If you own a kayak, you probably know the unbridled joy and frustration it can bring you. The pleasure comes from the afternoons you spend out on the water, soaking up the sun, working out your mind and body. The frustrations can come from trying to haul the darn boat to the water, to begin with.
Some people are lucky enough to dock their kayaks near the water, while others have to deal with hauling them on their vehicles.
A trailer hitch mounted kayak carrier rack is a great option for transporting your kayak on the back of your vehicle. These racks typically attach to the trailer hitch of your vehicle and allow you to securely hold one or more kayaks in place while you are driving.
One of the benefits of using a trailer hitch mounted kayak carrier rack is the convenience and ease of use. These racks can typically be installed in just a few minutes and do not require any special tools or modifications to your vehicle. They are also easy to use, as you simply load your kayaks onto the rack and secure them in place with the provided straps or bungee cords.
Another benefit of trailer hitch mounted kayak carrier racks is the stability and security they provide. These racks are designed to hold your kayaks firmly in place, so you don’t have to worry about them shifting or falling off during transport. They also typically come with built-in security features, such as locks or locking straps, to help prevent your kayaks from being stolen while you are driving.
Overall, trailer hitch mounted kayak carrier racks are a reliable and convenient option for transporting your kayaks. They are easy to use, provide stability and security, and are a cost-effective alternative to other types of kayak carriers.
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Trailer Hitch Kayak Carriers
For several reasons, the kayak carrier’s most popular style is the trailer hitch receiver kayak racks. Your trailer hitch is located on the back-end of your car, and it is what you use for the majority of your towing, hauling, and carrying needs. Trailer hitches are great for kayak hauling duties because they are stable, durable, and capable of handling a ton of weight. This means that you can even haul multiple kayaks at a time if you buy the appropriate carrier for the job. However, no matter how big and rugged your truck or SUV is, you won’t be able to correctly fit a 12′ boat into your trunk or pick-up bed. If you want an easy way to haul your kayak around, you need to look at trailer hitch kayak carriers.
Top Selling Hitch Mounted Kayak Racks
You can spend hours on the internet mindlessly browsing through page after page of kayak carriers. After a while, you’ll notice that they start to blend together, and you aren’t making any progress towards actually picking one. To spare you a headache and make your job a little bit easier, we decided to compile a list of trailer hitch kayak racks that are affordable as well as great at their job. We have three different brands and three different prices, depending on your budget.
Here are ten top selling trailer hitch mounted kayak carrier racks, along with a brief comparison of their features:
Thule Hullavator Pro: This is a premium kayak carrier that is designed to make loading and unloading your kayak easier and more convenient. It features a hydraulic lift system that helps you lift and load your kayak onto the rack, and it can hold kayaks up to 80 pounds. It also has a built-in lock to help prevent your kayak from being stolen.
Yakima JayLow: The Yakima JayLow is a versatile kayak carrier that can hold one or two kayaks, depending on the size of your vehicle. It has a simple, easy-to-use design and features adjustable padded saddles to help protect your kayaks from damage. It can hold kayaks up to 80 pounds and has built-in locks for added security.
The Malone DownLoader: is a budget-friendly kayak carrier that is easy to use and install. It has a simple design that allows you to load and unload your kayaks quickly and easily, and it can hold kayaks up to 75 pounds. It also has a built-in lock to help prevent your kayaks from being stolen.
Thule 835PRO Hull-a-Port: The Thule 835PRO Hull-a-Port is a high-quality kayak carrier that can hold one or two kayaks. It features adjustable padded saddles to help protect your kayaks from damage, and it can hold kayaks up to 80 pounds. It also has a built-in lock for added security.
Yakima JayHook: The Yakima JayHook is a simple and easy-to-use kayak carrier that can hold one or two kayaks. It has adjustable padded saddles to help protect your kayaks from damage, and it can hold kayaks up to 80 pounds. It also has built-in locks for added security.
Malone MPG351MDX Multi-Sport Trailer: The Malone MPG351MDX Multi-Sport Trailer is a multi-purpose trailer that can be used to transport kayaks, as well as other types of sports equipment. It has a sturdy and durable design, and it can hold up to three kayaks. It also has built-in locks for added security.
Thule 898 Hull-a-Port Aero: The Thule 898 Hull-a-Port Aero is a high-quality kayak carrier that is designed to reduce wind drag and noise while driving. It can hold one or two kayaks, and it has adjustable padded saddles to help protect your kayaks from damage. It can hold kayaks up to 80 pounds, and it has a built-in lock for added security.
Yakima JayArm: The Yakima JayArm is a simple and easy-to-use kayak carrier that can hold one or two kayaks. It has adjustable padded saddles to help protect your kayaks from damage, and it can hold kayaks up to 80 pounds. It also has built-in locks for added security.
Malone SeaWing: The Malone SeaWing is a kayak carrier that is designed to hold your kayak in a stable and secure position while you are driving. It has adjustable padded saddles to help protect your kayaks from damage, and it can hold kayaks up to 80 pounds. It also has a built-in lock for added security.
The Thule Hullavator Pro is a high-end option that offers the added convenience of a hydraulic lift system, while the Yakima JayLow and Malone DownLoader are more budget-friendly options with simpler designs.
What should you look for in a trailer hitch carrier?
Alright, so you’ve wisely decided to opt for the trailer hitch carrier to solve your kayak hauling needs. What are you exactly looking for? A cursory search on Google will reveal to you various sorts of hitch carriers that all kind of look-alike. Are they all similar? Sure. Are they interchangeable? Not at all. Let’s break down what you’ll be looking for as you start shopping.
Adjustable Height
Unless we all owned the same car, the height would be a priority when you shop for your trailer hitch kayak rack. You optimally want a hitch carrier that you can adjust the height and tilt with relative ease. This allows you to accommodate tight spaces and more effortless loading.
Appropriate Width
Do you have two single-person kayaks that you need to carry around? Are you just interested in hauling your kayak around? The width of the T-bar in your hitch carrier will decide how many kayaks you can load on top of it. If you need to carry two kayaks, then make sure your vehicle and carrier are both wide enough to take on the job.
Stashing Ability
When you don’t have your kayak loaded up, you don’t want to be dragging a couple of feet of steel rack behind you, do you? The best kayak carriers are as easy to install as they are to put away. We’ve seen trailer hitch carriers that fold nicely against your vehicle when not in use. Ultimately this is a preference and not something mandatory, but we like a carrier that we can shove out-of-the-way when we are done without any fuss.
Other Options
Rooftop Carriers
This kayak carrier is installed directly onto your roof by way of your roof racks. For a horizontal kayak carrier, you will need a roof rack along with the 4-piece fitted 
kayak handles that clip on top of your ride. From there, you load your boat and then strap it down by going end to end, underneath the car.
There are a couple of different roof racks: Horizontal Kayak Carrier, J-Style Kayak Carrier, and Vertical Kayak Carrier. When you use a roof rack, you will be sacrificing fuel efficiency and height to load/unload your kayak effortlessly.
