Harken - Overhead Garage Storage Hoist for Cargo Box, Self-Leveling & Safe Anti-Drop System, Simple One-Person Operation, Smart Organization for Garage Review

At first I was looking for a cheaper lift system for my cargo area, but when you look at the overall design and quality of the components there really isn't anything that compares. As other reviewers have said, it all comes down to believing the lift will do the job, so skimping on the cost isn't the best approach. Otherwise, you'll wreck a $700 worth of cargo crate or worse, your car.

This worked great on my 21ft prop. I was able to install the system myself (I'm 64 and 120) with a drill and a few tools. The quality of this system and the installation instructions were very good. I watched a few YouTube videos and just needed help tying my 37 lb boat to the lines and lifting it to the ceiling.

Plan support board attachments regardless of joist orientation - as long as you follow the instructions. (See photo) While the description I've seen specifically lists cargo boxes (which was my search when I found these), the instructions focus on canoes and the like. It might be better for a big and heavy canoe or sea kayak, but I think it's too much work and too expensive for a cargo box.

Great product. This is my 4th Harken Hoister in the last 5 years (3 kayaks and now a roof rack). A high quality product where Harken is obviously bringing its know-how to the home. Easy installation if you follow the model selection and installation instructions step by step. A great way to free up space in your garage or basement.

Read them over and over again, for they are not the most logical or conveniently worded instructions you will encounter. Also remember that if your rafters have 24 inch centers, 6 foot risers cannot be drilled on the ends. Their support department replied to my email that three bolts would suffice instead of four, but that was after I went ahead and bought a second set of 2x6s cut to 6.5 feet. However, once installed, the system works quite well.

It's great. I was able to place the kayaks over the garage door to maximize space in the small garage. You'll need a bit of fiddling to get the knots in the right place and adjust the straps properly. The only complaint is that the silly metal buckle on the strap is entirely unnecessary and can scratch the boat; I wrapped them in white tape. I pull the boot through the straps without using a buckle. I would have preferred the option with a strap without a buckle.

This is a high quality, well made product. It's expensive but worth it. The only thing that bothers me is the somewhat complicated installation. They provide high quality, detailed instruction booklets. It took a lot of effort to hang my kayaks horizontally. They show a double figure eight knot, which I can't do, so I just used the bowline knot I learned in the Boy Scouts to connect the straps. This is my second Harkin kayak climb so the second time was easier. Perhaps I should mention that I…

It takes some planning and work to install (see photo) but once it's done it's a pretty good system. We use a couple of these to hang two 21 foot rudder sinks. Because the boats are so long it was important to be able to lift them over the garage door with the garage door open and I only found one that could do that. This works thanks to the 4 point lifting system (2 on each side of the load), compared to the 2 lifting points (1 front and 1 rear) used on cheaper systems. The ceiling in our…

This seems to be a very popular system, but I've encountered a few issues that prospective buyers should be aware of. First, the product is well made and "for the most part" as advertised. However, I have a large colonial house with a two-car garage attached. The depth of the garage is approximately 25 feet. My kayak is an extra long fishing kayak that is 13 1/2 feet long and weighs 75 pounds. The problem is that the rope and pulley system is not designed to fully drop the kayak to the ground…

This is a high quality, well made product. It's expensive but worth it. The only thing that bothers me is the somewhat complicated installation. They provide high quality, detailed instruction booklets. It took a lot of effort to hang my kayaks horizontally. They show a double figure eight knot, which I can't do, so I just used the bowline knot I learned in the Boy Scouts to connect the straps. This is my second Harkin kayak climb so the second time was easier. Perhaps I should mention that I…

Installation requires a bit of planning and work (see photo) but once complete it's a pretty good system. We use a couple of these to hang two 21 foot rudder sinks. Because the boats are so long it was important to be able to lift them over the garage door with the garage door open and I only found one that could do that. This works thanks to the 4 point lifting system (2 on each side of the load), compared to the 2 lifting points (1 front and 1 rear) used on cheaper systems. The ceiling in our

This seems like a very respectable system, but I've encountered a number of issues that potential buyers should be warned about. First, the product is well made and "for the most part" as advertised. However, I have a large colonial house with a two-car garage attached. The depth of the garage is approximately 25 feet. My kayak is an extra long fishing kayak that is 13 1/2 feet long and weighs 75 pounds. The problem is that the rope and pulley system is not designed to fully drop the kayak to…