We know that a lot of our readers spend their weekends on the water. We also know how hard it can be to figure out how many kayaks we can put on our truck rack!
Fortunately, we’ve done the research for you and found that most long-bed trucks can fit two 10-foot kayaks on their front or back truck rack, but some racking may limit this. If you’re hauling tandem kayaks or longer kayaks, you may be limited to one per vehicle.
So let’s get started! We’ll break down some of the factors that can affect how many kayaks can fit on your truck rack, including height and width. And we’ll go over the top truck racks for transporting your watercraft. But first, we’re going to define some terms. When looking for or buying a kayak rack, it’s easy to get confused by all the terms. Since we want you to find the right one quickly, we’ve broken it down for you.
Truck Rack
This is a vehicle-mounted rack that allows you to transport your kayaks on your truck bed. It attaches and detaches from your truck and usually comes in two parts: a crossbar and kayak carrier. Depending on the structure of your truck, you may be able to fit two kayaks on a rack.
Crossbar
A piece of metal that attaches to the front or rear of your vehicle. It helps hold your kayaks in place and directs them into the kayak carrier. It’s also referred to as a “launch ramp.”
Kayak Carrier
This is designed specifically for transporting your kayak(s) from point A to point B. Kayak carriers come in two different kinds: roof mounted and tailgate mounted.
Roof Rack
This is a kayak carrier that sits on top of your vehicle. It’s usually tiered, allowing you to stack kayaks up and secure them with tie down straps.
Check Out: Top best truck racks for kayaks & camping!
Tailgate Rack
A tailgate rack is a carrier that sits on the back of your truck. Usually, there’s an adjustable crossbar attached to the back of your truck bed that swings down or slides out and then locks into place. Your kayak slips onto the rack and is secured in place with straps.
To conclude, you can fit one kayak on a roof rack. On a tailgate rack, you can fit up to two kayaks per vehicle. And, while there may not be enough room for more than two kayaks on a roof rack or tailgate rack on full-sized trucks and SUVs, you may very well find limited racking that allows you to vertically stack three or more kayaks. That’s because these racks have an additional crossbar in the back that allows you to stack even more kayaks.
Hey, Naomi O’Colman here.
With years working at an auto repair shop in Texas and passionate about the auto industry. I want to share with my readers the best quality products through my well-researched reviews as well as fixing minor defects in your car.
