Facebook Twitter Instagram
    FeedTheHabit.com
    • Home
    • Gear Reviews
      • Mountain Biking
      • Road Biking
      • Bike Commuting
      • Trail Running
      • Skiing
      • Outdoors
      • Water Sports
      • Vehicles
    • News
    • Trip Reports
    • Videos
    FeedTheHabit.com
    Kuat Grip 4 Review
    Gear Reviews

    Küat Grip 4 Ski Rack Review

    Kevin GloverBy Kevin GloverJanuary 26, 2023No Comments6 Mins Read

    For every product category, there’s often a ‘Cadillac’ option that tops the market as the most feature-rich, well constructed and obsessively designed. In the world of ski racks, the Küat Grip 4 is an easy nominee for that recognition. Thanks to the Northwest’s early start to the season, I’ve had a great couple of months testing this rack in the highway grime, occasional rain, and epic powder of a Northwest winter.

    Küat Grip 4 Ski Rack Features:

    • Metal outer shell and premium gloss metallic powdercoat provide unmatched strength and finish
    • GripLock rubber securely holds skis or snowboards of varying sizes
    • FLIP™ MOUNT SYSTEM allows for quick install or removal
    • Large intuitive handle
    • Both GRIP and FLIP Mount System are fully locking
    • Slide out design makes for easy loading and unloading
    • MSRP: $429
    Küat Grip 4 Ski Rack Review
    Frosty grip on my touring skis and my (much cooler) buddy’s tele skis.

    The Most Rack for the Most Money:

    Küat is no stranger to making premium gear haulers. Their recent Piston Pro X caught our eyes for its eye-popping feature set and sleek designs, not to mention its price tag. The Grip 4 is in a similar vein: it caters to an audience that has money to spare on nice haulage. And what do you get for the money? Well, durability, ease-of-use, and security.

    Let’s start with durability. The paint on the sleek outer casing of the rack feels like what you’d get on a new car: premium powder coating. The other aspects are (on my rack) anodized orange aluminum, offering rust-free weight savings. The rack is fairly wide compared to most ski racks, which means there’s room for a burly barrel-style hinge with great lateral rigidity.

    Küat Grip 4 Ski Rack Review
    The anodized aluminum is a sleek touch

    And it’s an easy to use rack, too. A couple of things stand out here: when you flick up on the large, intuitive handle, springs pop the rack tops skyward instantly. Sheltered just inside of the rack’s opening is a big toggle which, when grabbed, lets you slide the rack out towards you for easy loading. It all works really well, and I love how the slide out toggle is sheltered beneath the top rack section so that snow and road gunk doesn’t gum it up.

    Küat Grip 4 Ski Rack Review
    Spring-loaded hinges make for one-touch opening

    The install is innovative and breezy. Küat calls this their Grip Flip Mount System, and basically it’s a hex-key driven strap which you size for your bars, and then slide the strap’s catch into its locking slot. To lock it into place, you flip the catch down which ratchets the strap down nice and tight. Once you get it right the first time, installing the rack in future seasons will be as simple as setting it down on the crossbar and throwing that catch into place. No more repetitive twisting a hex key or tiny plastic nob with your frozen fingers. It is the best install I’ve experienced in a rack.

    Just like the install, there are other things to like about the rack when you’re not using it. A major one is the low profile; visually, it definitely looks low profile, and the standing height above the cross bars is about 4.5 inches, which isn’t too shabby. It’s quiet, and I personally haven’t experienced any whistling when the rack is empty. I sometimes hear whistling with skis in, and I attribute that to my bindings. Some people have experienced a whistle with the rack, and I suspect that’s related to how far forward/aft the crossbars are on your particular vehicle. These are almost always adjustable.

    Küat Grip 4 Ski Rack Review
    Plenty of space for four skis or two boards on this rack

    Küat chose big, soft, grippy rubber teeth rather than a single rubber ‘tube’ which is more common on ski racks. At first I couldn’t tell if this was aesthetic or function, but I think there’s a great functional component. The soft rubber, split up in its ‘toothy’ pattern, is better at wrapping itself around the edges of the individual skis and boards as they sit side-by-side. I think that reduces road jiggle and shifting on long drives.

    Some of the other basics, like included locks, are also present and much appreciated. I like that Küat includes lock cores and keys with each rack, and it’s always bothered me when other companies sell them separately. I don’t know many people who wouldn’t prefer to lock their gear in, and having to pay extra for lock cores rankles me. So, Küat made it easy to lock the rack onto the car, and the skis into the rack. The sliding lock toggle is sheltered beneath the overhang of the upper rack piece, keeping it free of snow and easy to use.

    Küat Grip 4 Ski Rack Review
    I love how the lock toggle is tucked away safely

    A quirk of my experience was that the box arrived a bit mangled, and when I opened it up I found that one of the four mounts had fallen out in shipping. I contacted Küat who quickly replaced the part, but it meant that footing didn’t match my other lock cores. They also mentioned that they see this happen, and it made me wonder what’s been done to pack the racks up better. The odds of it happening to you are slim, but in an otherwise positive review it’s important to note!

    Küat Grip 4 Ski Rack Review
    A better look at the slide-out switch sitting above the lock

    The Good

    • Without argument, the most premium ski rack on the market
    • Top-quality design and construction. Should last for years and years.
    • Thoughtful one-touch opening and easy slide-out feature for painless loading
    • Clever Grip Flip mounting system
    • Comes with locks
    • Love the spring-loaded top bars
    • The big toothy rubber grips skis securely

    The Bad

    • Premium racks come at a premium price
    • Rare shipping issues are known at happen
    • Still a taller profile than Küat’s excellent Switch rack

    The Bottom Line: Küat Grip 4 Ski Rack

    It’s easy to recommend the Küat Grip 4 to people who can afford a premium rack. If you’re looking to splurge on a top-dollar quiver hauler, you can’t really get better than the Küat Grip 4. The build alone is singularly good, but the execution of the key features (namely one-touch opening, slide-out lower trays) is spot on. I don’t have any major critiques to the design and construction, and I’ve commented on the unusual shipping issue that I had. I don’t think I’m ever going to want another rack after this one.

    Buy Now: Available from Kuat.com

    47
    SHARES
    ShareTweet
    Kuat
    Previous ArticleIbis Exie Goes Global
    Next Article Polar Pacer Pro Multisport Watch Review
    Kevin Glover
    • Website

    Kevin Glover lives, climbs and backpacks out of Spokane, WA. Originally from the Nevada high desert, he moved to the PNW ten years ago and has worked as a glacier and rock guide in the Washington Cascades. When not testing gear, he is a medical student at the University of Washington and will gladly check that rash out for you.

    You Might Also Like

    Black Diamond StormLine Stretch Rain Shell Review

    March 29, 2023

    Pearl Izumi PRO Barrier Jacket Review

    March 27, 2023

    Velocio Concept Merino Long Sleeve Jersey Review

    March 22, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Most Popular

    Wahoo ELEMNT Rival Multisport GPS Watch Review

    March 9, 2022
    8.9

    Zipp 303 S Carbon Wheelset Review

    November 4, 2021
    9.2

    SRAM Rival XPLR eTap AXS Groupset Review

    August 12, 2022
    8.5

    Canyon Lux Trail CF 7 Review

    November 28, 2022

    Montec Fawk Ski Jacket and Bib Review

    February 28, 2022

    SRAM Rival/GX AXS Mullet Gravel Kit Review

    September 17, 2021
    9.1

    Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37 TLR Wheelset Review

    June 18, 2020
    9.4

    Roval CL 50 Disc Wheelset Review

    September 13, 2019
    9.1

    Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 TLR Wheelset Review

    September 9, 2021

    After Spinal Injury, Tara Llanes Has Long Road to Recovery

    February 21, 2008
    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    Advertisement
    Our Latest Posts
    • Black Diamond StormLine Stretch Rain Shell Review
    • Pearl Izumi PRO Barrier Jacket Review
    • Fresh Goods: Redshift Arclight PRO Clipless and Flat Pedals
    • Velocio Concept Merino Long Sleeve Jersey Review
    • Arc’teryx Rush SK 16 Backpack Review
    • Giro Montaro MIPS II Helmet Review
    • Outdoor Vitals Vario Jacket Review
    • Santini Gravel Bib Tights Review
    • Sportneer K1 Massage Gun Review
    • Review: Giro Latch Mountain Bike Shoes
    About Us
    About Us

    Since 1999, we have delivered in-depth gear reviews, articles and content. We feature a small staff of savvy, experienced writers who love to review outdoor gear.

    External links to Amazon, REI, Backcountry and other retailers include affiliate codes that give us a small commission on each sale.

    To contact us or learn more, go to our About Us page.

    © FeedTheHabit.com 1999 - 2023. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.