There are plenty of things I think about before heading out on the water around Charleston, but one of them is always how I’m going to get everything there. Rods, tackle, cooler, PFD, paddle, fishing gear and, of course, the kayak itself. If you fish or paddle the Lowcountry often enough, you eventually realize that getting your gear to the water can be almost as important as what happens once you arrive. That is where the Boonedox Classic T-Bone Truck Bed Extender comes into the picture. It is a simple idea that solves a very common problem: your truck bed is only so long, but your kayak or canoe probably isn't.

The Classic T-Bone is designed to add up to four feet of usable length to the back of a pickup truck. It mounts into a standard trailer hitch receiver and gives you a wide support point at the back of the truck, making it much easier to transport longer kayaks, canoes, lumber and other oversized gear. For anyone who has ever looked at a kayak sitting in the back of a truck and wondered how far it was going to stick out, the advantage is pretty obvious. For me, the biggest appeal is how practical the T-Bone is. It isn't another complicated piece of equipment that requires you to completely change the way you use your truck. It is there when you need the extra length and can be removed when you don't. The extender weighs approximately 16 pounds, so it is also light enough to handle without feeling like you're wrestling with a giant piece of steel every time you want to install or remove it. That lightweight construction comes from the aircraft grade aluminum used by Boonedox. The material is designed not to rust, which is especially important for those of us around Charleston. Between saltwater, boat ramps, rain and the general abuse outdoor equipment takes, corrosion is something I always keep in mind when buying gear that will live around my truck and fishing equipment.

The T-Bone also has an adjustable height. The crossbar can be positioned between approximately 13.25 and 19 inches from the top of the hitch receiver, allowing you to set it up for your particular truck and load. The crossbar itself is 60 inches wide, giving you a substantial platform at the back of the vehicle. But the feature that really makes the Classic T-Bone stand out is the curved design. Boonedox designed the extender specifically with kayaks and canoes in mind, and that curve helps provide additional clearance when navigating steep or uneven terrain and boat launches. Anyone who has backed a truck down a steep ramp with a kayak hanging out the back knows exactly why that matters.

Charleston has plenty of boat ramps where the transition from pavement to water isn't exactly gentle. Add a long kayak extending several feet beyond the truck bed and suddenly that angle becomes something you have to think about. The T-Bone's design helps keep the end of the kayak from taking the brunt of that transition. The extender is rated to support up to 300 pounds of distributed weight, giving it plenty of capacity for many of the kayaks and other long loads that outdoor enthusiasts are hauling. Of course, that doesn't mean you can throw 300 pounds on one small spot and forget about it. Properly distributing the load and securing everything correctly is still part of the equation.

That is an important part of using any truck bed extender. The T-Bone is designed to support the load, but you still need to secure your gear properly. Boonedox specifically notes that the plastic side "ears" aren't designed to take the full force of your straps. Your straps should run through the crossbar itself. That is a small detail, but it is exactly the kind of detail I want to know before putting an expensive kayak on the back of my truck. Once you have the kayak secured, the extra four feet can make a big difference. A short bed truck doesn't suddenly become a long bed truck, but the T-Bone effectively gives you another section of support behind the vehicle. Instead of having a long kayak hanging unsupported behind the tailgate, you have another point to help carry the load.

That makes the T-Bone useful beyond kayaking, too. Boonedox specifically designed it for carrying kayaks, canoes, lumber and other long items. For someone who spends weekends bouncing between fishing trips, home projects and outdoor adventures, having one piece of equipment that can handle several jobs is always a plus. I also like that it doesn't try to overcomplicate something that should be simple. Hitch mounted gear can sometimes feel like it was designed by someone who never actually had to load a kayak in a parking lot before sunrise. The T-Bone takes a straightforward approach: get the support where you need it, give yourself additional length and get on the road.

That practicality fits pretty well with how I look at outdoor equipment in general. The best gear isn't always the flashiest piece of equipment in the truck. Sometimes it is the thing that solves an annoying problem you didn't realize could be solved so easily. For Lowcountry anglers and paddlers, transportation is one of those problems. We have access to an incredible amount of water around Charleston, from the creeks and marshes around Mount Pleasant and the Wando to the rivers, flats and backwaters throughout the Lowcountry. Getting to those places often means hauling a kayak, paddleboard or canoe, and the right transportation setup can make the entire experience easier.

Boonedox has built the Classic T-Bone around exactly that idea. It adds approximately 48 inches to the end of your truck bed, is constructed from lightweight aircraft-grade aluminum, adjusts for different truck heights and provides a wide, curved support surface for longer gear. It is also a product that makes sense once you actually see it. On paper, "truck bed extender" doesn't exactly sound like the most exciting piece of outdoor equipment. But once you see a kayak properly supported four feet beyond the end of a truck bed, the purpose becomes pretty clear. For anyone who regularly hauls a kayak, canoe or other long outdoor gear, the Boonedox Classic T-Bone is worth taking a look at. It doesn't change what you do once you reach the water. It simply makes getting your gear there a little easier, which is something I can appreciate.

If you want to purchase the Boonedox T-Bone Truck Bed Extender online, visit Boonedox. If you'd rather see one in person and talk through your setup, ride over to Time Out Sport & Ski in Mount Pleasant and check it out for yourself.

Click here to check out the T-Bone Truck Bed Extender by Boonedox!

Written by Nick Levine
Outdoor Enthusiast | Gear Reviewer | Fishing & Inshore Specialist