Probably the most known method of transport is the roof rack or gutter mount kayak rack. Definitely more secure than the bungee cord, the straps provided prove more than worthy. These gutter mount racks can be used on cars or mounted to truck shells. Another effective method of transport is a truck rack for your kayaks and other gear. Some sport rack brackets mount onto truck beds or Toyota tie down cleats allowing for a variety of gear and mounts including various Thule and Yakima accessories.

You don’t have to live in the past to be in the present. Shop around and compare products. Find out what is the best outfit for your application. Be a consciences consumer. As we search for alternative ways to keep our environment clean, look for better, more effective ways to keep what we have out of our landfills. Let’s keep the oceans and our planet clean for those of us that love-2-kayak.

About the Author: Greg Brogdon has worked in various aircraft manufacturing and aerospace sectors and has been a health educator for over ten years. He has published various abstracts and research papers including Nutritional Glycomics: How Defects in Glycosylation Contribute to Down Syndrome (McNair Journal 2004). He is also the founder of Love 2 Surf™ and the inventor of the L2S Sport Rack Bracket™.

Originally submitted at REI

These 1"-diameter round crossbars are a main component of Yakima car top multi-sport rack systems.

Yakima 58 Inch Round Bars – Pair

A Great Truck Option

Gift: No

Pros: STRONG, Easy To Use, Stable, Truck rack, Easy To Install, Durable

Best Uses: Trucks

Describe Yourself: Anytime

I’ve used this product for years. I had a set that I passed on to my son for his car after I purchased a longer set for tacoma truck. Nothing lasts forever (2nd law of thermodynamics), but these will carry you a long way! I carry kayaks, bikes, surfboards, skis, & more on roads & into the back country. The perfect addition to the L2S Sport Rack Brackets!

(legalese)

Truck Racks for hauling sports equipment are now in demand. Consumers are looking for more options. Some people want to mount their equipment on the cab or on top of a shell with a roof or gutter mount rack; others are looking to mount their gear in the bed of the truck or onto a trailer hitch. Each application appeals to various segments of the population.

For those truckers that feel their options are limited with a shell or roof rack system, there are the bed mount racks. Thule’s Xsporter is a massive example. It is big but so is the price tag averaging $550. Height is adjustable. Additional hardware is needed.  It works well for hauling gear over 10 ft. in length and 400 lbs.

Yakima Outdoorsman 300 is another option for carrying long kayaks etc. over 10 ft and up to 300 lbs. At a price of $180 per pair $360 for a set of four, it is a less expensive option without the height adjustment.

For sportsman not needing the extra length cab over, Love 2 Surf™ has a more affordable option. The L2S Sport Rack Brackets mount Thule and Yakima accessories to the bed rail or directly onto Toyota’s bed cleats. The weather sealed steel can easily hold 200 lbs or 110 lbs on one of Toyota’s bed cleats. That is more than enough security for most avid sportsman. The cost of a set of four is $129. Add a pair of crossbars for approximately $60 and your total system cost is under $200. One advantage with this product is that mounted to Toyota’s rail system you only have to slide them out of the way if you need to load or haul other equipment. Unlike most products today, L2S products are made in the USA!

The hottest New truck accessory available!

What Thule® & Yakima® didn’t have available is now the latest/greatest truck rack innovation we have seen yet.

The L2S Sport Rack Bracket™ manufactured by Love 2 Surf™ is the latest trend in sports rack accessories for trucks. This ingenious device mounts Thule® & Yakima® accessories to your truck bed. The idea was not to reinvent the wheel, but to adapt the leading sport rack accessories to a standard truck bed. The founder Greg Brogdon created a bracket that mounts to Toyota® Tacoma and Tundra bed rail cleats. What separates this product from the rest is that mounted on Toyota’s bed rail system, you simply slide the rack system out of the way when more bed room is needed…a task that takes seconds. As Mr. Brogdon stated, “the only other option was to put a rack system on a shell and I didn’t want an SUV, I wanted a truck for all its intended purposes. I created this system out of necessity, there wasn’t anything else available.”

The response from consumers and dealerships has been excellent with many southern and central California Toyota dealerships stocking them. What started as a simple project to create something for his own personal use transformed into what people are now calling an innovation in sports machines. The L2S Sport Rack Bracket™ enables truck enthusiast to carry surfboards, bikes, kayaks, skis, cargo boxes, and other essential sports gear. Prior to this product most consumers (i.e. surfers) used a bungee cord to tie their gear into the truck bed which tally’s up the cost of repair as equipment slides and bounces around the cargo bed. This product holds all items secure.

Probably one of the best benefits of using this product is the fact that the truck bed is completely empty to carry your other gear e.g. camping, cargo, etc. This is a valuable product for any truck owner who doesn’t want to limit their trucks usage. It is a stylish addition as well. Without a doubt, this product will soon become the go to product of choice for truck owners looking for an easy, cost effective solution for carrying their sports equipment. To find a dealer near you or find out more information go to www.love-2-surf.com.

Staff Writer

Transform your truck into a sports machine

I remember my pre-truck days mounting my sports gear on top of my roof rack system. What a pain getting all my gear to its destination. Not to mention the wasteland of scrap that lined the highways and byways with scattered remains of what once was. Getting older, I just wanted something a little simpler.

In 2007, I bought a Toyota Tacoma. I talked with the dealership about buying a shell. After all, I needed something to mount my gear. What other options were there? I remember my wife’s’ voice, “you know…if you put a shell on there you wont be able to get to your gear. You will need three others to help you remove it. And once you get in on, it’s never coming off.” Her words haunted me. Did I really want to turn my truck into an SUV by putting a shell on it? Why did I buy a truck? Did I really want an SUV? No, I wanted a truck! I need a truck for all of its functions.

Soon after, I purchased various accessories but nothing worked. I was frustrated. After researching for options, it was clear there was nothing available. I began designing and testing multiple prototypes that would allow me to use the leading cargo rack accessories from Thule® and Yakima®. The resulting product far exceeded my expectations. My need transformed into the “state of the art” rack system for all my sports equipment. Soon, people were asking me “Where’d you get those racks? I like them.” I realized that others need them too.

I formed a company called (what else) Love 2 Surf and patented my invention. Our goal was not to reinvent the wheel, but to adapt and complement the leading automobile accessories while preserving the truck bed for it’s originally intended purpose…hauling gear and equipment. The L2S Sports Rack Brackets™ are unique in that they create a rack system that mounts to standard truck bed/deck rails &/or tie down attachments allowing full use of the open truck bed. The system sits above the open bed frame and is easily adjusted and/or removed by sliding them out of the deck rails (Toyota® trucks). It can easily adjust to a variety of rack needs to allow for snowboards, skis, surfboards: long boards and short boards, wind surfers, bikes, kayaks, cargo boxes and more. The L2S Sports Rack Brackets™ enable the utilization of the manufactures standard features &/or accessories (i.e. Toyota® Tie Downs &/or Deck Rails). With the addition of a crossbar accessory of choice (e.g. Thule®, Yakima®) it easily transforms the truck bed into a utility rack carrying system. There is no need for additional clips, clamps, springs, or locks like roof and bed attachment counterparts. The round or rectangular holed brackets attach commonly sold crossbars to complete the rack system. I love this system and find it fully functional and versatile for all sports equipment and it can mount to all truck beds.

Love 2 Surf™ is committed to providing quality state of the art automobile accessories that help you do what you love-2-do. To find a dealership in your area visit our website at www.love-2-surf.com  

What's A Truck For?