Yakima JayLow Folding J-Cradle Rooftop Kayak Rack with Tie-Downs | Round, Square, Factory or Aerodynamic Fit; Holds 1 Boat up to 100 lb or 2 Boats up to 130 lb Total

These things are amazing. Absolutely nothing to install, in seconds. Round, square, or aero bars these just install. Boom done. Load your kayak. Straps for center, and both ends. Really, the center straps tied my kayak (9'9") down totally. System is secure, and very sturdy. The fold down feature is genius, and literally makes them disappear (read out of site out of mind) when not in use. Mine are mounted on a Jeep Renegade Trailhawk, and are perfect for loading and unloading. These are adjustable, and don't forget to lock the folding part, for perfect and secure fit. I am a Yakima guy, with lots of their stuff over the last 30 plus years, and these are a great add to my collection. Yakima quality is very apparent. Yup stop looking , order and start enjoying your kayaking more. Isn't that why you bought a kayak? :-)

Yakima, you’ve done it again! I’m beyond happy I invested in the JLows. These racks give me absolute peace of mind every time I drive across the state. My kayak stays perfectly in place, no matter the speed or bumps on the road. The construction is top-notch—super durable and able to stand up to the Arizona sun and elements without a hitch. Plus, I was once again impressed by the out-of-the-box experience—everything is well-made, easy to install, and ready to go. What really sealed the deal, though, was the customer service. They were friendly, patient, and incredibly helpful when I had a question. I couldn’t ask for a better product to secure my kayak. Worth every penny!

I got these to fit on my Yakima aerodynamic cross rails for kayak transporting. They fit snugly and securely and are easy to get on/off and the fold-down feature is really nice so my Rav4 can fit in the garage. I've only used them three times since purchase so I cannot comment on longevity but they seem to be well made with sturdy components.My main dislike is that, combined with the Yakima rail system, they set well in from the edge of my car's roof - enough that I have to use a blanket to protect my car from getting scuffed when putting the kayak on and off by myself. Without the blanket, the kayak would undoubtedly scuff the crap out of my car thru incidental contact.The other thing which may or may not be a big deal is that the folding arm has a bit of a wobble when 'locked' into whatever position. It doesn't seem like a defect as much as just how it is - probably so it is easier to reposition. When my kayak is strapped securely in, it doesn't wobble but time will tell if that wobble wears out the position locking mechanism inside.

Among my friends, I am the only one who drives a vehicle capable of transporting kayaks without any extra equipment. I have always just thrown them in the back, but I can only fit two inside the vehicle. In an effort to increase my capacity to bring more friends out on the water, I purchased two sets of these racks. They attached directly to my Suburban's aero-style bars, but had cutouts for square bars and sleeves for round bars as well. Once attached, they were very secure. The only way they were going anywhere is if they sheared the crossbars off the roof itself. I purchased the Yakima lock cores, which I felt is an unnecessary secondary purchase. They really should just build these into the racks.Strapping the boats takes less than 5 minutes if you're only putting one on, obviously longer if you're strapping two to a rack. It was kind of confusing at first figuring out what goes where for two on a rack, but now that I've done it a few times, I can get 4 kayaks on my roof ready for the road in less than 30 minutes with one other person to help. The racks came with bow and stern straps, but I didn't really feel comfortable with them in the front after the first trip. The straps would shake with the wind, even with a couple twists in them, and the backpack-style buckles didn't inspire much confidence. I have since purchased two sets of the Yakima Bow and Stern Tiedowns with the ratchet-style tightening system and rope. I use all 4 in the front (since that's where the most force is while driving) and hook them directly into the push bar on the front of my vehicle. I still use the supplied straps for the rear.**The bow and stern straps are the most important part of this whole system. They are what keep the boats in your car at speed. Without them, the wind would shear the rack right off your car. They are only attached with thin sheet metal screws. It is because if this I would recommend getting a better tiedown system, at least for the front.All told, I am very happy with this purchase. I am able to fit 4 boats on the roof of my vehicle, which leaves room inside for friends and gear. I don't have pictures with 4 on there, but you can see if I straightened the rack with the green boat that there is enough room to put another kayak on the other side of the rack. I have had 4 boats on the roof and driven 70mph on the highway with no problems whatsoever (aside from the wind noise, which is unavoidable). I will update if anything changes, but for now, I would definitely recommend these.

Easy to install and use!2 Year Update - The quality of this Kayak carrier has been excellent! I leave the carriers on my car 100% of the time. The foam has held up to the exposure and use with no tearing and minimal wear showing. I am not a daily user, but probably monthly and at least twice yearly to transport about 700 miles round trip.My only complaint about this kit is regarding the included straps. I don't think they are sufficient. If I am going to put something like a Kayak on top of my car, then I want to know it is secure. I transitioned to ratchet straps. I would recommend this to anyone using this setup! I didn't dock the product because of this though because I think this is a needed upgrade for any carrier of this style.The quality of the Yakima carrier is excellent. I have used it in both configurations to transport either one or two kayaks. My experience is that in any configuration, the kayak(s) are held firm with no wobble. Lastly, I love that these fold down when not in use! Laying the carrier down makes it easy to keep on the car because my car would not fit through the garage door while they are in the upright position.

These are well worth the money. Well designed and easy to install and remove. Holds the the kayak firmly with included straps. Good purchase.

It's great! Fits 2 full sized kayaks with the footprint of one kayak rack. You might be confused on how this could fit 2, just watch a YouTube video, it's simple.

I have two sets of these racks for carrying two kayaks on a late model Prius. The kayaks almost touch one another at the top where they lean in but it fits perfectly. I have not tried to put two kayaks on one pair of racks like the description says you can do, but I assume it works. Installation is very easy (at least on Yakima bars) and they seem sturdy - my kayaks weigh 50 lbs each. The racks fold down easily when not in use.I find some of the other reviews confusing. If you tighten the red folding lever before you close it I am not sure how it would come open on its own. I can only assume people are taking the rack out of the box and not tightening/turning the lever before folding it down, which would allow it to randomly come open. When you tighten the thing it is tight. The mechanism works similar to bike seat post clamp. I also do not hear a whistle when I am driving with or without kayaks on the car. Maybe I am deaf or they changed something (but I do have the Yakima wind fairing).The hooks they provide to tie down the front and back of the kayak are pretty useless and clumsy. You really need to get the straps that you close in the trunk and hood lids instead.I have only used the racks three times so far, so if I encounter any issues I will update here. Also, I would buy better quality and lighter kayaks if I had it to do over again.

I really love these kayak racks. They install very easily on my Thule crossbars in under five minutes, and store perfectly under the cargo space of my Hyundai Tucson when not in use. I only started kayaking this year and was worried about how to transport the kayak, but these racks are very easy to install on the crossbars and to secure the kayak. The racks also came with the necessary bow and stern lines with an adjustable protector to prevent damage to the paint where it contacts the front and rear of the car. I would highly recommend these racks, they are worth the money in my view.

These are the best J racks I've ever used. Solid construction with no assembly required. They fit tightly to aero cross bars and I'm able to easily carry two 12 ft kayaks knowing they will not move. The load assists are a real bonus when getting the boats on. I did not bother getting the locks as they mount and dismount so quickly I just take them off and lock in the trunk.Worth the money.

These are even easier to install than I anticipated! They're solid, and by supporting 2 kayaks, it saves you on having to buy 2 pairs. The cheaper non folding alternatives are a pain to set up! If you park your vehicle in a garage they most likely won't fit, meaning you'll need to take them off every time! It takes 30-45 minutes to put on/ take them off! It made me never want to go kayaking. Now with these, it's a breeze!Here's my main complaint and it's a significant one. Yakima is earning extra revenue by selling the locks separately. This, in my opinion is poor customer service! That should be included in the racks! If it was, I'd give it 5 stars. The locks aren't cheap either, and again, it's functionality that should just be part of the racks. Just include them, and increase the price slightly. That said, they come off super easily, so it's not a huge deal, but still, I want to eventually have the ability to lock them so that'll be an extra expense in the future for sure.

UPDATED: After 4 years, still LOVING this rack! Received it in less than a week, small compact box. Incredibly easy to set up - it fit right on our Toyota Highlander rack, very clever design. We used it for two kayaks as well as for one kayak. We actually placed the second kayak on its keel, with foamies (which we had) but tied it to the rack and the other kayak. We had to improvise a bit as our vehicle does not have metal front hook, but we got it to work. It was GREAT! I can't get over how easy it is to install and to use. Our kayaks have never felt so secure! Wow. We are very, very impressed.

Sturdy, well built and easy to install . Excellent product .