Compatible Kayak Carrier or Ladder Rack to Fit a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with a Tonneau Cover

Question:

Just got 2017 Silverado 1500 short bed w/ no cargo management. Interested in fiberglass F1 because of our toxic texas coastal environment to metal. Which ladder racks for kayak and paddle board do you recommend for this that would work with F1 and be more cost effective than BakFlip CSF1.

asked by: Carl R

Helpful Expert Reply:

For your 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with 5-1/2 bed, the BAKFlip F1 Hard Tonneau Cover - Folding - Aluminum and Fiberglass, # BAK72120, would be a great choice for a tonneau cover if your are worried with the climate conditions of where you live. The aluminum and fiberglass construction of the tonneau will resist the corrosion that can come from living in coastal areas.

However, although the tonneau cover is designed to be installed inside the bed rails, on top of the bed rail ladder racks will not work with this cover. The majority of the ladder racks, although resting on the top of the bedrails, actually mount under the rails. Mounting a rack this way would be impossible with the BAKFlip tonneau cover installed on your vehicle.

I recommend on of the hitch mounted carriers like the Erickson Big Bed Junior Load Extender, # EM07605. This rack will mount in your vehicle's 2 inch receiver trailer hitch and allow you to secure your ladder, kayak, or other items that you may need to haul. The Erickson Big Bed Junior Load Extender Hitch rack can be used to extend the bed length to haul an object in your bed under the tonneau cover or used to haul objects that will rest above the bed and secured between your truck's cab roof and the hitch rack.

expert reply by: Jared P