Let's See Some Softoppers

I ordered the UpTop Overland truss system April 30. Still waiting..... They did say 8 to 12 weeks....

 

Hey all, this got brought up in conversation with my wife. How long does a Softopper last? Like I'm looking at tonneau covers as well, and I've had the same one for a LONG time. How long can I expect a softopper to last for me?

 

I'd say 10yrs or so.

 

That's good to know. at almost $900 after shipping and tax, it's not a small investment. I'm kind of a tight wad, as proven by me getting a SR LOL.

 

You think you're a tightwad? Hah! I bought an SR... USED! And still bought a Softopper. No regrets at all. They're nice!!

 

I can definitely relate. Super penny pincher here. Bought my softopper recently and a few months later all the “what have I done” anxiety has passed. It’s a truly unique and badass product. Weathered a padre seashore tropical storm with zero issues. Pretty damn water resistant as long as you inject a bit of clear silicone caulk in the gaps at the bulkhead.

Buy the bag. It’s worth it for $50. Great if you want to protect it when folded up in your bed or to stow SofTopper on your garage wall.

Last thing...promise! I’m 5’2” so I can sleep on my short bed platform with no issues. If you are wanting to camp under your topper, and you exceed the length of your bed by quite a bit, and think it’s worth not creating a DIY solution, go ahead and pick up the DAC tailgate tent that SofTopper sells on their site. It’s worth it to not pay the S&H twice should you want it later.

 

Thanks for that info. I'm 5'5" and my wife is 5'2" so with the tailgate down, we both fit in the bed. one of the main reasons I was looking at the SofTopper is for truck camping. It's probably going to be on the truck 365 days a year, so durability is pretty important.

 

Had mine since '17 in UT sun and snow and have only taken it off to clean and respray (SimpleGreen and 303) annually. So far have replaced the foam strip once, the rear velcro hold-down strip with magnets and recently a couple of snaps need repair. The medium DAC tent with poles is a great addition.

For what I originally paid the ST has out-performed, its a great piece of equipment, rest easy my friend.

 

That's good to know. now to convince the wife. she think's they are a little silly looking. Trying to explain that instead of a tonneau cover and a tent, this can do both things.

 

this might have sold me on the set up for my truck...I was thinking soft topper, but was wary about not being able to put stuff above it...

 

That was the only downside when I bought an ST. Knew I was losing exterior mount storage and if you're carrying boards, water, gas, etc. a short bed starts filling up fast.

Rack is my next purchase. I might be going the Datin Fab route, however. Still haven't decided, but I've narrowed it down to 4 fab shops.

Something else to think about. SofToppers can get a bit stuffy inside if it's all zipped up. I rigged mosquito netting for when I roll-up the ST sides for airflow. But when it rains, I'd really like to have a lightweight awning mounted on the top of a rack that I can angle downward on the side and have that ST panel rolled up. Or I can create a little DIY solution over the tailgate and keep the back ST panel open. The DAC tailgate tent can somewhat do this, but there's a whole market for awning/exterior tents that could use the rack bars at the tailgate for a mounting point. Would love to get in and out of truck and cook/hang out in the rain without getting my gear wet.

 

Just do IT! You will love it! I even stick 10' sections of pvc piping on the sides of mine to support a tarp when camping.

 

Get out of my mind! That was too funny - I just mentioned wanting to rig up something like this in my comment above. Thanks for sharing these pics.

 

I actually cut the 10ft pieces of piping in half and fit them together at the campsite with a union. (No Glue of course) this way they are easy to transport.

 

Here's some additional ammo for that convo - not sure what your location is (bugs, mossies, moths?) think of a clear night with the softtopper down sleeping under the stars. Attach some fake candles (no fire hazard) on the bedsides, crack a bottle of wine and enjoy the evening.

 

A rechargeable clip on fan makes a world of difference. Just getting some air movement helps reduce condensation and helps alleviate some of the swampy feeling.

 

it is in the plans for sure... right now, my plans are in this order:
1. tear drop trailer - the wife likes camping, but not tenting, so this is a cool compromise
2. soft topper with rack: for my outdoors trips w/o the wife; just throw a mattress and sleeping bag in the bed; MTB on the back and canoe on top...
- this would be my set up for winter outings for sure;
3. tonneau cover and regular tent - I am used to ultra light/backwoods camping, so this is most likely what will happen, but could also do soft topper for gear storage and tent <--- this would be summer/warm weather camping, which I rarely do.

I was originally going to do roof top tent, but I don't think I want to deal with storing it when not in use. I think the soft topper is easier to remove and store, and then just keep tonneau on for day to day ops.

 

You're gonna end up wanting to keep the softopper on for your daily as well

 

ordered mine today. Good thing my truck isn't delivered yet, means less time between getting the truck and the topper.