Protecting your truck bed is a priority for anyone who plans on hauling things.
Which will eventually happen to every truck owner.
Thankfully, there are plenty of suitable options for protecting yours. A bed mat is a great option to both protect your bed and keep things from sliding around easily. All options featured in this guide are universal and will fit nearly any truck.
Let’s take a look at the 4 Best Truck Bed Mats available:
1. Dee Zee DZ85005 Universal Heavyweight Utility Bed Mat
We decided to start off with one of the strongest brands in the category.
Dee Zee is known for their quality, and this heavy-duty mat is a great value for someone looking for protection without breaking the bank.
This is a 4′ x 8′ option You can trim this down to fit your truck specifically. It’s one of the lightest mats at a weight of only 36 lbs. Dee Zee uses compressed rubber to give you a strong material at a lesser weight than some competitors.
They’ve contoured the bottom of this with little rubber grips to keep it from sliding around.
2. Westin 50-6325 Truck Bed Mat
Westin has a bigger option, for a little more money.
This mat is 6′ x 8′ if you have a wider truck bed. It’s an environmentally friendly option, constructed of recycled rubber.
They have a strong 3-year warranty and are proud to have made this in the USA. This has a non-slip surface to keep your items put.
One thing to note is that this is pretty heavy, at nearly twice the weight of Dee Zee’s option. That can make moving it into place a little harder, but that should give you peace of mind for it to stay in place!
This might be a bit harder to cut with a utility knife, tin snips are always a good option if you have trouble.
3. BDK M330 Black Heavy-Duty Truck Utility Bed Mat
BDK has thrown its hat into the ring, with their own 4′ x 8′ mat.
What’s the big draw to this? It is the most affordable on this list and the best value we could find in its price range.
It’s not the heaviest, nor the lightest at 50 lbs. They use a tightly textured contour which is a little more rigid than other options.
There really aren’t any major downsides to this brand, like we said before this is an excellent value.
4. BedRug Bed Mat BMX00D fits 66" X 98"
For all the people out there that like the look and feel of a rug, we’ve got the BedRug Bed Mat for you.
This is designed with exposure to the elements in mind.
The material used is polypropylene, which is water-resistant. Also to note, it’s not a heavy-duty option relative to others on this list. It comes in at 11 lbs.
What this is best for, is light-shielding of your truck bed. If you are going to be hauling a lot of heavy things or you’re not comfortable with drilling for installation, one of the choices above may suit your needs better.
FAQS
How do I trim my mat to fit?
Most everyone just uses a utility knife and a straight edge to make a clean cut. Some of these mats are thicker than others and will require a bit more effort, but the same principles apply.
Why do people get truck bed mats?
A lot of stock truck beds aren’t exactly slide resistant. If you want things to stay put, it helps to have a rubber surface that provides some friction. Of course, coupling it with a cargo bar or cargo net is a great idea as well.
Other reasons people get mats are for their trailers or garage floors.
Spray in bed-liner vs bed mat. Which is better?
This is a personal preference kind of thing but we can give you the run down real quick of the pros and cons to each.
For a spray in bed-liner, it’s usually going to cost you a bit more and people tend to get it done at the factory. That’s usually going to range between 400 – 600. But, it can be cheaper or more expensive, we’re just going on averages.
There are options to do a spray in yourself and for the materials without labor, it’s still going to be close to what a high-quality mat would run you. But, some people swear by spray-in’s. Here is a well-received do it yourself option by U-Pol.
The attractions of mats are that they’re removable and tend to be cheaper. There are also some great brands out there in this space. You can rest assured of getting a quality product.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this guide helps you make a good choice on how you’d like to protect your truck. There are plenty of options out there, and every owner will have to haul something eventually. That’s just the way it goes.
So, if you end up purchasing one of these do us a favor and let us know how it worked out for you. Good luck on your search!