PRODUCT TEST: Shark Kage: Not your normal ramp

WHAT IT IS:
The Shark Kage is a folding, multiuse aluminum ramp that can also be used as a table, bed extender, cargo box or cargo cover. With optional telescoping legs, it can also function as a sunshade. This is a full-width ramp that is 47 inches wide and 92 inches long with a 1200-pound capacity. The Shark Kage is $500, which is around $350 more than single-purpose, fullwidth, folding aluminum ramps, but the Shark Kage is much more than a ramp.

INSTALLATION:
The Shark Kage mounts plate bolts to your truck’s tailgate, so you have to drill 12 holes and install inserts and screws that secure the mount plate to the tailgate. The drill bits, hardware, wrench, thread-locking compound and even a template for the screw locations are provided. All you need is a drill, an adjustable wrench, a ratchet handle and a 13mm socket. The Shark Kage attaches to the mount plate with three hinge pins, which can be pulled if you want to remove it.

PERFORMANCE:
The Shark Kage works extremely well as a ramp. We like the secure mount, length and full-width design. Because it’s securely attached to the tailgate, the ramp can’t slip out. The 92-inch length means the climb into the bed isn’t too steep on most trucks. With no center gap, there’s less chance of missing the ramp, which can happen with separate ramps.

We like the other functions, too, and the Shark Kage makes a handy table, cargo box and bed cover, but we wish optional parts weren’t required to use it as a sunshade. On the small 2WD truck we tested it with, we turned the Shark Kage into a table without the optional legs, but this won’t work with taller trucks.

The Shark Kage does a lot more than regular ramps, but there’s still room for improvement. The 47-inch width is enough, even for wide sport quads like the YFZ450R, but it’s too narrow for UTVs, except the Sportsman Ace. Regardless of how you use the Shark Kage, you have to handle its 80-pound weight, and you’ll need help to fold it for some configurations. The weight is manageable, but it’s quite a bit more than separate conventional ramps. The only other negative is the space the Shark Kage takes up in the bed. It doesn’t take up any bed space in the bed extender mode, but it doesn’t make a great bed extender because it takes up the tailgate.

THE VERDICT:
The Shark Kage costs more than regular ramps, but as a ramp, it has major advantages, like more secure loading with no risk of ramps slipping out of place, and it’s much more than a ramp. Its extra functions save the cost, space and trouble of carrying several accessories that are very useful to ATV riders and non-riders. It would be cool if the sunshade legs were included. You can order them if you want them, or improvise and make your own.