Best Kayak Fishing Cart: Wilderness Systems Heavy Duty vs Malone Traverse TRX
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
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Kayak carts are a necessity for moving your kayak from your vehicle to the launch. They need to be durable, easy to use, and make transporting your kayak easy. There are many poor designs on the market that are not suited to the designs of modern heavy fishing kayaks. In this video I compare the Wilderness Systems Heavy Duty kayak cart with the Malone Traverse TRX kayak cart.
Buy your carts here:
Wilderness Systems HD Cart amzn.to/3aM3iSl
Malone Traverse TRX amzn.to/3jdAk2u
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I bought the wilderness cart with beach wheels 3 months before I even got my kayaks. So glad I did. Works great here in Montana on gravel, sand or pavement.
There's so many flimsy carts out there,I've broke three so far,a malone,a DIY pvc one,and my latest the railblaza ctug that has wheels that crack and fall apart.Most carts work fine if your just rolling around to a boat ramp on even ground,but I like to go to hard to get to spots that don't get fished so much.For that you need something real sturdy.I'm tempted to get the wilderness systems cart but wish someone would post a vid using it on rough terrain before I spend that much money.Good video,thanks.
Can u put CC on your videos I’m hard of hearing that would help a lot! Hopefully that’s not to hard🥴
I love your video’s!!
Thank you!
I just got the Malone TRX-S with the new redesigned bunks. I honestly think they watched your video. They redesigned the bunks so they are the same forwards and backwards. They also rounded the ends so that it sits at a better angle and when you add the weight of the kayak and pull back on it, the cart raises the bunks into position (theoretically I just got it assembled and won’t be using it until this weekend).
Additionally, they have added a middle position in addition to the high and low positions. There is now a ruler on top of the axle to adjust the bunks width precisely and I’m not sure if they are the same knobs as on yours but they definitely have a heavy knurl to get a grip on and tighten them down. The base does not seem to loosen at all and any play seems to be in the top bunks only being held on by lynchpins.
Glad to hear they made some improvements.
Well I was gonna try and save money but this convinced me to just do the right thing.
Thanks for posting your review. It took a couple minutes to figure out how to correct the over centering problem. And then a couple hours, $2.00 in pvc, and some spray paint. Malone should have figured this out before it went to market. Still a decent cart but you shouldn't have to modify a new product to work properly.
Mind if I ask how you did this? I just picked up the Malone TRXS.
thanks for the review. I actually prefer the pins for the wheel attachments since its replaceable. All my push button style posts always end up seizing over time.
Very good point
The kicker is, the Malone cart used to come with a kickstand that would have solved this high position fail problem.
I don't have either...
Modified a cart that folds, put turf round tread tires on it, plus a strap.
Rocks, gravel, and sand, no issues...yet
Luv my Wildy Kart, for sure! I thought I’d seen a vid of a kick stand to level out the angle so you wouldn’t have to lift your yak as high also. Don’t remember whose it was, or how it was attached either.
Awesome video. Thanks for doing this, made my decision easy!!
I want to be able to launch on both soft sand and from a ramp. Do I need both Wilderness system wheel sets? I assume the downside of using the beach wheels all the time is rapid wear or puncture risk?
Very good review!! Thanks
I got the railblaza ctug for my peddle kayak, which works great...ish but totally sucks for my 136. After watching this, I absolutely am going to invest in the Wilderness Systems Heavy Duty Kayak Cart. Thanks for the great video!
Great video - have you ever used a C-Tug on the Old Town Kayak? I have an Old Town Sportsman MK 106.
I don't. I know other do but it doesn't work very well with flat bottom kayaks like the MK106.
Have you tried sitting the short arms on a 4x4 piece of lumber with the long arms to the rear and loading the heavier kayak. Bet it works. Cost of 4x4 maybe $5.
It’s not my job to fix dumb engineering
Maybe a little wheel chock would help? But shouldn’t have to
I would like this tested against the spring creek manufacturing cart.
A $350 cart!!!! Lol 😂
Have you ever tried the Vevor Heavy Duty kayak cart, looks like a copy of the wilderness, has a kick stand so you don’t have to lift as hig. And about 1/2 the price
I’ve not
Very informative content as always. Do your beach wheels rub against your AP when using the wilderness Systems HD cart ?
Thx.
They do not as the video shows as long as run the bunks in the high position
I didn’t see a video where you are using your beach wheels. I’m asking because I have herd many people say that the HD cart when using the beach wheels rub against the hull.
Ty.
With beach wheels I recommend the lifts from Navarre
curious if you ever have thought of using the boonedox landing gear on your old towns? Do you think it would hold up to the 200 lbs of a fully loaded autopilot? having to use a ''cart'' is the main reason i have put off trading my pa14 for an autopilot. The hobie plug in cart and the ability to stow it behind me is a plus for a hobie.
I've seen others do it but I've also seen it end in disaster. I would be really worried about using Boonedox on my AutoPilot in the summer when temps are well over 100 F and the plastic becomes softer
Boonedox landing gear has not been working well for my Titan 12. Wheels sit too far back to take enough load off the front, and the system just does not seem to do well with that much weight. I am running less than 200 loaded. My sons are happy with the landing gear on the Titan 10.5's. The landing gear is definitely the easiest system when putting in from a ramp or slope, as you cab lift the wheels from a seated position when you are in the water (reverse when getting out) - but for my heavier and longer 12' it has not been the best in my experience.
Here's a guy showing his tricked-out AP 120 with Boonedox installed. ua-cam.com/video/luBqtjneEMM/v-deo.html
Any tips for putting your kayak on the wilderness systems on an incline? My wheels tend to slide back when I try to load my salty. I have putting my catch bag behind my wheels to prevent that but was wondering if there was a better solution. Thanks for the video as always!
I just use a small rock behind the wheel.
I have this issue and also have trouble with the Wilderness Systems HD cart not gripping my 2019 Outback when the hull is wet, so the kayak slides off of the cart if the ramp or surface isn't perfectly smooth. One solution addresses both issues, though. I put the strap through the cart and have it stick out both sides and lay on the ramp on the downhill side of the wheels. That helps prevent the cart from rolling down the ramp while I put the kayak on it and then the strap is ready to pull up on each side and connect over the top.
I was really frustrated with the Wildy cart, and seriously regretted buying the cart and both sets of wheels, before I figured that out. :)
Dude, just push the Malone forward. 😂 I like the Malone with the shorter bunks. But to each their own. They both get the job done.😊
They redesigned the Malone Traverse TRX after it received so much criticism. I obviously wasn't the only who thought it was crap. Several of the reps I knew hated it too.
C-tug isn't that good on my Salty PDL. The bottom of the yak has curves and it a pain to get the ç-tug to sit properly. Need to put some PVC rails on mine to make it better.
The wilderness systems cart is fantastic on my salty. It's just so simple and easy.
Have you tried turning the Malone the other way around when it's in the high position? (i.e with the longer side of the bunkers up) You'd have to lift the kayak higher, but I bet the cart would rotate into position better.
Tried it. Didn’t work
@@spiltmilt Oh well, it was worth asking ;-) Seems like the WS cart is made much better anyway.
Your video has me thinking of purchasing a WS HD Cart for my Native Titan 12. I have used the original Boonedox landing gear, as well C-Tugs. We also have two Titan 10.5's. The first landing gear on my 12 broke, the aluminum retainer that holds the wheel shaft split across the top on one side. I feel that the landing gear, while most convenient in terms of getting in and out of the water, sits to far toward the back to balance load properly. It is certainly good enough on my sons' 10.5, but definitely not the 12'. As for the the C-Tug - It just isn't really the right choice for the hull shape of the Titan IMO , and is difficult to line up or keep straight without heavy mods. The C-tug is just a real pain. My two questions are:
- Do you know how the WS HD cart fits the Native Titan concave hull?
- The WD cart has no wheel bearings, and I have seen reviews and photos where this is a problem - even wearing down the wheel shaft to the point of breaking. Do you know of a mod to get wheel bearing on there?
Thanks for your informative vids.
Have you considered the Native Sidekick?
@@dangerfield85 I have since picked up the WS HD cart and it is a home run. Perfect for the Titan 12. The sidekick works well enough on the 10.5 but for the 12 the wheels are just too far back leaving a lot of weight on the system and still too much weight on the front.
The WS HD cart is perfect on the high setting with the adjustable bunks sitting perfectly in the concave Titan hull. Other than the worry of no wheel bearings, I finally found what in my opinion is the best car for the Titan 12.
@@greekspeare9526 appreciate you taking the time to respond. Trying to do all my research up front before I start buying stuff
@@dangerfield85 No problem. I have a good sample set because we bought three Titan kayaks at the same time. We have a lot of experience with what works in the cart department since we had to walk a couple of blocks to the lake access point in our neighborhood. If you have a Titan, I would say the only benefit to the landing gear style product is that you can roll it into the water then put up the wheels while sitting in the kayak. Same thing getting out of the water. Head to the ramp and put your wheels down while you're sitting in the kayak. Probably works best at a boat ramp where you're just going from your truck to the water.
It's just not worth it for a longer heavier kayak or if you have a further trip to the water. This is especially true for me since I plan on putting a bow mount trolling motor on my 12. But even without it, you can place the WS HD cart pretty much anywhere along the body you want and strike a perfect balance. You can literally walk the kayak along with almost no weight on your arms at all. The landing gear (standard or sidekick) support legs angle towards the rear of the kayak, this created an odd "springiness" while moving along, and puts a lot of pressure on the system and the kayak itself. Just don't do it if your kayak is longer than 10.5'. And if you have a Titan don't even bother with the C-tug option unless you are ready to essentially make it look like the WS HD cart.
No problem on the response! I wish there was more info at the time we bought ours, probably would have saved some $ in trial and error.
@@greekspeare9526 I'd love a Titan, my ideal vessel would be a Slayer 12 Max, it's outfitted for an angler, pedal drive, and I can car top because I don't have a truck. I was looking at the 10Max but I've been told that model is not big enough for my frame (6' 225lb). The OT PDL 120 is cheaper and lighter than the Slayer 12 max but I'd have to add alot of accessories to get it on the Native level. This is where I fell in love with the Sidekicks and the rear gear tracks on the Slayer and alot of DIY mods would be in order to get that on the Sportsman pdl.
Do the wheels of the old town autopilot 136 rub against the wilderness tires?
I don't own an AP136 but I never had a problem with my AP120
@@spiltmilt Thank you.
Do you know if the regular black wilderness wheels work good in the sand? Just wondering if the beach wheels might wear down quicker taking it over concrete and asphalt.
They don't work well in sand you need the beach wheels
Have you seen or used any of these carts on a Old Town Predator PDL? I'm looking for a good option for my Predator as I use some launch points that are not a standard boat access.
I have used the Wilderness and it works great.
@@spiltmilt if I'm launching in sandy conditions, do I need to upgrade to the beach wheels? One of the places I launch from is a sandy incline launching and loading.
How well does your Autopilot handle waves while fishing for salmon in the saltwater or the Columbia River when it is windy?
Like a champ. Keeps me bone dry.
Don't tip over your Autopilot Kayak
How wide is the wheel base on these carts? I have a C-tug but thinking of getting a Wilderness cart as well.
25.5" and 34" for the hard and beach wheels respectively
@@spiltmilt which cart is 34 inches wide? See I tipped my kayak over once on rough terrain because of the narrow wheel base of my C-Tug. I need to find something with a wider wheel base that can handle some rougher terrain.
beach wheels
@@spiltmilt wow I can't believe the beach wheels add that much width.
What do you do with your cart once you get to the water at the launch? Do you strap it and go with it or leave your gear and return it to your vehicle?
I generally put it back in the vehicle.
Why not lift the kayak from the front, using the skid plate instead of scraping up the bow?
It doesn't really cause much damage to the bow when lifting from the stern. However, I life from the stern for three reasons.
1.) Almost all Old Town kayaks have dual handles on the stern which allows me to use both arms.
2.) With the PDL or motor drives in my kayak the bow is much harder to lift than the stern.
3.) Its easier to keep all my gear inside the kayak when lifting form the stern. When lifting from the bow the stern wobbles on the keel and my tackle falls out everywhere.
Put a pebble under the wheel and take a step back.
I tried rocking the kayak backyards. It didn's work. It's a stupid design.
@@spiltmilt definitely has a design flaw, the old pvc T carts we used to make would work better lol