Hardtop or softop?

Hard top or soft top? I have a 2007 tacoma pre runner, double cab, long bed

 

Hardtop... But your preference of course

 

I used to never want a shell, now can't imagine not having one. Go hard shell, you'll use it all the time. Very, VERY few times have I needed a truck bed with no cover for hauling . But, all based on your lifestyle and needs. Hard shell for day to day extra covered space and camping. But I live on a farm and use it for truck stuff too and dead deer, but I know some need the full space. Never saw a real "advantage" to soft top. Good luck.

 

I need to haul a motorcycle and can't with my shell lol

 

Good problem to have! Haha. Not everyone has the luxury of a trailer, but if you think of it as a "Tacoma mod", $1200 for a decent trailer isn't bad. Then you have open bed and closed bed

 

Welcome aboard. I have a leer on mine and it is great however there have been times when I needed to haul (fridges) and the top prevented it.

 

I like my Softopper.

It's light weight (35lbs), easy to take on and off (but you still need two people to completely remove it off the truck), it wasn't horrible expensive (around $800 shipped), it's easy to keep clean, I get no leaking, there are no windows on the sides to reduce light going into the shell and visibility by potential thieves, it looks cool and unique, it stores very well when taken off.

I like caps. I've always wanted a fiberglass cap but the issue with them is firstly they are very expensive to buy unless you can find the exact one you want, in your factory color, that the previous owner took very good care of. Even buying used and repainting is very pricey. Your looking $1,500+. Especially if you want functioning sliding windows and extra options.

Caps are very heavy (200+lbs) and are very difficult to take on and off. I don't want my cap on all the time so I do want to remove it sometimes in the summer.

It's easier to take on and off if you have two expensive things:
1. A house with a garage ceiling high enough
2. A mechanical lift that will raise, lower, and store the cap on the ceiling of the garage.

I am a person that absolutely refuses to use their garage for anything that prevents me from parking my vehicles in it. So I need to storage for the fiberglass cap.

Until I am older, a little richer, and have the home that will accommodate a nice cap, I'm going to stick with the Softopper because it gets me everything I want for less money. And the only reason I'd upgrade to a fiberglass is just because I like them... not because the Softopper is lacking in some way. It would just be one of those things I spend money on for fuck sake.

 

I'm able to completely remove and install mine solo, it's why i enjly it. It's even easier if you leave the rails on and just remove the topper portion.

I would also add the ability to fold it forward and out of the way in about 60 seconds so you can haul tall items.

I also like the ability to roll up the sides. Its a different look, and it makes for a nice shady place to lay down while still getting a breeze

 

Softopper FTW

 

Buy a hard top and leave it on the truck all the time. If you need to haul something that wont fit inside a trailer is easier to use anyway. Weight on these trucks is about 180 lbs and cost should be closer to $1000, not much more than an ugly soft top. And it will last the life of the truck instead of being replaced in a few years like a soft top. A soft top only provides the illusion of security for what is inside, I've owned 4 Wranglers in the past and have had to replace the tops twice due to both wear and vandalism. And none of the soft tops really fit the trucks. They all look like a man wearing a hat 3 sizes too small

 

I've had a fiberglass top on all my trucks. They are heavy as shit, takes 2 people to remove it. Aluminum is way easier to handle.

But I'm in the snow alot and I need to keep stuff dry.

If you get fiberglass I recommend bed stiffeners too. I got the cracking below the taillights from the added weight

I ordered mine with a thule rack, slider/removable window, curved rear glass, cloth liner and led dome light. About $2,200 out the door in seattle

 

I will admit, they look cool. And ease of off and on. But you nailed it how it CAN be easy to off and on a hard topper too .They DEFINITELY provide better security . And with camping gear, hunting gear or surfboards or even just groceries, there is a lot to be said for a lock

 

Hard shell all the way, I have a power lift that raises it up to the garage rafters out of the way. I can send pics and build instructions if you like.

 

I've had a softopper since 2014 and am completely over it.

It has served it's purpose, but if I were to go back, I'd go hard shell without a doubt.

 

The main points

Hard top:
Pros
-more secure/can be locked up
-more durable
Cons
-heavier, difficult to remove alone without a hoist
-cost 2-3x as much as a softop brand new

Soft top:
Pros
-versatile, can be folded down/put up whenever or removed entirely by yourself, especially if haul oversized item.
Cons
-not secure.
-less durable

Both will give you a dry space for gear or whatever you need to haul. Both can be had for much cheaper than brand new price when buying used.

I had a Bestop for a few years. Really liked it. Was great for hauling things especially going home for holidays and loading it up with presents/luggage, etc. also super helpful during 2 self moves. Was able to fold it down and put it away for furniture/mattresses/washer dryer, and put it back up when it started raining And I was carrying smaller items to my new place.

 

Soft topper is a nice set of training wheels. Cost a third of the price, can easily take it on/off, and it is quite waterproof. Didn’t feel the need to alter the stock suspension to keep a decent rake.

Had mine on off for a few years and just upgraded to a snugtop. Wanted a little more piece of mind that some theif won’t just cut the windows and steal my gear. Also lifted ‘er up because the worn leafs looked like they needed help.

Soft top is a much cheaper solution if you’re just looking for wind and rain protection. An actual extension of your cab will require a hard top.

 

Soft toppers make the truck look like a hearse imo.

 

I am not able to put it on and take it off by myself without risking scratching the truck. Technically you can do it but... if you don't have someone watching one side of the metal rails on the top portion then you risk it sliding down the bedside.

 

How much room do you need? Mine had one of those flat, hard, 3 way folding covers on it when I got it. Fold once, 1/3 of bed is open, fold twice & 2/3 of bed is open, or 10 min., with no tools, it's completely off & leaning up against the wall, out of the way. Wondered, when I bought the truck, if i'd like it, but now I love it.

 

Ah, I get what your saying. I wedge each side in-between the rails then input the pins and retaining rings. If your not careful, one side could pop up and over the rail and make contact with the paint. I haven't had it happen but I only remove my top a few times a year.