Thule 554XT or Yakima Strap Thang?

[sneakytermite]

Hello all and thank you for any help you can give me!

I'm considering between the Yakima Strap Thang and Thule 554XT Hang Two Surf Carrier. I have been using the Yakima Strap Thang with Yakima Q Towers for the past three years and they have been good, but the Yakima Strap Thang cords wear out about every 6 months to a year. The replacement cords cost about $16 a pair. I started looking into the Thule 554XT as a possible replacement for the Strap Thang since it looks to be longer lasting and a better options. I usually carry 3/4 surfboards, both long and short, so I'll be needing to fit two sets of the Thule 554XT on a 2004 Honda Accord 4dr.

Please give me your opinion/experience with any of the two options. Thanks!

[rack your brains]

You're better off going with the Thule 554XT hang-two surfboard rack for longer lasting durability. The straps on the Thule 554Xt are made of a strong nylon webbing as opposed to the cords on the Yakima Strap Thang surfboard rack which which do wear out if used often. Also the Thule 554Xt has cradles built in so the surfboards rest on those instead of the crossbars, so no need to use a set of crossbar pads or anything. You'll need to attachtwo sets of the 554XT to the Yakima crossbars for carrying 3-4 surfboards (each 554Xt can holds up to 2 surfboards).