Malone Stax Pro2 Universal Car Rack Folding Kayak Carrier (2 Boat Carrier)

I constantly worried about losing a kayak and killing someone whenever I transported my kayaks. No matter how many straps I used to secure them to my roof rack, they always seemed loose by the end of my typical thirty minute haul. Once one of my straps slipped off and the kayaks were close to falling. Part of the problem was the fact that one of my kayaks is only six feet long (the lifetime wave). My roof crossbars were just too close to the ends of the kayak and they were prone to slipping over the ends.In an effort to make things more secure I would tighten my straps to the point that I was worried about permanently deforming my kayaks. Still, the straps would be loose and the load unstable within minutes on the road and less than highway speeds.The malone stax pro2 solves my problems. When I strap things down, they are secure and they stay that way for the entire trip. I do not have to worry about breaking my kayaks because the compression is in the fine foam blocks that are included. Not only do the blocks protect the kayaks from buckling, but they create a friction hold on the kayaks I never got strapping straight to the rack. The included straps seem fine, though not as good as the more expensive yakima straps I own.One thing to note. If you do happen to have plenty of straps(I did) and foam block (I did not) then you might want to get the stax pro. It is the exact same thing, but without the extra straps and foam blocks to mount a second kayak. By the way, the description of this item is unclear about how many kayaks it can carry. In one place it says two and in another it says four. This rack can accommodate four kayaks (with the purchase of additional foam blocks and straps. I carry three kayaks (two 8' lifetime daylites and one 6' lifetime wave) with no problem. I am sure the rack could handle a fourth kayak, but I am not sure the crossbars on my forester are wide enough for than many boats. Also keep in mind that these are sit on top kayaks and relatively flat. Sit inside kayaks would probably take up even more space.This kayak rack does its job and gives me peace of mind. I would buy it again.

Have used it for multiple kayaking trips now. Holds the kayaks securely. Folds down when not in use but also easy to remove and install. When loading the kayaks, I learned that the best approach is to get the straps around the posts and pull them toward the front and back, then getting the kayaks up on the pads. You probably could load it by yourself, but you'd probably be at risk of hurting yourself, so that's why I took a star off on the mounting system since an ideal system might allow a single person to easily mount a kayak. You can remove a kayak by yourself if you need to, but again, not the most straightforward. The kayaks are vertical when mounted correctly, and this might lead to some more significant lateral wind forces, but it also gives room for more than one kayak on each side. There is no additional security other than what you might add.

Great Kayak Mounting system. We use it with a set of Malone 58" AeroBars v2. The mounts are easy to install, easy to use, and the fold-able design still allows them to be left on the vehicle when not in use. Mounting on the Malone Crossbar set was simple and secure, and the universal mounting plates look like they would function the same on any other bar style as well. With our setup on a 2009 Honda Pilot it is possible to mount 4 kayaks on the rack, something not possible with J hook mounts. 3 is very easy, and offsetting the Stax Pro 2 makes it easier to get everything tightened down securely. If you want to haul 4, simple loosen the Stax Pro2 knobs and slide it back to the center and load up.The only issue with the Stax Pro2 I see after using it for several weeks and dozens of loadings, is you need to verify you have the straps under BOTH ears before final tightening. It is possible to have a strap miss one ear when taking up the slack. I,m sure it would hold just fine, but 2 is better than 1. A top with a loop would make it impossible for this to happen. Not a big deal, just verify the strap is placed correct before final tightening ang tying off.