FOX MISSION TAILGATE PAD REVIEW
IMPROVED BUT NOT PERFECT
Words & Photos by Sourpatch
Every year, most auto makers update their vehicles – for better or worse. Over the last few years, trucks – and specifically their tailgates – have gotten thicker and often include some sort of unnecessary feature. With those changes, companies in the tailgate pad market have had to adapt. Some brands opt to make flat and curved-specific pads, while others like Fox and RaceFace opt to make one pad that can be adjusted to fit different profiles. The previous versions of each of their pads did a fairly good job at working with all tailgates. That wasn’t good enough though, so Fox and RaceFace released their latest Mission and T3 pads earlier this year (2024), hoping to provide an even better fit and function. Did they succeed, or did they fall short? We’ve been testing the full-size Fox Mission Tailgate Pad to find out.
ABOUT THE FOX MISSION TAILGATE PAD
The Fox Mission Tailgate Pad is a vast departure from its Overland predecessor. The pad itself is comprised of three individual panels. There is the “interior” panel, which hosts the three hinged downtube protection blocks, which span equally across the pad. The Hinged nature comes from the fact that they are sewn low and are held in place on the interior lip of the tailgate via Velcro. The hinged Velcro design is what makes the Mission Tailgate Pad tonneau cover friendly. On those Downtube Protection blocks are a gaggle of slits for the Velcro downtube straps.
Moving to the middle piece of the Mission Tailgate Pad. This piece aids in the pads adjustability to fit all tailgate profiles. It can be adjusted by 6 hook-and-loop straps, similar to the Overland pad. Also located on the middle panel is the ridged compression molded foam. The ridged foam offers ample protection for fork lowers and stanchions, and helps keep the bikes upright and in place.
Lastly is the main exterior panel that protects the rest of the tailgate from being rubbed by the tire. This main panel also hosts the viewport to access the tailgate handle and backup camera. Fox included extra panel pieces to adjust the opening to your desired height, and those pieces are held in place with Velcro.
Each of the three panels have an acceptable amount of foam for added protection. The exterior of the tailgate pad is a standard PVC Tarpaulin. Micro brushed fabric lines the interior of the panel to protect your vehicle’s paint from unwanted damage. Fox included two integrated rings to run a bike lock through, which is a nice touch.
The Fox Mission Tailgate has a full coverage design. It is available in three sizes: the full-size to fit 6+ Bikes; Midsize for 5 Bikes, and a 2-Bike option. The 2-Bike version retails for $130 and has all the same features in a condensed package. Meanwhile, the full-size and mid-size options retail for $259.
TESTING THE FOX MISSION TAILGATE PAD
The test vehicle used for a majority of the testing is my 2015 GMC Sierra 2500HD. It has a flat tailgate, though the “spoiler” has a slight convex shape to it.
INSTALLATION | Fox crafted a step-by-step installation video to make fitting the Mission Tailgate pad easy. I followed most of the steps, with the exception of using the included orange tools, as the process is very similar to previous generations and familiar to me.
The first step was making sure the fork padding was high enough on the tailgate. In addition to the foam placement, this also helped get the middle piece of the pad to roll over the tailgate to provide a smooth finish. For the second step, I made sure the Velcro strip sat flush with the inner portion of the tailgate lip, so the downtube padding was in the right position. Following the remainder of Fox’s guide, I snugged down the lip straps, and adjusted the outer panel to fit all the way to the bottom of the tailgate. I then fully tightened the pad down, and added one of the foam backup camera panels just above the tailgate to boost the cushion as the center area does not have fork tube slots. Once that was done, I tightened the pad up and it was ready to roll.
Overall fit impressions are high. Fox did a great job improving on an already solid tailgate pad. The lip fit is much better thanks to the 3-piece design. There is no bunching up on the lip of the tailgate, and pad itself is taught on all sides of the tailgate.
Now when it comes to the downtube straps, this is where things aren’t so great. The straps need to be slid into tight slits on the foam blocks, which is more frustrating than it should be. The Velcro can catch a lip, preventing the strap from sliding through. Figuring out just where to place all 6 straps is also a tedious task. More times than not I have misplaced the straps, either going too close to another, or too far apart. I’ve gotten to the point where I only have the two out straps placed. Dakine did a much better job on their latest tailgate pad which has dedicated placements figured out for you.
IN USE | I’ve been using the Fox Mission tailgate pad now for almost 6 months now. It’s seen thousands of bike hauling miles at this point, from SoCal and Whistler road trips, to trips to the local trailheads. The Mission pad does in fact hold six bikes with ease. I don’t carry six often, but the time I did, it was a mixed back of bikes. A couple trail bikes, a downhill bike and a few ebikes. All fit well and stay in place, even when not strapped in. For most of the use, I’ve typically only been carrying two to three bikes and never have an issue. The integrated rigid compression foam for the forks holds them well and prevents most side-to-side movement and unwanted tilting.
Though I don’t have a tonneau cover on my truck, I do have a SoftTopper. The rear window panel of the SoftTopper is secured using a metal bar that lies a couple millimeters above the tailgate. The Fox Mission tailgate pad and SoftTopper work very well together when the downtube foam is stowed away.
Like the outgoing Mission Tailgate pad, the handle port is large allowing for proper use of the backup camera at all times. The biggest con of the new pad however, involves dust infiltration. The few times I have taken the pad off, I have noticed a much higher presence of dust and dirt on the tailgate. I believe this has something to do with the three-panel design and all the new ways dust can slip in. It’s not necessarily a deal breaker, but it is a factor worth considering.
The Wolf’s Last Word
Fox and RaceFace made some excellent improvements to the Mission and T3 tailgate pads over the previous generations. The fit, finish and protection is second to none, and adding tonneau cover compatibility is a great feature. The downtube strap install situation may not be the best in my opinion, but it is far from being a deal breaker. Thankfully the pad itself, in part due to the ridged foam where the forks land, does a great job keeping bikes in place without using them. Dust infiltration is the biggest negative of this pad over the previous gen, which may require frequent removals for cleaning. Critiques aside, the Mission tailgate pad is an easy product to recommend. 
Price: $259
Website: RideFox.com
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