Looking for Suggestions on Truck Bed Protection… What’s the Best Option?

Hey folks, I recently added a Lightning Flash to my household and wanted to ask for your advice on what to buy for the bed. I hauled some stuff recently and got a few scratches, so I want to prevent that in the future.

Would a bed mat be enough protection? I found one on Amazon and think my truck’s bed is the 5.5’ option. Any advice or recommendations would be much appreciated.

Here’s the link: Amazon.com: LASFIT Bed Mat for Ford F-150(5.5FT, 67.1" Bed) 2015-2025 Truck Bed (Include F150 Lightning 2024 2023 2022) All Weather Protector TPE Car Bed Liner - 1PC Black : Automotive

It depends on what you’re hauling. If you’re moving dirt, rocks, or sand, you might want a hard liner and a tarp. It helps with cleaning afterward.

Baylor said:
It depends on what you’re hauling. If you’re moving dirt, rocks, or sand, you might want a hard liner and a tarp. It helps with cleaning afterward.

I agree. I got a quote from Leonard for a hard plastic liner and am going with that too.

I saw a recommendation on another thread here for the Husky liner. I decided to go with it, and it fits perfectly (laser measured for the Lightning bed) and provides the right amount of grip.

Fin said:
I saw a recommendation on another thread here for the Husky liner. I decided to go with it, and it fits perfectly (laser measured for the Lightning bed) and provides the right amount of grip.

Nice! Can you share a link for it?

@Journey
Here you go! (I hope this works, I’m not great at linking)

Fin said:
@Journey
Here you go! (I hope this works, I’m not great at linking)

Thank you so much!

A spray-in bedliner is what I’ve used on my last three trucks, and I’m sticking with it. It’s tough and will stand up to just about anything.

I have the Bedrug from Ford’s website, and I really like it. I sleep in the truck bed when hunting, and it’s perfect for that.

Linden said:
I have the Bedrug from Ford’s website, and I really like it. I sleep in the truck bed when hunting, and it’s perfect for that.

I’ve had mine for a few weeks, and I’m not going back to a hard liner. The Bedrug is great!

Linden said:
I have the Bedrug from Ford’s website, and I really like it. I sleep in the truck bed when hunting, and it’s perfect for that.

Bedrug all the way!

Oli said:

Linden said:
I have the Bedrug from Ford’s website, and I really like it. I sleep in the truck bed when hunting, and it’s perfect for that.

Bedrug all the way!

Do you need a cover to use it? What if you have to haul something dirty or messy? Do you pull it out? I’m curious how it works in other situations. I have Ford points I need to use, and this might be a good option!

@Zach
Yes, you’ll need a tonneau cover, but these Bedrugs are super underrated. I’ve hauled cedar chips, dirt (it’s better if you put down a tarp first), and it’s perfect for moving furniture, camping, skiing, and more. Nothing slides around, and it’s easy on your knees when jumping in the back. I usually vacuum it out, but a leaf blower works great too. I even soaked mine in gas once and just power washed it with soap. It doesn’t rot or smell and lasts a long time, unless you’re doing heavy construction work.

Linden said:
I have the Bedrug from Ford’s website, and I really like it. I sleep in the truck bed when hunting, and it’s perfect for that.

Do you have a link for the Bedrug?

Journey said:

Linden said:
I have the Bedrug from Ford’s website, and I really like it. I sleep in the truck bed when hunting, and it’s perfect for that.

Do you have a link for the Bedrug?

Here’s the link: Ford Sportliner by Bedrug. It took about an hour to install, and I made a small adjustment to the tailgate to keep the plastic ruler thing on the outside.

I went with a spray-in liner. I also bought the bed mat from Ford during the Black Friday sale using my rewards points.

Poe said:
I went with a spray-in liner. I also bought the bed mat from Ford during the Black Friday sale using my rewards points.

Unfortunately, I haven’t seen it in stock for the 5.5’ bed option.

@Journey
I just checked, and you’re right – it’s out of stock. Also, it went up in price! It was $197 in November, but now it’s $570. That’s crazy!

I had a Rhino Liner sprayed in mine, and it’s fantastic. But after that, it was a bit rough, so I added a WeatherTech mat. It’s been great because nothing slides around in it.

Rhino and done.