Greetings, I just joined the Prius world with a 2013 2 5 door, When I finished mounting the Q tower Yakima rack to their specs with the correct clips (q99 front & q5 rear) I noticed that they do not recommend Kayaks for this setup. They told me there is a concern about wind load and the roof (they say Prius roofs are not strong) being dented by the feet of the towers. They say the Tracks permanent mounting system is recommended. As I look at the Q Tower on the car it hits right on the corner where the roof turns down the side and seems so strong. I used this system on my 05 Passat for the past 4 years carrying two 16' sea kayaks for multi hour freeway speed trips and no issues. I did not use front or rear tie downs either Does anyone have experience with Kayaks and the Q tower system? thanks What a nice forum this is with so many active responders.
I carry a 16 foot 70 pound plastic canoe on my Gen 3 2014 Prius with Yakima towers with Q99 and Q5 clips. The towers put the weight near the door frame and I have seen no denting or potential for denting after several 400 mile trips, some with strong cross winds on long bridges across San Francisco Bay. The towers and rack feel very sturdy when mounted at the points recommended in the Yakima documents. I use the front tow hook for a tie down, a cam lock strap across canoe at each bar, and a rear tie down using the loops near floor in cargo area. I would recommend this system. I take the towers off between trips. The clips tend to loose their protective vinyl stickers after a couple years, so I have small paint chips inside door frame from one of the clips. The silicone pads also leave a slight residue on roof after being in heat which washes off. Neither of these issues bothers me. If any one knows which clips would work on a Gen 5 Prius, I'd like to know so a friend can borrow my rack.
I've had a good experience with Q-towers on my 2010 IV (solar roof). I've used it for a small kayak and for a large carrier. But I haven't tried both at the same time.
