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Yakima BowDown Kayak Rack

$189.00

(14)

Item # 767989

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Taking J-cradles to the next level, the Yakima BowDown has all the features you've been looking for in a kayak rack!

Cradle arms fold down when not in use—now you don't have to worry about parking garages with limited clearance
Accommodates most hull shapes; cradles and protects your kayak with soft pads
Because kayak is propped up on its side, it leaves more space on your crossbars for other gear
Universal mounting hardware fits round, square and most factory bars
Includes heavy-duty straps with padded buckles for secure transport; also includes bow and stern tie-down straps
Locks to crossbar with SKS lock core system (sold separately)

Please note: Yakima products can only be shipped to U.S. addresses.

Imported.

Item 767989

View all Yakima products

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Yakima BowDown Kayak Rack Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Yakima Bowdown

3.5

(based on 14 reviews)

64%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Easy to use (7)
Durable (6)
Easy to install (5)
Stable (4)
Functional (3)

Cons

Best Uses

Kayak / canoe / rafting (6)
Suv's (3)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Intermediate (3), Recreational user (3)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (4)

REVIEWS

Reviewed by 14 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-10

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Jun

2008

(13 of 13 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Simple, solid solution for factory racks

By JMS in Michigan

from Milan, Michigan

About Me Beginner

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Easy Install
Easy To Use

Cons

Best Uses

Kayaking
See car from far away

Comments about Yakima Bowdown:

Installed 2 pairs on my Ford Escape very easily and I can get into my tiny garage with no problem. Boats load easily, straps/ties are intuitive to use, and running down the highway I felt everything was very stable and secure. Instructions provided are clear but you hardly need them. Double-check the box when you buy; it says online that bow/stern lines are sold separately but I could swear mine purchased in May 08 included hull straps for each cradle plus the bow/stern lines. Check before spending more anyway...maybe this is a new development. Also, I bought the Yakima cable lock system and the SRS locks for each BowDown cradle, securing them to the crossbar. If you do this, make sure you get the same key numbers for all of these and plan ahead for other Yakima products you may buy. One key for all things Yakima...no fumbling for the right one later!

May

2009

(4 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Works so well I bought another

By BillyRay

from Northern Massachusetts

About Me Recreational User

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy on Easy off
Functional
Kind to kayak

Cons

A little wobbly

Best Uses

Kayaking

Comments about Yakima Bowdown:

I installed this on my Honda Odyssey's factory rails in the REI parking lot so I could carry my new kayak home. It was quite easy to do, and I was immediately pleased. After loading and unloading the kayak a couple more times, I decided to purchase another Bow Down.

I is not "rock solid" but I attribute that to my factory racks rather than anything Yakima did/didn't do.

The design has the bottom of the "J" protruding a little from the rack, making loading easier. The material is kind to the hull. The fold down feature is great, and I have not had problems as mentioned by another reviewer.

5 stars implies "perfect" and I am not sure I would call this perfect, but I cannot think of any reason to knock a full star off the rating - so 5 stars it is.

Jan

2010

(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Very Satisfied

By Penn State Kayaker

from Columbia, SC

About Me Advanced

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Easy To Install
Easy To Use
Stable

Cons

Best Uses

SUV's

Comments about Yakima Bowdown:

I have used this product on factory rack systems for two different makes of vehicles, Volkswagen Touarag & Land Rover LR2. The racks fit on to each of these factory rack systems well. You just have to use your head a little bit and pay attention to what you are doing. Very easy to put kayaks on once they are installed. Makes tying down the boats very easy as well. My wife has a 13.5' and I have a 14', I am able to secure boats well enough that I never even use the bow strap. Hauled Kayaks from South Carolina to Erie, PA with no issues.

The bottle opener on the end is a nice perk too!

Sep

2008

(3 of 9 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Not a good buy for the price

By Naneki-b

from Lodi, CA

About Me Recreational User

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Kayaking

Comments about Yakima Bowdown:

After having to return the mounts several times because the parts were broken I am returning the whole set-up as the bolt to hold it in up-right position has stripped with the third use. Not worth the expense. The unit also whistles at 50MPH and higher when in fold-down position...and it is not a pleasant sound and can be heard above the radio/music. The kayaks stay put and the tie down process is relatively easy.

Jul

2008

(3 of 8 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

not right for me

By LH

from TX

About Me Recreational Rider

See all my reviews

Pros

Neat idea

Cons

Not Durable

Best Uses

Kayaking

Comments about Yakima Bowdown:

After minimal use during attempted install, one of the J's would no longer lock into position. The screw assembly used for the turn knob must have stripped inside the unit.

Also, I had great difficulty trying to install the Bowdown on my factory rack. The manual requires that it be in the vertical position when you set your kayak on it. However, the alligator style clamp to attach the unit to the factory rack only tightens on one side. This results in the assembly slowly tilting as you tighten it. The auto-shift waffle blocks help some, but not nearly enough. It was very frustrating and time consuming to try to get this installed properly.

Jun

2010

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

update to working on whistle

By membersince88

from Philadelphia, PA

About Me Intermediate

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy To Install
Easy To Use
Stable

Cons

Best Uses

Any car with a roof rack

Comments about Yakima Bowdown:

This is an update to May 22, 2010 posting. Wrapping the crowns with tape to cover the honeycomb holes definitely does the job. No more whistle. The more I use this product the more I like it. Here is another suggestion: Once the kayak is on each "J" the awesome grip of the rubber will present a problem if one tries to adjust the position forward or aft. To prevent rotation on round cross bars when loading, be careful to get the forward aft position just right during the lift phase.

Oct

2009

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Good product

By Creek_Addict

from dawsonville, ga

About Me Recreational User

See all my reviews

Pros

Functional
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Kayaking

Comments about Yakima Bowdown:

i first put them on my factory rack on my fj cruiser. they weren't rock solid b/c of my factory rack. i installed the yakima racks and they are much better. there is a whistle at high speeds in lay-down position but it isn't that bad. overall it's a pretty good product.

Jun

2011

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Get the Thule

By LandP

from Chicagoland

About Me Intermediate

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Yakima Bowdown:

We purchased this to carry two kayaks, and to use on two vehicles -- a Ford cargo van and a Subaru outback. They fit pretty well on the Subaru, but on the Yakamia roof rack on the van, we could not get them tight enough to not roll over when loading a kayak. We tighetened so much the lever to tighten with snapped off. Still, the J hook rolled on the bar. I mean, who'd make a round bar on a roof rack? While they were sturdy on the Subaru (the integrated roof rack does *not* have round cross bars), they are difficult to fold down, and would be *really* hard for a lefty to manage. We returned the whole lot and got Thule instead -- much better design, much easier to use, just as sturdy for carrying your boats. BTW, REI was great about the return.

Jun

2010

(1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Better than standard , but lacks fit

By DC Mike

from Washington, DC

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable

Cons

Hard To Install Or Use
Unstable

Best Uses

SUV's

Comments about Yakima Bowdown:

Bought these because I couldn't fit two yaks flat on top of my small SUV, but it liked the fold down which allows leaving them on when not in use without preventing access to parking garages. Unfortunately they do not clamp tight to the cross bars; even when set to minimal slot and tightened frequently they find away to constantly come loose and slide and swivel.

Dec

2011

5.0

My kayak stayed put in gale winds

By lmlilyrose

from Newport, oregon

About Me Beginner

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Easy To Use
Stable

Cons

I'll have to wash the car

Best Uses

Works great on my outback

Comments about Yakima Bowdown:

I was very pleased with the ease and speed of installation @REI. The advice given me for all my water sport and camping purchases has been excellent. I am very pleased with all the items I purchased. My kayak only weighs 39 lbs & it's a little awkward getting it up on it's side alone. I'll have to do some weight training.