High top camper hard shells

I’m new here so please bare with me. I’m a traveling physical therapist and just bought a 2017 TRD off-road Tacoma. I want to install a high top, hard shell camper to my 5’ truck bed. Ive heard LEER is a good brand. Also I’m wanting to camp in my truck most of the time so any ideas on rigging a small AC/heater up for the bed/camper shell setup?

 

Leer or ARE are good. Hi tops are great for the extra space. If you plan on hauling anything on top or having a roof rack or basket make sure it will clear your garage if you park inside one.

You might want to post this thread here:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/tonneau-covers-caps-and-shells.198/

 

Thank you. I’m attempting to navigate this new forum..lol.

 

I romanced sleeping in the back under A/C, then front to back on the passenger side in the cab, then arrived at this was the best option for me: 48x54x5 gatching memoryfoam mattress on a platform in the back seat. 6000 BTU window A/C sits on Metro wire shelf under cap, blows through rear window into cab. Much safer. Two ways out. can get into driver seat and drive off if needed without having to exit the rear bed. 72" total diagonal lay, more than enough for a 6-footer. Quick to set up.

 

Couldn’t live without it You’ll figure it out and good luck!

 

I put an ARE on my 2006 and a Leer on my 2017. I give a slight edge to the ARE because the rear window is bigger which is a bit more room to get things in and out. There are a few other little things I like better about the ARE. We have slept in the back on a platform many times.
Click on my profile for pictures of both shells and the platform/bed.

 

What type of extra electrical setup do you use to power the AC unit?

 

Honda EU2000 generator. (Honda makes an

$1,099 EU2200 ITAN 2200-Watt 120-Volt Super Quiet Portable Inverter Generator with CO-Minder - 49-State

EU2200 now. Buy that one.) the EU2000 will push my an 8000Btu as well. I have an old, well-worn in 12,000Btu window A/C that it will power as well. I didn't think it would, but the compressor start-up load did not choke it down. The dealer didn't believe it. I sent him a vid of it doing it. That A/C is WELL. WORN. IN! Depending on the heat and humidity a 6,000 probably will be enough. Walmart has them for $178 right now. 8K's are $218. The 8K is slightly larger than the 6K. MAKE SURE you buy one with a remote: you don't want to have to be crawling from under the covers at 3am when it gets 59 degrees in the cab and you are freezing to reach through the windows and fiddle with the controls on the unit.. You wanna' just slip your hand and arm only momentarily from under the covers and turn that thing DOWN with the remote! If you like sleeping in a cold environment, this is how to do it.
The cheapest prices on Honda gensets are at Cureton and Sons in Nederland, TX. I looked for almost two years all over the net, called dealers in other states. Ended up the best prices were right here. Always can do shore power at a campsite if you want. I save the $20/night and sleep in the truck on the boat ramp.

Put condensate fitting on the bottom of the A/C, clear vinyl tubing on the fitting outlet, drill hole in bed, pass tubing through bed, ducting condensate water out of the bed. The A/C will have to be level if it is to work properly, and so the condensate does not get deep on one side and the cooling fan end up blowing water all over the stuff in the bed under the cap.

 

Thank you so very much for your input!! I have a question..what about having a small RV air conditioner installed to the roof of the cap? One that can do both heat and AC instead of using a window unit?

 

The RV AC units are typically lower quality than the window units. I'm still trying to figure out how to retrofit an AC unit onto my ARE MX, my wife won't go camping with me until I figure out how to get AC on this thing. Plus, the roof units won't run off a small generator, they pull too many amps on startup. That's not a problem if you have shore power, but keep in mind the shortest RV AC units are ~8 inches tall, so you'd be really tall stacking that on top of an ARE MX.

I have a 5k BTU AC unit that will run on my EU2000, so I second @tonykarter 's recommendation there.

Not sure where you're located, but if humidity is low, a swamp cooler will work great and cost way less in power usage and cost. Look those up if you're not in a humid area. I'm in Georgia, so sadly those won't work for me. As for heat, look into the Mr Heater Buddy series. They work great.

My top's a hightop and I built a platform inside it for similar purposes. It's an ARE MX with the walk-in option:





I like this config because there's no setup time required... Just unroll the sleeping bag and snooze. I'd never set up camp somewhere I didn't feel safe, so I've never really been worried about access to the truck in the night.

Camping in a 5' bed would be a challenge. I'm 5'10" and wouldn't be able to make that work. I have a 6' bed and part of why I got the walk-in option on the ARE MX was to add a few inches of length; the longest part of the bed is 6'4" with the walk-in option, and even then it feels just long enough for me. Unless you're short or sleeping diagonal, you may have trouble snoozing in a short bed.

 

I love your set up! Yes, I have a 5’ bed but I’m not to worried about being able to stretch out completely. I’m 5’5” tall so it kinda works. My main issue is I can’t be hot or warm while I sleep. I must have an AC unit of some sort. My concern with the generator is they are expensive, loud, and get stolen often. I will be alone most of the time and I’m worried about leaving anything outside.

 

Yes, coleman makes a low-profile roof-top AC and that is the direction I was going to go too: Roof air and bed in back. Problem you have is that it is too many Btu's for cooling such a small space: it ain't going to work right. It will freeze up the coils and then you got a big problem on your hands. Second, and possible more important, my research revealed it to be one of the noisiest roof AC units you can buy. Who wants that above them all night. Third, even though it's low-profile at only 8", it has a very big footprint on the top of the bed cap. Might have a problem with the length fitting on the top of the back half of an extra-height bed cap. Generator: Expensive...kinda'. Loud...WRONG. The EU has an "Eco" mode where it only turns the rpms needed for the load required. I own three generators, and one genset, all for hurricane purposes, and the Honda Eu's are not your Dad's generator run by a single cylinder Briggs and Stratton turning 3600rpm. The EU is absolutely the quietest generator I know. I bet you will barely hear it over the white noise of the window unit. Honda is know world wide for producing a tolerably quiet generator series. The 3000Btu is even quieter! Stolen...maybe. Get you 2 6-foot bike locking ropes, connect the two to get one 12-foot long and chain it to your bumper at night. It has a clevis specifically for locking purposes.

Listen, I researched this AC/BED thing since 2015. There may be a better way, but I don't think so. For temps in the upper 90's with humidity over 80% like we have here in SE Texas you want in the cab, window unit in the back blowing like a hurricane, low 60's in the cab and BURIED under the covers, hiding from the cold! The cab is somewhat insulated, especially when compared to the bed and cap in back. I know a little bit about camping comfortably:

 

Wow! This is extremely helpful! I’m gonna toss out the RV AC unit idea now. I did some research yesterday about a 5000 BTU AC unit which should be able to run off of a GOAL YETI 1000 lithium battery for about 8 hours if it’s the only thing plugged in. I’m a single woman and although I appreciate the Honda 2200 has generator I just can’t stand the smell of gas (yes, I’m kinda girly). I’ve read that the YETI is a close alternative and can be charged with a super charger, or solar panels that I can place outside or mount to the roof of my truck. I’m still new to this big time, so any further input is very appreciated. Also, I’m thinking about getting a LEER or ARE high top camper shell so I can have a platform bed with extra storage underneath..

 

Sounds like a plan!

 

As an owner of a Goal Zero Lithium 400, you will be disappointed how impractical these are. My 400 charge controller limits input to 70 watts. The 1000 limit is a whopping 50 watts higher at 120 watts. Goal Zero customer support will tell you something about lithium charging safety. Whatever.

The practical reality is whatever load you use (fridge/AC) to drain the battery, it will take a very long time to fill it back up. It doesn't matter if you somehow connect to an electrical substation. The bottle neck is at Goal Zero's artificially imposed input. You will sit at a site all day long waiting for you battery to fill back up.

Now if you stay in one place at your vehicle for extended periods of time as in your travelling profession, it might work. But it does not suit for overnight stays. In which case I think you will wind up looking at a second battery system that charges off your truck's alternator.

 

I was really hoping the Goal Zero would do the trick and I wouldn’t have to find a shop to rig up a second battery/inverter/isolator system. Thanks for letting me know it isn’t that great. I’ve heard the charge times are insanely slow. I also saw where Yeti is coming out with a “super charger pack” that is suppose to charge the 1000 in like 3 hrs? Ideas?

 

Cool if true. I wouldn't get it until they do.

 

I checked out your photos Cricketeer and the shell with the Christmas lights (I'm guessing its the 2006) looks like it has some ample headroom. Are you able to sit up in the back comfortably? If so, do you mind me asking how tall you are?

Thanks!

 

I'm 6', my wife is 5'3". I have to bend my neck, she was pretty close to fine.

 

Would you ever consider selling?! Thats such a dream setup