I have a 2023 Subaru Crosstrek. It has raised rails and no cross bars. I have been successful at using foams and putting canoes between the rails.
It is now time to purchase the bars. Should I get the:
Thule WingBar Edge (no overhang)
Thule WingBar Evo? (extends past the rails)
I prefer the look of the edge, but in the next year I am going to need to start carrying 2 kayaks. I don’t have the mounts for kayaks yet. Would the WingBar Edge on a surbaru have enough room for 2 kayaks?
Which wingbar, and which kayak mounts should I buy?
If you want to load two kayaks sitting hull down, a simple place to start for the length of the cross bars is to add the widths of the two kayaks together plus another four inches or so. The four inches ensures that some of the bar extends beyond the kayaks to give you something to wrap the straps around. Yes, kayaks taper down toward the ends, but not very much near the cockpit where your cross bars will be. I like my 135cm (53 inch) Thule cross bars for two touring kayaks. And I like having the cross bars extend above the door frame a bit because I don’t have to lean inward toward the middle of the roof while loading a kayak alone.
J-Cradles would let you tip the kayaks on edge so you could get them closer together. But, I recommend trying those out before you buy (maybe a friend has them, or make a new friend at a launch). I find that it’s a pain tipping the kayaks on edge to load them into the cradles.
Agreed. Also, getting a secure fit in the J-cradles depends to some degree on hull geometry, at least in my experience. My Bell Rob Roy has a round hull similar to the Magic canoe; it always seemed to be about ready to roll out of the cradles (an older Thule model) so I went to a saddle-style carrier instead.
