Malone Foldaway 5 Kayak Roof Rack Reviewed in 2025

Five ways of transporting your boats and boards

The Malone FoldAway-5 is by far the most versatile and simple to use rack system we have ever tested. Whether you’re transporting one or two kayaks, a canoe, SUP or a surfboard, the FoldAway-5 has you covered.

You would think a system with this much versatility would be complicated and have many moving parts, but Malone’s innovative design keeps this adaptable rack in line with the affordable and simple to use philosophy of their products.

What we love most about this rack system is its ability to fold down when not in use. The low profile of this rack means you never have to worry about taking it off when going into underground parking lots or catching a small ferry.

The corrosion-resistant coated steel also means you don’t have to worry about the rack withstanding the elements.

Installing the Malone FoldAway 5

Unlike the Thule Hullavator, which takes more than an hour to install with many adjustments, Malone’s FoldAway-5 was a breeze. Even without the carefully detailed instruction manual, the FoldAway-5 is about as straightforward as kayak racks come.

The universal mounting brackets are designed to fit cross bars of any size and shape. Where the Thule Hullavator relies on Thule racks, Malone’s FoldAway-5 should fit almost any rack system you have. They even include two sizes of mounting bolts for even greater flexibility.

There are no tools required to install the FoldAway-5. You don’t even need an Allen key or Phillips screwdriver like the Thule Hullavator or Malone SS Combo. This doesn’t just make installing simple. It also means uninstalling the racks is a quick and simple exercise.

Because the FoldAway-5 does exactly that, fold away, it’s unlikely you’ll need to uninstall it once it’s mounted to your vehicle. Its corrosion-resistant steel means once the rack is on your vehicle, it can spend the hot summers and cold winters on the roof of your vehicle without damage to the hardware.

Weight

It’s hard to believe a rack with this many functions can weigh in at only 14.5 lbs. This lightweight character has a number of advantages. Firstly, it’s easy to install on the roof of your vehicle without too much muscle strain. It also means that you’re not adding too much additional weight to your crossbars, meaning you can use the stacker mode to easily transport two kayaks without worrying about maxing out the load weight of your roof racks.

The FoldAway-5 is almost three times lighter than the Thule Hullavator, which weighs 39.4 lbs. While the FoldAway-5 doesn’t enable you to load your boat on the side of your vehicle, its ability to adjust to fit any size kayak (including sit on tops), canoe, SUP or surfboard is a huge advantage.

Versatility / Adjustability

The Malone FoldAway-5 is miles ahead of the competition when it comes to versatility and adjustability. If you own different styles of kayaks and paddle boards, you can often find yourself having to change the rack system on your vehicle to accommodate your different craft. The Thule Hullavator can only accommodate kayaks or boards that are 36 inches wide, while the FoldAway-5 can accommodate any craft that fits within the width of your vehicle’s roof.

In the J-bar position, you can use the cam lever to adjust the folding J assembly to sit as upright as you like. In the stacker mode, the J-bar will be in a completely vertical position, but with a single boat, you can adjust the angle as much as you like.

For transporting SUPs and surfboards, Malone has also included two foam blocks to protect the board during loading and transport. These blocks insert easily into the rack no matter how wide your board is. You can also use these blocks for additional cushioning on the gunwales of your canoe.

When the FoldAway-5 is not in use, you can easily fold down the J assembly using the cam levers. You spin the cam levers to release the teeth on the hubs before tightening them again when the arm is in its lowest position.

Our only complaint about this product is that the two cam levers must be spun in opposite directions to tighten and loosen. We found this confusing when tightening and loosening each hub.

Stability

The Malone FoldAway-5 is a high-quality, reliable rack system that you can trust to transport your beloved watercraft. The universal mounts attach to your crossbars using T-knobs that securely fasten to secure the rack to your vehicle.

You should always make sure the T-knobs are tightened as much as possible. The fact you use your hands and not a tool to fasten these could mean they are prone to loosening more than the bolts on, say, the Thule Hullovator, which uses an Allen key to fasten. But we’ve read no reports of this happening and have not experienced it ourselves.

You should also make sure the cam levers are tightened securely and the teeth on the hub are locked together. This will ensure there is no movement when transporting your boats and boards.

Malone has also included bow and stern tie-downs to securely fasten your watercraft to the front and rear of your vehicle. You should ensure using these tie-downs to guarantee Malone’s Lifetime Limited Warranty.

Loading / Unloading

Malone’s FoldAway-5 doesn’t provide additional loading or unloading support like the Thule Hullovator and Malone SS Combo. When carrying two kayaks in the stacker position, you will likely need to load the center kayak from the rear of the vehicle, even if you have two people to assist.

If you’re just loading one kayak, canoe, SUP or surfboard, you can load these onto the racks from either the rear or side of the vehicle.

We noticed that loading boats such as a surf ski, which has a high volume stern, in the stacker position was a little more difficult than into a regular J cradle. Depending on the shape of your kayak, in the stacker position, your boat may not be as easy to load as it would be in the J rack position when the center arm isn’t positioned as straight.

Ease of Use

In line with Malone’s product philosophy, the FoldAway-5 is incredibly easy to use. Installing the hardware takes less than fifteen minutes and each rack component is easy to adjust.

Because the expansion module is designed to be adjusted to any length across the roof of your vehicle, the biggest challenge you’ll encounter with installation is your height.

You should be able to install the rack in most cases by standing on the rear wheel of your vehicle or on the rear seat. But if you’re mounting the expansion module right in the center of the roof, you may need a step ladder to give you additional reach.

It’s incredibly easy to raise and lower the folding J assembly, so you don’t have to worry about the additional clearance needed for your vehicle in underground parking areas.

We would say the only downfall to the easy installation of the FoldAway-5 is how easy it would be to take the rack off. Unlike the Thule Hullovator, there is no way to lock this rack onto your vehicle, which could make it susceptible to theft. On the other hand, if you’re parking in an area where theft could be an issue, it’s easy enough to take the rack off the car to keep it safe.

Price/Quality Ratio

The Malone FoldAway-5 is a surprisingly affordable rack, given its many functions. You can pick one up on the Malone website for $179.95 (even less on Amazon). That compares to the Thule Hullovator, which retails at over $1,000.

The enhanced foam paddling on the bars and the additional foam blocks mean your boats and boards are well protected when loading, unloading and during transportation. The corrosion-resistant steel construction and Lifetime Limited Warranty will also give you confidence in the product seeing out your summer and winter water fun.

Even some of the cheapest J bars on Amazon will still cost you over $50, and these bars don’t collapse, can only carry one style of craft, and will likely corrode if you leave them on the car for too long.

Do we recommend it?

Absolutely. We couldn’t give the Malone FoldAway-5 greater praise. If you have multiple kayaks or a mixture of boats and boards, you’d be hard-pressed to find a rack as versatile, affordable, and easy to use as the FoldAway-5.

Malone has a long-standing reputation in auto racks and sports trailers. They have been designing products like this for over 25 years and this shows in their innovative designs. They’re also based in Portland, Maine, a destination on many paddlers’ bucket lists.

Malone’s success has seen them rival other well-known brands like Thule and Yakima, with their products found in over 4,000 retail stores across the United States, Europe and Canada.

The Malone FoldAway-5 is a really good rack even if you only have one kayak or board. We know from experience it doesn’t take long to venture into a new watersport. Plus, it’s more fun to paddle with friends, so having the versatility of carrying your friend’s kayak alongside yours is super convenient.

If you usually have help loading your boat or board onto your vehicle, the Thule Hullovator or Malone SS Combo may be an appealing option for you. But if you’re looking for the most versatile option to carry different-sized and multiple watercraft on your vehicle at one time, look no further than the Malone FoldAway-5.