HARKEN Hoister Lightweight Cargo Carrier Overhead Garage Storage 4-Point Hoist System for 60lb Carriers, Kayaks, Canoes, Surf & Paddle Boards, Storage (60lb Capacity, 10ft Ceiling), Model 7801

I am using this to store my Yakima Skybox. It works very well for this purpose. Overall, I'm happy with the product (especially considering the price).Instructions were fairly clear, though I did have to read them about ten times before it really clicked. I consider myself to be marginally competent in the DIY-space, and I found this system pretty challenging to install correctly the first time. Someone with little-to-no experience would be wise to just hire a handyman or recruit capable friend(s) to set this up. I have a decent collection of tools, and I employed quite a few to get the job done....in addition to the included hardware, you will also need: [10] 3-1/2" lag bolts, a couple 2x6s or 2x4s, a decent drill w/ various drill+hex bits, an impact drill, a stud-finder, a ladder or stool, a chalk-line, measuring tape, dock cleat (or similar rope tie-off hardware), potentially a skillsaw or handsaw

Good system. A little bit of a pain to install in a South Florida home but worked fine once I found the rafters. Only gripe I have is that the cleat locks very well. Too well! Hard to lower it smoothly without having to climb up and lift the lock myself.

This is a high quality, well made product. It is expensive but worth it. The only concern is it’s a bit complicated to install. They provide a high quality, detailed instruction booklet. Getting my kayaks hung level took some fussing. They show a double figure-eight knot that is beyond me, so I just used a bowline knot that I learned in the Boy Scouts to connect the straps. This is my second Harkin kayak lift, so it was easier the second time around. Perhaps I should mention I bought a $40 lift, installed it, took it down and returned it. Some things you should not save money on.

Toooo expensive for what you get. I just couldn't live with spending that kind of money on such tiny little hooks when i could go to the hardware store and buy roughly the same set up for $40 less and would hold up 20 times more.

It takes a bit of planning and work to install (see photo), but once it is done, it is quite a nice system. We are using a pair of these to hang two 21-foot rowing shells. Because the boats are so long, it was important to be able to get them above the garage door when it is open, and this was the only one I found that will do that. It works because of the 4-point lift system (2 on each side of the load), as compared to only 2 lift points (1 fore and 1 aft) used by lower cost systems. Our garage ceiling is 10-ft high. At about 40 lb per boat, the 10-ft 60 lb hoist is a good match and takes a reasonable amount of effort to lift the boat. The latching system seems very positive, but I also tie off the end of the lift line as a precaution.

This seems to be a very highly regarded system but I encountered a number of problems that potential buyers should be made aware of. First off, the product is well made and "basically" is as advertised. However, I have a full size colonial home with an attached two car garage. The garage is about 25 feet deep. My kayak is a particularly long fishing kayak that is 13 1/2 ft long and 75 lbs.The problem is the rope/pulley system is not meant to drop a kayak all the way to the ground in a garage this deep. The next problem is I have a rather large support beam that runs across my garage. The pulley system needs to be run close to flush with the ceiling. To install this properly, I needed to drill a two inch hole and feed a pvc pipe through it to avoid friction. The diameter isn't an issue to the structural integrity of the beam but it was rather thick and required an expensive drill bit and a powerful (borrowed) hammer drill to do the job. I don't recommend being at an awkward angle atop a ladder with a hammer drill that is easily capable of snapping your wrists around in a painful way. When it was all said and done, there were a number of corrections that needed to be plastered over and a ton of aggravation that had to be dealt with. If I had to do it over then I'd go with a J hook mounting system or a simpler designed system with two drop pulleys. Good luck.

I need to store the large Thule I bought in my garage. I wasn’t sure if this would do it as the price was cheaper than most of the others.It does take some extra wood to mount to the ceiling and you will need an extra hand.My only complaint was the knots you need to make to attach to the straps was not fun. I spent a good 45 min doing those and redoing them to make them the right length.Once up though, you the Thule was easy to lift and easy to drop down again.

Easy to use. Tricky to install. I dont like when its not in use there is no hidden way to store ropes.