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An awesome alternative to transporting your yak on the roof of your vehicle is with a kayak trailer. This is a popular option with those of us who use roof boxes or have a vehicle that is not suited for roof-top carry.
Since there are so many options, makes and models to choose from, it can be a daunting task to decide which kayak trailer to buy.In this guide, I’m going to reveal my top 5 kayak trailers suitable for most people and circumstances. First, let’s take a quick look at the key elements to look out for when buying a trailer.
Kayak Trailer Buyers Guide – What You Need To Know Before You Buy
Kayak Capacity
If you’re a solo kayaker then a simple option is the single-carry trailer for which there are many options on the market.
If however, you have a family and maybe friends that you like to head outdoors with, then it may be prudent to get a trailer that is capable of towing multiple yaks of 2, 3 or more.
When choosing my own trailer, I opted for a 2-person trailer, even though I take most of my ‘on the water adventures’ alone. This gives me the flexibility to add another yak on if needed, perhaps if my wife suddenly decides to tag along or a friend or colleague is up for an adventure with me.
Weight Capacity
As all vehicles have towing capacity, so to do trailers. Their maximum weight capacity is based on the structure and build of the framework and also the wheels and what kind of loads they are designed to accommodate.
Be sure to take into consideration the weight of your yak and any other gear you will be stowing inside of it for the journey. Personally, I prefer to just have my kayak on the trailer and nothing else. This helps a lot with maneuverability, especially on narrow tracks off the beaten path.
Trailer Width
The total width of the trailer is important for a few reasons, namely, it depends on the kind of roads you will be driving. Here in the US and Canada, we’re blessed with wide roads that can accommodate wide vehicles with ease …for the most part.
However, we often need to negotiate much smaller roads and sometimes off-road, in order to reach those hard-to-get-to places that offer the best paddling spots.
Typically your trailer will be narrower than your vehicle, so it won’t be much of an issue. There are some that can be wider, and this is by design in order to accommodate multiple Kayaks and/or other outdoor equipment such as bikes and other gear.
Additional Features
Most of us that enjoy kayaking are also into other outdoor sports such as mountain biking or stand up paddleboards. What I have found is that there are some companies who think like us adventure junkies, and they have set about offering trailers that are Multi-Sport.
So if you want to take a Kayak and a SUP on your trailer, they’ve got a solution for that. I’d recommend this option (#1 in our list above) for those that are looking for this kind of flexibility.
Top Kayak Trailer Reviews
- One medium to large sized recreational
- Fishing kayak with traditional
- Non-traditional hull design
- 8" High Speed Tires with Powder Coated Wheels and Molded Fenders
- 1 set of Bunks included
- Marine-grade galvanized steel frame for years of dependable service
- Galvanized heavy-duty axle & leaf spring suspension deliver a smooth stable ride under full load
- Reinforced extra-long tongue with lift handle and tongue skid plate
- Coated steel load bars fit most manufacturer's kayak carriers
- Powder-coated 5-lug high-speed wheels and injection-molded fenders
- Marine grade pre-galvanized steel frame, 78" wide x 159" long
- 78" coated steel cross rails (fits most attachments), 2" hitch
- Includes 4 Malone FoldAway-J Kayak Carriers, Five-year warranty, Fits up to 4 kayaks
- 197 lbs. (base kayak trailer), 355 lb. capacity, Assembles in 2-3 hours, complete instructions
- 8' tongue w/ support skid & lift handle, long tongue can transport boats up to 19' in length
- Marine-grade galvanized steel frame for years of dependable service
- Galvanized heavy-duty axle & leaf spring suspension deliver a smooth stable ride under full load
- Reinforced extra-long tongue with lift handle and tongue skid plate
- Coated steel load bars fit most manufacturer's kayak carriers
- Powder-coated 5-lug high-speed wheels and injection-molded fenders
Personally, I prefer a metal/galvanized trailer over a powder-coated one since trailers tend to get dinged and scratched over time. The last thing I want to do is worry about scratching a product that is designed to haul gear around the country.
This is more of a traditional trailer that you will be used to seeing. With the ability to carry gear for multiple sports such as Cycling, Paddleboarding and of course Kayaking, the frame is also designed to absorb road vibrations which make towing a more pleasant experience.
Conclusion
When buying a kayak trailer it’s important that you get something that is robust enough to handle your adventures and also flexible, with the option to add more kayaks in the future.
Of course, if your going solo and don’t foresee the need for carrying more than one yak then go for a single. You can always buy additional and removable arms/racks as and when you need too.
