Camper shells/Toppers

Something like these bad boys: https://www.truckcamperadventure.com/5-best-campers-for-the-toyota-tacoma/

 

Soft topper for the win. Build a sleep platform done. Weight in truck is kept down. With the platform you won’t get wet. Topper leaks very little. I’m not worried about it. Just a thought. I considered a camper shell. Just didn’t want to add all that weight even before all my gear.
Good luck

 

If you've got the $$$ for one of those, and it's worth the 'per use' $$$, go for it and why ask?
Just hope you have the muscle to remove and reinstall every season AND have a place to store it when it's not on your truck.
Personally, I'd much prefer a tow-behind even though you'd still have to have a place to store it. But at least the hook-up & go is much simpler.
Keep your payload capacity in mind though - and not just the camper. You, your passengers, your gear & supplies AND the camper all count as payload.
The KISS principle counts.

 

are you ever worried someone would cut into your soft topper and steal whatevers back there?

 

No because I never leave anything back there

 

When you install a camper shell, it really changes the vehicle. It becomes more like a traditional panel truck than a pickup. And removing and reinstalling the shell, as needed, is not really practical. Fiberglass is heavy, and you need several muscular guys (or some kind of mechanical lift) to move it off the truck. No, once you put it on, it becomes a more or less permanent addition.

 

Hmmmmm.... Thanks for pointing that out... I had not considered being able to lock everything up from the inside. I can see that locking the tailgate a bit of a pain.. Reaching over to lock the lock with a key, but doable. But more so, being able to lock the rear window of the shell from the inside. There are times I've camped/slept out in the middle-of-nowhere 100 miles from another human being.. Which I'm not worried about security. But there have been other times when I've just pulled into a rest stop off an interstate (Along with 3 dozen big-rigs and who knows who else) where I would definitely want to be able to button things up and catch some shut-eye with no worries..

 

Yup, fiberglass ain't 'light' .. LOL.
The last truck I had a shell on (Long also) I needed to take the shell off every now and then. After taking the four lag bolts out that held it on (Pre clamp-era) I'd get a neighbor-friend over and we'd pick it up slightly on either side. And I'd have my wife drive the truck out from under it. Then just set the shell down.
It wasn't that bad, but then again, I didn't have to do it that often either. And my '30 year-old back' was in much better shape than my now '65 year-old back' so there's that also...

 

Install the OEM tailgate locking kit so the tailgate locks when you lock the truck with your remote/key. The glass hatch is latchable but rarely lockable from the inside, yet with a strap and some bolts you could create a leash that keeps it basically closed for when you want to crash back there.

 

When I’ve felt the need to lock it from the inside (when camping) a strap from the handle to the bed tie-down has worked. Good luck! Just make sure you review all the options and order what you want, it’s expensive / impossible to change later.

Mike

 

I was referring to the Snug Dealer

I did not even bring up the Topper/Cap with my Toyota Dealer, as I deal with the fleet dept.

 

Gotcha! Thank you!

 

I was looking at Leer, but to support an RTT there was one version with internal bracing (sorry I forget which version, there are lots of them). The local dealer was recommending a cap but ended up over $4000 for a Long Bed.

Went back and forth, decided on an RSI Smart Cap. The roof can support 330 pounds dynamic (bouncing down the road) and 770 pounds static (two people inside an RTT when parked).

RSI Smart cap is an absolute PITA to assembly. My hands are still sore, I have a good-sized workshop so I have a few extra tools (duckbill sheet metal pliers to straighten bent flange, sheet metal vise grips). Give yourself a full weekend and lots of beers and pizza's to keep buddies happy. (four people, four hours). I'm solo at the mercy of when the kids showed up, my hammies and quads were on fire from an eight-hour leg day.

 

I really like the looks of those RSIs but I am leaning toward the softtopper for cost and ease of use. I just can't fit what I need under the bed cover.

 

I like the ease of removing/replacing softcover when needed. Shells are a pain unless three buddies are always hanging around, but then all your beer disappears!

 

Question: Would a 1st Gen SnugTop Shell fit a 3rd Gen, 5' bed?

 

No