Review: 3 of the Latest Burly Tailgate Pads from Dakine, Fox, & Send It

Indisputably, the most convenient way to load your bike in a pickup truck is by resting it on the tailgate using a specifically crafted pad, although I’ve seen everything from folded cardboard bike boxes, blankets, and floor mats used as improvisations.

Tailgate pads are enticing due to their short loading time, plus they cost less and allow for a better departure angle than hitch-mounted racks. Of course, they reduce the truck bed’s cargo capacity, but tradeoffs exist with every type of bike carrier.

As these seemingly rudimentary bike cushions have improved, truck bodies have evolved in shape too. They now feature rounded-edge profiles, back-up cameras - even built-in ladders have been introduced. Heavier, bulkier e-bikes add stress to their own frames and the tailgate edges too. No doubt, all of those factors have caused frustrations for tailgate pad designers.

Here are three of the latest and greatest tailgate pads from Dakine, Fox / Race Face and Send-It, which incorporate deluxe materials and shapeable functions to solve such headaches.

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Dakine Universal Pickup Pad



Like most of the tailgate pads out on the market, there are two sizes; one for mid-size trucks that holds 5 bikes, and one for full-size trucks to carry 7. In terms of coverage, the mid-size measures 140cm wide and 40cm (55.1 x 15.7”) for the mid-size pad and 155 x 40cm (61 x 15.7”) for the full-size.

PRICE

Kick me for saying it, but inflation seems to have hit the truck tailgate market too. $300 ain’t cheap. $295 USD / $425 CAD will get you either a mid or full-size Pickup Pad. A two-year limited warranty applies to Dakine’s tailgate pads.

Granted, the performance has been increased with features like the rubberized cradles, a velcro pocket, security eyelet, and metal hooks on the straps are welcomed, but all of that is reflected in the higher price tag.



FIT/INSTALL

Dakine reversed the orientation of the strap system securing the pad to the truck for a speedy lace up - just throw the pad over the tailgate opened at a 45-degree angle and let the dead end of the straps fall through the gap between the bed and tailgate.

Next, close the tailgate, position the pad accordingly and feed the metal hooks on the strap ends through the eye on the bottom, exterior edge of the pad. This means that you don’t get covered in dirt during installation either. A slick, spring loaded strap cinch buckle takes up the excess length and an elastic loop cleans up the folded, excess strap length.

Strapped up to a 3rd generation Tacoma, the Dakine Universal Pickup Pad falls a bit short on coverage from left to right. It took a bit of wrestling for it to sit flat since the Tacoma’s tailgate pad has just a small curved lip on the upper edge of the tailgate. Adjustments can be made to straighten out the wrinkles and increase the camera window coverage by repositioning the velcro connection points but this will likely take a few tries.

Similarly, the camera window has a short overlap too, so if you find that a bike’s fork or tire lands in the area, be sure the flap is positioned accurately and strapped securely.

FUNCTIONALITY

Looking back to the upgrades Dakine implemented, the resting area for the downtube is well protected with a thick rubber bumper for E-bikes. Lengthy downtube straps are held in place by velcro and can be placed at various degrees to line up with the contours of any frame shape. Similarly, the outside to edge features the same bumper for the fork area, although you’ll want to pay attention to its position; sitting on the stanchion is not ideal.

Through the review period, I found that the rubber surfaces gripped better and caused less chafing than the other pads. That could be because the rubber is tacky yet smooth, helping to shed sand and grit best.Those rubber bumpers inside the bed are specifically placed to cradle the downtube which does limit how confidently you can squeeze an extra bike into the truck, although that’s not recommended.

One minor inconvenience about the Universal Pickup Pad is that the downtube straps must be fed through a tight fabric loop. The Race Face T3 pad uses plastic loopholes which expedites the loading process.

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Send It High Roller Tailgate Pad




Built into the top edge are accordion-like rows of expanding padding to contour to any tailgate shape. The 45-degree panel creases on the outside add to the universal fit and take up slack without extra straps to cinch it tight. The front side is that same heavy duty rubberized-nylon while the flip side is covered entirely in the commonly-used fleece. You’ll also find 5 or 6 velcro straps on the top edge.

Four straps loop from the inside of the bed out and connect via metal hooks on the exterior of the tailgate. That may not seem like a huge deal, compared to the reverse fashion of feeding them up through the gap in the bed, but for those that remove these bike-carrier systems frequently, you’ll appreciate the reduced frustration of this attachment method.

The mid-size measures 144cm wide and 53cm tall (56x21”) (exterior vertical panel) while the full-size is 160x60cm (63x23.5”).

PRICE

The High Roller comes in at $225 USD / $313 CAD, making it a little cheaper than the two other long-time players' goods. Send It also backs up their product with a lifetime warranty and 100% customer satisfaction guarantee.


FIT/INSTALL

The High Roller fit the Tacoma tailgate perfectly, running wider than both the Fox /Race Face and Dakine. Each pad and panel is thick and tough - there are virtually no thin spots for your bike to bash into the tailgate. There’s minimal messing around involved when installing the High Roller pad, no matter what profile your tailgate has. Those accordion-like pads stretch out where needed and negate getting tangled up with any velcro strips or extra straps.

Like Dakine’s offering, Send It’s tailgate pad attaches with those handy hooked straps. Just drop them through the gap between the bed, hook the strap loop and tighten.

FUNCTIONALITY

Next to the funky, expanding ribs, the High Rollers stand-out feature is the back-up camera window which slides up and down. It’s a novel concept but I found the panel didn’t drop low enough to get full view out of the camera. Rotating the pad down the tailgate further didn’t help as it wanted to curl under the truck’s panel, behind the bumper. More coverage is better for a universal product versus not enough, though.

Durability, serious padding, and universal fit are the key takeaways with the High Roller. A slight miss is the narrow, rectangular downtube strap eyelets. Larger or rounder slots would be less tedious when strapping the bikes down.

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Fox Mission / Race Face T3 Tailgate Pad



Highlighting the security side of the redesigned tailgate pad is the monstrous downtube pad that hinges out of the way to completely close a tonneau cover, and the soft, yet durable fork bumper grooves.

Choices in color are limited to black, but both brand names are available in either truck size. The mid-size carries 5 bikes and the full-size officially fits 6.

PRICE

Both brands sell the Full and Mid-Size for $259 USD / $269 CAD, which includes the comical strap installation tool. You can buy those separately for $4 to lace up previous models.

For those who might need space for vehicle accessories or camp gear, there’s a 2-bike option for $130 USD / $145 CAD as well.



FIT/INSTALL

The Mission / T3 does tighten down well without bulking up but it’ll take some trial and error to perfect that. Between all of the straps, velcro panels, and installation tools, there’s a lot to manage. You’ll want to give yourself time to dial in the fit and coverage. The camera window is quite large, which is why three extra pieces are provided to close the gap. Velcro strips match up behind the main panels, all of which are backed with micro-brushed fleece lining.

Oddly enough, like the Dakine Universal Pickup Pad, the Fox Mission / Race Face T3 is on the short side when fitted to a mid-size Toyota Tacoma. This is where taking time to stack the bikes in and properly place the downtube straps is necessary.

Depending on which direction you turn the front wheel of the bike will dictate how bikes are spaced, so it’s worth checking their positions with a full rack of bikes before thinking you’re ready to rock.

FUNCTIONALITY

There’s no arguing the Mission / T3 is a tad narrow, but it does hold the bikes securely and gently. When positioned perfectly, the generous downtube straps have no trouble holding even the most chonky frames solidly in place. Adding to its stability, the fork cradles do a swell job to keep the bikes from twisting, but I’d still like that piece of mind knowing the entire tailgate panel is covered.

Another point in the coverage department is the camera window; the personalized panel placement does the job, but compared to a flip up or sliding door, they’re not the most convincing. They did stay in place during the review and I never lost any pieces, however, larger sections of velcro holding them in place would be more assuring.

Finally, it may have come to a trade off to design an adaptable fit or reduce the price, but the Mission / T3 pad still uses the annoying bottom-up lacing method - aluminum buckles are a nice touch since they’ll outlast plastic bits. If you only install this once a season, it’s not a huge ordeal, but seeing how other brands are catching on, I would have guessed Fox / Race Face would have followed suit.

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Overview

As one of the originators of the tailgate pad carrying system, Dakine’s latest version is burly and installs quickly - just keep an eye on the coverage around the camera window and outside edges. Plus, for full-size owners, they can confidently squeeze in a 7th bike, whereas the others state 6 is the max.

Fox / Race Face’s offering is slightly more complicated to install but that’s made up for in its long list of features and thick, yet retractable protection.

Newcomer, Send It, slides in with a solid contender in a busy market. Simple installation backed by ample padding gets the job done swiftly, barring the slightly narrow downtube strap rings.

All of these tailgate pads do an admirable job of transporting your bike gently and securely on your truck. Each one has their own unique benefits but also small niggles which may not fit your needs, or truck. None are inexpensive, but then again, what’s the price of protecting your prized possessions? They’re more dialed in and less smelly than an old piece of carpet too.

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Reviews and Tech Reviews Bikeracks Dakine Fox Factory Send It