I have a gen6 (2022) Outback and haul one canoe with ease.

Anyone get two canoes on one of these? How'd you do it?

Open to considering an aftermarket rack, also open to 2x4 engineering...this is something I would only do once or twice per year.

Have carried 2 canoes on a FIAT 128 (long ago).
Worked fine. I believe I clamped 2x2's to the roof rack
to lengthen.

I put 2 on a Nissan Sentra with a Yakima bar.

I've done it with lashed down 2x4's. If I was going to do it twice a year and for any extended drive I would purchase the Thule long bars (I know they make a specific attachment for the Outback).

Watch your head getting into and out of the car.

Add 4 people and all their gear your Outback will not be quick off the blocks (compared to its normal "vigorous"acceleration) .

I have a 2018 Outback but it is a model with normal Thule channels, not the big hinged ones. I was able to get 76" cross bars (at Canoecopia) and works well from 2 canoes. I'd probably try rigid conduit with pipe insulation instead of 2x4 but either should work.

I’ve attached 2x4’s to 58 inch Yakima cross bars with u-bolts (on a 2017 Outback). I only use it about once a year, but it’s very solid and easier than switching to a second set of longer cross bars.

I drive Forester with 78" Yakima round cross-bars on the roof. They are not wider than the car itself (including side mirrors) and easily fit 2 regular canoes side-by-side. I replace end-caps on the bars with bright yellow tennis balls to protect people from hitting the bars.

EddyTurn: "I drive Forester with 78" Yakima round cross-bars on the roof. They are not wider than the car itself (including side mirrors) and easily fit 2 regular canoes side-by-side. I replace end-caps on the bars with bright yellow tennis balls to protect people from hitting the bars."

It only takes one good head shot to teach you to avoid them. I learned.

Thanks for the group-think on this.

This generation of Outback has a couple of very specific challenges in terms of attaching anything to the OEM crossbars (see photos).

The OEM bars are bowed, high point in the center. That high point is proud of the level line between the upper edges of the two side rails - a two-by on top of that would be a teeter-totter, if you will. One might solve this by using a normal, very warped 2x. :-)

However, in addition: the upper edges of the two side rails are a thin, weak molded plastic at that point and would not support any real load.

So - a 2x2 or 2x4 u-bolted or otherwise affixed on top of the OEM crossbar is going to likely wobble or even flex a side rail under load, compromising the whole enchilada.






Hmmm - this has me thinking - perhaps the answer is to run two longitudinal 2x4s (front-to-back; one left side, one right side), U-bolted to the OEM cross bars. Then a second set of 2x4s, sideways & on top, screwed to the lower ones.

I do what EddyTurn does, I switch to my Yakima 78" bars and try to remember to mind my head.

deerfoot: "I do what EddyTurn does, I switch to my Yakima 78" bars and try to remember to mind my head."

+1

billconner: "

EddyTurn: "I drive Forester with 78" Yakima round cross-bars on the roof. They are not wider than the car itself (including side mirrors) and easily fit 2 regular canoes side-by-side. I replace end-caps on the bars with bright yellow tennis balls to protect people from hitting the bars."

It only takes one good head shot to teach you to avoid them. I learned."

In New Jersey we don't have self-service gas stations and attendants in my town would stop serving me altogether if they have to learn this skill by trial.

Recommend removing the OEM bars as they are pretty useless, then install a Yakima or Thule system. If you haul canoes, bikes, lumber, etc with any frequency it’s worth the investment.

You will find the Outback roof rack has brackets to attach straps to. Remove the brackets and use those threaded holes to attach what ever homemade cross bar you come up with. Expect mid-teen gas mileage and a tough time in a crosswind. It can be done but just too much to ask of an outback.

Thule does make a bracket that attaches to the base off the rack (not the cross bars) and then you can buy the extended bars that fit the brackets. Not cheap, but really solid.

We have a 2012 Outback and use 2X4s lashed next to the OEM cross bars. If I remember right the bow of the OEM bars made tying things off a little weird but it worked just fine. Driven back and forth from Chicago a few times with this set up. Wish I had a better picture, but this with just one canoe on top is all I have

Marten: "You will find the Outback roof rack has brackets to attach straps to. "

Alas Marten - mine does not! May be that they discontinued those with the current generation...

I drove an outback for a few years. They’re great cars, but their racks are absolutely worthless. As I used my canoes more, it became a dealbreaker.

Other than that, great cars.

amhacker22: "I drove an outback for a few years. They’re great cars, but their racks are absolutely worthless. As I used my canoes more, it became a dealbreaker.


Other than that, great cars."

Exactly why I got the model with a "normal" roof rack (and 6 cylinders!).

sns: "

Marten: "You will find the Outback roof rack has brackets to attach straps to. "

Alas Marten - mine does not! May be that they discontinued those with the current generation..."

Oh my! Without those I would be hesitant relying on the factory cross bars to be enough on the windy interstates. I went with a Dodge Durango but their factory rack is worthless too. Had to purchase an expensive rack anyway. Even those have little front to back distance between the bars.

Best to have a trailer hitch and run a rack with that being the rear support. Some have had pros drill and attach towers as far forward as possible. I say pros because they need to know where it is safe to drill on.the roof. If you use a rear carrier on the trailer hitch you have an even longer attaching option.

amhacker22: "I drove an outback for a few years. They’re great cars, but their racks are absolutely worthless. As I used my canoes more, it became a dealbreaker.


Other than that, great cars."

Exactly why I did not buy one. Don't want to mess around with a homemade contraption which I'd not be happy with in terms of looks, simplicity or safety. Otherwise an Outback would've been at/near the top of my list.

HowardSprague: "

amhacker22: "I drove an outback for a few years. They’re great cars, but their racks are absolutely worthless. As I used my canoes more, it became a dealbreaker.



Other than that, great cars."

Exactly why I did not buy one. Don't want to mess around with a homemade contraption which I'd not be happy with in terms of looks, simplicity or safety. Otherwise an Outback would've been at/near the top of my list."

I had one of the newer Outbacks (17) for seven years and had zero issue with the rack, carrying canoes, bikes, ski box all around the country- never an issue. If you want wider heavier duty bars they make a Thule attachment to the base rack that is very robust (no need to mess with a "homemade contraption). I really liked the ability to tuck the crossbars into the base when not needed.