Roof Rack & Canoe and Kayak Carriers for 2010 Toyota Highlander with Raised Factory Side Roof Rails  

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Square-bar roof racks generally offer the advantages of being lower in cost and having the broadest compatibility with accessory items like kayak carriers. Aero bars are more costly but are indeed quieter. Thing is, by the time you add kayak and/or canoe carriers, and the boats themselves, you've got so much stuff on your roof that can make noise that the benefit of the quieter Aero bars may not be evident.

With that said, the cost of some Aero racks like the Rhino-Rack Vortex system, parts # RRVA126B-2 and # RRSX100, is fairly close to that of some square bar racks. They have the same weight capacity, 165-lbs, so its really almost a toss-up. All roof rack options for your Highlander are shown on the linked page. For 60-inch Aero bars Yakima offers several solutions.

Carrying both a 16-foot canoe and a kayak means that the total weight load of those boats, plus their carriers, plus the weight of the roof rack itself, may approach the car's limit. This is a good thing to check out beforehand. Make sure your boats' combined weight will not exceed the car's rating.

There are very lightweight carrier options available when roof weight capacity becomes a precious commodity. Foam block carriers like # MPG152 weigh next to nothing and can be used for both canoes and kayaks. These are great for shorter travel distances but if you're talking about major highway miles then you really want a sturdier carrier like the Swagman Exo # S65145. This carrier is only about 8-lbs and works on virtually all roof rack bar shapes. It handles kayaks and canoes and includes tie-down straps. The Thule Portage canoe carrier # TH819 is also an excellent option both for its light weight and bar compatibility.

All carriers are shown on the linked page and I included helpful articles to help you.

expert reply by: Adam R

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