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

I bought this brand of kayak rack after doing quite a lot of research and reading reviews. It was easy to install on my Subaru Crosstrek with all the parts included and with clear directions. It is easy to place the kayak on the rack, and the straps keep the kayak very stable and secure: no wobbling. There is a bit of noise which is to be expected for anything - bike, kayak, storage container - placed on a car roof. I am very satisfied with this purchase and the value for the price: highly recommend.

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.

We have used these 4 times with our new kayaks. I like they are sturdy. The jaws clamp which is vinyl coated is already peeling. There is no padding/rubber between these and the crossbar. Seems like the plastic on this J hook will start to scratch and wear the factory crossbar over time. My wife keeps telling me I should have bought fold down J hooks to save time and leave attached to the CRV. I don't mind putting these on and taking them off, as it is pretty easy and I can do quickly. These are about $60 to $100 dollars cheeper than good quality folding kayak carriers. Note that you should spend a little time on how to tie the bow and stern lines, especially if you don't know what knots to use. Overall I like the Malone J-Pro 2 J-Style Car Rack Kayak Carriers as they seem to secure our kayaks and allow us to get 2 kayaks on our Honda CRV (which is not that big of a car to carry 2 kayaks).

I installed this on my square Thule crossbars to haul a 14 foot kayak from upstate New York to seacoast New Hampshire. Right out of the box, the finish of the product was impressive. The attention to detail that went into the design (from the protective leather on the buckles to the taper of the mounting points) was evident. Installation was quick and easy. Getting the kayak into place and adjusting the straps took a little practice, but once I got it right, everything locked down tight. I took it for a drive without the bow and stern lines in place and nothing moved, even at highway speeds. Not wanting to press my luck, I used the lines for the 7 hour interstate drive and checked the straps at each pit stop. The lines became a little slack as they stretched under pressure (and first use) but the straps were as tight at the end of the journey as at the start. As other reviewers have noted, a second set of straps in place of the bow and stern lines may provide the redundancy to ensure peace of mind. However, right out of the box this is a great kayak carrier at a reasonable price.

I purchased the Yakima roof top rack for my 2007 Honda Accord. Yakima products are obsenely expensive. This was a universal rack that had good reviews. I bought a pair and saved big over the Yakima brand. I've been pleased with their performance. A few notes: - Forget those tie ropes for the hood and trunk area. I don't want cord rubbing against my clearcoat; it'll create scratches. I went to Home Depot and bought a four pack of those ratchet tie downs (also called smart straps). I was able to secure my kayak with two straps on each J arm, and avoid using those pieces of rope for the front and back. - While you're at the Home Depot, pick up a square piece of that material used to cover chair legs...so that they don't scratch your hardwood floor. I cut a piece, for each J arm and stuck it to the underside of the arm, where it comes into contact with my cross bars. If you don't do this, these arms will scratch your cross arms with repeated use. I paid way to much for those bars to have them scratches to pieces. I think these were a fair price and good quality.

Wanted a high quality roof rack, without having to pay exorbitant prices (ie thule), and definitely wanted to avoid the cheap $40 ones where 1 out of ten reviews was a story about the boat breaking off at highway speeds. This is a nice sturdy roof rack. Very easy to install/remove takes me less than 5 minutes (perhaps a security concern if your leaving the car somewhere w this on - they do sell locks). Installed easily on oval shaped crosshairs on a '11 crv. I use ratcheting tie downs cause I think they're more secure (and I'm a little anal about that stuff) but the stock straps seem like they're pretty high quality too. Arrived ontime, undamaged. Very happy w this purchase

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 bought these racks about a year ago now and couldn't be happier. They hooked up to my square Thule crossbars with no problem. They are extremely durable racks and hold my two 12 foot kayaks with no problem. The straps as well are very strong and do the trick. They are also very easy to put on or take off. UPDATE: Three years later and I am still using these exact J mounts on my 07 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The mounts still look brand new and just as strong as when I purchased them. Also I have to mention the straps that came with this are amazing. I have used them for anything and everything. Update #2: 5 years later and the mounts are still going strong. I have used these trekking my kayaks hours away from home and have had zero problems. I would still recommend these after 5 years.