Open bed, bed cover, or bed cap?

So my roll up bed cover is like 8 years old, it leaks and its full of holes. I go camping, and its nice to be able to keep stuff dry in the bed since i only have an access cab truck.

So tacomaworld members, what is your opinions on this matter? I wouldnt mind a bed cap, but backing up with them kinda sucks, soft toppers are cool but $$$$$. Should i just get another bed cover or just keep it open bed and get a back rack or something?

All opinions welcome!

 

Bed topper, great place to sleep, high and dry, somewhat secure stoarge.

 

Open baby!!

 

But is it hard to backup with it at night? I have reverse led pods too, so do you think that would be best?

 

Topper for the win

Look good useable and lockable

Are v series right at 1400$

It's not to bad

 

I just use my mirrors, I also have had caps -toppers on my truck for years.

 

Yeesh, well im trying to keep it below 500, trying to find a used one in black on CL or something.

 

Hmmm guess i better practice a bit more

 

I have a hard shell tonneau.(sp?) It came with the truck. I like it for covered storage, but am planning on upgrading to a topper. Seems a lot more useful, especially if you want to sleep in the back and for camping, etc. The biggest downside I see to my hard shell cover is that it is very limiting to putting anything large at all in the bed. I'm not talking about the furniture, etc, just normal stuff that you would throw back there. For example, I have a Yeti 110 cooler and the only way it fits is to put it in the center of the bed, lengthwise, and it clears by 1/2". Hopefully next summer I will be able to pull the trigger on the topper.

 

Cap is hard to beat. Only slightly more money than the hard covers and do so much more.

 

I went from a tonneau to a hard shell canopy. While the bakflip tonneau that I had was very versatile, I like the canopy better due to the increased coverage. As far as vision while backing up, yes it sucks compared to no canopy, but you get used to it. You will utilize the side mirrors a lot and really appreciate the back up camera. Oh and at night, look into installing a pair of brighter auxiliary back up lights.

 

I just bought a roll up Tonnenu cover, I waited until cyber Monday and got a good deal. Everybody's needs are different. I have had caps, covers and nothing at all. At this point in my life a roll up is fine.
During my elk hunting,camping and dirt biking days a cap was the ticket.

 

Roll-up works fine for me, but I don't camp, I just like to keep stuff dry and out of sight in the bed
.

 

Canopy FTW. Being black, you should have an easier time finding a used one on CL. If you want it to be waterproof, you should pull your rail caps off and properly seal under them (I used black RTV). And be sure to thoroughly seal between the cap and rails (especially the front rail where it meets the side rail caps.
Backing up isn't bad, especially if you get one with larger windows. Just use your mirrors, common sense, and maybe a back up camera.

 

Yah im going to try and find one like you have with the full side windows and stuff, just gotta be on the CL prowl, saw a black one for my truck for 400 bucks a while ago and kinda punch myself everytime i think about it because i didnt buy it.

 

Backing up with a cap is no worse then backing up an FJ Cruiser...

 

I just got my topper a month ago but I'm in love, can't believe I never had one on my old truck. Maybe it's just the fact that I now have a 1 year old, but I love it. Nothing like going to a store and being able to leave the stroller or whatever in the bed without having to worry about it.

 

I am having the same issue on deciding as you OP. I am almost 100% positive I will go with a roll up tonneau and bed bars like mobtown offers.

This way I can have stuff covered up, but still use the bed full for large objects which is the point of having a bed and not a 4-runner. The bars are removable in the Mobtown case, and with a RTT on them, the roll-up can still be used.

I like the soft toppers but think the hard ones look like so ugly and always wonder why even get a truck vs a SUV.
Just my thoughts and .02