Although kayaking is an extremely fun and enjoyable sport, storing a kayak can be a bit of a hassle. They are long, heavy, and usually made out of hard plastic so storing them and even moving them is a hard task to do.
Best Canoe/Kayak Hoists for Garage:
If you’re a kayak owner then you’ve probably encountered this problem by now, luckily there is an easy solution to this problem. It involves the use of a rather simple system of pulleys and ropes, we are of course talking about kayak hoist systems.
So let’s go through some of the best kayak hoist lifts available on the market and also how you can set one up.
If you’re a kayak or a canoe fanatic like ourselves, then you’ll surely love the content that we create. So be sure to check our other articles such as the best kayak trolling motor at canoesurfer.net.
| Canoe Carriers | Rating |
|---|---|
| HARKEN Kayak Hoist | 10/10 (Editors choice) |
| VIVOHOME heavy duty | 10/10 |
| Great Working Tools Kayak Hoist Lift | 8/10 |
| RAD Sportz kayak hoist lift | 10/10 |
| StoreYourBoard Kayak Ceiling Storage Hoist | 9/10 |
| Racor - PHL-1R, Storage Rack Lift | 8/10 |
| StorMore kayak hoist | 9/10 |
1.HARKEN Kayak Hoist
What we love:
- It has a super durable build.
- Its 6:1 mechanical advantage makes it super easy to use
- Setting it up takes no time at all
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Even wight distribution makes lifting super easy | ❌ Is a little bit more expensive but its definitely worth it |
| ✅ Can be adjusted for things other than canoes and kayaks | |
| ✅ A 5 year warranty insures superb reliability and customer satisfaction |
2. VIVOHOME heavy duty:
What we love:
- It’s super strong and stable
- Setting it up is actually a very easy process
- Really easy to operate
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Designed to carry heavy loads for extended periods of time | ❌ The 120 pounds lift capacity is divided between the two hooks, but still it can hold up almost any kayak |
| ✅ The two pack makes it really economical | |
| ✅ Super durable lock mechanism |
3. Great Working Tools Kayak Hoist Lift
What we love:
- Durable materials used in the build
- Can be used for a variety of other purposes such as hanging bikes and such
- Can easily lift a loaded kayak
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Heavy duty lifting | ❌ The instructions that it comes with aren't as clear |
| ✅ Strong build quality | |
| ✅ Can be used with a variety of different products as well |
4. RAD Sportz kayak hoist lift:
What we love:
- Doesn’t get in the way after installing it
- Great for the price
- Setting it up is easy and doesn’t require a lot of time
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Easy setup instructions | ❌ You might need some extra rope |
| ✅ Great quality materials | |
| ✅ Super affordable |
5. StoreYourBoard Kayak Ceiling Storage Hoist:
What we love:
- Instructional guides and videos detail the exact setup mechanism
- Easy enough to lift
- A great antilock mechanism that prevents falling
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Can be installed in less than half an hour | ❌ The instruction manual isn't really that great, but you can esily work around that by watching the video that we provided below |
| ✅ Great lock mechanism | |
| ✅ Superb durability |
6. Racor – PHL-1R, Garage Ceiling Storage Rack Lift:
What we love:
- Great for storing all kinds of heavy stuff that gets in the way
- It has a phenomenal carrying capacity of over 240 lbs
- The lifting process is made super easy with the help of a crank
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Phenomenal carrying capacity of over 240 lbs | ❌ Requires some extra materials for strong support |
| ✅ Super easy to lift using the crank | |
| ✅ Other materials can be easily used |
7. StorMore kayak hoist:
What we love:
- Comes in a pack of two
- Great price for the whole system
- Good build quality for the price
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Really affordable price for a two pack | ❌ Lifting can be a little hard without gloves |
| ✅ Excellent lock mechanism | |
| ✅ Durable build |
Buying guide for kayak hoist systems
When buying kayak hoist systems, there are a few things that you need to consider beforehand.
Dimensions of your kayak:
The first thing that should pay attention to is the dimensions of your kayak and the dimensions of your garage. The ceiling of your garage room needs to be high enough so that even after the installation of the hoist, you’re left with enough space to do your work unaffected. Generally, 12 to 16 feet is a great height for this kind of work.
Which one should you get an electric or a manual hoist lifter:
Electric hoist lifters are great, they really simplify the process of lifting the kayak and gently setting it down. But they can be very expensive and a little harder to install. Furthermore, some of the electric hoist lifters require extra space to operate.
So if you’re on a tight budget and have less space to work with then using a manual kayak hoist lifter is just as good. The only problem with this kind of hoist is the obvious manual labor of lifting it up and setting it down.
How much weight can kayak hoist system support:
Well, it depends on the kayak, but these hoists can lift up more than 120 lbs easily. However you should always consult the manual beforehand, so you know exactly how much weight the hoist supports.
How much do they cost:
Lastly, let’s talk a bit about the prices of these kayak hoist systems. They usually range from as little as 20 to 30 dollars to as high as 100. It’s obvious that the hundred dollar ones come with additional features and benefits, we have listed their price and relative benefits down below so do check them out.
let’s move onto the next step: how do you even set up a kayak hoist lifter. Well, we can explain the simple steps involved in the process but we think that a video will explain it much better.
Tip: Most of the kayak hoists in this list come with a locking mechanism so to ease your struggle of manually pulling it up, you can just take breaks in the middle and pull it up little by little. This takes a little longer but is much easier on the arms.