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SD2OR with a trophy fall walleye

Topic: Truck Bed Extenders?  (Read 5376 times)

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Tinker

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Kevin
  • Location: 42.74°N 124.5°W
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3304
I have a short, short, tiny little pickup bed on my Nissan, and a Trident 13 kayak.  I've been thinking about getting a hitch-mounted truck bed extender for short, quick, toss-it-on-and-go trips to my local lakes.  Has anyone used one of them?  Is anyone still using one?

I'd appreciate your thoughts or hearing about your experiences.

(And also, if someone has a better idea for a way to quickly and easily transport a 13'6" kayak in a 5' pickup bed, let me know).
I expected the worst, but it was worse than I expected...


kredden

  • Rockfish
  • ****
  • Location: North Bend, WA
  • Date Registered: Feb 2018
  • Posts: 170
One of my buddies has a Nissan Frontier and hauls around a Hobie Pro Angler 14 in the bed using a Boonedox bed extender, has been working well for him for years.  I work at a Hobie dealer in Seattle and sell lots of the Boonedox bed extenders to my customers and have not had any complaints.

The only situation I've run into with them not being a good solution is with a couple folks who had sliding drawers installed in their beds (taking up the whole bed and thus raising it by about a foot.  The Boonedox is adjustable for height but not by that much.  I think they ended up being able to get a Yakima or Harbor Freight version to work in those cases.


INSAYN

  • ORC_Safety
  • Sturgeon
  • *
  • **RIP...Ron, Ro, AMB, Stephen**
  • Location: Forest Grove, OR
  • Date Registered: Aug 2008
  • Posts: 5411
I threw together a quick extender for my son to use to haul his 13.5ft Hobie in his 6ft truck bed. Works like a charm. 

Then I added a bed rack and RTT that fit over the kayak for the full meal deal.

 

"If I was ever stranded on a beach with only hand lotion...You're the guy I'd want with me!"   Polyangler, 2/27/15


Tinker

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Kevin
  • Location: 42.74°N 124.5°W
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3304
One of my buddies has a Nissan Frontier and hauls around a Hobie Pro Angler 14 in the bed using a Boonedox bed extender, has been working well for him for years.  I work at a Hobie dealer in Seattle and sell lots of the Boonedox bed extenders to my customers and have not had any complaints.
...

Thanks, Kevin. The one thing I've been wondering about with the Boonedox T-Bone is how far they extend behind the truck.  Seems like it would take up a lot of space in a parking lot (and be a temptation if I stored it in the pickup's bed).  Do they really extend out as far as the online pictures suggest?  I'd think I'd need no more than three extra feet to hold a T13 steady on short trips.  For longer trips, I'd use the ladder racks.

I threw together a quick extender for my son to use to haul his 13.5ft Hobie in his 6ft truck bed. Works like a charm. 

Then I added a bed rack and RTT that fit over the kayak for the full meal deal.

I don't believe for a minute that you just throw anything together.  Maybe with your advice on measurements, etcetera, I can ask Mojo to put one together for me.  It's a good design, and he's been trying to get me to come up to Tillamook for-ever.  Thanks!
I expected the worst, but it was worse than I expected...


jed

  • ORC_Safety
  • Salmon
  • *
  • With a But like mine, you'd want to flaunt it too.
  • Location: Vale, Oregon
  • Date Registered: May 2014
  • Posts: 866
This is what the T Bone looks like with outbacks on a Tacoma. I’ve been using it for over a year and really like it. Makes loading/unloading easy. Parking lots aren’t much of a problem but you may have to take up 2 stalls.


crash

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Humboldt, CA and Ashland, OR
  • Date Registered: Jan 2012
  • Posts: 812

I don't believe for a minute that you just throw anything together.  Maybe with your advice on measurements, etcetera, I can ask Mojo to put one together for me.  It's a good design, and he's been trying to get me to come up to Tillamook for-ever.  Thanks!

I’m about 85% that I’ll be up that way June 19-25 staying at Barview.  Party at Shannon’s!


Tinker

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Kevin
  • Location: 42.74°N 124.5°W
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3304
This is what the T Bone looks like with outbacks on a Tacoma. I’ve been using it for over a year and really like it. Makes loading/unloading easy. Parking lots aren’t much of a problem but you may have to take up 2 stalls.

Thanks Jed!  That's not as long as it looks in promotional photos.  This helps a lot, and I appreciate it.

I’m about 85% that I’ll be up that way June 19-25 staying at Barview.  Party at Shannon’s!

Heck yeah!
I expected the worst, but it was worse than I expected...


T Coastal

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: Tillamook
  • Date Registered: Apr 2019
  • Posts: 250
I have a Tacoma with a 6' bed and use one for my 2020 Outback. Works great! I added some padding to help with the metal on plastic contact when I am sliding it on and off. Only use one strap on the back to secure it. Ordered mine off Amazon. It was $100, worth every penny!
2020 Hobie Outback
2018 Ocean Kayak Prowler 13


Tinker

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Kevin
  • Location: 42.74°N 124.5°W
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3304
I have a Tacoma with a 6' bed and use one for my 2020 Outback. Works great! I added some padding to help with the metal on plastic contact when I am sliding it on and off. Only use one strap on the back to secure it. Ordered mine off Amazon. It was $100, worth every penny!

Thank you.  Now I feel like I'm the only one NOT using them.
I expected the worst, but it was worse than I expected...


Beer_Run

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: West Linn
  • Date Registered: Jul 2017
  • Posts: 476
I have the T-Bone and LOVE it. The only thing I would advise is get a pair of used saddles (NOT rollers) from Re-Rack and put them as close together as the T-Bone will allow (dont ask me why I know the difference).

When I park to fish, I take it out and put it in the bed of the truck with a bed top cuz there are so many A-holes out there. I leave it, and the kayak, in the truck most of the time and parking is not a huge issue when just hitting the grocery store. A bit more walking that I totally need.

Fan!
- Bob

2020 Hobie Outback - Seagrass
2021 Old Town AutoPilot 120 - Blue/Gray


Oldhammer

  • Herring
  • **
  • Location: Eugene
  • Date Registered: Jan 2021
  • Posts: 41
I have the Yakima Long Arm.  Love it.  Light weight, folds up nicely, and attaches to truck easily.  Found it on Craigslist for around 100 bucks so that didn’t hurt!


  • Location: Hillsboro
  • Date Registered: Feb 2021
  • Posts: 83
I have the T-bone too and what I can say so far is it's surprisingly light and does a great job.

I bought a trailer hitch pin that locks and added an extended padlock between the two sections for security. This way I don't have to remove it unless I need to do to parking constraints.

I have added foam noodles with zip ties but also plan to add some outdoor carpet to help prolong the life of the foam and make it easier to slide.

I just measured and from the bottom of my tailgate (when closed) to the end of the extension is 48 inches.

« Last Edit: May 02, 2021, 09:44:27 PM by HarvestNFaith »


Tinker

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Kevin
  • Location: 42.74°N 124.5°W
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3304
I have the T-Bone and LOVE it. The only thing I would advise is get a pair of used saddles (NOT rollers) from Re-Rack and put them as close together as the T-Bone will allow (dont ask me why I know the difference).

When I park to fish, I take it out and put it in the bed of the truck with a bed top cuz there are so many A-holes out there. I leave it, and the kayak, in the truck most of the time and parking is not a huge issue when just hitting the grocery store. A bit more walking that I totally need.

Fan!

Never heard of Re-Rack before now.  Thanks for telling me about them.  Their saddle inventory is low right now but I'll keep an eye on them.

I never park close to the doors of grocery stores... I wish the walking was doing more to solve my "Pandemic 30" problem.


I have the Yakima Long Arm.  Love it.  Light weight, folds up nicely, and attaches to truck easily.  Found it on Craigslist for around 100 bucks so that didn’t hurt!

I missed my chance to get a Boonedox T-Bone cheap.  I haven't looked at Craigslist or the Facebook Marketplace but now I will.

Someone complained the Long Arm "rattled" because it fit their receiver loosely.  People can find the darnedest things to complain about, but it's worth asking if you notice a loose fit?


I have the T-bone too and what I can say so far is it's surprisingly light and does a great job.

I bought a trailer hitch pin that locks and added an extended padlock between the two sections for security. This way I don't have to remove it unless I need to do to parking constraints.

I have added foam noodles with zip ties but also plan to add some outdoor carpet to help prolong the life of the foam and make it easier to slide.

I just measured and from the bottom of my tailgate (when closed) to the end of the extension is 48 inches.

Thank your for measuring the extension.  Forty-eight inches isn't nearly as long as some photos make it look.  Your extended padlock is a slick addition but I've never seen anything like it.  Who makes those?

I'm wondering why I didn't take these things more seriously years ago.  Thanks again, everyone.
I expected the worst, but it was worse than I expected...


Oldhammer

  • Herring
  • **
  • Location: Eugene
  • Date Registered: Jan 2021
  • Posts: 41
There is some movement but I don’t have anything to compare it to.  Once my kayak is on all play dissipates.  I really like that it folds up toward the truck...really useful for crowded boat launches or just driving around without removing the extender.


  • Date Registered: Jul 2019
  • Posts: 93
I have the T-Bone extender AND the Decked Drawer system. That didn’t work too well so I ended up getting the T-Bone XL extender and that works great.

Beer_Run, do you happen to have a picture of your setup with the saddles on? I’ve been considering doing something like that and would like to see what it looks like.