Painted OEM bed extender.

It will get torn up a bit after repeat use, but that isn't any surprise really. I got about 5 or 6 trips only so far with 2 - 3 kayaks at a time and it has some dents and rips in it, but still works well and I did not have to replace it with new insulation yet. Maybe after next summer.

If you go regularly, you will probably want to replace and cable tie new once every season, but that stuff is cheap anyway. Works great for me, and both kayaks and bed extender don't scratch, and that was my intention.

I can take a picture once I get home of the current state of the extender after two years in the truck. (under tonneau cover most of the time)

 

I tried the pipe insulation and it looked good, but it just didn't hold up after the first trip. It was ripped and tattered. So I removed the top bar and sprayed it with Bed Armor (4 coats). Haven't tried it out yet, but it looks pretty solid.

 

Bed Armor coating didn't hold up much better. Scraped off where the yak was riding on the rail. I put the pipe insulation back on it. Will keep looking for something more sturdy to apply.