Instead of the roller and ratchet straps, I use a small memory foam bath mat I got for $5. The bottom of the mat is meant for wet bathroom floors so it sticks/suctions to the car and doesn't really move at all even when the kayak is being pushed on it. the nice part is no racket straps necessary and gets the same result. the bath mat also covers more surface area to reduce the chances of scratching the car.

Excellent video man you absolutely did my version justice lol! See ya on the next adventure 👊🏿

This is amazing!! I’m almost 48 and not in the best shape of my life, but I love kayaking. I’ve been wanting to get my own for a while now, and came here mainly for your old town reviews. I drive a Mazda 3 sedan, and I’ve been holding back on the whole project due to how daunting the thought of trying to manage on my own would be (or how expensive) but this looks like just the ticket for a low price. Thank you so much for sharing it!

The ratchet strap hack was IT. Thank you for that!

Excellent advice/tips and presented professionally and succinctly. Great job!

FINALLY! Someone with a viable solution. Thanks for passing it on.

Thanks for sharing this easy loading technique. I like the hack and would enjoy more hacks.

Nice, i roof topped my canoes and kayaks for almost 20 years. Wish i would have known this back then. I got a small foldable trailer now that makes life a lot easier.

Thanks for the tip, dude! My gf and I have been trying to figure out the easiest way for her to be able to transport her 14' kayak when I'm not around with the truck, and I think this is going to be the ticket. Looking forward to more videos when we finally get some rain in TX to get the rivers flowing again!

I've been using the strap between the supports for a while (to load a 90lb canoe solo) but I hadn't thought of putting a roller (noodle) around it...will try this for trip I'm loading for tomorrow! Thanks!

Great hack! I lol'd because I have a Jeep GC too and was looking for hacks to load kayak on vehicle myself and found this hack and you have same vehicle. Well done!

Glad to see you messing with the Sportsman 120 again. Hoping to see more videos with it, bought mine for river exploration/camping due to the weight capacity rather than fishing. Most cheaper kayaks I'm right at or over the weight limit without any gear. Not many videos out there with the Sportsman other than fishing videos.

Thank you so much for this one, it's getting used for sure!

This is brilliant! Really glad I watched this...

This is exactly what i was looking for. I was scared all this would be was some expensive piece of kit you would promote but no 😅 just a pool noodle and some straps. Looks simple and effective! Thanks for sharing.

This is exactly the hack I’ve been searching for!!!

That's pretty cool and easy . We bought a 2024 Outback and it has the coolest roof rack . It has a cut away in the middle . You can just throw a small rug over the low part slide the kayak all the way across without worrying about losing a mirror , been there done that . But now I fold them in anyway . I bet the mirrors are $1000 each , self darkening lane change warning self adjusting and more , yep fold them in. I'm sure there's not much you haven't tried as often as you go . Take a look at the Outback ( not the Wilderness) it has a different roof rack . You have a blessed one my friend .

Finally, a true life hack! Thanks so much. Saved me from trading down to a lighter kayak.

Awesome and easy looking! Thx!!

Thanks for this, I have an inflatable kayak but last time we went out a lady came out to have a go at us for how long we were spending outside her house setting up (probably buying a new build next a portage point was a bad plan) and it really made me feel like the long set up and deflate/roll up/pack away time made me quite vulnerable and I haven't been able to shake the fear of it since, so I have been looking at getting a proper one but worrying about the loading. This might actually help me get back out on the water :)

I like this hack and would like to see more. I have a 65lb 14ft kayak that I think this would work great for.

OMG this is awesome! Thanks so much 👏😊

Suuuper helpful thank you very much!!

I love that I can get my vapor into the manvan with all the seats folded down. I decided one day to roof rack it. Big mistake as the driverside sliding door doesnt work, so it is harder to get to the driver side tie down points. This will atleast make it easier!

I use the suction cup kayak roller that attaches to the back window and you just push it up and over from the back. One nice fluent motion, super easy. Suction cup on, push up, suction cup off. Can solo load the FeelFree lure 13.5 like this.

Love your video! So smart. I Would like to know where you purchased the roller you used. Noodles would be okay. I had a thought of sliding a small PVC tube through it so the noodle would roll. Just.a thought. Keep doing what your doing.

Great info 😎 thank you!

Love this and needed the Info. I do solo too. Thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Also, the Remote Designs Black Friday Sale is live!

Thank you for this!

You make it look easy!

That pool noodle trick is what I needed

I've used a bath mat this way for years, but your tube strap will work better because I often have problems with the mat blowing away in the wind. I'll try this today!

That is a good one, Gatewood. Still not as easy as my Buddy’s system, but a lot simpler. We have a camp out planned for this weekend and I am going to talk to him about whether he wants me to release the video or not. You may see it soon. Who knows?

Gonna have to try this with the flycraft.

Fantastic

great idea!!!!

Thanks for the tip

Bonus info about the ratchet straps and putting a twist in them.

Man that is awesome that is a cool way of loading up a heavy kayak by yourself. I like those ratchet straps I've been thinking about getting a set. I know what you mean buddy by constantly have to keep stopping and retie something down. But I know I have to worry about that cuz I won't be doing nothing like that for a while. Thursday night I had to liftgate break and hit my knee then my leg & feet. Cut me pretty good on my foot I almost had to get stitches. I have a knee cast or brace or whatever it is on now , my leg is swollen & I can't walk on it. If i move my toe I'm screaming like I'm crazy. You and your family have a Happy Thanksgiving buddy please be safe.

Looks easy. Nice hack. Thanks for sharing. However, nowadays I won't pick up any canoe heavier than 50 Lbs. Not because of the car loading but because of the portaging that will come my way.

Hey I’m in Lubbock! Where’d you kayaking? Im thinking about Buddy Holly Lake. They have a kayak launch now

I just put a towel or blanket on the roof of the car to protect the paint, and then slide the kayak up the same way.

Awesome hack and would definitely be down for some more! Not as difficult for myself with a Ford focus and inflatable roof racks lol

Hey man! What kayak is that at 0:33?

Sometimes I don't get back soon enough before the wind kicks up. I try, but sometimes it happens. How does your method work in gusty winds? I am a senior citizen now and have trouble loading in the wind.

I have doing this for years load from the side people not from the back but a side bars on roof rack.from the UK.

A good wide grippy bath mat works for me 👍

A great technique! How many of those Strappino straps do you use (and how long)? My fishing kayak is 87 pounds. Also, what kind of foam-roller is that? The one I got would be flattened by my kayak's weight.

Nice Video, the only thing I would worry about are the the type of straps you are using, they can creat to much tension on the kayak? Especially a kayak with any seams

HI, Is 9 Feet cam strap long enough for tie the old town PDL106?

At 3:20 - done that. Sliced the rear view mirror off my Honda Pilot when my Ocean Trident kayak got away from me. $500+ repair DIY. Dealership would have been over $1200.

Nice hack! I used to have to load my Expedition, I kept a 3 foot step ladder to get up there, what a pain. Especially after a long day on the water, and possibly an adlt beverage or 2. I luckily have room for trailers, so I've gon e tyhat route. I was in Little Rock yesterday picking up my new Gheenoe, how much farther south are you, 6 hrs?

How do you upload the kayak? I use a thick towel to slide my kayak so I don't scratch the roof paints.

Hey Gatewood! I live in the downtown Houston area, do you think a wilderness systems ATAK 120 is too much kayak for the type of stuff you do in the Guadalupe and Comal etc? It's my first kayak (a lot of kayak for a newbie) but I don't want to haul this monster out there and find it's too big to enjoy on our rivers here.

Dude... thank you!

Speaking of solo kayaking, any tips on what to do when you solo kayak down a river in terms of getting the car back? The best i could think of is getting a cable-lock and locking up the kayak to a tree at the end of a run, then hiking back to the car where you left it (at the beginning of the run), then finally driving the car back to where the kayak is locked up

My biggest problem with loading my 80 pound Hobie on the roof, other than losing by strength now that I’m a senior citizen plus, is the kayak sliding off the vehicle sideways when picking up the other end and pushing it up. I bought a Rhino Rack hitch mounted T-bar with side goal posts that eliminates this. Now I just hope there is someone around to help me.

can you do a video on how to tie down your kayak?

Jokes on you, I dont care about scratching my paint lol. Good vid! About to get myself a 12ft (my current is 10.5ft) & loading it solo is definitely becoming more of a consideration.

Thanks 😊

hello always wondered, what is the name of the grey hybrid kayak of yours?

Would this still work with loading into j hook racks?

do you have any saddles on your crossbars?

What about a scion FR-S???

what are those straps call again?

I just turned 69 years old. It has become quite a wrestling match loading and unloading my 55#, 15' Cobra Tourer kayak... as you say, discourages kayaking... not good!! I spent 2 hours looking at various loading methods today... lot's of great systems, but your hack is damned near free and as easy as the expensive systems. Next: My kayak sits on the roof tied to straight bars, which puts a divot in the bottom... do you have a hack for a saddle I can mount to roof bars?

What about unloading?

Hi by using this method you will be doing a lot of damage to your kayak ,,,,,making a side loader kayak rack is easier than man handling your yak on a jeep grand cherokee especially very easy with a side loader with a electric winch with remote,,,,you can use Aluminium square tubing and flat long 1/4 thickness,, 5 centimetre wide,,in the middle fitting about roller ,,,,,and then two pvc pipe side rails,,,if you take a look at the kayak side loader you will be able to make it up its not hard,,I've done it on my jeep grand cherokee and works very well I really was impressed with the kayak rack,,,remote control winch was very good and quickly loaded,,,,,

Guns Up!

Sadly where I live a kayak will get stolen if you leave it on top so I just started to put it in my suv

I open the tailgate and run 3 kayaks using ratchet straps. Run through the holes and hook to the hooks on the bed and put a red flag. You couldn’t shake em off if you tried

Is there a link to the black roller tube, seems like that is the way to go. Pool noodles deteriorate pretty quickly.Thanks.

Great video. But I would add some caution to not get too excited with the ratchet straps. They can easily damage the kayak.

Buy or build a lighter kayak. Simples! You know, fabric on frame kayaks have been a thing since polar exploration & the modern ones with modern fabrics are surprisingly robust. Yes, you do have to take a bit more care than with PU boat, but the weight man, the weight makes everything oh so much easier. You can get 1 person kayaks options that weigh just 10 kg or anything between that and a PU tank.

Diy boat kayak side loaders

Yeah, it's time to institute a hack thanks! This 61 yo man has hoisted a 14' kayak too long and has needed a rest after returning from a long paddle to lift the monster up on the SUB.

Just hang a small rug at the back of the vehicle and slide the kayak up to the roof racks. Then put the rug back in the car.

👋😎👍

Lifting 50% of the kayak is key. 65% adults have compressed discs!

Thought this was how loading kayaks was done. Y’all been dead lifting these things up onto your roof?

Straps kept coming loose cuz you never smacked it and said "this bad boy isnt going anywhere" there was no need to replace them with fancy pants straps

I cringed so hard when he was ratcheting down the old town on a bare roof rack. The rack was deforming as he did it. It was like nails on a chalkboard.

Get a truck bro