Pros and Cons of a Hard Topper?

It’s a DCLB and I’m 5.10 and I’m able to lay straight.

 

It is a long bed.

 

@OnHartung'sRoad the truth will set you free

 

PROS: You can lock your stuff up in the back , keep stuff dry during rain/snow, People cant ask you to help them move stuff cause you cant fit a couch anymore! haha
And by far the best Pro of having a hard shell is camping. A lot of guys with a RTT will tell ya when it gets windy or rainy it gets loud in the tent and can be hard to sleep, so the hard shell lets you sleep in peace and quiet regardless of the weather outside. Its also insultated more than a RTT so it stays warmer. With a RTT you ahve to pack it up to leave camp, with a hard shell you dont have to do shit lol.

CONS: IMO truck looks better without a shell, more weight in the rear so it sags a bit over time, some say loss of MPG but i hardly noticed a change, and the biggest con is that you cant fit large bicycles, dirtbikes, or large items in the bed anymore. Kind of turns your truck into an SUV lol.

Here is my setup. LEER 100XQ I switch up the setup from time to time depending on what I am doing. Its like having a mini hotel room as far as overlanding/off-roading/camping. I dont know how the short bed guys do it, they may look better but I really enjoy closing up the camper shell compeltely and being able to strecth my legs out. I am 6" tall and have juuuust enough room to lay streched out.

 

My wife has a 18 4Runner TRD and we sleep in the back with the seats folded down but its still cramped for me being 6" tall. I sleep much better in my 6" foot bed of my Tacoma and can keep my back seats available at the same time. Once you fold those back seats down in ther 4runner you gotta cram all your stuff into the drivers seats unless you have storage boxes on the roof or something. I think that may answer your question.

Our rigs..

 

Only negative is if I wanted or needed to haul anything taller than the shell opening. Other than that it is the best of both worlds for me. It’s an suv with a crazy amount of storage space that I am not worried about scratching up the storage area.

 

Love me some all black trail limos. Here’s my old one in a few configurations.

Leer XQ


Topless


The sad day I sold her.

 

+1 for topper
I spent the only 6 months I haven’t had a topper on my truck looking for one I could afford. Work, pets, skiing, biking and camping gear all safe and secure. I take it off occasionally but find I quickly need it back on. I would add that roof racks on the topper are essential.

 

How bad is the acceleration with the shell?

 

No discernible difference than sans shell.

 

That’s convincing enough for me to sell my retractable tonneau cover and get a shell!

 

Went with a soft top due to weight and ability to take off easily. I can also get into the back on the sides easily by rolling it up. You sacrifice some security but Im use to not keeping anything of high value inside, ex wrangler owner... Its about 25lbs I think.

Though if someone asks to borrow your truck to move something big like a bed, you can say no cause you cant take the hard top off...

 

Pros;
Secure, dry, safe for Doggos, can carry things out of view.

Cons;
Weighs a bit, can't carry tall stuff.

Canopy were the first mods on both trucks. Would buy another in a second.

 

Haha yeah I was dead set on getting a truck earlier this year and putting a cap on it, i didn't even really know about the 4R and I ended with a DCSB and stuck a cap on it, a 4R probably would have suited me more at the time.

 

Pros have been pretty well covered (dry secure storage...)

Cons: Can't haul tall items, harder to load things like firewood or barkdust, reduced visibility (minor to me).

Mine weighs about as much as a small passenger. If it causes excessive sag or weakened springs, we've bought a pretty poor excuse for a truck.

 

That is me. You mom thinks it’s hot.

 

I have always had a cap-canopy- camper shell on my trucks. I don’t know if I could get by without one.

 

this guy has a versatile setup, and nicely summarizes the pros and cons of various options:

https://www.desktodirtbag.com/different-truck-camping-setups/

 

Trail Limo's for the win! haha I absolutely love my black Taco but holy batman it takes a lot of upkeep to stay clean

 

Yup. That’s literally the only reason I went with the dirt paint color this go round.