Last year I replaced my 2002 Honda Civic with a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek. I’m short - 5’3", and normally do a lot by myself. It was so easy to lift kayaks on the Honda but this little Subaru is taller, plus looks like I’ll have to haul my kayak (s) sideways.
What’s the best/ easiest rack for a short person to use?
Have you looked at the Amagansett Roller Loader? Costs some but makes it much easier.
As to racks, anything that does not require much aiming. Which takes Jbars out.
not cheap but some thing like this… but there are other options
cheaper way
Hi, acy,
We use Yakima HullyRoller saddles, now called the SweetRoll and it works pretty well. My wife can lean her kayak up against the rear of our Crosstrek (using a protective mat) and slide the kayak up over the rear rollers and then set it down on the front saddles. It’s fairly easy to readjust the position of the kayak once it’s up on all four saddles. She also uses a folding step to gain some height advantage.
We thought about the extension arms but the roller saddles and a protective mat work well.
Tom
Have a Crosstrek as well, and use the Yakima Timberline set up with it (towers that attach to the factory side rails).
For shorter folks, the Yakima ShowDown side loading device is also helpful, and quite a bit lighter (and less expensive) than the Thule Hull-a-Vator.
I use a homemade device similar to the Inno Kayak Lifter:
https://www.innoracks.com/int/products/marinesports/kayak.html
that looks like a good option but they’re out of stock everywhere 
Was it easy to make?
Yes, it was easy to make. I used PVC plastic pipe. Here are a few photos:
All PVC joints are glued except where the vertical loading guide bar slips in for loading.
