Which kayak cart should I choose?

Which kayak cart should I choose?

To answer that question, you must first start from which kayak model you have or intend to purchase. What characterizes most kayak carts is that they are designed for traditional open-air model kayaks, so they usually work best with kayaks with v-shaped hulls. This means that you may often need to adapt traditional kayak carts to work well with a fishing kayak.

There are essentially 5 types of kayak trailers on the market today, these are:

     Built-in transport wheel is available on some models from several manufacturers. So you don't need to buy an extra cart to get to the water = cheap. This "carriage type" works best when the fishing kayak is unloaded, many choose to supplement with another type of cart for longer transports.

     Traditional kayak cart on which the kayak rests and is held in place by tension straps. There is a large selection of these carts, which means that they are relatively cheap to buy. However, think about whether the cart fits your kayak, in many cases you may need to adapt the cart so that the kayak will lie well (still) on the cart. With this cart model, you can often transport the kayak to and from the water with your equipment in the kayak (fishing rod, sonar, kayak crate, etc.), but keep the manufacturer's weight limitations for each cart in mind to avoid unnecessary damage.

     Fixed trolley where the wheels fold up/down during transport. This model of kayak trailer was developed in the USA with fishing kayaks in mind, Boonedox Landing Gear was the first and other manufacturers have since followed. A big advantage of these wheels is that you can usually keep a lot/all of your equipment in the kayak and thus save time from the car to the water. The wheels are attached to the kayak behind the seat and are easily folded up/down with the equipment still in the kayak. However, care should be taken not to exceed the weight restrictions for these models. When transporting, these work best on a surface that is relatively smooth and without major pits and roots, but if you use common sense and consider the weight, it is an excellent choice for most kayak anglers. However, the cost of these is relatively high.

     TROLLER cargo and transport wagon is another type of kayak wagon that was also invented in Sweden. This trolley model is perfect for traditional sea kayaks that are relatively narrow and have a v-shaped hull. The finesse of this model is that in addition to working as a kayak trailer, you can also use it as a cargo trailer. The trolley is simply placed on the end of the car roof and then helps you roll your sea kayak onto the car roof. Super smooth and very easy to use.

     Scupper Hole carts are the last of the cart models, this model consists of wheels and 2 tubes that stick up through the kayak's drainage hole (scupper hole) and are thus held in place without tensioning straps. These models are usually model-specific, but there are also models where the width between the tubes can be adjusted to fit different kayak models. The installation of these carts often means that you need to empty loose objects from the kayak when it is to be assembled, as the kayak has to be tipped/lifted to install the wheels. There are also those who have come up with a way to mount the cart without unloading the kayak, but that requires you to be relatively tall and strong. Our assessment is therefore that the trolley type works best if you are not fishing yourself and can therefore be helped to lift and put in the trolley from the underside of the kayak.

Feel free to contact us in the store if you have questions about which model you should choose for your kayak,