Yakima DoubleHaul ROOFTOP FLY ROD CARRIER

DoubleHaul ROOFTOP FLY ROD CARRIER

If you love fly fishing but hate having to break down your fly rod between spots, well, this is the product you have been waiting for!

Just the Facts:

Like the perfect cast, the deluxe DoubleHaul™ rooftop fly rod carrier gets you to that special spot on the water at dawn or that early evening hatch. You’re there and ready with the perfect set-up— up to 4 fully strung-up rods up to 10 ft. long. Rain or shine, your rods are securely locked and protected from the elements. The reel box is designed to protect and fit most reel sizes, with space to carry up to 2 spey rods. To make things even easier, the DoubleHaul mounts to most roof racks with a simple, tool-free universal crossbar attachment. With modern styling and an optional half-length configuration, it’s a perfect fit on any size vehicle. Be ready to hit the water when the fish are biting.

DoubleHaul

PRODUCT DETAILS

• Customizable rooftop fly rod carrier, configurable at either 11 ft. or 6 ft. of length.
• Transports 4 fully strung-up fly rods up to 10 ft. long.
• The top 2 reel slots fit most 12-wt. reels and the bottom 2 reel slots fit most 10-wt. reels.
• Reel box holds common fighting butts of single-handed rods.
• Reel box holds up to 2 spey rods in upper slots.
• Four individual plastic-lined aluminum rod tubes provide strength and separation for rods while helping prevent abrasion.
• Side placement of reels reduces wear on rod-stripping guides and eyelets.
• Custom-fitted felt padding for premium reel protection.
• Universal mounting hardware fits all Yakima® crossbars and most other roof racks.
• Add the SmarT-Slot™ Kit 3 to attach to a T-slot crossbar for an even sleeker profile (sold separately).
• Included Yakima SKS (Single Key System) locks secure rods inside DoubleHaul™ and lock DoubleHaul to roof rack.

PRODUCT SPECS

• Weight: 65.51 lbs.
• Dimensions: L 131.00 in x W 15.00 in x H 9.00 in
• Minimum Crossbar Spread 27.00in
• Maximum Crossbar Spread 108.00in
• Limited Lifetime Warranty

My Story:

I love to fly fish. I have slowed down a bit as life has gotten more complicated but I ultimately love the sport and try to get out as much as I can. When I say the Yakima Double Haul I knew it was something that I was going to have to check out.

Past fishing trips have shown me that there is great value in being prepared and what better what to prepare for kitting the water than to have your rod already assembled and ready for action. I knew that this was a product that would be a valuable asset to any fishing trip. I just needed to get out and wet a line.

Assembly of this carrier is very straight forward. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. The two different assembled options are 6’ and 11’ so you can run with rods fully assembled or broken down but ready for action. This is a nice space saving function for smaller cars and will allow the interior of the car to be free of clutter or loose hooks. I opted for the full 11’ as I was to be mounting this to my truck.  

The winter months are not the peak fly fishing times but they are not to be discarded. I have caught some of my best fish while out on blast and cast trips which combine both hunting and fishing. So, that was my first testing ground. After a nice long afternoon of chasing fur I was ready to find some fins.

I ran here, there and everywhere with my DoublHaul and I was able to put some nice fish into fire. I loved the simplicity and security that this carrier provided as it locks to the mounting racks and also has a locking mechanism for the entry hatch. You can comfortable store you rod without fear of it walking off with some dirty thief.

The only issue I had with this product was some minor cosmetic damage to my rod. The interior tubes are non-lined plastic and while I was sure it would not cause an issue I was disappointed to be wrong. After the dust and vibration associated with traveling gravel roads I began to notice some wear marks on the epoxy finish of my rod. I was a bit disappointed in this as my go to rod is one my father gave me ad is about 30 years old. It’s not expensive but to me it’s priceless and while I know the saying “pretty don’t catch fish” still holds true, it was still a bit of a disappointment. I would like to see the addition of some form of liner at least 2/3 of the way down the tubes.

I feel that the DoubleHaul is a very innovative product that works exactly as intended. Aside from the minor cosmetic issue I thing this product is great and I wish I had one years ago.

Find it Here:

https://yakima.com/products/doublehaul?_ga=2.128954565.895282070.1597174246-112245587.1597174246

What could be done better?

As I mentioned above, I would like to see some form of liner for the tubes. Fly fishing is not an inexpensive hobby and people like to keep their gear as nice as they can. Well, at least I do. I would like to see the friction issue corrected. For that I have to take away one star. As for constructions and overall performance this product is top notch.