Sooo similar situation here!! I compared the Penda Liner Rugged Liner Drop-In Bed Liner against the Line-X Premium Spray-On Bedliner last year and it was realy hard to choose.

* Drop-in: Great impact protection/cheap.
* Spray-on: Amazing friction/anti-rust.

Basically, the spray-on is fantastic for gravel, but dont ignore the BedRug Classic Bed Liner as a soft alternative. Seriously amazing stuff!!

Ok so bed protection is HUGE for your Silverado's value. Basically, you need to balance impact cushion with rust prevention. For a high-value setup, I love the Dee Zee DZ87005 Heavyweight Bed Mat because its super thick for gravel! Also, ngl, the Raptor Liner 4 Bottle Black DIY Kit is a fantastic way to get pro-grade spray-on protection without the insane shop prices. Its a total game changer for budget builds!!

> For your situation, i'd definitely go spray-on.

This^ also, I chose spray-on cuz the friction coefficients matter for safety. My setup stops tools from sliding into the glass... basically I feel way safer hauling gravel now, I think?

tbh im still trying to figure out the best way to do this without breaking the bank lol. i'm a bit of a beginner with mods but i've been doing a lot of reading because shop prices are just insane lately!! before you decide though, i had a couple questions: - how many years are you planning to keep this truck? - do you have a garage or somewhere dry where you could do the work yourself to save on labor costs? honestly i'm really cautious about spending $600+ at a pro shop if i dont have to. i was looking into the Herculiner Brush-on Bed Liner Kit or even the Rust-Oleum Truck Bed Coating because they're way more budget friendly for a DIYer. basically you could save hundreds, but im also kinda scared of messing up the prep work on a brand new truck... its a little nerve-wracking to think about sanding down the factory paint haha! has anyone here tried those cheaper roll-on kits on a new silverado?

Gonna try this over the weekend. Will report back if it works!

For your situation, i'd definitely go spray-on. honestly, my first setup was a plastic drop-in and it was not as good as expected... unfortunately, gravel got trapped under it and basically sanded the paint off my bed floor. tbh, i had issues with rust pretty fast.

here is what i recommend:
- stick to professional spray-on
- ask about prep work
- verify the warranty

idk but a bad install is risky... gl