Best camper shell?

I will post pics when I get it. Should be any day now.

 

What kind of roof rack is that?

 

I went with a Leer 180 because I wanted the biggest opening in back for standing up garbage cans, big boxes, head room & furniture. I also didn't get the frameless door because that didn't fully flip up in back. Did AAL and get no sag fully loaded. No complaints.

 

Nice setup too with the windoors

 

Big fan of the RSI Smart Cap on my Tundra…running a camper on my Taco

 

Have an ARE Z Series.... in the 7 years I have owned it I have had to:
Replace e-lock palm handle twice (on my 3rd)
Replace gas shocks for back hatch
Replace brake light
Overall I like it, but the palm handle is definitely a bad design as it seems they only last a couple years. I have opened them up to find the solenoid is all rusty so water finds its way in and eventually causes failure. The brake light took about 5 years before I noticed condensation inside before it failed. Replaced it with one off of Amazon that had poor reviews saying that one immediately takes on condensation. Knowing this I put a bead of silicone around it and it has been solid for over a year. The gas shocks for the back I believe just failed due to normal use, they lasted 6ish years before the hatch stopped opening all the way. Replace those with exact fit amazon ones for 20 bux.... quality of the shell itself is really good, paint matches perfect, inside is carpet lined. Has tilt out rear windows, wish i would have gotten the windows that lift up like the rear hatch to make more accessible..... sorry for rambling, just offering my thoughts and opinions...good luck.

 

only you can answer that question because it depends entirely on how you use your truck, whether you have a platform in back, dogs, if you plan to camp in the back, your budget, etc etc

i picked up a leer commercial cap for a few hundred on CL w/ sidedoors on it and i've been very happy with it. Combined with a platform and drawers its been really handy

 

I have your bare bones ( side sliding windows w/screens, sliding front window) Ranch cap and it's fine. Never hear much about them but it does it's job.

 

I've had a few different canopies over the years, I hike/ski a lot in winter so they get put to the test when it comes to water intrusion.

Any Leer with the "rain gutter" lip that hangs down over the bedsides will do pretty good against leaks between the bed rails and cap. I never had to get crazy with glue or sealer up near the front of the bed behind the cab.

I have however, never seen a pop-up side window that didn't leak.

Those flimsy thin aluminum canopies are cheap and simple but the sheet metal will crease and bend easily. Just having 4-6 inches of snow on the roof made mine crumple downward

Never had a soft-top, i need to be able to lock up skiing gear safely

My 100xr with windoor sliders poured water in around the seals and glass.

I had a alu-cab that POURED water in through all the doors (sides and rear). The fancy latches would freeze in the snow and become unusable. By the time I got rid of it I was using a butter knife to pry them open when they froze. I guess it doesn't snow in south africa.. the only thing the Alucab does right is the strength to weight ratio. Very sturdy and far lighter than a fiberglass cap

I'm currently waiting on a 100XQ from my local dealer. Those are the only ones I've seen that truly keep gear dry in the bed

But again, I'm driving through rain and snow storms all winter going up into the mtns

 

I've been running a soft-topper for a 1980s Toyota pickup... It does fit OK, but is not 100% waterproof. I get a little bit of leaking issues at the very front and rear corners. But again this is not made for the Tacoma. But Hey at less than a $100 I wasn't complaining.. Not to mention the fact that I had bought it already for a prior project. Anyway 4 bolts that clamp onto the rail is eat real and I can pop this thing off and carry it in one hand. When you're out running around and you find something you need to carry home, it folds down and allows you the space to carry things. The only thing I wish this one had was side windows.. I found 1 local to me and am thinking about going and getting it it's still going to be about a 400 mile trip, But it does have the side windows and is for a Tacoma... One other downside worth mentioning is that it's not really as secure as a hard top. If soyeah it's good if somebody wants whatever you have in the back, it is gone

 

Alu Cab is a nice option I bought mine before the price of them went crazy. They are super light and have a lot of options for building them out...

 

It's a Prinsu Designs rack, they are awesome. A bit pricey in my opinion but I got this one second hand for a great deal. Makes securing things down a heck of a lot easier and they have holes on the side to put lights and stuff on.

 

What shells are strong enough to have a rack on top with a rtt? I know the alucab and rsi are, but can you put that on the snugtop / leer/ or are models?

 

ARE sells a model with reinforcement on the interior that will support a RTT, not certain of the others

 

My favorite has been the Flippac, no longer made, but many similar options from AT, Vagabond, GF…. Most have a tall interior and double as a camper.

 

The RSI on our Tundra has been good the short time we have had it; plenty strong, access on all sides. Have heard of latch issues in cold environments, but no issues for me so far

 

The camper shell was my biggest decision, ultimately I wanted a half shell, but could not find one anywhere. So I made my own.

The front section is a locking water tight storage, the rear section is molle panels. Has locking doors on both passenger and driver side, the rear wall can be removed so the whole bed length can be made available. Its heavy but comes apart in three pieces and I can take it on and off by my self in about 20 mins

Have made several attachments for it including dog kennels and fold out kitchen.

I wanted the half shell mainly cause when my roof top tent is on I wanted it below the roof line to save on gas mileage, I use this truck for work and lots of time that leads me to sleeping in remote locations in the rtt. I wish Someone with the capabilities would make a good half shell cause thisnwas a bigger job than I thought.

 

Very Nice fabrication!