I wish to withdraw my negative remarks (below). I found Dave's number at Paddlelogic, he is sending me two new tires and explained they had a batch of tires like mine that did not work.
I am back in love with my Trailtreker Kayak Cart.
The kayak carts I have tried or looked at in the past have all been junk. Cheap material, poor design etc. This is the first kayak cart that I have found that seems to be worth its salt.
Extremely rugged all the way around. Very easy to use and attach. I have not owned it for long but the thick stainless steel parts and Aqua Bearings appear to be of high quality. It definitely can handle tough terrain. I have a 12' yak that weighs ~75lbs empty. The cart handles that plus supplies very easily.
It is a fairly expensive cart but I feel like it will be the last cart I will have to buy. The developer was more than happy to help me on the phone. He was very enthusiastic about his product. He had good reason too. He is a kayak enthusiast which makes a lot of sense why this yak cart covers all the bases of what make a great kayak cart. I did however have to install a padeye in the back to attach the leash to. I have SOT and the molded shell did not have any attachment. That took me all of 30seconds to rectify that issue.
After using my Trailtreker for the summer, I have only one complaint - the tires. Maybe I'm expecting too much, but I've already had to blow them up three times, and getting the air pump on the valve stem is a total pain in the arse. Otherwise, it is a fantastic cart and does exactly what it is designed to do.
I have a composite boat, but it attaches perfectly to the security loop rather than the coaming. I've also found that since my boat is fairly low volume, I too have to store it unassembled. No big deal.
Love the design, hate the tires. That's why it's an 8 instead of a 10.
First of all, this is a great cart. Initially, I thought the large wheels were a bit much, until I had to portage hills with drop offs, and rough terrain. Especially with an 18 foot kayak. I find it easier to stow loose instead of configured as shown, due to how nice the "V" shaped arms tuck along the bow or stern hatches. The ease of installation is gold, especially in the water.
The only reason I gave it a "9" was, I felt that once the design was set, the more detailed, functional issues were dropped. They were: not a long enough cord to extend past the rear combing when attaching to the rear combing isn't possible (ie: molded fiberglass boats as compared to rotomold). I was told to, "go get a longer cord, and attach to the front of the combing, or the seat." Is that really necessary for me to do, on a $160.00 cart, or could you supply the necessary length for "any" application?
Last, but most important - the axle retainer clip. Without this puppy, the whole system is useless. In and around water only amplifies the ease of its being lost. I am not without a solution. I have purchased the cheap-o, foam ear plugs, and skewered the clip. They provide high visibility, and just enough positive buoyancy to keep it floating, and don't interfere with function. I did ty-wrap a spare to the wheel spoke just in case.
I have been looking for the right Kayak Cart for my Native Ultimate 12 Kayak. I viewed the Trailtreker Kayak Cart Video and liked the design which made it quick and easy to assemble, disassemble as well as attach to the Kayak body. The quality of the cart is excellent. Paddle Logic thought through the design very well. While pulling the kayak through rough terrain the cart remains snug on the kayak where as other brands will fall off.
The owner of Paddle Logic worked with me to give me the appropriate size cart I needed for my Native Ultimate 12 Kayak. Due to its wide body the kayak needed a wider Cart. Although the original design does work, the wider cart works much better. The friendly service and interaction between myself and the people at Paddle Logic was great.
I highly recommend the Trailtreker Kayak Cart because this will be the first and last cart you'll ever need for your Kayak. I've looked at many other designs and was not impressed. Don't waste your money on a cheap Kayak cart. The Trailtreker Kayak cart will not disappoint you and give you years of pleasant service.
Used my Trailtreker cart for first time this morning with my Current Designs Sirroco. The cart is so simple but so fantastic. The Trailtreker slips on and off the rear of the boat in two seconds. It takes apart and goes back together in about 30 seconds and stores inside the kayak compartment.
This morning I had a rough steep downhill path to the Ohio River. The top of the incline had a 15 foot steep incline with large tree roots above ground and the ground it self had large bumps and holes. My 17 foot, 60 lb Sirroco kayak attached to the Trailtreker went down the 2 ft wide path easily and coming up was no struggle. It was like pulling the kayak on level ground, a pleasant surprise indeed. The Trailtreker does not need the kayak to be strapped on. My kayak and the Trailtreker stayed together like old buddies going over thick roots and bumps and ledges. None of my previous carts would have accomplished this bad path and incline with such ease. This truly seems to be a new approach to transporting my kayak.
The cart is a few dollars more than many others but worth it to me for the ease and efficiency. I always had a dried when I needed to use a cart.
It is hard in words to describe the Trailtreker cart but the manufacturer has a very descriptive video if you Google them.