Securely Mount Kayaks and Canoes to Your Vehicle with the Seattle Sports Sherpak Suction Boat Roller Load Assist

VLLX: I have a 12 foot old town sportsman 120 which weighs about 85 pounds, but definitely feels heavier than that. I use this roller on a camry and stick it to the top of the trunk lid rather than the rear windshield. It has helped me load my kayak solo, but I’m always concern that it will fail causing my kayak to slam down onto my rear window as I’m pushing it up onto the roof of my car and smashing it. The reason being is that the bar holding the foam roller is not sturdy, but very wobbly. It’s held together via a screw on each side. The screws hold the bar in place, but the pre-drilled holes are too big for the screw so it only fits through loosely. Long term, the screw holes will progressively deteriorate from continued use due to the screw not fitting in tightly. The suction cups hold very well on a clean or dirty trunk surface (per my experience). You just need to work on 1 side at a time and make sure to press down the suction cup as you flip the lever over. You’ll want to ensure that there’s strong tension from the lever as you flip it over to ensure you will have a strong suction. If it flips over easily, the suction will fail. Last but not least,...

United States on Sep 19, 2023

SoloviajeroSoloviajero: This review compares three competing brands of boat rollers that are similarly priced, these being Seattle Sports, Malone and Codinter. All use identical suction cups that no doubt were sourced from the same manufacturer. They all operate the same and hold equally tight, notwithstanding that one rates the maximum load at 70 pounds and the other two at 220. It seems that the holding power would be the same for all three.

The suction cups being identical, the only difference between them is the design of the rollers, the material the rollers are made from, and the quality of the aluminum tubing that attaches the rollers to the suction cups. The Seattle Sports has a wide stance and a low, flat foam roller. Malone and Codinter use hourglass shaped rollers, which I think are better than a flat roller. The Malone roller is made from hard rubber and the Seattle Sports and Codinter rollers are made from the same sturdy foam.

The aluminum tubing used by Seattle Sports is the thinnest gauge aluminum tube, the Codinter is intermediate weight/thickness, and the Malone uses a heavy gauge aluminum tubing. All three weights are adequate for the purpose, so...

United States on Dec 19, 2020

HighFlight88: For loading or unloading a kayak or canoe to a roof rack without a helper, this roller is invaluable. Wet the rubber before locking onto the glass or body. It has a lot of holding power, but don't leave it on while travelling.

Canada on Jul 09, 2020

NicoleG: I bought this as I can not load my kayak onto my CRV on my own. I am vertically challenged and not very strong. My kayaks weighs 50 lbs so lifting it up over head was not something I could do. The boat roller has enabled me to load my CRV by myself without any issues. I use J hooks so it did take a few times to get the hang of it as it is not exactly straight rolling. I have found that I have to ensure that I press firmly on the suction portion in order for it to stay attached to my back window.

Canada on Jun 11, 2020

RLD: In my opinion, there are a surprising number of negative reviews for this product. Maybe some people have unrealistic expectations or don't apply a little common sense when using it. Many people complain it doesn't stick. I had no problems as long as you press the suction cups down against the glass before you flip the lever. If the edge of the suction cup doesn't contact the glass all around, it won't stick. Just push down on it and it will stick, even on curved glass. I use mine on a Focus hatchback with curved rear glass and it sticks very well. Others complain that it doesn't guide their boat very well. How could they expect it to? Just look at the thing, it can't provide provide much guidance. So, when you load your boat, you have to make sure you are pushing it straight. If you do, you won't have any problems.

I read so many reviews where people trash a perfectly good product because they have unrealistic expectations or don't apply a little common sense when using it or don't understand what they are buying.

This is a very good product that works very well as long as a little common sense is applied when using it.

United States on Dec 11, 2019

Kathy Jolivet: I love this roller. Even though I have an ultralight thermoform kayak and as a relatively strong woman, there is no way I could lift my kayak on and off my CRV on my own. This really works. Make sure your back window is clean and the suction is really strong. The use of a trolley in addition to this is definitely helpful. A minor complaint is that the padding should be continue right across the mid point of the roller. Don’t hesitate to buy this item.

Canada on Jul 20, 2019

T. Burden: I think this lift assist has saved my back window a bunch of times so far. I dont think i could get the boat on the rood without this simple and easy to use item. Just make sure it sticks fully before using it. I had it give out on me when i was taking the kayak off and i ended up dropping the boat.

Canada on Jul 06, 2019

Amazon Customer: Does exactly what I need it to do, makes it much easier and safer to load my kayak onto the roof of my car solo. For reference, I have a Feelfree Moken 12.5 and drive an Audi A4 with Yakima Evenkeel holders. With my kayak weighing 72 pounds, it is possible (only just) to lift it by the handles and place it on top of the rack from the side of the car but really not recommended. I’d been using a bath towel and yoga mat on the trunk as a means of sliding it up to the rack. This accomplishes the same thing but much smoother and much more control. I was concerned about the suction cups after reading a few reviews where they had difficulty getting the roller to stay out unless the surface was completely clean. I tried it with a dirty trunk and it couldn’t have stuck on any better. Plenty of grip that allowed me to move the car and I suspect, enough grip to flex the trunk deck in a bad way if I really tried. The grip may be a function of the car’s surface shape so YMMV. I think the roller could be a little smoother but that may be due to the weight of my kayak pressing down on it. Also, if the pads on the roller were slightly more conical, it might help to...

United States on Aug 26, 2018

Jen: I had the occasion to use it only twice since owning one. At first, I was wary about using this product but I have to say this is a good product. It is comparatively cheap compared to installing a full kayak loading system which can cost you over from $100 for a bar load and up if you want fancier one.
This boat roller was inexpensive and easy to use. It saved me a lot of energy after a kayak trip. I have to say to proceed with caution when using this boat roller as the suction may come off when you are loading it. Just make sure it's well suctioned on your windshield. It happened to me once when loading it, but it went well with no damages.
You are able to load a kayak (mine is a Clearwater Design Algonquin 14ft long, weighs 53lbs) alone without any problems (car is a Mazda 3). I had people asking if I needed help due to the size of the kayak, but I decline since I have the Sherpak boat roller to assist me.
All in all, I would highly recommend this product if you don't want to spend too much money. However, proceed with care.
Tip: clean your windshield with water, wipe it with microfibre towel, press down the roller (suction part) and push down the...

Canada on Sep 15, 2014