RSi SmartCap (Photo Heavy)

I went through most of this thread and a lot of online research. Based on that I am making a few statements. Please correct me if you think differently:
- you cannot open from inside (except with Phillips screwdriver and full lock removal)
-nobody sleeps in the bed of the truck with these shells, mostly rtt.
-if you do, there is condensation because shell is not carpet lined like typical toppers (some have added insulation)
-these are not waterproof, leaking as normal toppers do + through top vent

I am looking for a great shell that I can load canoes on top and sleep in bed.

should I just buy Fiberglas or am I miss an alternative option with RSI?

 

- Users have been cracking the window(s) to ease condensation.
- I thought I remember a user using a magnetic "cover" for the vent for going through car washes. The trade-off using this full time is airflow and subsequently dust in the bed.

I guess it all comes down to your use case. Fiberglass damages easier and has tended to break down a bit with some heavy off-roading. Some don't have the ability to hold the dynamic weight of roof top cargo (ie. tents).

On the flip side, if you're not worried about dynamic load, height options (only one mass produced height option), plan on sleeping in the bed and worry about condensation, there may be better (fiberglass) options.

 

depends on what material you want your shell made out of.

alu cab has the contour and explorer canopy made from aluminum. its lighter than rsi , but i think rsi looks better. personally im leaning towards an alucab contour right now.

rld has some caps, but i think they're on production hold right now.

gfc has a lighter cap as well, i think you can open the side from inside too. they might be the same locks as their camper. this has its own signature look.

ive seen ads for a byrd canopy, but those might be scams or something. no real reviews or pictures anywhere. not much information on these.

 

My experience: Currently, you cannot open the locks from the inside. There are new latches in the works that supposedly operate differently, allowing the user to open them from the inside. They have been pushed back for some time. We'll see. There is also the issue of the current locks freezing (new locks are reported to not do this). A simple email to RSI and they will send you a set of covers for the current locks that prevent water from entering the locks and thus prevent them from freezing. There customer service was excellent when I did so.

I don't see why you could not sleep in the bed if you had a 6 foot bed and depending on your height, though a quality RTT would probably be more user friendly: space, design, etc. I have no idea about the condensation, I never sleep in mine, 5' bed. The only time I get water in the bed is when I go through a car wash and it isn't much. When it rains, my bed stays dry. If you seal the tailgate and the space at the front of your bed, dust is minimal, disclaimer: most of my miles are on paved roads, but even on camping trips, I haven't had any issues. Overall, I really like mine. Hope this helps.

 

Thank you for the response! Super helpful! I know I will need to seal front and tailgate no matter what topper I get, my 2008 leaked at the front edges, and that was always a bit of a wack-a-mole process for me trying to keep that sealed.
This info is definitely helpful!

 

Very helpful insight - thank you!

I am still on the fence between my buying something like my old Leer 180 (but add butterfly windows) or this.
Thanks for your insight.

 

I am in on these caps. The windows would be perfect for my doggies. That said 4K is hard to swallow.
Any used ones for sale near Ohio I’m interested.

 

I did my RSi Smart Cap Adventure with just two humans and would strongly encourage anyone considering a build to find a third. The extra set of hands would have made the job go a lot more smoothly.

Photos for the photo thread:

 

Anyone know the measurements on the top of the cap? Trying to pic a RTT to pair with it and don’t want too much overhang if possible

 

https://www.na.rsismartcap.com/products/smartcap-evo-a


16-23 Tacoma – 5' EA1302-MB
H - 19.69, L - 63.19, FW - 63.39, RW - 61.02
A - 211.7, P - 298.8
16-23 Tacoma – 6' EA1303-MB
H - 19.69, L - 77.36, FW - 63.39, RW - 61.02
A - 214.5, P - 305.6 (Approx.)

The top and rails taper. Hence Front Width, and Rear Width.

The side panels flip up like gull wings.

 

That’s the top measurements? That’s way bigger than I thought! Good!

 

I'll try to get a photo with those side panels up. They are "gull-wing," so you can not open side panels if RTT overlaps the sides.

I had initially left my aluminum brackets long so it would have room for an awning mount. I interfered with the panels being open, so I trimmed them.
I did not realize the top rails tapered toward the rear.

I'll try to get up there with a tape measure to get the size of my solar panels so you have a sanity check. Another heat advisory day. 108F, 60% humidity,
25 mph winds. Not getting much done, but I need to get out of Texas and into cooler weather to go camping.

 

Would a 56” wide RTT be too wide?

 

I have a 52" tent mounted on a prinsu rack with front runner quick release mounts so it sits up a little higher with no touching of the sides when open. Here's a few pics for reference.

 

Anyone in here know the best place to pick one up? I’m looking at @OffroadAlliance.com currently, but wanted to get the best price. If anyone has any member codes, that would be awesome too!

 

In my experience... @Mike's Custom Toys has the best pricing.

 

Here is a photo with the gullwings open. I had them open to measure my roof rack crossbars so I could cut them to size. I JUST got 56 3/4". But that is at a height of about 3" rack towers. So depending on how low your tent sits to the roof tower mounts/rack, you may lose or gain a little bit. I believe I read 52" is the safe zone.

 

Is there a way to adjust the doors so that it limits how much it opens?

 

Not unless you add your own limit straps.

 

I'm sure you could attach a strap or chain the the door. Nothing RSI has designed though.