Should you buy a Snug top?

Well...yes! As far as quality of material and craftsman ship it is top notch. As far as looks they are freaking bitchin’ especially the SNUGTOP SuperSport which is what I have.
But if this is the case? Why are there any debates with Leer, ARE, etc? Too be honest first it’s price. I learned on this forum that there is a saying you have to pay to play meaning if you lift your truck put bigger tires nice rims buy accessories it will cost you dearly financially and not to mention your MPG‘s will take a crap. Well I also learned something with this SNUGTOP if you want to look nice you have to pay the price meaning the super sport was by far the most expensive model not because of utility I think just because of cosmetics I paid $3250 for mine and that was the best deal around town most places were averaging $3600 to $4000. The funky looking ones were about $1000 less. Now just understand where I’m coming from this was purely for cosmetics they have other brands out there that are really meant for the outdoors guy camping going off the grid etc. and if that was the case I would probably look elsewhere but if you’re looking for a shell to protect your goods and maybe occasionally sleep in this is awesome it has LED lights USB ports fall down front window pretty much all standard stuff. It matches the contours of the truck perfectly if this was a beauty contest this would definitely take first prize I’ve gotten more compliments with the shell on than ever before but there is a dark side to the story. I don’t want to put them on blast but it’s only fair I gift complements when they are due and I complain when they are necessary.
I bought mine at ‘Norco Camper’ in Southern California like I said the price was significantly cheaper than anywhere else. I live in Highland so it was about 75 mile round-trip to go out there and have them remove my fuel door so they could color match the shell perfectly which I was OK with. If you have the MGM paint color like I do it’s a must or if your paint is slightly faded over the years the color numbers on the truck are going to make it look like the Shell is brand new and the truck is old so if you want a perfect match I suggest you have your fuel door removed. Then thanks to corona virus, seven weeks later my shell finally arrived. To get it installed was another 3 to 4 weeks out or I could come in on a Saturday first come first serve. Being an early bird I got there two hours early along with the other early birds there was two guys ahead of me and by 9 AM when they opened there was about 12 of us holy crap! By 2 o’clock my truck was ready it looked awesome matched perfectly and I was 100% happy and even gave the installer a tip then I drive all the way home I go to show my wife I stick the key in and it won’t come out in the lock won’t turn I called them up they say they close in an hour so I make the 75 mile round trip back to find out “that this is the first time in 15 years I’ve ever seen a lock freeze”. I’m thinking yeah well I have installed locks on things before and I usually check the locks before I walk away to make sure they work I wish he would’ve done the same whatever. Then last night I decided to give my truck a wash at the car wash and when I’m done and it’s all dry and shiny and looking pretty I open the bed and on the right side water had leaked in and the carpet is soaking wet great do I wanna make the trip back again for a fourth time at 75 miles a pop? Do I want him to redo the seal on the right side only just to have the left side leak or something else to go wrong my luck it probably would so I’m just going to use some clear sealant from the outside in and you won’t even be able to tell and it will give me a peace of mind because realistically I shouldn’t have been shooting water from the ground up underneath the shell cause rain falls down but it’s not the point only one side leaks. So I guess the whole point of this is is that you can have a great product but a lousy installer but you have to realize I do understand snug top is a fantastic product and I am extremely happy and I feel the $3200 is worth every penny but the installer although very overworked that day did a shitty job and I don’t wanna go back a third time so a little bit of advice you get a shell put on. Check lock before you leave and maybe have them water test it.

PS. The snug top does have a slight bed over hang so falling rain or any other type of water exposure is unlikely to enter as long as you don’t pressure washer too close or from a ground to top angle.

 

Your other option is an ARE:


Same price, $3,200. LED lights, carpet lined, sliding front glass with drop frame so you can drop it and wash the back of the cab.

 

I went with LEER.im happy with it. I looked at snugtop but since I'm on the eastern side of US snugtop was not an option. I didn't read your full post but sounds like you're happy with your purchase

 

Buy used, I found a Sungtop with a higher roof model for $1,000. Drove with it for 1.5 years and sold it for $1,100.

Really liked it. At first I did not like the higher roof model but sleeping inside the bed, and having more room to store stuff I liked. I would get a higher roof model again if I was in the market.

 

Your cap looks good, and you mentoned cosmetics. Every snugtop I've seen looked kind of goofy.

 

If confused bro? So is mine goofy? I have seen some silly looking top from all makers including SNUGTOP.

 

Geez. Didn’t realize I wrote a small novel. Sorry bros

 

Yours would be the exception! Thought you mentioned in your post that ST don't usually look good, and that is why the one you bought is more expensive that the other caps from ST.

Most caps don't look great to me, I prefer the open bed look. Other manufacturers caps can look goofy.

None of the SNUGTOPs on what ever truck I've seen on the road have looked as good as the ARE or Leers I have seen on the road. I can't recall seeing many ST on the road.

 

Opens 2nd gen thread to find 3rd gen rant. Lol

 

But jokes aside I bought a used snugtop rebel for 1k.
Full carpet, slider window, window screens and absolutely love it

 

it's subconscious
they know 2nd gen is better
and that 3rd gen is mostly 2nd gen skeleton underneath

 

Actually bro that looks very nice

 

Thanks! The frameless window makes all the difference in the total look, regardless of brand of cap. Additionally, the ARE cap has a slightly different "cant" to its lines. Something subliminal, but part of the appeal equation to the mind's eye.