To shell or not to shell?

I am trying to get together all the pros and cons of a shelling and not shelling my Tacoma. I like the idea of having a protected enclosed space for hauling, however, the height restrictions for cargo seems quite limiting. Can someone sway me in one direction or the other? I use my truck for mostly construction purposes + misc. landscaping.

 

That back door is AWESOME!

 

I wouldn’t pay thousands to take away the advantage of an open bed. Weight, vision obstruction, suspension will likely need an upgrade.

 

Best thing I ever did with my Taco

 

That is definitely one of my concerns. Part of me says, if I want to get a shell, I might as well just get a van.

 

and a trailer hitch

 

IMO you're not going to put much in the tiny beds of a Tacoma anyway. Neither by volume or weight. I've had a cap/shell on every truck I've owned since the 1970's. For what I use a truck for having lockable weatherproof storage of camping, hunting, fishing and other gear is a necessity.

I also heat with firewood and when I downsized to a Tacoma quickly found that hauling such a small amount of wood each trip just wasn't practical. I bought a 6'X10' utility trailer and using it can haul more weight, or volume than I could fit in the 8' bed of a 1 ton pickup. Plus it is easier to load with the ramp and I don't beat up the bed.

 

Bingo

 

Shell everyday. I’ve had 27 shells

 

I'm a fan of the softopper. Good for hauling loose items and things that need to be out of sight or out of the rain. It folds down in seconds when I need an open bed.

They aren't lockable, which some people find to be an issue. But it's been great for my needs.

 

All depends on what you do with your truck. From a strictly looks standpoint, I like the no shell look. For my purposes, the shell is the way I roll.

 

3.5 - 4 k for a new one, I would think but considering there are 1k/month apartments not much bigger in some cities, I think its a bargain

 

only a question you can answer. What do you haul and how would it fit in an enclosed canopy spay? if yes then get one, if no then pass

 

I have a cap on my 1st gen tundra. And my father has a cap on his 02 Tacoma. The height issue is rarely a problem. And when it is, I’d rather tow than load it in the bed. Caps have been a great thing for us. Nice to have decent sized dry storage (tonneau is ok, but height limit is worse unless you dont use it)