Transporting Outback in Bed of Pickup Truck?

Hi All -

I just ordered a 2015 Outback, and will pick it up from the dealer on December 28th. It will be ready before then, but I don't have time to go pick it up before 12/28. Until then, I am planning on how to transport it without losing the kayak when I drive off the dealer's lot into traffic, and ultimately down the interstate.

I have a Dodge Ram pickup truck, with a 6 1/2' bed. With the tailgate down, the length from the front of the bed to the end of the tailgate is 8'. The dealer looked at my truck and said I wouldn't need to get a hitch extension - that the Outback would ride well in the bed of the truck as is.

With that thought in mind, what is the best way to hold the Outback in the bed of the pickup truck and not have it slide out, and keep it from sliding back and forth from one side of the bed to the other?

Thanks!

I have a Revo 13, and the same truck. I put it in the bed stern first, on an angle, with the stern in the drivers's side corner, and the bow to the passenger side, hanging over the open tail gate. I use a ratchet strap hooked to the eye in the bed of the truck, go through the handles to the other side of the bed of the truck, and hook the other end of the strap on the eye. My strap is fairly long, so after tightening the strap so it is firmly held, not enough to distort the kayak or the bed of the truck, I take the loose end, and put it through the soft carry handle on the bow and back to the first side of the truck, and tie it off to use up the slack. Sometimes I tie a red flag on the overhanging bow just to keep the police happy. I use ratchet straps because you can easily take out slack and tension properly. I have traveled long distances like that, just remember it is there when you back up, so you avoid creating a scene. Never had a problem. I carry my sea kayaks on roof racks on the same truck.

I haul mine in my 6.5' bed without an extension. I put one strap diagonally from the back tie down to the front tie down near the front of the kayak (to hold the front down) and I put a second one over the kayak and hook it to the chain holes on the trailer hitch (this is the one that is really securing the yak). have hauled it hundreds if not into the thousands of miles this way.

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2015 Outback- dune with sail kit
2015 TI- dune- sold
2015 AI2- Hibiscus- should probably sell...
2018 AI2- Dune

I've hauled all my kayaks in my Jeep Comanches w/6ft beds with no issues. I just use a strap on each side of bed going to front handle of kayak. no issues with it going side to side. I recently retired my last Comanche and bought a Nissan Frontier with 6 ft bed to do the same. Didn't want to go with trailer at this time, but had planned to get a small SUV for better milage, but chose to stick with a truck.

I haul mine in the back of a Tacoma with no extender. I do however support the bottom of the kayak to prevent any distorting. Grabbed some scrap pieces of wood & put this together.


The small piece on the bottom sits between the tail gate & bed.

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I put mine in bow first so there is no damage to the rudder system. If you have a rubber bed mat it will help to lessen the sliding, but it will also make it harder to push it in n out of the bed due to the adhesion of the rubber. Be careful tying down by the handles by not pulling too tight on the tie downs.

Just roll it right in, place it diagonally and tie the stern off so it doesn't slide out. Piece of cake!

^^^^This^^^^

Rope and a piece of carpet. If it was an old kayak you wouldn't even use the carpet. Get the kayak home and figure out a permanent solution. Tie a red rag on the part sticking out the back.

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