Yakima  JayHook Kayak Rack

When I first put the JayHooks on, they would swivel with crosswinds and make my kayak diagonal on top of my rack which caused me to have to readjust and tighten frequently. This was annoying with the round bars I had before, but wasn't a huge issue. I ended up buying the more aerodynamic core bars and have had issues with the JayHook kayak racks. This last trip, the bottom plastic piece that secures the JayHook to the rack snapped completely in half, bent a corebar, and launched my kayak into the highway. My new car now has a huge dent in the rear from where the JayHook cradle slammed into the back. I'm very lucky that no one was hurt, but I am really disappointed in the quality of this product.

I agree with the other reviews that Yakima likely did not do a thorough check with crosswinds on this product. While on the highway the bottom plastic part snapped in half, bending my rear Yakima bar out of place to where it is unusable. Subsequently my kayak was also launched off of my vehicle, causing damage to my car. Luckily no one was hurt. I bought all genuine Yakima accessories and crossbars because I expected quality and safety. While Yakima did replace the JayHooks and the crossbars at no charge, my vehicle needs considerable body work. Very disappointed.

Spent forever deciding which to buy and finally just let the associate in REI decide for me. Couldn't be happier! These are easy to use, easy to fold down when you're not using them, and a breeze to remove when you're not using them for a while. And you can actually put THREE kayaks on the roof. It took a little while to come up with a method for strapping them down, but it's amazing how quickly and easily we can now load up the car. Definitely a bit on the pricey side, but in my mind, totally worth it for the ease of use and how securely the kayaks are attached.

Just received the yakima jay hook kayak rack and it was missing the rubber bottom on one of the hooks. I called yakima directly and they are sending me the missing pieces (they were super easy to reach and deal with!). Two things I'm on the fence about 1) we have the Yakima wind guard and it does not provide clearance for the hook. When I spoke with Yakima they do not have an extender so I can move the cross bar back to accommodate the hook. The guard has hooks that attach it to the crossbar and they only come in one size. Complete bummer as now the hook is sorta jammed behind the wind guard and the guard is bowed out. Second, I read that the jhooks fit great on rounded Yakima cross bars. Not really. With the Kayak off, they easily (almost) fall over. If my husband doesn't rig something up...I may send this rack back :(

I recently purchased two of these for my kayaks and so far they have performed flawlessly. They take minutes to assemble and install. Directions are very clear as well. The quality of the rack is what you would expect from Yakima. Although there are similar racks on the market, I went with the trusted name and spent a little more. The quality shows and I am very happy with the purchase. Simple, effective, and get the job done.

We bought a set of Jay Hooks to transport a kayak on top of a 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek. While they fit and were easy to install, they caused so much force on the crossbar that the crossbar essentially broke. Although it is not a clean break, the bar is creased and unusable. Luckily we did not lose the kayak, although getting it home was a challenge. Yakima should warn that it may not work with factory crossbars (which hold up to 150 lbs and we had a 49 lb kayak on top). It needs sturdy crossbars given the force applied over a small area.

Overpriced with parts that will not stay in place,flimsy plastic clamp bar. You can get the same quality at a third the price on Amazon. These are nowhere near the quality of the JayLow which I also have.

These slip on Yakima Round Bars. This causes the Kayak to loosen the tension straps.

Front s-hook failed, almost lost the kayak and put other drivers in danger.

Don't really need instructions, but go ahead and read them. Ya know, just in case. But you won't need them. Promise!