Is this right for you? Product Expert Matthew E says:
These J-style cradles let you transport 1 kayak on its side on your roof-rack crossbars. Compact and easy to install, the design won't take up too much space on your roof. And tie-down straps are included to secure the kayak to your crossbars.
Features:
Specs:
Kayak enthusiasts will appreciate the simplicity of the Thule Hull-A-Port - an inexpensive, easy-to-install solution for transporting your watercraft on your roof-rack crossbars.
With a wide profile capable of holding a kayak up to 36" wide, these J-style cradles make it easy for one person to load and unload a kayak. And since the cradles hold your kayak on its side, it takes up less room on your crossbars than saddle-style carriers, leaving plenty of space for you to carry more gear.
The Hull-A-Port fits most crossbar styles with the included universal mounting hardware. These brackets and hand knobs tighten around your crossbars in seconds for a simple, hassle-free installation.
The J-style cradles include adjustable pads that slide up and down the upright arms. This allows you to customize the position of their four touch points to better support your kayak. These pads strengthen the cradles and protect your kayak's hull from scratches and abrasions.
Two tie-down straps with padded buckles are provided for you to strap your kayak to your crossbars. And a set of bow/stern tie-downs also is included to anchor the front and back of your kayak to your vehicle. Typically the bow/stern tie-downs will attach to the bumpers or hitch on your vehicle. Adapters are available to make it easier to attach the bow/stern tie-downs.
The Hull-A-Port is constructed of steel tubing with a rust-resistant AllSurface coating that ensures durability.
Average Customer Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars (68 Customer Reviews)
These J-style cradles let you transport 1 kayak on its side on your roof-rack crossbars. Compact and easy to install, the design won't take up too much space on your roof. And tie-down straps are included to secure the kayak to your crossbars.I recently made a 4 hour trip home after picking up a new kayak while using the following equipment for the first time: Thule Xsporter Pro Truck Bed Ladder Rack, Thule Hull-A-Port Kayak Carrier w/Tie-Downs - J-Style, Thule Watersports Adapter for Aeroblade/Aeroblade Edge Bars and Thule Bow/Stern Tie-Downs. I'm impressed with the performance of all of those components.
These are good racks, only its not really easy or friendly to install on the wingbar evo, although it was indicated that it was compatible. I think the screws provided with the adapter kit are a little too short and because of that, the j rack doesn't fit well in the T slot. Too much of a chore for the average person.
Heather A - 05/06/2021
Helpful LinkThis product is excellent. I have transported my kayak on these J Hooks several times going 70+ mph down the highway. It never moves. The bolts that come with it are short. If you have a thick roof rack, you will need longer stainless steel bolts. Make sure you you orient the blue straps with the buckle on top so you can pull down to tighten it up.
I think the Thule Hulaport kayak racks are the best, most secure way to transport your kayaks. I had these on my Xterra and hauled two kayaks up to Cape Bretton park in Nova Scotia, Canada from Connecticut, USA no problem. We were even able to store gear in the kayaks for the trip. I’m so excited to have them for my Crosstrek. Highly recommend these!
This product was perfect for what I needed. I used this carrier along with the Thule Glide and Set to carry two kayaks and enjoyed using this system way more. What I liked most was how easy it was to load and unload the kayak from the side of my jeep. It was also a bit easier to install too because there was only two pieces, where as the Glide and Set took a couple times to get it adjusted to fit the hull of the kayak correctly. I also liked the way the straps tied around the kayak. The only thing I wish this system would have came with is the ratcheting pulleys like with the Thule Glide and Set.
These kayak saddles worked great with the Thule roof rack I also purchased from etrailer. I needed it in a hurry and got it ordered over the phone and delivered on time with Rose's help. Fantastic customer service. Would definitely buy from this site again!
The J-Style kayak carrier worked well for my 4Runner. I was easy to put on with the simple knob and I felt like it held securely to the aeroblade bars. I was concerned about how securely it gripped since it was on the outside of my bars, but it was solid and I felt good about it. The J shape, as opposed to carrying the kayak flat, frees up some roof space. Putting it on the outside gave me room to get the paddleboard and paddles on the roof also. No water toy left behind for the river trip. It rode well. I checked it about 100 miles into the trip and everything was still tight. I really liked the ratcheting bow and stern hooks. They were quick to put on and gave me a bit of extra warm and fuzzy, nothing is going to end up on the highway, feeling.
This fits 2018 Outback with no issues at all. Comes with all straps and extra for front and back tie down. First time putting them on took about 30min. Every time after about 10-15min. Have a 10 and 11ft kayak and they work perfectly. Etrailer was quick on responses, better priced, and shipped quickly. Will use them again.
Very sturdy, easy to take off and on for storage firmly holds my 12 foot fishing kayak with no problems. Held it on my car very well in the high winds yesterday. Very satisfied with this product would reccomend to a friend. The straps it comes with hold it very nicely.
Arrived quickly and was very easy to assemble and attach to the roof of my Jeep. Now that I have the initial setup complete with the proper placement of the entire system, attaching and removing the kayaks will be a breeze. Will definitely make hauling our kayaks much easier and safer.
My wife & I have always used Thule products & have always been satisfied. She loves these carriers, easy for her to load & unload the kayak. Gonna purchase another real soon.
I purchased two sets of Thule Hull-A- Port Carrier with Tie-Downs (J-Style, fixed side - loading) last year. They have been installed on our Subaru Outback all of this summer. I like that they are easy to install, easy to use, well built, and that Outback fits under a standard garage door with them installed. Its a snap to pop the kayaks on and go! If you paddle longer boats (my kayaks are 14, 14.5 and 15 feet long) I recommend getting the Thule Bow/Stern Tie Downs (TH530) for convenient temporary bow & stern tie down points, without crawling under the vehicle to attach to the frame.
Great kayak carriers! We use 2 sets on our 2012 Subaru Outback for 2, 10 ft kayaks. Super lightweight, easy to install. I like that it came with straps and step by step instructions. The kayaks definitely feel secure when they are on. We used these several times this last year and have never had an issues. If I had to pick out a couple of things to say on the downside, it's be that sometimes it does take some tweaking to get it on straight and you have to have a good eye to ensure they are aligned. But, it isn't hard at all, just took some practice, like anything else. The ropes that go from the front of the kayak to the front of the car are too short for my "long-nosed" Outback. Overall, awesome!!
These racks fit my 2012 Subaru Outback factory crossbars and securely carried two 12-foot kayaks on a long interstate road trip. I had struggled in the past with a different brand of J-style kayak carrier on these racks that didn't quite get as tight as you'd like and thus moved a little bit on the racks in strong crosswinds. Install is straightforward and involves good old fashioned knuckle-busting to turn screw-grips by hand to tighten them down enough, but they got the job done well for me.
While the quality & construction of the Thule Hull-a-port 834 kayak racks are excellent, I did have some issues with the method recommended for attaching them to my Thule Wingbar Evo bars. Although I was told the components were compatible, I was not told that an adapter kit was required which involved attaching each section with 36 small parts (bolts, nuts, washers, etc). Nothing rapid about this. The good news was, etrailer's customer service was excellent, and they arranged for me to return the kayak rack & purchase the Hull-a-port XT 848 instead.
I purchased the Thule Hull-A-Port Kayak Carrier a year ago and have used it to transport my kayak. It attaches easily to a the rail frame of most vehicles. I've found the product to be well designed to hold the kayak firmly and safely at highway speeds. I would recommend this product to anyone who has a cargo frame rail on their vehicle and needs to transport a kayak.
I received these items along with another order in a large box which protected the items nicely. I am impressed how easy these go onto my Aero blades by Thule. They make caring my Kayaks much safer than the after market brand I had before. The straps that come with them are very sturdy and provide extra hold for my kayaks. I traveled on a highway at speeds reaching 70 and my kayaks didn't budge! Felt very solid.
The Thule Hull-A-Port is a great quality j-style kayak carrier. I feel like my kayak sits very secure in the arms of this carrier. The carrier mounted easily around the Thule AreoBlade Crossbars on my 2015 Jeep Patriot. The padding on the back of the carrier slides up and down for you to position the padding at the best spot for your kayak. I was also happy to find that I could fully open my hatch with my 9-1/2 foot kayak in the carrier. I did find that the bow and stern straps wanted to make contact with my vehicle. I decided to put the Thule Quick Loops under the hood closer to my windshield instead of at the front of my vehicle. I also put a protective piece of cloth (I used a canvas bag) at the Quick Loop at the back of my vehicle to protect my hatch from the stern tie-down.
These work great. Bought two sets of them to haul two 13ft kayaks on my Honda Ridgeline. Installed them on a set of Thule Aeroblades. Easy to put on, though slightly longer bolts would have made it easier. The carriers' hold the boats securely in place. Easy to load and tie down.
Installed these on top of the Yakima BedRock rails. Works just fine. The instructions that come with the kayak carriers are terrible. I don't know why they bother. I basically had to figure out the installation on my own. Yes, the installation is not complicated by any means but the instructions are so bad that they actually sent me down the wrong path trying to interpret them. Ironically, I would have given these a higher rating if Thule had supplied no instructions.
Bought the Thule AeroBlade and all the fittings recommended by etrailer earlier this summer. Everything fits perfect, was easy to install, and looks really great on the car.
I thought my wife had the best rack until I got these to hold our Kayaks in place!
Easy to install. Quality pieces. Order was easy to place and it was received when they said I would receive it. I would use etrailer.com again.
Arrived as promised. Bought this rack to fit my Thule square bars on top of the Jeep. I did a quick fit to make sure it fit, it did. Will be sure to update after my first trip with the kayaks in tow!
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