Camper shell and Tonneau opinions?

I am considering buying a camper shell (hard or soft top) or a tonneau cover.

What are your opinions, pros and cons of each? I like the way a hard top looks, but as someone who doesn't have a garage, I have nowhere to put it it I wanted to remove it, so I am leaning towards a tonneau or a foldable Bestop style shell.

 

Hard Tonneau covers not a fan of cant fit anything in the bed unless it’s small than the top itself.
Top is great everything is sealed An weather proof cons limited on what ya can carry.
Roll up style covers awesome but can flap at hwy speeds.

 

What about a softtopper? Flexibility of a shell, with the ease of storage of a tonneau if layed flat in the truck bed.

 

my opinion is go with a hard top if you can, you get the storage and like previously mentioned everything is more secure and out of the weather, con is they are typically more expensive. There are a lot of great shells out there to choose from. I am having a Snugtop Rebel put on my 2nd gen tomorrow with a bed rug. Will post pics after I pick it up!

 

Softopper ftw! Easy to put on and take off. Only downfalls are that you cant lock it, and it reduces visibilty.. other than that, id choose it over a hardshell everyday of the week.

 

I think hard toppers meet many owners’ needs and serve them well. Personally, I prefer a tonneau cover. I really like how a tonneau maintains the excellent driver visibility of an open bed pickup.

I am very happy with my tonneau cover. It is Lund Genesis Elite model, trifold soft cover. It's been on my 2017 AC Tacoma for several months. Very secure. Zero leaks. The "Elite" model uses a premium cover material manufactured by the Harrtz Co., which produces materials for OEM convertible tops. The Elite material has a woven appearance like you would see on a convertible top on a luxury car.

Many detailed YouTube videos on the product and its installation. It went on fairly easy. Also, simple to remove and reinstall. It attaches to the OEM rails in the bed utilizing a clamp system. No need to drill or otherwise modify the truck.

 

I have a Snugtop shell on my Pro and a Gem Shell on my 85 mini. The Pro has never had the top removed since it was installed. I used to take the shell off the mini in the summer but it is a PITA for one person so I have opted to leave it on now. Due to the suspension, the mini actually is nicer to drive empty with the shell on it. The Pro had Airbags installed so it sits right with the shell on. My view is that if you get a shell you will pretty much leave it on all the time. I cheat as I have a 1st gen Tundra for when I need an open truck. I would avoid the simple covers as they restrict you quite a bit.

 

I have a soft trifold tonneau and it works pretty well. That said, I would buy a Softopper if I had to do it again. Same foldable benefit with way more cover space.

 

If you go with a Tonneau, Undercover is by far the best! Hard, durable, hell you can stand it! Bought the truck in June 2006, bought the Undercover about 3 days later, still in perfect condition! Drawback.... Price and they are black, I guess you could try to plasti or vinyl coat... Never seen it done though.

( I debadged it too! Lol! )

 

Oh, also, they have quick release connects and they are light enough to remove and put back on yourself. Can remove it myself in about 2 mins.

 

I had a hard folding bed cover and replaced it with a Soft topper. Its great keeps my stuff dry but can also fold it out of the way for bigger items.

 

I have loved the Trux-Port roll up tonneau since my first Tacoma. (Been through 4) Long ago, I had an 85 Xtra-cab, and we found a decent shell for a bargain, and I liked using it, but I would have to remove it for any "tall haul". That was so light, I just unbolted, and moved it onto some sawhorses by my self. But since, I love the tonneau. Rolls up out of the way in less than a minute, fastens back the same. If you are not camping, or storing stuff long term, the covers are the best. The hard covers are more than the rollup, but I did see a nice and easy to use one on a Chevy. So, think how you are going to use, then make your choice.
Mounts by hardware that fastens to stock side rails. No modifications, other than moving clamps out of the way.
Sorry, extra photo. They have improved the side rail attachment on every one I have purchased.
Fasten the header, and roll it out.
Fit the back in the channel, and snap closed. Then, seal the Velcro down each side. It does NOT flap in the wind, yes it does ripple, but nothing like it's going to fall off.
My experience also says that NONE of these options will do much of anything to improve your highway mileage past 1/2 to 1 on highway only. But, all of them make the air quieter, and give you storage options that an open bed does not.
Enjoy your choice!

 

Op, you re going to get 100 opinions and everyone is going to recommend that you get exactly what they have. In the end, you have to decide which option best suits your needs and budget and act accordingly. Good luck!

 

Depends on your needs. If you just need to secure your small belongings in the truck bed, a hard tonneau is a good choice.

 

I've used a cap on every truck I've owned since the 1970's. With the old aluminum caps that weighed less than 100 lbs I'd put em on and take em off by myself. With Fiberglass I just leave them on. The better fiberglass caps will last as long as the rest of the vehicle. You might have to replace the struts after 10-12 years, but everything else is good. None of the soft caps, nor tonneau covers are good for more than a few years, nor provide any real security. I've owned too many rag top Jeeps to expect any security or durability from fabric. The hard tonneau covers cost almost as much and don't provide nearly as much storage space.

If I need to haul anything that won't fit inside I have a 10X6 utility trailer. These little trucks have virtually no payload anyway, but I can tow almost as much as a 1/2 ton. And can put more weight in the trailer than I could put in the bed of a 1 ton truck. Even if I didn't have a cap on my truck I'd still have to own a trailer just to move firewood, or anything else. Unless I made 4-5 trips vs 1 with the trailer.

Obviously not everyone agrees. But that is my choice and the reasons behind it.

 

I have a Pace Edwards Tonneau cover that rolls back. Love it. Also have a voodoo rack over the bed. I can protect and secure my possessions while overlanding and have easy access. I got the least expensive pace Edwards tonneau. I wish I would have purchased the more expensive durable one. I will use it for years to come.

 

I picked up a used camper top for 1/10 what a new one cost. It is a century brand and is several years old already. It has no issues no leaks and is a very solid built top. The ARE top I wanted was over $3,000 before tax. I put this on my truck for $300. It needs to be paint matched but for 300$ I can have that done and still be way ahead.

 

I have been searching for a hard tonneau cover also. Really confusing with so many out there. MAKFlip MX4, Undercover, American Roll Cover, Extang, Lund, Pace Edwards to name a few. I agree with Sudsman44 about opinions. Heading to the Toyota dealer today to hear their spiel on the benefits of theirs. I probably will go with one that requires the least amount of drilling and filling for installation - since there are so many - and so few really negative comments - I wonder if it makes a difference. Have a budget. Reputable dealer. Pull the trigger.

 

I have a Pace Edwards and love the Roll back feature. Allows for easy access to everything. It easily secures to the bed rails and required no extra drilling or patching. It is very durable.

 

This is why the Can-Back uses Sunbrella fabric. If you look at the Can-Back website's main page, the Tacoma is 3 years old in this image, the Ford is brand new. And they are still able to use the Tacoma for their advertising photo shoots right next to a brand new top.