A day walking the field or camped out in a marsh can be a blissful outdoor experience, but a truck ill-prepared for the mess that follows can put a real damper on the whole thing. At Toppers & More, we know you demand more than a stock vehicle can offer, so keep reading to check out what we offer to help you do what you love.
Side Steps
Whether you’re walking a field or wading a marsh, the odds are that your boots will be wet, muddy, cold or all of the above. Make your life easier with a set of side steps fit for the job. We’d recommend going with a wide set of running boards that feature an aggressive tread, giving you an easy non-slip step up into your rig.
Bed Liner
Every truck needs a bed liner. The one we’re recommending above all others for you shotgun outdoorsmen is the classic BedRug. This polypropylene carpet provides a surface that is easy on your knees and elbows, while also providing some extra insulation in the truck bed. If you’re planning to sleep or keep dogs in the back of your truck, this liner will be a great help with comfort in the truck bed versus a classic drop-in or spray liner.
Other Accessories
Back to wet and muddy boots: no one wants to muck up their vehicle’s carpet after spending some time in the field or marsh. That’s why floor mats from WeatherTech or Husky are a great choice to help keep your vehicle clean.
A good set of molded mud flaps are a great idea to minimize the mess that comes with driving from dirt or mud back to the pavement. Additionally, some functional seat covers will help protect your seats from the mud, dirt, burrs and gore that can go along with bird hunting.
Now, let’s talk about some big-ticket items. Either a Decked drawer system or a truck vault can be a great addition to a bird hunter’s truck for keeping their shells and decoys organized or their guns safe. Both of these provide waterproof storage drawers along with a capable deck to maintain truck bed functionality.
Let’s not forget about the dogs! A pet ramp from WeatherTech can save some trouble for your beloved hunting partner getting in and out of the truck bed. A tailgate seal is a great add to improve insulation and water/dust seal in the bed. If you have a sliding front window on your topper and sliding back window on your truck, you can extend your heating or air conditioning (to a degree, no pun intended) to the truck bed with a Truk-Boot seal that goes between the two to help keep Fido comfortable. Lastly, a Flated Air-Chalet is a safe, comfortable and easily transported/stored kennel for your bird dog.
Recommended Topper Options
If you’re putting a topper on your truck, you always want to consider what you’ll be using it for when deciding how to set it up. We have some good topper options for the avid bird hunter.
You’ll want to make sure whatever topper you buy has windows that open in some capacity. Vented windows or sliders both work; you’ll definitely want to get some air flowing through the truck bed when you’re throwing wet and dirty gear and the day’s haul in the back of the truck. Additionally, if you or the dogs will be sleeping in the truck bed, ventilation is key. That’s why we also recommend a sliding front window if your truck has a sliding rear window.
Similar to the BedRug, a carpeted headliner is a smart add to a topper, especially if you do go with the BedRug bed liner. This will increase the insulation in the bed even more and cut down on condensation that can occur with the bare fiberglass interior. Another option that works in tandem with the headliner is a clothes hanger, which is a great feature for hanging up waders when you leave the marsh.
A 12V dome light is a must-have for those who will be trying to get their hunt started before sunrise. Additionally, if you are planning to sleep in the truck bed, a 12V power strip can be a great add for charging your devices or powering a heater or fan.
There are a few other great options to consider if you are sleeping in your truck bed. For one, a Topper EZ-Lift can convert your topper and truck bed into a full-on hard-roofed tent in seconds. This is a very unobtrusive way to really have a comfortable night’s sleep in your truck bed. Alternatively, you could go with a topper that has a raised roof, rather than the typical bed-high height.
Finally, the Flated Air Deck is effectively an inflatable box-spring that provides room for storage underneath and a comfortable raised platform to put your sleeping pad on. As you can see, there are no shortage of options for outfitting your truck to your exact desired functionality for bird hunting. We’ve got all these accessories and more at Toppers & More. Give us a call at 651-451-1808, stop in at our store in South St Paul, or contact us to discover all the options available for your pickup truck, Jeep or SUV.
