Malone Sentry Ratchet Kayak and Canoe Bow and Stern Tie Downs

I recently bought a set of these and used them for a road trip with my kayak on top of my Xterra. They worked well. They're quick and easy to attach. I did buy some carabineers to replace the hooks at the kayak end but used the supplied hooks on the bumper end.I did not notice any wear on the rope or locking mechanism. The lines also didn't loosen up on my drive

I purchased one set of these to tie down the back of two kayaks. My setup required the tie downs to be undone anytime I needed to access the lift gate. As such, I purchased these knowing that I go on extended multi-day camping trips with my Kayaks, and this would make it much easier to get in and out of the lift gate.It turns out that these were one of the best purchases I've ever made. I was a bit confused about how they setup based on the pictures, but upon receiving them, it was simple to understand. The black straps wrap around the kayak (I just looped them around the handle) so the "heavy" ratchet part is away from the kayak and won't hit it during transit. The hook ties on to one end of the rope, and then the other end of the rope threads through the black ratcheting mechanism.They worked perfectly every time over the past week, probably about 200 cycles. The one suggestion I would make would be that once the rope is through the ratcheting mechanism, to tie off the rope so it can't go back through. The rope is the same as the rope that comes in the standard Malone roof rack, which isn't the highest quality, and can fray relatively easier, which would make it difficult to put it back through the ratchet.

I used these as the front and rear tie-downs to travel 600 miles with canoe. The ratchets were plenty strong and made securing the canoe really fast and easy. They did a great job of holding! The only downside is that the hooks are too open and it feels like they could slip off of the straps. I wish the hooks bent back in on themselves a little bit. They worked fine for me the way they were, so I guess it is just about piece of mind. Keep in mind that the ropes will stretch a little so you should check and tighten them every once in a while. Maybe I can bend them with some pliers or something. Add this to the Malone Big Foot Pro and you end up with a very secure system.

Good, basic kit. As others have mentioned, the hooks appear needlessly wide, but if the lines are ratcheted tightly enough, it shouldn't present a problem. I do think I jumped a hook when I traversed a very bumpy road, but I had supplemental straps securing the kayak on the roof, running through the Jeep doors. I wouldn't feel comfortable using these on bow and stern only, and I only travel a mile or two to the water. The ratcheting action is pretty manual, unless I am using them incorrectly: you have to manually pull it tight, and it will hold. There is no lever to tighten the lines.

Used this kit to secure my kayak to my car. I have an expensive kayak rack and cradles but for shorter trips I just place my sit on top kayak face down and secure the bow and stern to the front and back of my car. The ratcheting feature makes the whole process quick and easy and the rope has yet to fray. I have two sets of these tie downs and will purchase again if another set is needed. I have had nylon tie down sets fray on me and lost kayak as a result, however this kit has yet to fail me.

I've used the two sets I bought about a dozen times to tie down kayaks and they've worked well so far. Would prefer if the hooks were a bit more hooked, I sometimes question if the hook may slip off, but with enough tension it hasn't happened yet.Also, some instructions on how to deal with all the excess rope would be nice. I've tried a few different knots, or spiraled the excess to deal with it, but its time consuming.One of the ropes was frayed on delivery, but Malone quickly sent a free replacement no questions asked so A+ for customer service.The ratchets work well and seem to be adequately constructed.

I got tired of tying Truckers Knots so I got the Malone Speedlines. Those were a big improvement but didn't feel super strong. When it came time to drive 900 miles with my yak, I upgraded to these. They didn't miss a beat. Super sturdy worry free bow and stern lines.

I've been kayak fishing for a few years now and needed to replace the set of tie downs that I've been using the last few years. These worked great! I'm not real happy with the S hook configuration, but they seem to be holding well. No problems with the ratchet system. I've used other ratchet systems that broke after a few months. These are going strong and work without a problem.

I used them almost every weekend last year to tie down my kayaks and they are still in good working order.

These work fantastic, they are strong and easy to use, the best part is that when you are done with the canoe you can use these to hang it from the roof of the garage or use for other tasks