Aluminum camper shells

I went to check out some aluminum camper shells the other day, and found them to be very light - may be about 40 lbs. Has anybody had an aluminum camper shell and what are the impressions ? Appreciate any input.

 

sounds interesting. how much an aluminum shell run?

 

1K OTD installed with some options like sliding side windows and carpeted headliner.

 

First hand, they fly off real well once the connections fatigue.I seen 2 fly off , one from the truck and another on someone elses truck going down the freeway. I'm glad no one was behind us. That was a different truck, but still.
I dont dislike them, but they just dont look good on modern trucks imo.Along with leases and plastic insert bedliners , aluminum canopies are another thing i'll never do again.

 

I guess its a consequence of their light weight so aerodynamically they pull up onto the connection points a bit harder than pretty hefty fiberglass ones. I think it can be worked out.

 

The commercial aluminum ones are good, I just never seen one with windows.

The budget ones I suspect you are refering to, those ones scare me. For a better idea what it did, it lasted 4-5 years, never offroaded,no rack, but saw gravel roads on a 1/2 ton truck.One day coming back from deer hunting, going 45mph on a paved road, it decided to seperate and flew off , skidded and went in the ditch.

 

The ones I saw at a local dealer were from this company

http://www.workmatebylifetime.com/

 

i'm not familiar with them,but they ought to do fine, but i'm basing that on being commercial. Ask them about putting ,say, 4 ladders on a rack on it. If it holds 150lb or so,and they warantee it , it should be ok.