First off, what is a Kayak trailer? A kayak trailer is a type of trailer that is designed to be towed behind the vehicle. It is one of the quickest, most efficient ways to transport a kayak.

They have more space for different kayaks and other equipment, you can use this for canoes and bikes so it can come in really handy.

Is a kayak trailer really worth  $1000+?

I honestly think they are worth the investment only if you have the funds, especially for anyone who is planning a kayaking trip with multiple kayaks, it is more or less essential to take one with you.

If you haven’t been before loading and unloading is one of those activities that can easily become quite tedious and stressful. 

However, with a trailer you take out the heavy lifting as you don’t need to put it on your roof it saves you that hassle carrying the heavy kayaks and risking back injury.

I was a bit skeptical when I started kayaking and thought how useful is a kayak trailer? But after I purchased one (and thought if I don’t like it I can simply return it) I didn’t regret my choice, you load the trailer closer to the ground clip it to the back of your SUV, and go loading and unloading is easy, especially going in a group taking up to 6 kayaks is a breeze.

In no particular order, the list shows the best kayak trailers and shows the best features of all of them.

1. Auto Racks MicroSport kayak Trailer – Malone

Malone is a renowned trailer company. They always have top-quality materials and they are a company that really puts through into their designs. They are confident with all their products and this one gives you the customer a 5-year warranty so you can have peace of mind that you will have support if anything goes wrong.

This trailer can load up to 4 kayaks or any other items weighing up to 350lbs and 19ft long. The long length enables you to carry SUP boards making this trailer useful in more than one aspect.  This particular Malone trailer has been classified as the best fishing kayak trailer because it can take some of the longest kayaks on the market.

It achieves this with a pre-galvanized frame that is anti-rust resistant, perfect when you venture into the sea with no qualms about corrosion. The wheels are galvanized too! so you can drive the trailer into the water.

Plus the trailer comes with a spare tire which is always handy and J-style kayak saddles making attaching your kayak even easier.

Key features of this kayak trailer

  19-foot length ideal for long fishing kayaks

 5-year warranty for peace of mind

  J-style kayak saddles included 

2.  MicroSport Trailer Two Kayak Transport with 2 SeaWing Kayak Carriers

I have rated this as the best two-seater kayak trailer on the market. This can transport up to 2 18inch long kayaks. Ideal for any size kayak you own especially the best for long Tandem kayak. It has award-winning assembly time which can be done in just 2-3 hours!

It also comes with 2 free Sea Wing kayaks carries more bang for your buck. As this is the brand is Malone you know they have quality materials,

and the entire frame is pre-galvanized meaning it will not corrode, essential when it will defiantly get wet. The customer service is also amazing and there are very quick to respond to may queries you may have.

 2 x Free SeaWing saddle style carries

 Award-winning Assembly time

 Very responsive and helpful customer service

3. Yakima Rack and Roll Trailer

The Yakima Rack and Roll Trailer has to be one of the best trailers for carrying heavy loads, boasting a 78-inch crossbar compatible with Yakima accessories  It is capable of carrying loads of up to 300lbs.

It comes with dual spring shock absorbs which provide 4-inch wheel independent suspension.

If you don’t have a lot of space to store your kayak trailer at home and you want to get a heavy-duty trailer, this is the perfect one for you.

There is a clever mechanism that can easily fold the kayak trailer in literally seconds. Allowing you to store this in an upright position saving you a lot of space.

If you are wary of theft this kayak trailer has locking levers with keys to prevent theft of the wheels and tongues vital parts of the trailer. This of one of the few models which have this feature.

 Can carry up to 300lbs 

 Adjustable dual shock absorbs

 Anti-theft features for wheels & tongues of trailer

4. Malone Auto Racks XtraLight Base Trailer – Best lightweight Kayak Trailer

The Malone Xtralight Base Trailer is a lightweight version of the Malone XtraLight 2

hence the name is lightweight you may not want the extra carries the XtraLight 2 has and just need the base frame. It can carry up to 275 lbs and is ideal for kayaks up to 14ft Long.

This is the best lightweight kayak trailer and is also quite price-friendly.

 The best lightweight kayak trailer

 Budget-friendly price

 Galvanized anti-rust steel frame

Kayak Trailer Buying Guide

Kayaks can be transported in a variety of different ways, if you have one kayak then you could simply put this on the roof of your SUV. However, if you have 2 or more kayaks you want to transport then a kayak trailer is the best way to go to save time and effort.

Buyer tips

• Do not overload the kayak trailer – Try not to overload the kayak and make sure you don’t load more than the recommended amount. This can be dangerous as when you are driving at high speeds you don’t want the kayaks to fall off!

• Kayak size on the Trailer – Take your time and fully measure your kayak most kayaks are single and tandem. be sure to know which one is used and get a trailer best suited for the kayaks you are taking, for example, a good tandem kayak trailer would the be Mircosport trailer from our list.

• Weight Capacity – Every kayak trailer has a weight limit which will be the recommend safe loading weight. Be sure to check the weight capacity of the one you are buying, if not it will damage your kayak and the trailer!

• Storage – Where you will store the kayak is sometimes an afterthought but seeing as it’s an expensive item you want to have a picture of where you are going to keep this bulky item. There is a Kayak on our list which is an incredible space saver if this is the main factor for you this is the Yakima Rack and Roll which also has some anti-theft measures which is also good. If you don’t get this kayak then investing in a good quality clamp or padlock would be advisable.