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For years I've been carrying around some carpet scraps that I lay on the tailgate when I climb in the back so I don't kill my knees, the ridges on our tailgates make them especially viscous on the knees especially if you kneel partway into one of the depressed areas, it's a real killer and I do get in the back a lot. Since I have a topper I always have to crawl on my knees. So getting ready for a camping trip today I was thinking somebody must make a padded mat for our tailgates and I found this one: https://realtruck.com/p/boomerang-ru...ntent=surfaces which would sure be nice, plus my tailgate is kind of rough/abused on the inside and this would cover up all of that. It looks like it would also level the surface a bit for laying out stuff. Anyone try one?
Bedrug makes one too, can't decide. The rubber one screws on permanently and the Bedrug sticks on with Velcro. The rubber one says it's for protection of tailgate while the Bedrug says protection of tailgate and knees, maybe that's the ticket although I'll bet either one would provide enough knee protection. hmmmm. Hoping folks have one or the other and will comment... https://realtruck.com/p/bedrug-tailg...ord/f350/2002/
Found another one LOL! This one is a universal fit but the measurements happen to be exactly right for the 99-03 Superduty, it is 19.5" tall while the Boomerang product is only 18" tall and leaves a gap. 19.5" covers the entire black plastic coated whatever that stuff is (bedliner?) section on my tailgate that is busted and has pieces missing. Ordered one and will report back after the install if anyone's interested..
I've made use of cheap horse stall mats, to lay on floor to crawl under truck. Use the interlocking rubber mats on plywood deck over toolbox drawers in truck bed, but then I use a foam mattress to sleep on the platform. I cut a piece of foam off my sleeping pad(Walmart) that I use under my sleeping bag when backpacking, I leave that in back of truck to throw on tailgate, when I'm crawling in truck for some reason. I use all of the above when working on top of engine, although lately been using folded up moving blankets, they seem to work better than anything. Like you... anything to protect my old body parts....
I thought of cutting a cheap horse stall pad to fit on tailgate... just never made the effort to do it....
I've made use of cheap horse stall mats, to lay on floor to crawl under truck. Use the interlocking rubber mats on plywood deck over toolbox drawers in truck bed, but then I use a foam mattress to sleep on the platform. I cut a piece of foam off my sleeping pad(Walmart) that I use under my sleeping bag when backpacking, I leave that in back of truck to throw on tailgate, when I'm crawling in truck for some reason. I use all of the above when working on top of engine, although lately been using folded up moving blankets, they seem to work better than anything. Like you... anything to protect my old body parts....
I thought of cutting a cheap horse stall pad to fit on tailgate... just never made the effort to do it....
I wasn't going to do anything special till I realized how much more comfortable and useful a flat rubber mat fastened to the tailgate would be. With all the ridges it's not even a great place to set your meals and drinks so looking forward to this for my solo "rough" camping. Inside I have 2 layers of thick plush carpeting which I lay my Alps Mountaineering self inflating air mattress on and it's every bit as comfortable as home.
She came out nice, I slipped a piece of carper under it to make it easy on the knees. I had to trim about 1/2" off each end and 1/4" off the bottom as I have a tailgate dust seal installed and it was hitting against it. Trims real nice with a straight edge and utility knife. It added about 12 lbs to the tailgate.
Had a bed rug in my last truck. Beat the hell out of the pain in the knees - had a shell on it also. Almost 20 years it was still in decent shape. Kept stuff from sliding around while driving also.
