I finally put a husky liners heavy duty bed mat at the back of my pickup, and I'm kicking myself for waiting this long. If you've ever heard that will gut-wrenching thud accompanied by a lengthy, metallic scrape when you hit the brakes, you understand exactly why I was in the market for some security. There is nothing at all quite like the sound of a flawlessly good toolbox or a heavy floor jack sliding across the bare metal truck bed to create your heart kitchen sink.
Most of us treat our trucks like equipment, not museum parts, but that doesn't mean we want the bed searching like it proceeded to go ten rounds with a cheese grater after only a year of possession. I spent a lot of period taking a look at spray-in liners, plastic drop-ins, plus even those strange carpeted options before settling on the particular Husky version. Truthfully? It's probably probably the most practical upgrades you can make for under the couple hundred dollars.
Why the Bare Bed is usually a Recipe for Disaster
Let's be real for a second: an uncovered truck bed is a liability. Sure, it looks clean when you drive it off the lot, but the second you toss a couple of cinderblocks or even a stack associated with lumber in there, the particular clock starts ticking. Every little scrape in the color is an invitation for moisture in order to settle in plus start the gradual, painful process associated with rusting out your own bed.
Further than the damage towards the truck itself, there's the damage to your stuff. I used to haul groceries in the particular back when the particular cab was complete, and it had been a disaster. A gallon of dairy or a crate of eggs would slide from the bulkhead to the particular tailgate each and every reddish light. With all the husky liners heavy duty bed mat , that will movement just prevents. It's like the ground of your pickup truck suddenly grew hands and decided to hold onto your gear for you personally.
The "Heavy Duty" Part Isn't Just Marketing
You observe the words "heavy duty" slapped everywhere these days, through paper plates in order to trash bags, so I was obviously a small skeptical at first. But when this factor arrived and We needed to drag the particular box into the garage, I understood they weren't kidding. This isn't a few flimsy bit of thin plastic. It's the thick, beefy slab of rubberized materials that seems like this could survive a small explosion.
The particular material is exactly what Husky calls their own DuraGrip. It's a rubber-like composite that's specifically designed to be tough enough in order to handle sharp edges on metal products but soft good enough to provide several actual cushion. If you spend any kind of time crawling close to in your bed—whether you're reaching regarding a tool or setting up a tent for vehicle camping—your knees will thank you. It's a night-and-day difference compared to the particular hard, ribbed surface of a bare bed or all those bone-jarring plastic liners.
It Stays Where You Place It
A single of my greatest gripes with cheap bed mats will be how they tend to "flutter" or even lift upward when you're carrying out 70 mph on the highway. I've seen exercise mats literally fly from trucks because they were too gentle and didn't have got any grip on the underside.
The husky liners heavy duty bed mat uses these smart little "nibs" on the bottom. They're tiny rubber cleats that bite into the bed surface. This may two things: very first, it keeps the particular mat from moving around even an inch. Second, it slightly elevates the mat so that will water can in fact drain out and air can flow. This is massive because you don't need big moist blanket trapped towards your paint for weeks on end, which is a common problem with some of the particular cheaper, flat-bottomed exercise mats.
The Set up (If You Can Even Call It That)
If you're the kind of person that hates reading manuals or spending four hours on the Saturday trying to figure out "Part A" and "Bolt B, " you are going in order to love this. Setting up the husky liners heavy duty bed mat is usually basically just a game of unrolling it.
Due to the fact they're custom-fit to your specific make and model, a person don't have in order to get out the utility knife and start hacking away at the corners. I just fallen mine in, concentrated up, and allow it sit within the sun for about twenty moments to flatten out from being folded up in the shipping box. This fits the contours of the wheel wells perfectly. No spaces, no overlapping sides, with no headache. It's possibly the easiest "mod" you'll ever do for your vehicle.
Coping with the Components
I live in a location where the weather can't evaluate if it wants to be a wilderness or a refrigerator. I was concerned that the rubber mat would get brittle plus crack in the winter or turn into a sticky, smelly clutter in the summer time.
Therefore far, the husky liners heavy duty bed mat hasn't flinched. This doesn't have that overwhelming "burnt rubber" smell that fills up your garage area when it gets very hot, which is a massive plus. Even in freezing temperatures, it stays fairly flexible. It also seems to become pretty resistant in order to chemicals. I've spilled a bit associated with oil and a few windshield washer fluid on it, also it just wiped quickly. It didn't stain or start in order to degrade the materials, which provides me a lot of confidence for the lengthy haul.
How It Changes the Way You Use Your Truck
It's humorous what sort of simple mat changes your behavior. Before I acquired it, I was usually "babying" the bed. I'd put together old blankets or cardboard boxes if I had been hauling something I thought might scratch the particular paint. It has been a chore. Today? I simply toss stuff in and go.
When I'm headed to the nursery to get mulch or soil, I don't care if a bag rips. When I go back home, I actually just pull the particular mat out (or leave it in) and hose it off. The dirt washes right away, and the bed stays pristine underneath. It turns the truck into the workhorse this was meant to be, without having the guilt associated with "ruining" a $50, 000 vehicle.
A Note upon Sound Dampening
Something I didn't expect was just how much quieter the truck got. Empty truck beds are usually basically giant echo chambers. Every stone that hits the particular underside of the bed or every single vibration from the road resonates through that sheet metallic. Adding a solid husky liners heavy duty bed mat actually dampens a lot associated with that road sound. Much more the ride feel a bit more solid plus less "tinny, " which is the nice little reward you don't actually think about before you experience it.
Is It Better Than a Spray-In?
Look, spray-in liners great. They're permanent plus they look cool. But they're also expensive—usually four or five times the price of a great mat. Plus, a spray-in liner will be literally sandpaper. In case you slide an item of nice furniture across a spray-in liner, you're heading to ruin the furniture.
The husky liners heavy duty bed mat offers you that impact safety that a spray-in doesn't really provide. If you drop a heavy tool on a spray-in, you might not scuff the paint, but you could nevertheless dent the metallic. The thickness associated with the Husky mat absorbs that influence. For my money, the combination associated with a mat and the factory paint (or even a mat upon top of a spray-in) is the gold regular for protection.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, you desire gear that simply works without a person having to believe about it. The husky liners heavy duty bed mat falls securely into that type. It's tough, it's easy to clear, it keeps your own stuff from flying around, and this protects your investment.
Regardless of whether you're a weekend break warrior hauling camping gear or someone who uses their truck for serious work every single day, this mat any associated with those purchases that will pays for by itself in peace associated with mind. You stop worrying about the particular bed, and a person start concentrating on the job at hand. And honestly, isn't that why all of us drive trucks within the first place? It's a simple, effective solution that will actually lives to the "heavy duty" title. If you're within the fence, just perform it—your truck (and your knees) will thank you.