Thule Hullavator Pro Rooftop Kayak Carrier

What an AMAZING product!! I bought this kayak rack for one main reason: I was sick and tired of wasting precious time and inconveniencing friends in order to go kayaking! I had to either borrow a friend’s truck or inconvenience my group of kayaking friends with trucks to pick me up whenever I wanted to paddle! As a 55 year old extremely independent female, this was really getting old! When I bought my new 2018 Subaru Crosstrek, I also wanted a kayak rack that I could operate myself without damaging my brand new car! This rack is amazing! I have a 50 lb Wilderness Pungo 120 12-foot kayak and it fits perfectly on the Hullavator 898 Pro! I have no problem loading or unloading the kayak myself! The lift-assist feature is phenomenal! Having this rack has afforded me the freedom and ability to just get up and go anytime I want! It literally takes me 12 minutes to attach the cradles to the roof rack, load the boat, and tie down the bow and stern!! It’s the talk of town wherever I launch!! All that being said, the only downfall, if you want to call it that, is the fact that it is on the expensive side! HOWEVER ..... for me, it has been worth every single penny! I would spend it again in a heartbeat!! THANK YOU, THULE!! This is the best invention EVER!! I can’t put into words how liberating this has been for me! I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!!!!

The instructions said that my crossbars needed at least 4" overhang from the footpacks, but I was already using the longest Aeroblades available (60") for my vehicle (2016 Ford F150). On my setup, the Aerobar extended maybe 1" from the foot pack, and I was afraid that this would not work for me, but I wanted to give it a shot anyway. Good thing that I took the chance... On my install, I discovered that with the Hullavator mounted at the end of the Aerobar (with endcap removed), I had about 8" clearance between the Hullavator arms and my vehicle. The instructions recommended at least 4". This meant that I could install on my setup with no issues! Because of the extra 4" clearance, I figured I'd try to set the Hullavator 4" further away from the end of the bar. This didn't work because the arms couldn't clear the end of the bar + end caps. The best that I could do is set the Hullavator 1" from the end of the bar. Now when I lower the arms, it clears the end caps, and I still about 7" clearance between the arms and my truck (see photos). A few things that I noticed but aren't deal-breakers are: * When loaded, my Kayak looks like it's too far towards the edge of my truck as opposed to being centered on the rooftop. I know that I can move the J hooks closer to the other end of the bar to remedy this, but this limits how wide of a kayak I can carry. I have 2 kayaks that are thin, buy my girlfriend's kayak is pretty wide. * When unloaded, I can hear the Hulavator jingle around up there while driving. A few recommendations for the install: * Don't cut the rubber strips on your Aeroblade until you've found the best placement your vehicle. * The square nuts are a little bowed on one side. I placed mine in the Aeroblade tracks bow-side up so that there is more surface contact with the inside tracks on the Aeroblade when I tightened the Hullavator down. The instructions didn't mention this, so I don't think it matters, but why not have more surface to hold it down tight. * Use blue locktight on everything screwed down so that bolts don't come loose from all the road vibrations. * Take your time --- it's actually a very simple install

We have been using Hullavators on all of our trucks since 2012. Currently in use on 4 service trucks. The Thule warranty is a true lifetime warranty. We have had very few issues over the past 13 years of using Hullavators but when we did, Thule replaced the part or the whole unit. They only required proof that we purchased it new (so save your receipt). I am 72 years old and loading a kayak on top of a cap on a pickup truck (with a Hullavator) is a piece of cake. You may think that Hullavators are pricey, but Worth Every Penny it costs.

Perfect if you want your $50,000 investment to sound like a rattle trap …If you’re seeking a system that’s not easy to remove or might even damage your paint by falling off due to its awkward mechanics of removal, or if you’re simply willing to take a chance of it getting ripped off in a parking garage, this is the system for you. There hasn’t been much improvement over the past decade. I’m in a Kiaya club and we all have the same complaint issue: they’re very difficult to remove. The directions are pathetic better off watching etrailer videos… unfortunately there’s no other competition so I continue to buy

Getting our Hullavator installed on a 2017 Outback was not a quick task but we found a place in town that had experience. At first, it took us maybe 30 minutes from start to finish to get the kayak mounted on top. The cradles have to be mounted first as they are too big and bulky to leave on permanently and also are too high to get under our garage door. Mounting the cradles and setting the locking pins takes practice and now we can do in just a couple minutes. Once those are in place, attaching the kayak and lifting it into top position is easy. I recommend getting the Thule Quick Loop Straps Thule 530 Quick Loop Strap,Black (Pack of 2) to secure the front and back of the kayak rather than fussing with placing tow bolts in front and back. We wound up getting a 12 foot kayak, which would be a challenge to carry in a van or pickup, but which fits perfectly into the Hullavator. Notice I said "we" instead of "I". Unless you are well over 6' tall and have strong arms and shoulders, attaching the cradle units is really a two-person task: one to hold the cradles in position and one to insert the locking pins (and even then practice makes perfect.) The gas struts allow a tiny person to lift and drop the kayak without help. Just installing the cradles requires 4 hands. Don't forget to follow the instructions to check the straps and ropes after the first 5 miles to be sure nothing has loosened up.

These are game changers!!! Load and unload the kayaks take no time at all. Especially great after a long paddle as you don't have to left them very high!!!

Instructions are useless. Watch install vids on youtube. Easy after that. You can attach to most roof racks easy. Don’t believe you need certain types of roof racks. I bolted mine easily to my current Rhino racks.

Excelente Soporte, para kayaks o tablas de SUP, se necesitan las barras especiales Thule para adaptarlo a tu auto. Sin esfuerzo. Subes tu kayak al techo de tu auto.

I won’t be able to use it until the Spring next year.

This device proved extremely useful since my 5' 2" wife can now load her own kayak onto her own SUV by herself, without me having to listen to her whining and complaining that she has to call me every time she wants to load her kayak. Myself, I have shoulder injuries and can't lift one arm above my shoulder, so even though I probably could load a kayak one-handed by myself, the Hullavator helps me too. Why work any harder than you have to, or have to listen to your wife complain that you're a lazy bum who never helps her except when she complains. That in itself is worth the relatively high price. Worth the money, at least to me.