Pickup kayak rack input needed

I have notice many guys use the Thule style "lumber racks" and am leaning that way.  Are there any former or current rack users that have some input on the topic?  I appreciate it.  Putting it on a mid size pickup

Aaron.

If you don't mind a fixed rack, TracRac is a lot cheaper than the Thule.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/TracRac-TracOne-800-lb-Capacity-Universal-Truck-Rack-27000-01/203346592

It really depends on what you're trying to accomplish.

Here's another I considered for my truck.
https://www.realtruck.com/k2-flipping-truck-rack/

I have full size truck, 2017 Tundra. What did I end up with?
Thule roof racks for now.

I use a lumber rack to carry the Hobie.  Mine is a TracRac rack (a subsidiary of Thule).  They're a semi-great option for a well-made, strong and less expensive rack.

This is about the rack itself:

PROS: Very strong.  Quiet at highway speeds.  Made of aluminum.  Easy to install and remove.  No drilling necessary.  They've left no marks on the (black) siderails of the truck.

CONS: Thule accessories for carrying a kayak do NOT fit TracRac racks.  Easy to remove (parking-lot tweaker alert).  Maybe a wee bit taller than necessary.

I didn't care about the lack of carrier accessories.

About ladder racks:

They work great, but getting the kayak on and off can take some effort.  I have to clamber and scramble around to strap it down (your experience may be different).  I park on fairly level ground, side-to-side, when loading the kayak so it won't try to slide off the downhill side.

Bottom line for me was that ladder racks are strong and stable, it's not a lot more work to load the Hobie on the rack than it is to load it on a car-top carrier, the kayak is very secure even in the strong crosswinds along the Oregon coast, and they don't appreciably reduce my gas mileage (~2%).

Hope that helps.
 

If you don't mind a fixed rack, TracRac is a lot cheaper than the Thule.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/TracRac-TracOne-800-lb-Capacity-Universal-Truck-Rack-27000-01/203346592

It really depends on what you're trying to accomplish.

Here's another I considered for my truck.
https://www.realtruck.com/k2-flipping-truck-rack/

I have full size truck, 2017 Tundra. What did I end up with?
Thule roof racks for now.

TracRac racks are removable - they clamp onto the side rails.

I have the tracrac sliding rack and absolutely love it. It has rails that mount to the bed caps with compression bolts. Then the rack slides on those and lock down with locking knobs. The cross bars slide on and off with no tools. The only downside is that it's quite high and takes some work getting the kayak up there.

This is a screaming deal.
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/pts/6180795776.html

Thanks for the input and leads everyone.  I have been poking around and the more I look, the more I am thinking I am going to have to go with the Thule.  I like the height adjustability on the Thule.  It will reduce the height that I have to lift the kayak.  The Colorado isn't very high. Also, If I ever need to haul several kayaks I can use the J bars I currently have with it.

Thanks again,
Aaron

Lumber rack from Craigslist is the cheap way to go..  Find the cheapest that fits the lengthof the bed.  The rack can be cut and rewelded to fit the withd.  Got mine for $50

Must've missed this one.... custom welded is just a short drive to Tillamook Oregon the cost of the shop floor rental $20 for 1/2 day $40 for the whole and the cost of supplies  come on up I love welding.

Must've missed this one.... custom welded is just a short drive to Tillamook Oregon the cost of the shop floor rental $20 for 1/2 day $40 for the whole and the cost of supplies  come on up I love welding.

That's a generous offer.  Thank you.  If I lived closer than 13 hrs one way. I would take you up on that. 

Must've missed this one.... custom welded is just a short drive to Tillamook Oregon the cost of the shop floor rental $20 for 1/2 day $40 for the whole and the cost of supplies  come on up I love welding.

That's a generous offer.  Thank you.  If I lived closer than 13 hrs one way. I would take you up on that.

We fish up here too ya know, ask crash, (disclaimer: I didn't say we catch, your actual fishing experience may vary and wearer or notvwe claim it we have no control on the weather with exceptional point of the "TOO DAMN HOT" finger crash for bringing the heat wave.)
Make it a mini vacation 

I use a lumber rack to carry the Hobie.  Mine is a TracRac rack (a subsidiary of Thule).  They're a semi-great option for a well-made, strong and less expensive rack.

This is about the rack itself:

PROS: Very strong.  Quiet at highway speeds.  Made of aluminum.  Easy to install and remove.  No drilling necessary.  They've left no marks on the (black) siderails of the truck.

CONS: Thule accessories for carrying a kayak do NOT fit TracRac racks.  Easy to remove (parking-lot tweaker alert).  Maybe a wee bit taller than necessary.

I didn't care about the lack of carrier accessories.

About ladder racks:

They work great, but getting the kayak on and off can take some effort.  I have to clamber and scramble around to strap it down (your experience may be different).  I park on fairly level ground, side-to-side, when loading the kayak so it won't try to slide off the downhill side.

Bottom line for me was that ladder racks are strong and stable, it's not a lot more work to load the Hobie on the rack than it is to load it on a car-top carrier, the kayak is very secure even in the strong crosswinds along the Oregon coast, and they don't appreciably reduce my gas mileage (~2%).

Hope that helps.

I wonder if there are add ons so i can attach the hullavator to the tracrac? It’ll be much easier to load a kayak.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I use a lumber rack to carry the Hobie.  Mine is a TracRac rack (a subsidiary of Thule).  They're a semi-great option for a well-made, strong and less expensive rack.

This is about the rack itself:

PROS: Very strong.  Quiet at highway speeds.  Made of aluminum.  Easy to install and remove.  No drilling necessary.  They've left no marks on the (black) siderails of the truck.

CONS: Thule accessories for carrying a kayak do NOT fit TracRac racks.  Easy to remove (parking-lot tweaker alert).  Maybe a wee bit taller than necessary.

I didn't care about the lack of carrier accessories.

About ladder racks:

They work great, but getting the kayak on and off can take some effort.  I have to clamber and scramble around to strap it down (your experience may be different).  I park on fairly level ground, side-to-side, when loading the kayak so it won't try to slide off the downhill side.

Bottom line for me was that ladder racks are strong and stable, it's not a lot more work to load the Hobie on the rack than it is to load it on a car-top carrier, the kayak is very secure even in the strong crosswinds along the Oregon coast, and they don't appreciably reduce my gas mileage (~2%).

Hope that helps.

I wonder if there are some kind of add-ons so i can attach hullavator to the tracrac? It’ll be much easier to load my kayak.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A Hullavator wasnt meant for a pick-up. Its made for pretty much everything else but a pick-up.
Talk to Ding A Ling. He seems to have a very easy time with the set-up he has on his pick-up truck (Tacoma)
I don’t know exactly what it is but he gets his Malibu Stealth 12 on and off just as fast as I do with my Hullavator on my Denali.

Thanks for the input and leads everyone.  I have been poking around and the more I look, the more I am thinking I am going to have to go with the Thule.  I like the height adjustability on the Thule.  It will reduce the height that I have to lift the kayak.  The Colorado isn't very high. Also, If I ever need to haul several kayaks I can use the J bars I currently have with it.

Thanks again,
Aaron

Aaron, my TracRack was great for he Hobie Revo 13, but it's about an inch too short for the rocker hull of my Trident 13, and I have to carry that a bit further back (more rear overhang than I planned) to keep the bow off the roof of the cab.  Height adjustable racks may help you get the kayak up to it, but that might not be the correct height to actually carry the kayak.  Just saying.

Bought a 2015 tundra DBL cab. Getting these. They slide into the OEM Toyota track system. Gonna have to use this till I can afford a camper shell with tracks.
https://www.amazon.com/59799-Haul-Your-Might-Nissan-Toyota-Tundra/dp/B00V9T0HZ4