The Best Kayak Trailer Shipped To Your Door: Malone MicroSport XT Trailer Review

Did you know you can get the best kayak trailer shipped right to your door? Take a look at the Malone MicroSport XT Trailer!

Why I Needed a Kayak Trailer

To get you up to speed on my kayaking journey, I started with an Old Town Bigwater EPDL+ 132 as the platform for all the next steps. It’s also important to know, at this point in my life, I don’t own a truck. When I sold my last bass boat a couple years back, I found I didn’t really have a need for a truck. So, when I got this kayak, I pictured it on top of my VW Passat…until I tried lifting it over my head. At over 13-feet long and over 140-pounds, getting this kayak on top of my car was technically possible, but didn’t seem practical. I considered buying another truck, but after a quick bit of research I was pleased to discover this car has a towing capacity of 1,000-pounds. A new plan was formed.

What I Wanted In a Kayak Trailer

I wanted a trailer that would be strong enough and built well enough to endure all the highway-speed-miles I wanted to put on it without any worries, but light enough to not overtax my tow vehicle. That’s when I was introduced to the Malone MicroSport™ series. Specifically, I opted for the MicroSport™ XT model.

Malone MicroSport XT Trailer carrying multiple kayaks, demonstrating its 800-pound load capacity and versatility. — The Malone MicroSport XT Trailer loaded with multiple kayaks, showcasing its impressive versatility and capacity. | Malone

The Malone MicroSport Has the Features I Need

This trailer is made of 11-gauge, galvanized steel so it’s strong and it’s going to last. The construction is beefy enough to carry loads up to 800-pounds, but it only weighs 230-pounds. Since my kayak comes in at 143, that gives me plenty of room to upgrade in the future (like maybe a second kayak for my wife), but it also puts me well under 500-pounds total for now, so I’m not over-stressing my tow vehicle.

In addition to its perfect size and capacity, the MicroSport™ XT has a lot of great features. It features submersible LED lights and sealed hubs so it can be backed right into the water. It includes a retractable tongue, which when extended can carry boats up to 20-feet long. But the trailer can easily fit in any garage, and can even be stood up vertically on its back edge and stored against a wall. And the upgraded aluminum spoke wheels and diamond plate aluminum fenders just look really sharp—way more legit than a standard utility-style trailer. And also worth noting, this trailer is made in the U.S.A. and comes with a five year, limited warranty.

BELOW IS MY VIDEO SHOWING THE FULL ASSEMBLY PROCESS OF THIS TRAILER

Easy-To-Assemble Kayak Trailer

This whole thing shipped right to my front doorstep in five boxes (I added a few extras, so mine was seven boxes). And assembly was pretty straightforward. Anyone with a reasonable amount of mechanical aptitude can handle this. I do have pretty strong mechanical skills and put this together by myself in three or four hours. If you need to, ask a friend to assist. It really wasn’t a big deal. In fact, I created a video overview of the assembly process. There’s a shortened preview at the top of this article, or you can see the full video (still less than seven minutes) on YouTube here.

Malone MicroSport™ XT Trailer Specs and Features

Pre-assembled hubs for a clean and simple installation
Aluminum Spoke Wheels & Aluminum Fenders
MPG494 Retractable Tongue Kit
DOT approved LED "Plug N' Play" lights
Reinforced, retractable, steel tongue can transport boats up to 20' in length
11-gauge, galvanized, steel construction for years of service
Made in the USA
Five Year Limited Warranty
Load Capacity: 800 lb / 20' canoe or kayak
Weight (Without accessories): 230 lb
Hitch: 2" Class II receiver

Studio shot of the Malone MicroSport XT Trailer showing its galvanized steel frame, aluminum wheels, and retractable tongue. — The Malone MicroSport XT Trailer, highlighting its durable galvanized steel frame and cool aluminum wheels. | Malone

This Kayak Trailer is Lightweight, Reliable and Built to Last

Over the summer I put this trailer to the test. After multiple trips to the waters around my state, and a cross-country (technically, the coast of South Carolina to the northern-most corner of Wisconsin) 2,700 mile round trip, long haul, the trailer performed 100% trouble free. In fact, the real indication that it’s a great trailer is that you forget it’s back there as you log the miles. Even with my VW Passat, non-traditional, tow vehicle, it worked great. The Malone MicroSport XT really is is the best kayak trailer for any vehicle.

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Transparency Note: Although I have not been paid by any of the manufacturers, some of the gear reviewed in this article was provided to me at no cost for evaluation. The views and assessments presented are entirely my own.