Decked?

[8ball_99]

Well, I'll admit, the biggest drawback y'all are talking about is probably my biggest concern. I don't have a rack to worry about so overall height doesn't concern me, but essentially making the bed only about 8 inches deep does. Very often I'll throw the gas can in the back, load some random furniture, appliance etc in there. I wouldn't say it's often, but often enough I'll notice that if I go to pick up a set of outdoor chairs that someone is giving away on marketplace and I have plans to refinish and sell them...it might cause me a bit of a pain. Then again, a simple trailer could solve my concerns. The storage space is very attractive to me, but essentially limiting the main feature of a truck...

I'll just have to figure which trade-off I'm most comfortable with.

I'd say you probably won't love a decked then if you haul furniture and appliances with any regularity. Sheet material or lumber is NP. Can't fit as much, but easy enough to throw on top. Large heavy items though are the biggest negative. I pretty much automatically grabbed a trailer for anything like that. Again that whole putting it on the tailgate then climbing up and having to lift it up on top of the decked gets old. Not to mention everything is up really high at that point and above the cab. Heck just putting things like a pressure washer or a full trash can in the bed is a hassle. A friend asked to borrow my garden tiller once. I hooked up a trailer just to run it over to them, lol. Trying to get that thing up on top of the deck and back down alone Plus having to strap it really well so it doesn't tip over the side or into the back window, Nope. I have to swap out welding gas bottles and get propane tanks filled pretty often. That was something else that became a job for a trailer. Now that task is back to just putting them in the truck bed. My brother N law loves his decked on his AT4X, But he doesn't do much hauling really. Most everything he has fits in the drawers. I think that's where they shine. If you could get by with a SUV 90% of the time. Decked is probably a great fit.

 

[MNNJR69]

I'd say you probably won't love a decked then if you haul furniture and appliances with any regularity. Sheet material or lumber is NP. Can't fit as much, but easy enough to throw on top. Large heavy items though are the biggest negative. I pretty much automatically grabbed a trailer for anything like that. Again that whole putting it on the tailgate then climbing up and having to lift it up on top of the decked gets old. Not to mention everything is up really high at that point and above the cab. Heck just putting things like a pressure washer or a full trash can in the bed is a hassle. A friend asked to borrow my garden tiller once. I hooked up a trailer just to run it over to them, lol. Trying to get that thing up on top of the deck and back down alone Plus having to strap it really well so it doesn't tip over the side or into the back window, Nope. I have to swap out welding gas bottles and get propane tanks filled pretty often. That was something else that became a job for a trailer. Now that task is back to just putting them in the truck bed. My brother N law loves his decked on his AT4X, But he doesn't do much hauling really. Most everything he has fits in the drawers. I think that's where they shine. If you could get by with a SUV 90% of the time. Decked is probably a great fit.

Great example! All of this fits, even with the Decked system..( last photo is everything unpacked and set up, including all that you don't see inside of the tent).it is a task to pack it all in , but if I didn't have the overland rack, I would not be able to pack it that full without lots of straps and would definitely be looking in the rear view mirror constantly to make sure the load was still there....