MaloneJ-Pro 2 J-Style Universal Car Rack Kayak Carrier with Bow and Stern Lines

Bought two sets from Amazon. Just made our first 6 hour road/camping trip with these so I can now leave a review. They worked very well for our Mustang kayaks on our Lexus SUV, no issues whatsoever. Here are a few tips I would offer to anyone considering these:One, I added an extra ratchet strap over the middle (from rail to rail) just as an added safety. This probably wasn't necessary, but I've always been more of a fan of ratchet straps than the red lashing straps included. That being said, the included straps are very well made.Two, for the front line I used some 12" slings around the hood hinges (an old car mount trick from the film industry, open the hood, capture the hinges with a strap, shut the hood and use each end as attach points). I used one of the black and red lines included to ratchet the fronts of the kayaks (through a sling on each) down for stability (as opposed to going around the bumper, letting lines wear on the paint, etc.).Three, didn't use any back lines at all because I don't see the need. That also allowed me to open the back hatch (with about three inches of clearance) which is really convenient if you've got a full load on a road trip.Four - and this is more important, I think - before I ordered these I had to install cross bars. I ended up ordering a more expensive set from an online Lexus dealer, as opposed to some knock off, etc., and I'm glad I did. The Toyota/Lexus bars are curved with the contours of the roof, and there wasn't much extra space to attach the nuts to the shorter bolts (longer ones obviously wouldn't have worked at all). Without that curvature, in other words, it would have been REALLY tight against the roof.Five, just a tip: I use a towel on the roof that I can slide across for the opposite side. It can be a little tricky attaching the nuts to the bolts (there's a learning curve) and I'm a little sensitive about scratching up the roof, even with plastic coated deals. It's an easy extra step, just an anal safety measure.Sorry for the lengthy review. Bottom line, well made racks that do the trick. I suspect they're probably worth the extra money, compared to the cheaper knock offs being pumped out from wherever. Good quality control from Malone.Anyway, the kayaks were absolutely rock solid.

These Malone racks fit perfectly on my Malone trailer, they come with two sizes of bolts. Using the old brackets that were attached to the trailer the racks fit perfectly, and the red lettering match the trailer as well. My only regret is I didn’t buy two sets.

I ordered two sets of these for my 2001 Chevy Blazer (2 door) and I was a little worried at first because my cross bars are slanted but I installed them anyway and after the kayaks were on them it was a non-issue. The installation was a little time consuming the first time but it's all really straight forward so it was more of me being cautious and not wanting them to fall off going down the road. The times after that have been a breeze. Due to the slanted cross bars I used two different sized bolts depending on which side of the slant I was on. After the first mount I marked them for the driver and passengers side and left the bolts and wing nuts installed on them so now I just have to unscrew one side, slide it over the cross bar, and put the wing nut back on. It now takes 3-5 minutes to get all of the carriers mounted and dismounted.Once mounted, you can just throw the kayaks up into the carriers without any worries about damaging them. It is a very good idea to follow the instructions and run the straps prior to putting the kayaks up there; it makes it a lot easier in the long run. After you get the straps tightened down over the kayaks (again make sure you follow the instructions) they aren't going anywhere. I usually keep the bow and stern tie downs in the car with me but I have no intention of ever using them because they are unnecessary; you'll understand once you have the kayaks up there. I have used these on five different occasions now and they have seen highway speeds of 90 and even with cross winds from semi's and in heavy storms my kayaks have never budged. The first two trips I would stop every 20 or 30 minutes to check the straps but I no longer have any fear of them flying off so I just keep driving.One thing I will warn you of is that they do have the potential to rub the paint off of your cross bar. I have seen pictures of people using some sort of foam or cloth or duct tape on their cross bar before mounting the kayak carriers. If I had a nice aftermarket roof rack I would be right there with them but the factory ones already look a little sad to begin with so it isn't a big deal for me.These carriers are very light but extremely durable and I am so glad I decided not to cheap out. I have since had the opportunity to look at some of the cheaper options in person and most of them feel and look like garbage so I would highly recommend spending a little extra on these, you won't be disappointed.

I’m not sure how I feel about this item. It worked, but didn’t as well as I expected. I purchased 2 sets for 2 different fishing kayaks. The installation was very easy. Everything was fine, but the I started to have problem on a 5 hour road trip with a slight wind between 10-20 mph gusts going about 70 mph.The first is an Ascend FS10, it held that kayak fine without any problems or modifications needed for a 5 hour road trip.The second is an Ascend 12T, this is where I had problems. About 1.5 hrs into the trip I noticed that the kayak started slipping off the holder. All the straps were tight, it was just coming off. I contributed it to the wind gust. I slowed down to about 55 mph, but it would only last for about 30 mins before I’d have to go fix it again and again and again. It also started to wear on the bar protectors which then started to damage my kayak. It was definitely frustrating!!My solution to this that worked was buying some additional ratchet straps once I found a store on the many stops that I had to make. First, place the roof racks close together so they are touching back-to-back (so that the back of the kayaks are touching). Second, use the ratchet straps and tie you kayaks together. , lastly, install how the Malone provided straps how they tell you to. I did this on the return trip and it worked like a charm with higher wind gusts and going about 80 mph.

I purchased a set of Malone J Pro 2 kayak Carriers and a different brand for $10 cheaper. Both pair work well and are similar. I only used them once and drove about 5 miles on back roads to my location and 5 miles back to my house. I drove about 60 mph and felt no shifting or bouncing or annoying noises. I couldn't tell anything was on the roof of my RAV4 and both work great and are well priced. Putting the wing nuts on and installing them to the car rack can be a little tedious, but for the price I don't mind.With thats said, I wish I would have purchased two sets of Malone for a variety of reasons:1. They look better and I think will hold up better over time. The other have rubber pads and the malone are a vinyl padded covering.2. Malone came with instructions and the other had instructions online. This isn't a big deal except that I don't have a printer at my house and I like to keep a hard copy.3. The instructions for the Malone were much better. They even show how to tie the knot that goes from the ends of the kayak to the vehicle. This is very helpful because just any knot will "not" do and we are "not" all boy scouts.4. This doesn't sound like much but because the Molone straps are cut on an angle at the end, they are MUCH easier to thread through the buckle. Trying to get the other brand's straps through was a pain and I will be cutting them and burning the ends so they don't fray. Not something I should have to do.I will be keeping both set and am comfortable carrying my kayaks with them, but Malone just seemed to think of the little things that makes the job easier. I have no experience with the more expensive ones so I cannot compare.