OVS Expedition Cap

Installed mine exactly one month ago. It's been raining where I live. I didn't notice the inside of the bed getting wet at all. I imagine if I had put on more Butyl sealant tape on the corners it woudl've helped even more. As for offroading/dirt getting in, I haven't tested yet but could imagine it being the same as the rain. The topper so far has been really impressive. I was able to just install it myself by carefully/ loosly clamping on the side panels and aligning perfectly the panels onto the truck bed, and then re-tightened after the initial 50-100 miles. Been driving over 500+ miles with the new camper and no problem at all. I checked after driving 300 miles and only one clamp was slightly loose which I re-tightened. Like some of the other folks have said, with this modular design you can switch out with the different panels coming Q2 of 2025 (panel with side window, sliding rack, storage shelves, +more).

 

I have done the retightening after a few hundred miles. I also adjusted the back latches tighter. The only water/dust comes from around the tailgate as with any topper. I will look at adding a gasket of some kind this spring

 

if the storage shelves are not over priced at launch I will get one for the passenger side, maybe the weight will help level it out a bit.

 

Hope OVS makes their cap for a long bed down the road.

 

they had it 25% OFF on Dec 7th at the Red Bull event in Santa Fe Spring CA. Got one, installed one and its really cool.

 

Been rocking this cap for about a week now, loving it so far.

 

Really wish they would make a 6ft version of this. I’d buy in a heartbeat beat.

 

Any one done anything to keep it cool inside the cap? The OBS top has almost no vents, it gets way too hot for the dogs. Trying to figure out how to vent more air in the shell. Any ideas?

 

Anyone have the roof rack cross bars yet? I am really thinking of this cap but need to add my tent to the top. know if any other racks fit the t-tracks?

 

Crossbars took awhile to get here but they were very easy to install and are holding up very well. I have a 200lb CVT rooftop tent mounted on top and take it everywhere, no problem so far. I think several other cross bars will fit - I’ve seen xtrusion overland and the Sherpa universal cross bars personally. I’m sure other brands using the same bolts for the cross bars will work.

 

Have you figured out any racks that will fit it? I'm putting a prinsu rack on my cab and was trying to figure out if the prinsu rack will fit on top of this cap

 

You can paint or wrap the top panel white or silver (assuming you are not willing to wrap the whole thing). The metal will still radiate a ton of heat inside, so use some double-sided tape or spray adhesive to install panels of rigid insulation anywhere inside you can stick them. Both of those will bring the internal temperature down perhaps 20°, but that’s still not cool enough for dogs.

Finally, you can put a standard 14x14” RV roof vent in the top panel. You can do a passive vent, but I recommend wiring it; you have several fan options from reputable companies (like Dometic and Maxxair). I use a Maxxair on my camper and it moves enough air that I can cook salmon in the back and go to bed without my bedding smelling like fish. And it keeps the interior the same temperature as outside (with insulated ceiling and walls), meaning I can sleep in during the summer after the sun rises.

Edit: if you are not willing cut a hole in your top panel for a fan, consider installing sliding windows on the side doors.

 

Nice reply..! I was thinking the same with insulation panels. Also am totally willing to put an intake fan in the roof,
Just need to find a low profile fan that looks decent in seals from the snow and rain… i’ll post any updates.

 

*Exhaust fan. It pulls the hottest air (at the ceiling) out, pulling in ambient temperature air from around the tailgate, or whatever other ingress vent you might give it. These fans are really powerful and quiet.

Any of the RV fans have a rain/snow cover that you open during use. And you can just “crack” them open so they allow air out without letting precipitation in, but they are a little louder if they are bottlenecked at the exhaust or ingress. (They can also run with the cover completely closed, but that’s not going to help you much.) There are optional rain covers that allow you to fully open them in the rain, but they are not low profile. The lowest profile fans stick up about three inches, and require about an inch thick roof for mounting, which is another good reason to throw some insulation on the roof.

 

This is similar to the one I use, except mine has a smoked transparent cover to let in a little sun. It sits less than 3” above the roof when closed, and silently moves a lot of air (900cfm). This is a basic model; the higher end ones have remote controls, which is convenient if you don’t want to lean or climb into the bed to turn it on. You can also get standard 14” square housings for these fans that have LED lights.

https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Vents-a...MIgIaTqbujjQMVxgGtBh3gnRyhEAQYECABEgIjG_D_BwE


While I was looking, I also found smaller fans that are made for Sprinter vans. These might look better on top of the cap, but I have no experience with these, and I think there’s a good argument for using the standard 14” size, so if you ever have to replace or repair it or if you want to accessorize it, you have more options.

An example of the smaller ones for Sprinter vans: https://orionvangear.com/products/l...MIgIaTqbujjQMVxgGtBh3gnRyhEAQYBiABEgJBSvD_BwE

I also saw some side vent fans made for RV’s, which just look like 2 computer fans in a vent housing. You could mount these on your doors, up high to evacuate the hottest air. But I can’t find any CFM rating for these types of fans, and reviews indicate they are loud and don’t move much air. Also, the ones I looked at didn’t have any sort of seal to prevent dust and road spray from entering and damaging the fan motors and the interior of the bed.

 

How easy, or difficult would it be to assemble and install one of these caps solo if I were to get it shipped to my home address?

 

Pretty easy. I did it myself under 2 hours. Once I had the front panel (nearest to the cab window) and one of the side panels installed together, I lifted it up onto the truck and clamped down the side panel to the truck (i probably couldve just installed it directly to begin with). Then I installed the other side panel and carefully aligned it, then lastly installed the rear panel towards the tailgate and then the roof. Pretty simple, just be patient and take your time to align everything.

 

It's easy enough to assemble alone, the main problem becomes getting it on the truck. I was lucky enough to to have 3 people around to help me. Assembly is just as easy as you would think. Some bolts, anti seize for the stainless hardware and about an hour or so of time.