Saddle Up Pro Universal Car Rack Kayak Carrier (Set of 4) with Bow and Stern Lines

The Malone Saddle Up Pro was easy to install, and was able to hold my 34" wide 91lb fishing kayak when most kayak rack modules wouldnt. The added socks make pushing the kayak forward much easier. The saddles flex to fit the hull shape of my kayak while absorbing some of the pressure from the tie downs/straps that hold the kayak on the roof.There are a couple of cons about this product though:-Manufacturer packaging is basically thrown in a box. Not a big deal, but one of the saddles arrived slightly scuffed, which is only a cosmetic thing.-The flat straps that come with the Saddle Up Pro werent long enough to strap down my wide kayak when using the method that's described in the included Malone instructions. I had to purchase a set of 16' straps.-The bow and stern tie-downs get the job done, but leave something to be desired. They are basically just a rope with a hook tied on the end. I have upgraded these to ratcheting tie-downs.

The overall quality of this rack system is good. All the parts feel solid and it clamped to my factory Subaru cross bars nice and securely. The cloth covers for the rear saddles make sliding your kayak up easy and the straps, guylines and hooks are good quality. I used this product when I picked up my new fishing kayak and drove 90 miles with it home.Now to the "for some kayaks" part. The saddles pivot and fold in or out to adjust to various kayak hull diameters. For a traditional kayak or canoe hull this would work really well and automatically center the boat in the saddles. However I have a Wilderness Systems Radar 135 fishing kayak. The hull is a fairly complex shape with the sides being almost square and continuing underneath into a pontoon section on both sides and a fairly flat bottom in the middle. The prow is pointed like a normal, but flattens out after about 2 feet. All these weird shapes combine to make it difficult to center the boat on the saddles and trying to adjust the boat once on the saddles is difficult. Will be looking for an alternative rack.It's a good product, unfortunately it just won't work very well for the type of kayak I have. Anybody in the market for a used once kayak rack? :P

UPDATE: I discovered I was using the tie down straps incorrectly. They are supposed to go across to top of the kayak, under the cross racks, back across the top, under the other side cross rack and then buckle. I'd like to be able to do that, and the Malone instructions show that, but the straps are about a foot too short. I had to use only one strap across, then go under the Big Tuna (wrapping around the cross member to prevent flapping in the breeze) and then buckle. It's pretty secure but I'd like to have that double strap to be extra secure. I've written Malone, I'm taking a star back for now.Never carried a kayak or anything else on the roof of my 2004 4Runner. I'm short so I had to use a step stool to reach everything but I was able to put the rack on the OEM cross members and carry a 14' Jackson Big Tuna home, a 45 mile trip over back roads and Interstates. The kayak fit right in the saddles with the racks installed at the ends of the cross members. The Big Tuna is 35.5" wide and needs all the width. We put the nose in the back saddle, pushed it forward and let it settle on the front racks. No complaints and I recommend for the 2004 4Runner carrying a Jackson Big Tuna kayak.

I was in the market for something to handle a big (13.5 feet, 60 #s) kayak on top of my Jeep Grand Cherokee. I live in Old Town, ME (Canoe City), and even the rep told me that the traditional kayak carriers would not hold the load of this boat. He said our best bet was to just tie down the boat on our roof rack cross rails, perhaps with some pads on the roof racks. After doing some reading, I opted to try these racks to help hold the boat in place.I am very pleased with how well the units mounted (universally on my flat crossbars), and seated the boat. They are padded, and they flex to contour nicely with the boat.I did not use the straps that came with these racks. Instead, I purchased Summit Solution Gear Tie Down Straps with Neoprene Buckle Cover.With the Malone racks, the Summit straps, I travelled 75mph for 5 hours without issue, and did NOT use bow and stern tie downs.The only negative I would say is that the "Malone" log on the racks is just a decal. I took the racks off when I was done using them (til next year), as I was afraid that the decals would fade. Also, not sure of how well the plastic would weather the UV rays.

Great product, sturdy but for the price should be lockable to rack system. Anyone can easily remove in a parking lot.

I recently bought a 3-person family kayak, the Old Town 15-Feet 3-Inch Dirigo Tandem Plus Recreational Double Kayak. The kayak is about 80 lbs. I want to take the kayak to camping trips. I certainly need a good kayak carrier. I have done many research and even ordered a L-shape carrier. But the L-shape is not well designed in my opinion(It has lots of good reviews). I finally decided to give this carrier a try, even it has no review yet.The material is very well made. The bolts and screws are strong and smooth. The design is well-thought. My 80-lb kayak sits on the carrier snugly, not moving a bit while I am driving and turning. The pieces are solid, I feel it is like a person sitting in a coach. The carrier and kayak are a perfect match.I went to hardware store and bought two tie-downs that with the tension faster($10 total), so I didn't use the stripes that comes with the carrier. I feel any cargo on the car roof needs that type of tie-downs. That's just my recommendation.Overall, the carrier is very reliable, well-design and well-made. It is my best investment along with the kayak. If you have a good size kayak like what I have, you will like this carrier.

The wingnuts did not fit the bolts. They were size M6 and the bolts provided were M8 so I had to go out and purchase 8 size M6 bolts in order to install the saddles. Although not expensive, definitely frustrating. Now I'm a bit concerned about the quality control of the rest of the product trusting them to carry my expensive kayaks.

Like:- cradles kayak securely- designed to fit several cross bars- fairly quiet with or without kayakDislike:- rear pads intended for sliding have Malone branding that is now streaking my white gel coat with red marks (very annoying on a new boat and now the Malone lettering is messed up too)- bracket includes bolts that are a little short for the Xterra factory crossbar