Front Runner Vertical Surfboard or SUP Carrier - Post Style - Folding - Channel Mount

Video Transcript for Front Runner Vertical Surfboard or SUP Carrier Review

Hi everyone, Aiden here with etrailer. Today we're gonna be taking a look at the Front Runner vertical surfboard or standup paddleboard carrier. This is designed to be used with their slim line platform racks because it does utilize the side rail channel that's on those platforms. So just make sure that you're getting this for the right platform. But, this is going to give you a good way to carry that surfboard or standup paddleboard and not take up too much space on the actual platform itself, leaving room for other accessories. Let's check it out.

So this carrier comes with really everything you need to get started, the carrier itself, two straps, and some tie-down points, plus the tie-down points that are built into the carrier here. So out of the box, you're gonna get a really strong hold on your surfboard or your paddle board. You can store it vertically like this, or fold it down flat on top of the platform for either maybe something larger like a paddleboard, or if you have a larger surfboard and it's just easier that way and you're not adding so much height to the roof. Or you can just fold it down flat for storage and you don't have to put anything on it at all. That's I think one of the big advantages, and we'll see it folded in just a second here, is that you can leave it bolted in, fold it down flat when it's not in use, and fold it up when you're ready to go again.

To look a little bit closer about how this fits into the carrier, we've got these sort of J cups with thick foam pads on the bottom and the back, and that's what's actually making contact with our board. And then on the outside, we're using the Front Runner Stratchits, to pull a lot of tension down on here. It's not quite like a ratchet strap, it's more like a cam buckle mixed with a bungee. So it's stretched out on the back right now, to help absorb road shock whenever we're driving around. And you saw there's really not a whole lot of movement, if any, on the actual carrier.

So, I trust that this is gonna be really secure going down the road. And at the back you can see how those straps have been ran over the top of the carrier and down to the eyelets, that again, are included in the kit. That's what helps get this into a strong and secure position. Now really the hardest part of using this is just strapping it down or unstrapping it, because you do have to get up pretty high to access everything. And with it stored vertically and some of the tie down points behind it, you're just gonna have to reach around whatever you have loaded up, to access that inner tie down point.

But, if you can get this loosened up, just set it to the side after you unclip it from the front. The rest is easy, because from the ground, you can just grab it and lift it out. I'll get the other strap undone and we can see what that looks like. Once that second strap is undone, that's the easiest part is just lifting it up and away. And you can see a little bit better the foam padding that's on the back of the carrier in multiple positions, just to help make sure that everything is secured. Now to get this folded down, at the back end there's gonna be two silver tabs that we can just pinch together to release this down into the folded position. And this plate is something that we tighten down during the initial setup process, just so that it snaps in (metal snapping) and holds this down. It's slanted so that it holds some tension, but it also pops away easily enough if you need to pop it back up. And when you do, those plates will automatically click back in, locking this in the vertical position. But one thing I like about the folded state is that if your tie down rings are somewhere in between here, they're not gonna interfere. (metal clanging) This can fold down right on top of them, keeping things a little bit more compact. Or, you can just use this all the time in the flat position to store something a little wider like a paddleboard. Whether you've got a paddleboard or a surfboard you're looking to carry, I think this is a no-brainer. In that vertical position, you're leaving your platform open for all kinds of other accessories. We loaded it up with four different accessories earlier today, and even had a kayak in the middle and the surfboard off to the side. And we we're able to make it fit because of that side vertical storage. It took up basically no room, because it's offset and really easy to access. So for me, I liked it a lot. The fact that it folds down when it's not in use means I can leave it on the platform between uses and it's not gonna be in the way, getting in the way of my garage or limiting the clearance that my vehicle has above it. But whenever you're using it, it's gonna be really convenient to just strap the board up, get to the water, and get on your adventures. So for me, it's a really great addition to your Front Runner platform racks. Thanks for watchin'.