2&keywords=kayak+j+rack

In the industry, you have what is referred to as a "naked roof". This makes installing a conventional roofrack tricky, but fear not there are alternatives.

One option is to get "towers" that strap under the door and are cinched tight. These work well and my brother has one for his Mazda Protege.

Once you have the towers on, you can get bars that well exceed the width of the vehicle, making transporting two yaks pretty easy.

Although you have short yaks which means they are fat. One way to make stacking boats easier on a roofrack is get a jbar, so the boat can be positioned vertically. I love my Yakima j-bars myself, but you can get cheaper knockoffs from Amazon.

When shopping for bars, there are three types. Flat (factor bars), square (thule), and round (Yakima/generic). I prefer round myself and they fit a number of common saddles and j-bars.

If you really want to save on money, here is dirt cheap tower and round bar set that I used to use on my Corolla:

http://www.prolineracks.com/proline-cb602-universal-car-roof-rack.html

40 dollars...much cheaper than a name-brand like Yakima and easy to install yourself...but the Yakima versions are much better quality.

For j-bars, you can get a dirt cheap set like this for $25...but honestly these don't fit fat kayaks well (doable though, but not ideal):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003V57NUQ/ref=oh_o00_s00_i01_details

My vote would be for a name-brand j-bar like Yakima:

For even more room you could get folding cradles.

If you call Yakima's sales support, they can give you a ton of useful information.

I bought a Thule and couldn't be happier with it. Buy these attachments to mount your kayak to the rack as the Thule ones are pricy. Check craigslist often for attachments. I picked up two bike attachments for about the price of one.

Edit: Yakima's are on prime day.

I just bought these the other day. because my kayak is too wide to also carry my wifes on top of the car. Here's is a pelican boost? 100. It's the 10ft sit on top at dicks.

http://www.amazon.com/TMS-J-Bar-Carrier-Mounted-Crossbar/dp/B003V57NUQ

Here's a video just after I installed it on my yakima bars. I wobble the back and it moves a lot but I just had a loose ratchet strap in the video. It holds it down just fine on my 45min drive on I-80 in New Jersey going 60-75mph

Shaking it shakes the whole car quit a bit. It's solid, and they're $30.

Only Downside is they don't collapse, so I either leave them on and they point straight up, or I take my whole rack off, because the little quick release wing nut things don't get it tight enough. I actually tightened them on with a wrench. So they're not quick to take off.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlzLC2-qe5g

Yakracks

Yep! Worked famously man! These are the ones I have.

Either Kayak blocks or a set of these