Thule 897XT Hullavator Kayak Roof Rack Mount Carrier

Well I need the other stuff to make it work. The roof rack needs to be a part of this to make it work.

Experience: Zero Noise, Easy to Remove, Easy to Install.I haven't experienced any noise on my 2011 Subaru Outback and i'm not using a Thule Wind Fairing (save yourself $85).I'm using Dual Hullavators on 58 inch bars. The car looks like a Moose! Luckily the beach is a 5 minute drive from the house to go Kayaking.Also makes a great SUP or Longboard rack. I can easily fit my SUP (9'10) and a couple other surfboards on here. Which is pretty much how I role surfing or kayaking. I just love ocean sports.I recently bought 2 kayaks and have only been able to use them twice, because it's such a pain in the a$$ to load and unload them on the Hully Rollers.I've been holding out to buy an F150 thinking having a truck would alleviate loading and unloading the kayaks until I discovered, the Hullavators and Wheeleez. I couldn't save up enough dough for the F150, so I finally splurged on these Hullavators ($530/ea! + Thule Podiums and locks and bars, ouch). Moral of the story, I've used all the other Kayak roof racks out there, and bought them cause they were $80/each or $150, or whatever. Save yourself the hassel of having to buy these, install these, remove these and realize you could be doing what you like easier and more often if you had just bought the Hullavators to begin with. That's where I am now. I have Hully Rollers x 2 and Bowdown set x 2, the now need to be to go because now that I have the hullavators i'm never going back to the old days of kayak falling on top of me trying to push it up on the roof. I have a 14ft fishing kayak (jackson cuda!!).Cons:I love that these have a lock on them, I just wish there was some way of locking the tie down cords on them, but I guess any robber with a scissors can just cut them in a flash. :-(.

Does what it says, makes loading and unloading a kayak much quicker and safer. Once loaded the kayak also seems more secure than the cradle system that we used previously.Expensive, but worth the investment.

not a good idea for VW Westfalia van. Too rickety, the handles are too far apart to reach both at that height. kayak sits too high above rack, creating HUGE aerodynamic drag. I returned it.

I have owned the Hullavator for several years. Although it works as advertised to load a heavy kayak (rotomolded tandem), overtime the cheap plastic plates which connect the cradles to the lift arm broke. As I repaired one, the next would break. Even after strapping the boat directly to the cross bars and not the cradles, I still broke a third cradle. The head of one of the bolts even sheared. For an essentially good design, why Thule places a plastic weak link is unfathomable. I have been loyal to Thule for a long time, but now am unsure.

difficult to install

Started feeling sorry for my short, little wife, trying to load her two kayaks onto the SUV. She saw these things at a kayak symposium on Lake Superior.Only thing stopping her was the expense. They're not cheap, especially to buy a pair of them, but I figure that's what birthdays are for.They are absolutely great! Easy to install. They don't damage the vehicle or the kayaks. A pair of Hullavators fit onto a little Ford Escape with no problems.Now, a little 5'4" lady can load the kayaks at waist height, and just ease them up until they lock. Her prep and unload times have gone from about 45 minutes at each end of the trip, to about 10 minutes.They come off for storage easily, reinstall easily, and are very sturdily built. [I recommend getting the optional lock kits for the Thule Bar, and the Hullavators.]Purchase these if you need them without reservation...you won't be sorry.

the rack is a bit heavy to mount on the roof of the truck . it should have a little longer arm extension for the chevy 1500 silverado pick-up truck so i'll not have to carry the kayak to over come the height of the lower arm as i am only 5'-5" tall .

Amazing product.Expensive but is so much better than the alternatives. In fact, almost essential if you have a high vehicle such as us (Toyota Sienna 2013). My wife is rather short (5' 4") and it is really beyond her to lift the kayak high enough to help place it properly on top of the vehicle. As a bonus, with the spring loaded action, I can now load up the two kayaks on my own. Does not catch so much in the winds as my previous racks did! Well constructed.If you decide to buy; also buy the locking straps as they work very well.Highly recommended if you have 1) a high vehicle, and 2) kayak heavy enough (50 pounds and +).On the other hand, if you only have a short kayak (less than 10 feet), and a rather low vehicle, than maybe you can spend your hard-earned monies elsewhere. Still a good product but maybe not as much a requirement as otherwise.