Yakima JayLow Folding J-Cradle Rooftop Kayak Rack with Tie-Downs

Yakima, you’ve done it again! I’m beyond happy I invested in the JLows. These racks give me absolute peace of mind every time I drive across the state. My kayak stays perfectly in place, no matter the speed or bumps on the road. The construction is top-notch—super durable and able to stand up to the Arizona sun and elements without a hitch. Plus, I was once again impressed by the out-of-the-box experience—everything is well-made, easy to install, and ready to go. What really sealed the deal, though, was the customer service. They were friendly, patient, and incredibly helpful when I had a question. I couldn’t ask for a better product to secure my kayak. Worth every penny!

These are well worth the money. Well designed and easy to install and remove. Holds the the kayak firmly with included straps. Good purchase.

I got these to fit on my Yakima aerodynamic cross rails for kayak transporting. They fit snugly and securely and are easy to get on/off and the fold-down feature is really nice so my Rav4 can fit in the garage. I've only used them three times since purchase so I cannot comment on longevity but they seem to be well made with sturdy components. My main dislike is that, combined with the Yakima rail system, they set well in from the edge of my car's roof - enough that I have to use a blanket to protect my car from getting scuffed when putting the kayak on and off by myself. Without the blanket, the kayak would undoubtedly scuff the crap out of my car thru incidental contact. The other thing which may or may not be a big deal is that the folding arm has a bit of a wobble when 'locked' into whatever position. It doesn't seem like a defect as much as just how it is - probably so it is easier to reposition. When my kayak is strapped securely in, it doesn't wobble but time will tell if that wobble wears out the position locking mechanism inside.

These things are amazing. Absolutely nothing to install, in seconds. Round, square, or aero bars these just install. Boom done. Load your kayak. Straps for center, and both ends. Really, the center straps tied my kayak (9'9") down totally. System is secure, and very sturdy. The fold down feature is genius, and literally makes them disappear (read out of site out of mind) when not in use. Mine are mounted on a Jeep Renegade Trailhawk, and are perfect for loading and unloading. These are adjustable, and don't forget to lock the folding part, for perfect and secure fit. I am a Yakima guy, with lots of their stuff over the last 30 plus years, and these are a great add to my collection. Yakima quality is very apparent. Yup stop looking , order and start enjoying your kayaking more. Isn't that why you bought a kayak? :-)

Among my friends, I am the only one who drives a vehicle capable of transporting kayaks without any extra equipment. I have always just thrown them in the back, but I can only fit two inside the vehicle. In an effort to increase my capacity to bring more friends out on the water, I purchased two sets of these racks. They attached directly to my Suburban's aero-style bars, but had cutouts for square bars and sleeves for round bars as well. Once attached, they were very secure. The only way they were going anywhere is if they sheared the crossbars off the roof itself. I purchased the Yakima lock cores, which I felt is an unnecessary secondary purchase. They really should just build these into the racks. Strapping the boats takes less than 5 minutes if you're only putting one on, obviously longer if you're strapping two to a rack. It was kind of confusing at first figuring out what goes where for two on a rack, but now that I've done it a few times, I can get 4 kayaks on my roof ready for the road in less than 30 minutes with one other person to help. The racks came with bow and stern straps, but I didn't really feel comfortable with them in the front after the first trip. The straps would shake with the wind, even with a couple twists in them, and the backpack-style buckles didn't inspire much confidence. I have since purchased two sets of the Yakima Bow and Stern Tiedowns with the ratchet-style tightening system and rope. I use all 4 in the front (since that's where the most force is while driving) and hook them directly into the push bar on the front of my vehicle. I still use the supplied straps for the rear. **The bow and stern straps are the most important part of this whole system. They are what keep the boats in your car at speed. Without them, the wind would shear the rack right off your car. They are only attached with thin sheet metal screws. It is because if this I would recommend getting a better tiedown system, at least for the front. All told, I am very happy with this purchase. I am able to fit 4 boats on the roof of my vehicle, which leaves room inside for friends and gear. I don't have pictures with 4 on there, but you can see if I straightened the rack with the green boat that there is enough room to put another kayak on the other side of the rack. I have had 4 boats on the roof and driven 70mph on the highway with no problems whatsoever (aside from the wind noise, which is unavoidable). I will update if anything changes, but for now, I would definitely recommend these.

Rack works like it should, no problems. Easy installation. Drove 400 miles with 2 kayaks attached on Yakima Overhaul HD, rock solid!

These are the best J racks I've ever used. Solid construction with no assembly required. They fit tightly to aero cross bars and I'm able to easily carry two 12 ft kayaks knowing they will not move. The load assists are a real bonus when getting the boats on. I did not bother getting the locks as they mount and dismount so quickly I just take them off and lock in the trunk. Worth the money.

Sturdy, well built and easy to install . Excellent product .

These are even easier to install than I anticipated! They're solid, and by supporting 2 kayaks, it saves you on having to buy 2 pairs. The cheaper non folding alternatives are a pain to set up! If you park your vehicle in a garage they most likely won't fit, meaning you'll need to take them off every time! It takes 30-45 minutes to put on/ take them off! It made me never want to go kayaking. Now with these, it's a breeze! Here's my main complaint and it's a significant one. Yakima is earning extra revenue by selling the locks separately. This, in my opinion is poor customer service! That should be included in the racks! If it was, I'd give it 5 stars. The locks aren't cheap either, and again, it's functionality that should just be part of the racks. Just include them, and increase the price slightly. That said, they come off super easily, so it's not a huge deal, but still, I want to eventually have the ability to lock them so that'll be an extra expense in the future for sure.

Well, we spring for two sets as you can see. They work absolutely great, were a breeze to put on, and we did get the locks also so we can leave them on through the summer. The straps that come with them are so easy to use and seem to hold tight without crushing the kayaks. Very happy that we can load up on a nice day and hit the water without a huge production. They also fold down and blend in fairly nice when not in use, very happy

UPDATED: After 4 years, still LOVING this rack! Received it in less than a week, small compact box. Incredibly easy to set up - it fit right on our Toyota Highlander rack, very clever design. We used it for two kayaks as well as for one kayak. We actually placed the second kayak on its keel, with foamies (which we had) but tied it to the rack and the other kayak. We had to improvise a bit as our vehicle does not have metal front hook, but we got it to work. It was GREAT! I can't get over how easy it is to install and to use. Our kayaks have never felt so secure! Wow. We are very, very impressed.