Pros and cons of a camper shell

Plus the hard tops don't look like they were made in someone's garage...

 

You don't need anything else than your Dakar AAL's. I have the Icon AAL's and have no rear sag, unless I'm fully loaded. Which I would expect, I don't want it so stiff it doesn't flex under weight.

 

I think side access is a plus now that I have it, as you said, makes grabbing objects near the bulkhead possible from outside the truck, and if you're sleeping in it, you can roll out the side to go pee in the middle of the night, etc.

 

I love my bestop, keeps my tools out of sight when I have them in. I still wrap around a chain on them. Lately I've been driving around with the back door, window off. Just to make it easier to go in and out getting my tools. My stuff still won't fly out on the freeway which is nice. Keeps my bed dry and dirt free. No wind noise, or flapping around. I recommend getting one or a soft topper.

 

Living space in the front - and a ‘shed’ in the back.

Soft toppers are a good concept, but sort of clunky in execution. I did not like the look.

I really like the smart cap functionality AND looks. Yes - it may be in the way of large stuff. But it enables carrying lots more small stuff…

Great for bikes, etc. (my 29-er MTB fits.)

I had the taco with no cap for some 4 months. I found the bare bed is not as useful without enclosing in general…

 

thanks good to know!

 

my plan was to be sleeping in the back. i then laid down in it and nope dont fit long ways unless i go corner to corner and im only 5'9. So now i got to rethink where im going to sleep and i dont want a rack tent.

 

The Ikea Beddinge folding couch foam mattress fits exactly (custom fit wouldn't be any closer widthwise) in the second gen bed between the tops of the bed rails. I cut 5" off the bottom of the mattress, but when it goes back in the house on the folding bed, I just add the 5" into the zip-able mattress case. The beauty is that it has a storage space at home when it is not in use in the truck. It is extremely comfortable as well. If you build your platform to have the mattress flush with the top of the bedrails, it measures over 60" wide, so comfortable for 2 people, possible for a couple and a kid, and starfish sleeping when solo.
With the 6' truck bed and tall roof shell, I find I sleep as well as at home.

 

People who think that a lockable hardshell "only keep honest people out" aren't being honest intellectually. Do you lock your home when away? Do you lock your car? Of course you do! You are preventing theft from a large portion of dishonest people. It makes a big difference.

 

Had many trucks but my current Tacoma is the first I put a topper on. Keeps my tools dry and secure. Also, living in western PA, it makes my bed useful year round.

 

Pretty sure "only keep honest people out" is kind of a figure of speech, but I still enjoyed your analysis.

 

No difference in wind noise or gas mileage that I can tell.

As to use, the I put one on my last truck new in 2008 and still had it on last Christmas when the truck got totaled. It was only ever off once because I had to move a boat and swapping to a set of rails was faster/cheaper/easier. As soon as that was done the canopy went back on and stayed.

 

Also, as to backing up - with the rear camera I've had no problem parallel parking the taco on the street. The red line is my friend! ;-)

 

Same as above, i have a toytec aal & its fine

 

Thanks for showing me the strap I will have to add to close the tailgate from the inside.

 

Read on one of these threads a guy overcame this problem by cutting a thin PVC pipe slightly shorter than the bed, attached a hook to one end and all good in retrieving items that slid to the front.

 

hmm interesting.. id like to see this.

 

Unfortunately he did not post a photo but I thought this could be a quick inexpensive solution. Maybe a 1/2 inch piece of PVC or a 1/4 inch, a cap glued to the end a screw in storage hook into the center of that cap.

 

This is what I used in my F-250. It was taller and the bed was longer. Granted I already had the decoy retriever from duck hunting.

https://banded.com/product/6-boaters-decoy-retriever/

 

4 tine cultivator
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-5...A3tIFbU3wgkQM_lkJ_hoCL4IQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds