Review - Thule Evo WingBar Roof Rack and K-Guard Kayak Carrier

Review - Thule Evo WingBar Roof Rack and K-Guard Kayak Carrier
The new year is going to signal the start of many new adventures for me; including a dive into the world of expedition sea kayaking. The change has created a demand for some new transportation kit — the Thule Evo WingBar Roof Rack and Thule K-Guard Kayak Rack are two of those investments…

I have previously reviewed the very well designed Thule ProRide 598 Bike Carrier on the blog, and praised its practical and durable design for transporting bikes on the roof of your car. Ever since owning that bike carrier I have been keen to try one of the innovative T-track slide roof racks from the Swedish brand, to see if they truly deliver on their promised fast access and ease of use when combined with Thule's roof-top rack accessories.

A change of family car meant that a new roof rack was in demand, and so it seemed a logical choice to go for the new Evo WingBar from Thule. The exceptionally strong aluminium bar is super light, but also super strong — easily capable of taking the load of a kayak, four bikes, or even a small sailing dinghy (I have tried all of these). The WingBar is also notably a lot quieter than my previous box section roof rack; this is because of the clever WindDiffuser technology, which produces a more aerodynamic profile to the bar, and reduces noisy turbulent air when driving at speed.

The highlight of the Thule Evo WingBar though, has to be its ease of use. It takes less than five minutes to fit the rack to the roof rails on the car, and then thanks to the T-track system it is equally effortless to slide in your chosen accessory — be it bike carrier, kayak carrier, or roof box. Less time fiddling with traditional U-clamps means more time exploring your destination.

The Thule K-Guard Kayak Carrier is a new accessory necessitated by my investment into a proper sea kayak for my expedition aims. It is a supportive cradle, with a clever tilt system that allows you to remove the kayak from the roof with far greater ease. One of the best features of the K-Guard rack, aside from its superb build quality, is the lockable ratchet straps that accompany it; they use the same keys as those used to lock the rack itself to the roof rack; but effectively means that the roof rack, kayak carrier, and kayak itself can all be locked for peace of mind.

To sum up, I can say that much like every piece of Thule kit that I have tested to date, the Thule Evo Wingbar Roof Rack and accompanying Thule K-Guard Kayak Rack are exceptional — in their design, build quality, and functionality. Easy to use kit, which works faultlessly and lasts for years.

Let's go somewhere…

Review - Thule Evo WingBar Roof Rack and K-Guard Kayak Carrier

Review - Thule Evo WingBar Roof Rack and K-Guard Kayak Carrier

Review - Thule Evo WingBar Roof Rack and K-Guard Kayak Carrier

Review - Thule Evo WingBar Roof Rack and K-Guard Kayak Carrier
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