RSI Smart Cap

just airing out my camping gear driving down the freeway in the pouring rain....nothing to see here

 

Question for the group… Anyone here switch from the OEM tonneau cover to the SmartCap? Is it necessary to switch the bed rails (to solid rails vs. having the cutouts for the OEM tonneau cover/hardware)? It looks like there’s plenty of surface area left on the rail to ensure a good seal. I plan to pop the bed rails, tape, and silicone underneath to prevent dust and water infiltration. Best price I’ve found for the solid rails is $263 plus shipping, and after dropping $$$$ on the cap, would rather not spend the extra money if I don’t have to. Thanks!

 

No you don't need to switch your bed rail caps, just make sure to seal as much as possible.

 

no need to swap rails, but i sold my tonneau cover before getting my cap (alucab not rsi) and traded my cut side rails for uncut ones since i don't plan on going back to a tonneau cover.

 

Sell your tonneau cover and include rail swap.

 

^I went this route as well

 

Thanks so much for everyone’s responses! I figured I’d be good but thought best to ask just to be sure. I sold my tonneau cover locally and intended on swapping rails, but the buyer had the cut rails and all the hardware already and was just missing the cover. Decided to sell figuring I would be okay. Thanks again!

 

Thank you!

 

Thanks for asking the question.....lots of good info from all the replies.

 

Put a couple bars in until the security screen arrives.

 

Enjoyed putting the cap on this weekend. Go a ton of rain in Dallas the day after install, not a drop inside.

 

Nice. Do you typically install bed stiffeners with these?

 

I installed Total Chaos stiffeners prior to RSI cap.

 

About half of our customers. It really depends on the customers usage. We suggest them for anyone who is going to add weight to the cap, such as a roof top tent, platform rack, other accessories.

 

Same. Its a quick and easy install and worth, as I am sure most would agree. Makes for some nice tie down points as well. There are tons of brands that make them, only have experience with Total Chaos and they are high quality.

 

So I sent an email again asking about the new latches.

Here's the response:

Thank you for reaching out to us, we appreciate your interest in our products.

We are currently in the development of a new locking/latching mechanism that will have the ability to be opened from inside the cap, as well as address the freezing issues that some customers in colder climates have experienced.

These Dual Release Latches have not been made available as yet. We are expecting communication on a launch date soon.

I do suggest that you also sign up for our email subscriber list – Join the Tribe https://www.na.rsismartcap.com/join-the-tribe, as we’ll be sending out any product releases and updates to that list.

Thank you for your patience and please let us know if there is anything else we can assist with.

For reference here's the email they sent after I put in the warranty claim like they asked for in Aug of 2021 to get on the list for the new latches. This email was from Aug 2022......

Thanks for your email, and your interest in our products. The Dual Release Latches (which will also address freezing) have not been introduced yet but will be later this year. I, unfortunately, do not have a solid date for their release or the cost for them as yet.

If you would kindly confirm your shipping info is still good to use, and if not, I will get your new shipping info added to the notification list and reach back out as soon as all the finer details have been communicated to us.

 

I just picked up my SmartCap from @OffroadAlliance.com in MA last week (great company), which I ordered immediately after purchasing one of the few remaining 2023 Off Road Tacomas back at the end of January this year. Setup was straightforward, as was mounting it, and the fit and finish of the thing is top notch.

I just drove through a pretty massive rain storm today for an hour at 70mpg and did get a handful of drops that worked their way in from the positive air pressure vent, but that is not too surprising from what I've read and the volume was minor. No leaks anywhere from the cab itself, otherwise, but I am going to need to go back and add a bead of silicone under the front bed rail since it seems some water worked its way along that into the bed, despite having sealed the gaps in the front corners well with expandable weather stripper.

That all aside, since @chuam was asking about the new latches, I thought I'd attach a few pictures of them, since it seems the updated design was shipped on the new cap I just received. I can confirm that even after someone locks you inside, the red dual release latches allow you to open the gullwing doors from the inside while the latches remain locked from the outside. It is a pretty slick design, as shown below:

 

Smartcap looks great! Let us know if you need anything else!

 

Got my SmartCap today, definitely loving it so far!

 

Hey Everyone,

Does anyone here have or have had the Load Bars outfitted on their Smartcap. If so, is there any reason to favor Smartcap load bars over Front Runner brand or vice versa? I'm going to use it to tie down an SUP.

Thank You