Bed extender & cap, tonneau, or box for 04 double cab?

Just got my 04 double cab and have been debating what to do with the bed. Being the double cab, it's the short 5' bed. Ultimately, I would love to have a tall cap (if they even exist) and the bed extender for items that are longer than the bed. But I am planning on carrying minimally bicycles (which if I leave front wheels on, I need the bed extender for) and at some point camping gear, so I don't know the logistics of height, etc. with the cap. I just wanted to see what others are using on their trucks and what the advantages/disadvantages are to and/all of these options. Any input is greatly appreciated ;-)

 

I had a bed extender for a while that worked well but, as I travel to Florida at least twice a year, I opted for a Snugtop. I don't have to worry about my stuff getting wet, my toolbox is secure and I can sleep in it if I have to.

 

I also have a cap (A.R.E.) and really enjoy its utility, but it def limits the height of things I can haul. keeping my cargo dry is a necessity for me though and there still is plenty of room for most things. The pros outweigh the cons tremendously!

If you find that your cargo is taller than a cap can handle, maybe you should look into a hard tonneau cover that you can mount a bike rack onto or a soft cover with a rack on the bedrails.
http://www.prorac.com/softtonneau.php

Welcome to TW

 

Thanks...that's some good insight. I think I've already nixed the truck box idea simply because the short bed is so short and I don't want to lose any of that space. And I thought there might be some taller versions of the caps, but I'm only seeing ones that are that same height as the roofline of the truck. I know in the past I've seen taller ones on other types of pickups, but I'm not sure there are any available for this truck. I was thinking I may do some sort of tonneau cover in the interim, but it would have to roll up or retract in order for me to use the bed for items that wouldn't fit under it.

 

Well, I solved my dilemma for now. I ordered a Bestop ZipRail tonneau cover from Amazon. It went on super easy and works like a dream! It's a great alternative to velcro and snap type tonneau systems.

I also got a locker from Wally world for under $20, along with a cable and padlock. I can lock this up under the tonneau and to one of the tiedowns in the bed.

Then, I stumbled upon a cargo bar at Wally world also. It was super cheap on clearance (I had been using a black shower curtain rod). This works great to keep the trunk at the back of the bed along with the crate I have next to it with stuff like wax, gas treatment, etc.

So, now I have a sealed and enclosed space with a secure area...almost as good as having a trunk in a car! And it's pretty easy to clear everything out if I need to haul something in the bed. It's also really nice to get all of that stuff outta my back seat