Simple question for those with a short (5') bed truck

[Danno]

How do you carry your skis? Diagonally in the bed? And if you have dogs hanging out back there, how does that work?

[stfu&gbtw]

It doesn't. Short bed trucks are like the worst of both worlds. Especially the extra-short 5 footers. Trucks aren't small in any form - just buy one big enough to do what you need it to do.

[Caucasian Asian]

Dog goes in the back seat. Skis either diagonally or with the tips hanging off the end.

If I'm driving a long distance, I tuck them inside the box. If it's a short drive I just leave them hanging over the tailgate.

[hawkgt]

dude.... RAX skis will fit.

[stfu&gbtw]

dude.... RAX skis will fit.

No way dude - heart carvers is where it's at. And they'll fit in your subaru baja!

[hawkgt]

And they'll fit in your subaru baja!

not sure... I put in a sweet set of seats and replaced the BMX grips. I'll check out heart carvers... sounds like it can really up my game. I lay TRENCHES

[Kied]

I've got a Tacoma Crew Cab w/ the 5' bed... Dog goes in the back seat & 196 Bodacious' fit fine diagonally in the bed (inside the shell).

[userA]

racks racks racks and boobies.
b

[DJSapp]

Christ, how wide are your skis that your dog can't step over them?

[Hugh Conway]

this thread is perfect.

[Danno]

Christ, how wide are your skis that your dog can't step over them?

If you must know, I have 2 big dogs, and am thinking about trips to the mountains with gear for 2 large humans and 1 small human. Seems like skis that diagonal the whole bed, along with gear, might not leave a lot of space. Considering alternatives (yet again) to my current rig, and have had the same opinion as stfu&gbtw, but without any first hand experience, I was wondering if that opinion was wrong.

[stfu&gbtw]

If you must know, I have 2 big dogs, and am thinking about trips to the mountains with gear for 2 large humans and 1 small human. Seems like skis that diagonal the whole bed, along with gear, might not leave a lot of space. Considering alternatives (yet again) to my current rig, and have had the same opinion as stfu&gbtw, but without any first hand experience, I was wondering if that opinion was wrong.

Here's another first-hand tip:

Trucks, for being big and able to carry things, don't do a great job of carrying a lot of different things. If, for instance, you want to carry a bunch of luggage, and several passengers, and skis, and dogs, and you don't have a topper, tonneau, or river bags, you'll end up putting a lot of stuff in the cab with you, which then restricts the number of passengers you can carry. And a topper or tonneau is a pain in the ass when you want to haul stuff like firewood or oddly shaped things that don't fit through a topper opening. What you really want is a open bed, with a water tight box. The box is great for the stuff you'd usually put in the cab with you, and it doesn't touch the floor of the bed, so you can still put your skis, sheets of ply or DW, etc, in the bed with no hassle. But of course, the box will chop 2-2.5" off your bed length for stuff that doesn't lay flat, so long beds start to look pretty attractive.

Personally, if you really need a truck, I wouldn't recommend one without the long bed and the crew cab, and even then - start using it and a trailer starts looking like required equipment.

[Timberridge]

What about tying the dogs to the bumper and just going like 30 mph?

[DJSapp]

If you must know, I have 2 big dogs, and am thinking about trips to the mountains with gear for 2 large humans and 1 small human. Seems like skis that diagonal the whole bed, along with gear, might not leave a lot of space. Considering alternatives (yet again) to my current rig, and have had the same opinion as stfu&gbtw, but without any first hand experience, I was wondering if that opinion was wrong.

1. You never answered my question.

2. Your problem isn't the skis, it the gear required for 2.5 large humans.

3. Tips down against cab, tails on the tailgate. Pack enough gear around the skis to support them and tie them down so they don't fly out. Packing around the wheel well sucks anyway.


P.S. I have a 5' bed on my king cab. Lots of stuff goes inside.

[Danno]

Here's another first-hand tip:

Trucks, for being big and able to carry things, don't do a great job of carrying a lot of different things. If, for instance, you want to carry a bunch of luggage, and several passengers, and skis, and dogs, and you don't have a topper, tonneau, or river bags, you'll end up putting a lot of stuff in the cab with you, which then restricts the number of passengers you can carry. And a topper or tonneau is a pain in the ass when you want to haul stuff like firewood or oddly shaped things that don't fit through a topper opening. What you really want is a open bed, with a water tight box. The box is great for the stuff you'd usually put in the cab with you, and it doesn't touch the floor of the bed, so you can still put your skis, sheets of ply or DW, etc, in the bed with no hassle. But of course, the box will chop 2-2.5" off your bed length for stuff that doesn't lay flat, so long beds start to look pretty attractive.

Personally, if you really need a truck, I wouldn't recommend one without the long bed and the crew cab, and even then - start using it and a trailer starts looking like required equipment.

I have no first hand experience with the 5' bed; I own a truck and have for the last 15 years or so. I have a 6' bed (short bed in old parlance, long bed in today's it seems), and a topper. I don't see how I can do without the topper, given the dogs and the child; without the topper, an SUV makes more sense. And I need the crew cab because they don't let you strap a child to a roof rack. And you're right, I can't haul shit with the topper which is occasionally very annoying, but I'm resigned to that. Just trying to figure out if a topper on a 5' bed would still work, or if I still need the 6' bed.

[LightRanger]

What about tying the dogs to the bumper and just going like 30 mph?

Or put them in a crate on the roof. It worked for the Romneys.

[Danno]

1. You never answered my question.

Christ, how wide are your skis that your dog can't step over them?

I never said my dogs couldn't step over them.

[RootSkier]

It worked for the Romneys.

No. No it didn't.

[Hugh Conway]

Jesus christ what the fuck do you take on your 2 trips into the mountains a year? Is the bed filled up with folding chairs from REI and frisbees?

[PNWbrit]

your 2 trips into the mountains a year?

The ironing?

[stfu&gbtw]

I have no first hand experience with the 5' bed; I own a truck and have for the last 15 years or so. I have a 6' bed (short bed in old parlance, long bed in today's it seems), and a topper. I don't see how I can do without the topper, given the dogs and the child; without the topper, an SUV makes more sense. And I need the crew cab because they don't let you strap a child to a roof rack. And you're right, I can't haul shit with the topper which is occasionally very annoying, but I'm resigned to that. Just trying to figure out if a topper on a 5' bed would still work, or if I still need the 6' bed.

This is what you need:

[Hugh Conway]

The ironing?

Seems more the drycleaning type, surely, so maybe racks under the snugtop for shirts?

[Danno]

This is what you need:

got one for sale in 4wd for under $20k? I'll take it!

But damn, the golden retriever's hair is going to be in EVERYTHING!

[GiBo]

...And a topper or tonneau is a pain in the ass when you want to haul stuff like firewood or oddly shaped things that don't fit through a topper opening. Personally, if you really need a truck, I wouldn't recommend one without the long bed and the crew cab, and even then - start using it and a trailer starts looking like required equipment.

People say this all the time about my shell. But honestly, in the 7 years I've had it, I don't think I've ever needed an open bed.

I agree wholeheartedly about the second part. I would never buy less than a 6 foot bed.

I have nearly 350k on my truck, so I've been eyeing new ones lately. Gotta be a crew/long bed for me.

[jamesp]

I've got a 6.5' box & a topper that is higher at the back. So I can stand (head ducked down) loading things in the back. So far it seems good, works well for 3 bikes + camping gear for 3 people, firewood, dimensional wood a few times, the topper opening is big enough to get couches etc in no problems. I live in a small town so the higher topper doesn't ever have to go into underground carparks etc.

Didn't get a 5' box because of reasons stfu mentioned... 5' box you may as well just get a SUV IMHO, & then have something that likely handles better & gets better mileage.

edit: I looked at a couple SUVs before buying the truck, could have been just as happy with a SUV. But the truck was way cheaper than a toyota & gets better mileage than a 4 door jeep, forester was a bit too small.