The 9 Best Canoe Racks to Protect Your Craft — and Car — On the Road

Canoeing is a relaxing way to explore the outdoors, but rigging up a DIY solution to strap one to your car's roof can prove to be a stressful start to the day. Canoe racks keep your canoe safe and secure while you're on the road, and there are models that are compatible with all sorts of vehicles, from sedans and SUVs to pickup trucks and even trailers. Most are designed to attach to factory-built or specialty racks that are already installed, but there are also options available for bare roofs, so you can always count on bringing your canoe along on your next outdoor adventure.

Best Canoe Racks

What to Consider

The most important factor to think about when selecting a canoe rack is compatibility—the rack you buy needs to fit both your car and your canoe. You’ll want to make sure the product will fit onto your car’s existing roof racks, whether you have a factory rack or a specialty system, or, if you don’t have a rack, buying one that it works with your car's bare roof. It’s also important to check the rack’s load capacity, or how much weight it can safely hold, to ensure your canoe is safely supported.

Other things to consider include ease of installation, how the canoe is loaded, and whether the rack comes with all the necessary straps and tie-downs.

How We Selected

To find the best canoe racks, we looked for top-rated products from respected brands like Yakima, Thule, Rhino-Rack, and more. We evaluated each product based on its rack compatibility, load capacity, and ease of use, prioritizing options that work with multiple styles of roof racks, as well as a few choices for cars without racks already installed.

We aimed to include options for a range of vehicle types, and consulted user reviews to get a sense of each canoe rack’s strengths and potential shortcomings. Also, every canoe rack we write about has an average customer rating of 4 stars or more.