Tool
Real Carry Weight
The number on the spec sheet is the bare hull in a warehouse. The number that matters is the boat you drag up the beach with a battery, a loaded crate and four litres of water aboard. This works out the second one, then tells you which carts still have margin.
Real carry weight
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Choose a kayak or enter a weight
Which carts still have margin
Measured against each cart’s planning capacity — the conservative figure we would actually bet a hull on, not the biggest number a retailer prints. How we pick it.
Enter a starting weight to see load margins.
What the bands mean
Comfortable
Under 70% of rated capacity. Headroom for gear creep, rough ground and shock loading.
Moderate
70–85% of rated capacity. Fine on firm ground. Watch for frame flex over kerbs and roots.
Near maximum
85–100% of rated capacity. No margin for shock loads. Avoid drops, kerbs and stairs.
Exceeds rating
Over the manufacturer rating. Do not use. Frame, axle or wheel failure under load is a real injury risk.
Capacity is not the only limit
A cart inside its rating can still fail you. Narrow wheels sink in sand whatever the load rating says, and a cart that fits the weight may not fit the hull. Run the full finder for the complete picture.
Where these gear weights come from
They are our standard scenario weights — representative figures for common kit, not measurements of your gear. They exist so nothing gets forgotten, particularly the loaded crate and the trapped water, which are the two items people leave out most often. Weigh your own if precision matters.