7 Best Truck Bed Extenders For Hauling Long Materials That Make Solo Jobs Easy
Safely haul long materials like lumber and kayaks on your own. We review the 7 best truck bed extenders that make any solo job easy and secure.
There’s nothing more frustrating than having the materials for a project but no safe way to get them home from the supply store. A standard truck bed is great, but it falls short when you’re hauling 16-foot lumber, long runs of PVC pipe, or a load of T-posts on your own. A truck bed extender is one of those simple tools that fundamentally changes what you can accomplish in a day, turning a two-person job into a quick solo run.
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Choosing the Right Extender for Farm Hauling
The first thing to understand is that not all extenders are built for the same job. You’ll find two main types: those that mount into your trailer hitch and those that attach to the tailgate. For heavy, long materials like lumber or steel, a hitch-mounted extender is almost always the better choice as it uses the truck’s frame for support.
When you’re picking one out, think about what you haul most often. Are you moving heavy, rough-cut lumber from a local mill? You’ll need a high weight capacity, probably 400 lbs or more. Are you hauling lightweight irrigation pipe or long-handled tools? Then adjustability and ease of storage might be more important. Consider how easily it breaks down to be stored in the barn, because you won’t be using it every day.
Erickson Big Bed Extender: Heavy-Duty Hauling
When the job calls for serious weight, the Erickson Big Bed is a top contender. Its 750-pound capacity means you can haul a significant amount of lumber, steel posts, or even a small log without a second thought. This isn’t for occasional light-duty work; it’s built for those who are regularly moving substantial materials.
The key feature here is its dual-purpose design. You can set it low to align with your truck bed for supporting long boards, or you can raise it to cab height. This high position is perfect for hauling a canoe, a long extension ladder, or anything you need to clear the cab roof. It’s a robust, no-nonsense tool for serious projects.
MaxxHaul Hitch Mount: Versatile & Adjustable
The MaxxHaul is the jack-of-all-trades in the extender world. It hits the sweet spot between heavy-duty capacity and practical adjustability, making it a fantastic all-around choice for a hobby farm. It can handle a respectable load, but its real strength is its versatility.
You can adjust both the height and the width of the support arms. This is incredibly useful because farm loads are rarely uniform. One day you might be hauling a stack of 2x6s, and the next you might need to support a wider, awkward item like a section of cattle panel. The MaxxHaul adapts easily, which saves you a lot of hassle.
Darby Extend-A-Truck: Simple, Sturdy Design
Sometimes, the simplest solution is the best one. The Darby Extend-A-Truck is known for its straightforward, rugged design that just works. It doesn’t have as many moving parts as some other models, which can be a real advantage when you’re dealing with mud, dust, and rough use.
Its unique feature is the ability to be used in the standard bed-level position or as a vertical support for a roof-level rack. This makes it surprisingly versatile for its simple construction. If you value durability and quick, no-fuss setup for hauling things like fence posts or a kayak after the work is done, this is an excellent option that stores away compactly.
Lund Hitch Rack: Ideal for Ladders and Pipe
The Lund Hitch Rack is more of a specialist tool. Its single, tall, T-shaped support is perfectly designed for carrying long, narrow items that need to be elevated above the cab. Think of it as the go-to for hauling extension ladders, conduit, or long runs of PVC irrigation pipe.
Because of its design, it’s not the best choice for supporting wide, flat materials like plywood. But for those specific jobs where you need to get long, skinny items from point A to point B, it excels. It provides a stable, high-clearance support that a standard bed-level extender can’t match, keeping your load secure and away from your truck’s roof.
AMP Research BedXTender HD for Securing Loads
This one is different from the others. The AMP Research BedXTender is a tailgate-mounted extender, meaning it flips out from the tailgate to give you about two extra feet of contained space. It is not designed for the same heavy-duty loads as a hitch-mounted extender.
So, why use it? Its primary strength is creating a secure, caged area for your cargo. When flipped out, it’s perfect for containing lighter, bulky items like straw bales, bags of mulch, or a load of brush. When flipped in with the tailgate closed, it creates a small, secure compartment at the back of your bed, preventing toolboxes, gas cans, or feed bags from sliding all over. It’s a cargo manager first and a light-duty extender second.
ECOTRIC Extender: A Solid Budget-Friendly Pick
Let’s be practical: you don’t always need the most expensive, feature-packed tool for a job you do a few times a year. The ECOTRIC extender is a perfect example of a budget-friendly option that gets the job done. It provides the essential function—safely supporting long materials—without the premium price tag.
The tradeoff for the lower cost might be in the finish, the hardware, or the precision of the adjustments. But for hauling lumber for a new chicken coop or fence posts for a pasture repair, it is more than adequate. It’s a workhorse, not a show pony, and represents a smart use of resources for the practical farmer.
T-Motor Hitch Extender: Easy Assembly & Storage
A tool you can’t find or is a pain to assemble often doesn’t get used. The T-Motor extender addresses this head-on with a design that is known for being easy to put together and, more importantly, easy to break down for storage. This is a huge plus when barn or shed space is at a premium.
While it’s plenty strong for most farm tasks, its main selling point is convenience. You can assemble it in minutes when you need it and tuck it away on a shelf when you don’t. For the farmer who hauls long materials sporadically, this ease of use can make it a more practical choice than a heavier, bulkier unit that lives in the corner collecting dust.
Ultimately, a truck bed extender is an investment in efficiency and safety. It allows you to work independently, saving you the time and coordination of finding a second person for a simple materials run. By matching the extender’s design—be it heavy-duty, versatile, or simple—to the jobs you actually do, you’ll have a reliable tool that makes your farm run just a little bit smoother.
