Insta-Gate Folding Truck Bed Elongator

Insta-Gate Folding Truck Bed Elongator
It seems as though I am always trying to pack something extra into the bed of my Toyota. I used to run out of room quickly, but now I have the Insta-Gate. Similar to other bed extenders, it keeps your stuff from sliding out onto the road when you have the tailgate down. In function, though, the Insta-Gate is unique. It is currently available only for Toyota Tacoma and Tundra models. And on those trucks, the gate hinges fasten right to factory holes in the tailgate. The hinge is double acting and pivots on two quick-release pins. The gate itself is constructed of aluminum tubing with sides that rotate folded on plastic bushings. A web of nylon strapping restrains the cargo. When not in use, the Insta-Gate folds flat to the inside of the tailgate and does not interfere with the gate closing. You lose perhaps 1.5 to 2 inches of bed length. Even though the gate releases by your simply pulling pins, I find it most convenient to fold it flat and close the tailgate. To use it, open the tailgate, stand up the Insta-Gate unit and unfold the side. Spring-loaded latches clip easily to the striker plates of the stock tailgate.

If you have no bed liner or a spray-in liner, installation should take only seconds. My truck wears a plastic bed liner, and I chose to cut back the edges of the tailgate cover to expose the mounting points. The unit has drawn a lot of attention from other dirt riders. Since the corners are square, it holds more than conventional bed extenders do.

After a month of abuse, the Insta-Gate still operates flawlessly. One of the straps on the tailgate section broke a snap, but otherwise it is functioning perfectly. At $259 plus tax and shipping, the Insta-Gate is more expensive than other bed extenders, but it works well and self-stores. -Karel Kramer