If you own a pickup truck, tailgate pads are one of the more cost-effective ways to transport multiple bikes at a time. They are generally much less expensive than hitch bike racks, with fairly simple designs that put a pad between your bikes and the tailgate. As such, tailgate pads haven’t exactly been a hotbed of innovation, but Race Face is bringing something novel to the market with its new Stash Tailgate Pad.
This new model sports the typical attachments, protection, and features of standard pads, but it rolls up and fits into a storage bag, so you can more easily stow it in your shuttle rig or garage. It’s a convenience-oriented design for those who don’t want or need to leave a tailgate pad on their truck at all times.
Race Face has been making some of the best tailgate pads for years. The T2 pad remains a popular choice among shuttle enthusiasts, and the brand’s latest T3 pad appears to be an even more refined version. But, for as light and thin as tailgate pads are when off the truck, their shape and size can make them somewhat awkward to stow in your truck or store in your garage. The new Stash pad addresses that issue with its rollable and more stowable design.
Stash Tailgate Pad Details
The new Race Face Stash Tailgate Pad comes in two sizes. The mid-size is designed for small to mid-sized trucks and has space for up to five bikes. It is 53″ (135 cm) wide. The full-size is designed for full-size trucks and can fit up to six bikes, and measures 61″ (155cm wide). When you don’t need to haul bikes, the Stash rolls up and fits into its included storage bag. According to Race Face, the stowed dimensions are 16” x 20” for the mid-size, and 16” x 22” for the full-size. That’s roughly the size of a large sleeping bag and should easily fit in the back seat of your truck or on a shelf in your garage, shed, or other storage space.
Yet even with that stashable convenience, the Stash is still packed with the features needed to make it a functional and protective tailgate pad. Four straps loop under the tailgate to secure it and make installation and removal quick and easy on the vehicle. A 20mm thick panel of padding folds up and over across the top to protect bike downtubes and fork crowns. This padding is secured with Velcro when hauling bikes, and it folds back and out of the way for compatibility with tonneau covers and camper shell doors.
Bikes are secured to the pad with Velcro straps that are adjustable to work with various downtube sizes, including bulky eMTBs. A roll-up tailgate handle/camera panel ensures easy access and the ability to use your backup camera. The inner lining of the pad is a soft material to prevent abrasion damage to your vehicle’s paint. The exterior material is PVC-coated tarpaulin, which is water-repellent and durable. All of the straps are connected to the pad with Hypalon reinforcements for added durability.
Pricing and Availability
The new Race Face Stash Tailgate Pad officially launches today and is available now. Both sizes retail for $179 USD ($189 CAD), which is a fair bit less than the brand’s T3 model. Head to the Race Face website or your local Race Face dealer to learn more or purchase the new Stash Tailgate Pad.
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