Sometimes, inspiration for a new product in this industry comes from outside the industry itself. Really, that’s where it all began, and things come full circle. Looking at this non-slip truck bed decking in the Eddie Motorsports C10 here at the 2023 SEMA Show, the origins of the product don’t matter, what matters is how sharp it looks and how utilitarian it is.

“We actually got this product from our sister company, Eddie Marine,” reveals  Larry Ashley, Operations Manager at Eddie Motorsports. “This material comes from the boat world. It’s called Gatorstep. It’s a non-slip adhesive-backed flooring for boats. We looked at that, and thought, “Why can’t this go in the bed of a truck? We took some measurements and had them cut it to fit the bed. For the SEMA show, they went an extra step and cut our logo into it.”

The bottom floor panel of the kit will be removable so you can still use the bed of your truck for hauling loads of bricks or gravel without damaging it, if that’s your thing.

Originally, the Eddie Motorsports team thought it was just going to be a cool project for their display vehicle, but they were wrong. “Once we installed it, we realized that it should be more than just something we did on our show truck, so now we are offering this to the customer,” says Ashley. The kit will consist of the bed sides and a removable bottom panel, allowing you to still use your truck like a workhorse, if that’s your thing, without damaging the non-slip panel.

“Right now, we’re only going to offer kits in two colors: this gray wood finish and a natural brown wood finish. The production kits won’t have our logo cut into it, but will come with all of the pieces,” Ashley shares “We’re starting with our classic trucks first — so C10 short-bed and a C10 short-bed with wider tubs like this one. Next will be the long-beds, and then some earlier trucks, and then OBS. We’re planning on continually adding applications as we go.”

“This really is a product that came from something we wanted to do on our own show truck, and everyone really liked it, says Ashley. If you’re interested in seeing the bed kit in person, this truck will be at a lot of shows in 2024 so you’ll be able to see it in the flesh, as photos don’t do this kit justice.