How to choose your water sport rack
The easiest way to narrow your selection is to determine whether you will be carrying a canoe, kayak or surfboard on your roof rack. When it comes to Canoes and Surfboards, you're talking about a relatively specialized market: there are not a ton of canoe carriers and surfboard racks out there. The choice should be relatively easy. Kayaks, however, can be transported in a number of different ways. Keep reading for more information about selecting a Kayak Rack.
How do I select a Kayak Rack?
First, determine how many kayaks you will need to carry. Each kayak carrier will have a total craft capacity, which is the maximum number of kayaks that it can hold. Check out the Kayak Racks + Carriers section that has a table that will show you the maximum craft capacity for every Kayak Rack that we sell. Also in the Kayak Racks and Carriers section, you can read a summary of the different methods for carrying your Kayak on your roof.
How do I choose: Thule Water Rack, Yakima Water Rack or Inno Water Rack?
As always, both Thule and Yakima make great products, so the choice is yours. However, if you have a Thule roof rack or a Yakima roof rack and you plan to purchase the opposite brand's water carrier, be sure they are compatible. Most Thule Water Racks are compatible with Yakima racks, and most Yakima Water Racks are compatible with Thule racks, but this is not the case with every rack. When it comes to factory racks, check to be sure the rack you are interested in is compatible with your vehicle's factory rack. The easiest way to do this is to use Thule's auto Fit Guide or Yakima's auto Fit Guide. Recently, we have added Inno Water Racks as well. Inno generally makes universal fit water racks that have many of the same quality features as Thule or Yakima Racks at very reasonable prices. Inno offers a full line of base racks that can support their water racks as well.
For additional information about Watersport Racks and Carriers
To see all of our Watersport Racks and Carriers, head over to To see all of our Watersport Racks and Carriers, head over to
Water Headquarters.
