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| |  | Kayak & Canoe Racks | Home » » » Thule Stacker | | | | | | | Features: | |
• The most efficient way to carry multiple whitewater kayaks.
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 21.0 inches | | Product Width:
| 6.0 inches | | Product Height:
| 5.0 inches | | Product Weight:
| 17.49 pounds | | Package Length:
| 21.5 inches | | Package Width:
| 5.8 inches | | Package Height:
| 5.6 inches | | Package Weight:
| 7.45 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 15 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 Works out really great!Jun 25, 2010
We had been using the Thule J-style cradles to haul two recreational kayaks, with a third kayak lashed between the cradles. We wanted a 4th kayak, so we bought the Thule stacker. We are able to carry four small recreational kayaks (perception swifty/sparky) on our Chyrysler minivan using the factory roof rack and no additional bars. The thing that we also like is that we can fold the racks down when not in use and don't have to remove them from the car to pull it in the garage. We did have to purchase an additional pair of Thule straps (about $30) to haul four boats. It works really well and we're quite pleased with the Stacker.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Stacker Security ProblemsMay 25, 2010
This is well made and the straps are great. The only downside is that the kayak will lean or slide down on its bottom unless secured properly. The instructions for tieing down and the pictures are not helpful. Also, it is difficult to secure the boats properly on a high SUV without a ladder. I found the only way to keep the boats on their sides, as advertised, is to put a strap through the top the stacker, over the boat, and back under the boat securing the strap around the bottom of the stacker. You will need additional straps for more than two boats.
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
great productDec 31, 2009
Very easy to use. Practical. I can get two kayaks on a Ford Escape with little trouble and they look great. Plus when I don't have a kayak on the roof it helps me find the car in a crowded parking lot.
Thule StackerAug 11, 2009
Although not the most ideal means to transport your kayak, it sure is a lower cost alternative to the high dollar options. The Thule 830 Stacker fits onto virtually all roof racks; Thule, Yakima as well as most factory. I purchased this one to fit on the factory rack of my 2006 Toyota Highlander and was not disapointed.
The quality of material and craftsmanship is subpurb. The instructions were clearly written and the diagrams were large enough and easy to transition words to pictures.
The rack was installed in less than half an hour and if you have good strong hand grip, no tools necessary; although I would recommend that you take at least one turn with the aid of a pair of plyers just to ensure that the rack does not slip. If you are going to put this on a set of Yakima round load bars you will definately need to use plyers as I found out when I transfered the stacker to the Yakima bars on my pick up truck. Even after tightening with plyers the racks can be rotated front to back, not so on my Toyota; and I have no experience with the square Thule bars.
I really like the idea of being able to lay the rack flat on top of the roof when not in use. The previous rack that I had stuck up like a mohawak hair cut. So, if I didn't want to look at it I had to remove the entire rack, then re-install it for the next trip. With the Thule 830 you just loosen one nob and lay it down.
The only draw back to this rack is not in the design or the quality, it's in the actual loading of the kayak on top of your vehicle; the boat has to be transported on one of the side edges. Manuvering the boat into a vertical position can be a bit daunting by yourself, but it can be done. Better if you have a helper though to keep it stable until you can get the first strap in place.
Speaking of straps, the ones that come with the Thule are EXCELLENT! The buckle holds fast and the padded cover for the metal does not cause damage to your boat or car unless you are very careless. The fore and aft rope/hook lines are the absolute BEST. The old strap type that came with with my Yakima system always fluttered, made noise and in one instance wore the paint on my vehicle. Not so with the Thule rope style. The fastening device automatically ratchets secure and even after traveling 700 miles in one trip did not come loose.
Securing your kayak to the rack can be a hit and miss proposition. I tried the suggested tie down method that came with the instructions but was a bit doubtful as to the side strength of the rack when hauling only 1 kayak. I am sure that this has been tested by Thule, just me trying to over engineer everything. Anyway I did use the suggested method on one trip, but I found that the side of the kayak resting on the bars "walked" away from the rack 2-3 inches; part of the trip was in high cross winds and I guess I could have tightened the straps more. This trip, however, prompted me to devise my own strapping method which involves a loop around the base of the Thule rack, under the downside edge of the kayak, over the top to the rack. This method I found to keep my boat in place with no lateral travel.
If you are going to haul 2 boats you may wish to purchase a second set of fore/aft ropes, or you will have to devise a way to loop the nose & tail of both with one. You can get by with the single set of straps, but a second set may be more to your liking as well. Securing 2 boats was a bit more of a challenge, but once completed was as secure as hauling a single. What I did was mount the first boat and secured with the Thule recommended method using 1 strap. Then after the second boat was on top of the car I tied both boats together at the second tower, then removed the first strap on the first boat and repeated the double tie. Vola!! Ready to roll.
In conclusion, if you need to haul 2 kayaks and don't have the roof space, or the cash to buy 2 mounts to put them side by side, I highly recommend the Thule 830 Stacker, you won't be disapointed.
Worked great!Jul 13, 2009
I bought this for a 500+ mile drive to Minnesota and we had two kayaks (11' and 15') strapped down to it and it worked beautifully! I would recommend buying an extra set of the pulley cords though because those were really handy! It can be done without them but on my next trip I will definitely be buying some more of those! Overall, the carrier worked great! It did everything it promised!
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