I'm looking at a Pop Top setup, like a OVRLND, Topo Badlander, or a Project M. The thing I'm struggling with is that I often have a few kayaks, both on trips and just everyday excursions at local lakes. Loading yaks on a pop top appears like a massive PITA. Who's got a good solution to loading their yaks in an easy way that doesn't make you regret having the pop top all the time?
Well, it's a PITA on any tall vehicle to be sure.
We had a couple of ways. Usually a roller; a tube slotted onto our rack tube in back (and once on the side with a narrow vehicle with enough rack tube). Put nose of kayak on and push it onto the top. Slides more easily. Somebody even makes lift rollers, like this: https://storeyourboard.com/products/kayak-lift-assist-suction-mounted-roof-roller?variant=46010019578137¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6auyBhDzARIsALIo6v_g-OSV220RzalJqyV55Uq1CGGP4lH5k6ftGkWTs3D9Ou1FNWTIfzgaAhmNEALw_wcB
Helps to have a little stepladder; we have one anyway for getting in the back of the FWC.
I saw someone made a roof rack that had a mechanism to make it much lower. You would slide it to one side, and then it would come down at a 45 or so degree angle.
Can you make/have made,a rack that slides, either from the sides or from the rear,then lock in place?
There’s a fab shop near me that didn’t want to touch it for liability concerns
I have my RTT on Yakima overhaul HD rack . I raise the rack up as high as needed and load kayaks in the back of my truck bed. I even have a tail gate bike rack (One UP) I really wanted to keep my truck bed space for kayaks, paddleboards. It works great , bikes on the back hitch rack can be tricky but I've made it work
You could look at a HowerBuilt pop top camper. 300 lb load capacity with those beefy scissor lifts and actuators. Just beware of wait time and over promises.
It’s not about the load rating - all the ones I mentioned could handle the load. It’s about easily getting 3 yaks onto a rack 7’ off the ground
stepladder
I’d easily break a leg trying to maneuver a 12.5’, 50 pound kayak on a stepladder lol
What about a hitch carrier?
How would that make it easier? I’m not connecting that, mentally. Or are you saying to put the yaks in the bed, tailgate down, and sticking out the back and resting on hitch carrier?
Nice! If you had to do 3 like me, do you think you could fit a couple on their side?
With my bed rack clearance it would be tricky but if there’s a solid spot to loop a ratchet strap through the kayak (like a good handle) then I say go for it. That hitch extension is rated for 300 lbs.
Oh I see - interesting thought, but I don’t think it’ll work for me. I have two 10.5 and one 12.5 foot kayaks. That 12.5 footer would make a pretty comical “sail” sticking 6-7’ feet above the camper down the freeway lol
I have the same issue except it's a jeep Wrangler TJ and two kayaks with a hard top. Rooftop racks for this are in the $1500 range just for the rack.
I noticed contractors have a setup for their ladders that folds out and lowers the ladder down to the side making it easier to get the ladder off. I found this Roof Rack but then I'm at $2500 with two of these and a gobi roof rack for loading and unloading.
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I have Yakima J brackets that I fix on the side of my Leitner rack. The kayak rides on the side of the truck. Works like a charm.
I have an Oru Pop Top Camper, it came with barn doors on the back that are easily removable so long items can fit in the bed. Use it all the time for stand up paddle boards.
Get a ground tent.
I have that. My main adventure mode is backpacking. I want to set up my truck with pop up for a basecamp and extended travel. There’s many such situations where a ground tent isn’t allowed
It’s a tall vehicle, not many ways to get around. I’d say buy a small, dedicated kayak trailer.
I hear ya. Trying to resist that. But it might be the best solution
You want something like this: https://yakima.com/products/boatloader-evo
I made a custom version using a bar of 8020 aluminum that slides perfectly into my roof rack. I can load my canoe by myself onto my 9 ft tall popup camper in 3 minutes. I have a little giant step ladder that I use to reach the roof.