6 Best Kayak Saddle Racks
Saddle racks, also known as horizontal racks are a traditional type of kayak racks that people use today worldwide. They are the most secure way of transporting your kayak.
In this article, we will discuss what is a saddle rack, what are their pros and cons, why should you buy a saddle, what you need to look for when buying a kayak saddle, and most importantly what is the best kayak saddle rack for your car?
Our Verdict
The Rhino Rack Nautic 570 is the best kayak saddle on our list. In this saddle you have the flexibility to choose which type of pads you prefer; rear-loading ones or side-loading ones.
This stainless steel-built saddle has universal fit mounting hardware. The Nautic 570 also comes with a Security Allen key for more security and a 5-year warranty. And most importantly it doesn’t cost that much.
Best Saddle Roof Rack
Rhino Rack Nautic 570 Series is one of the most flexible saddles out there. It is a saddle where you can load it from the rear with rear-loading pads and load it from the sides with side-loading pads.
And the pads are built to accommodate different hull shapes. So, it means it will hold one kayak securely when traveling.
The Nautic variations are called 570 and 571. The 570 is where you can load your kayak from the sides, and the 571 is where you can load your kayak from the rear of your vehicle.
Both are made of stainless steel and they also have universal fit mounting hardware for most crossbars ( round bars might have problems).
The 4 pads of Nautic 570 are made of Santoprene that cushion your kayak and grip your kayak very tight. And the pads also have a 180-degree rotation.
You can rotate the side-ones to the outward direction when loading your boat from the side and roll the boat into the carrying position.
And in 571, you have 2 Santoprene rubber pads for the front and 2 rear spring felt covered pads to glide your kayak to the front pads. The pads are also UV-protected and waterproof.
One of the best features of Nautic is that it comes with Security Allen Key to keep your racks secured. Nautic gives you not only a 5-year warranty but also bow-stern tie-downs.
The Nautic 570 series doesn’t seem to have any serious negative points. It is budget-friendly and looks stylish.
Best Traditional Saddle Roof Rack
Malone is one of the most trusted brands in the kayak carriage industry. Even this Seawing from Malone has been on the market for more than 15 years.
This model from this brand has continued for so long is because it is one of the best kayak saddles on the market.
In terms of usability, it is pretty easy to set up and remove. You don’t need any tool to do this work.
The plastic-made blade of this Seawing is also flexible to accommodate any size of kayak and canoe hull. This is made to be very low profile. You won’t have any problem with overhead clearance.
It comes with JAWZ mounting hardware that helps it to fit on any shape of crossbars including oval, round, square, etc.
Malone also gives bow-stern and straps with this saddle. The only limitation of this saddle is that it can carry only one kayak.
Best Saddle Rack for Low-Cost
The AA Jetty Saddle Rack is our budget choice in this list. It is a basic saddle rack that you can get at a very low price and it can do its job well enough.
It doesn’t have any fancy features like others. It is made of steel and can carry one kayak with any hull shape.
On this rack, you can load your kayak from any side of the vehicle. But the pads don’t roll 180-degree, so you won’t get any help from the rack when loading your kayak.
The pads have rubbers for gripping your kayak in place. The Pads are also water and sun-resistant. It has a universal fitment system.
It also comes with bow-stern tie-downs but you should always buy extra straps for more safety. It doesn’t have any locking system to secure your saddles from theft.
It will be your best choice if you are a minimalist, who is just looking for a saddle set to just carry your kayak.
Best Lift-assist Saddle Rack
Thule Hullavator Pro is perfect for you if you struggle with heavy kayaks or have a backache. The Hullavator has gas struts that assist you in loading the kayak.
The gas struts reduce the weight of your kayak by 40 lbs. You can load the kayak from the waist level. You can also adjust the rack’s width with your kayak’s width.
The Hullavator is made of durable aluminum. It can carry a kayak that has 75 lbs weight and 36 inches wide max. The rack is also removable for overhead clearance.
It is just a matter of seconds until you remove the rack. It also comes with bow-stern and high-quality straps to secure it properly.
There are some difficulties with this premium rack as well. Like it takes around half an hour to assemble but keep in mind that it doesn’t take any time to install on the car and the assembly needs to be done only once.
Another thing to consider when buying this rack is you need Thule Crossbars for this. Not only do you need Thule Crossbars but also the crossbars need to be extended 4-8 inches beyond the rail anchors or else the rack will damage your car.
Also, you need to buy Thule’s One-Key lock system to secure the Hullavator because it is so damn easy to take it off and the funny thing is Thule doesn’t provide it with the rack you have to purchase it separately.
We all know Thule is one of the dominating forces in this industry and they have come this far by innovating new and quality products. Our only complaint about the Hullavator is they should have included the lock system in the item.
Most Advanced Saddle Rack
The model Sweetroll is from a leading brand Yakima, the name which we all heard of. Like the name suggests the Sweetroll has these rollers in the rear saddle pads that help in loading the kayak.
The pads are spring-loaded which automatically adjusts to the boat shape and the rollers help the kayak to slide with ease.
Also to protect the hull the pads are made of soft and smooth fabric. The required straps and tie-downs come from Yakima.
The Sweetroll comes out of the box assembled. You just need 10 minutes to install it on your car and you won’t need any tools to do it.
It is also compatible with Yakima round, square, factory, and aerodynamic crossbars. If you are still confused check the Yakima Fit My Car tool. And also this saddle can hold a kayak up to 80 lbs.
If you trust Yakima, this saddle rack is a good choice.
Thule DockGlide is a saddle where your kayak pivots on 4 contact points. In the DockGlide you can load your kayak by sliding the kayak from the rear of your car.
There is also Thule DockGrip where you have to load the kayak from the sides and the pads grip it tightly. And the pads can protect the kayak hull as they are cushioned, large, and flexible.
It can carry a kayak up to 36 inches wide and 75 lbs weight. It fits a variety of rack systems like Thule, round bars, and most factory racks.
It has many limitations and It is not fancy like most others but it is a decent saddle rack.
The most popular type of kayak rack is J-rack
What is the best saddle rack?
Rhino Rack Nautic 570 Series is the best saddle rack.
What is the best Saddle rack for the money?
AA-Racks Steel Jetty Saddle Rack is the best Saddle rack for the money.
What is the best traditional saddle rack?
Malone Seawing is the best traditional saddle rack.
What is the best lift-assist saddle rack?
Thule Hullavator is the best lift-assist saddle rack.
What is the most advanced saddle rack?
Yakima SweetRoll is the most advanced saddle rack.
Our Verdict
The Rhino Rack Nautic 570 is the best kayak saddle on our list. In this saddle you have the flexibility to choose which type of pads you prefer; rear-loading ones or side-loading ones.
This stainless steel-built saddle has universal fit mounting hardware. The Nautic 570 also comes with a Security Allen key for more security and a 5-year warranty. And most importantly it doesn’t cost that much.
Visit our kayak rack section for more kayak rack guides.