Tophers Tenacious Tacoma 2013

Love your truck. Don't sell it. You have too much work into it already. How is the Softopper for everyday use? Thinking about going this route rather than a hard topper.

Thx,

Brad

 

The softoper rocks!!!! I almost went with a hard side topper but I am very glad I did not. One of the best things is that I can drop the top in seconds when I need to haule something tall in the bed or have a forklift drop a pallet in the bed. They are very well made and there customer service is great!

 

Just another perspective here for a guy who had both and now has neither.

The Softopper is nice because you can fold it, roll up the sides and whatnot but it is a major drag on fuel mileage to the tune of 2+MPG. it hit my mileage more than 255's and front bumper combined.

Hard topper is sweet as it actually improved my MPG and provides secure storage. It is a PITA to deal with removal and storage and too ke limited what I was able to do with my bed.

I'm now running a bed rack and a RTT since I tried sleeping in the bed a few times and it sucked. Plus I need to haul things that are long and would require the rear glass to be up.

The key here is to think about what you want when it comes to the truck.

IMHO ground camping or a trailer with an RTT and a real hard topper is the best setup, waterproof, secure and good MPG. Just need to sort out a good way to remove and store the topper.

 

Great review. I honestly love my hard topper, the positives far exceed the negatives.



Tried throwing you rep for the review Phil but TW said I have to spread it around haha

 

Hahahaha thanks anyways.

I agree that hard topper is better than Softopper and can be found used on Craigslist for less than a new Softopper.

That tan Softopper does look sexy on Tophers truck though.

I'm loving RTT life but having it over the cab or shell isn't good for me. I just need to get a trailer built...

 

RTT on a trailer would be the only way I roll.

 

I like having the truck setup with the RTT. It's nice to be able to wheel the truck and setup shop wherever we stop. I have setup my RTT to be even with the roof line and it helps in the aero department.

That being said I love the idea of an off road trailer with the RTT on there but then I would want a camper shell again and would have to drag that trailer around with me when camping... I am planning on building a nice trailer here soon and will make provisions for the RTT to go on there but I really want it to be a utility trailer first and foremost.

I will likely set it up so I pull my RTT and bed rack and install them on the trailer for that use and then I can put it back on the truck for the rest of the time since it helps my aeros and keeps my suspension happy having weight on there.

I do like that tan Softopper...

 

I was just about to PM you about the softopper, but I'll just join the discussion.. haha

I'm seriously thinking of ditching my roll up tonneau for a softopper (the exact one you have actually.. haha I really like the tan), but I have a tool chest in my bed that I need to get into multiple times a day for work. How much of a PITA do you think it'd be to open one of the sides a few times a day? It's just snaps, right? I feel like it theoretically shouldn't take any more effort than rolling up/down a tonneau, but was just curious.

I'm not saying you should, because your truck is awesome, but if you do sell i'd be interested in your softopper if you'd be willing to part it out. I'm in MD now, but moving to Arlington next month so I'm not far. lol

 

Dang the old softoper debate lol. I did not notice any loss in mpg with it. But the roof rack may be the reason that I did not notice any change. I did however get horrible MPG's when the RTT was sky high above the softopper!



I actually get better MPGs towing my CDN M101with the RTT mounted to it than I did with it mounted above the softopper.



Matt you are correct it just snaps on the side. It's is a fairly quick proses. I do it quite a bit because it is easyer than climbing into the bed to get something. The wife and I are looking for a house in Arlington. What brings you out this way?

For those of you looking for a cheap setup I found this cool little guy on Craigslist

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/rvs/4748319009.html

 

^ nice.... I like that setup.

 

Cool, I've pretty much decided that I want one but I've been asking people what yet think so I don't buy one and then realize it's a huge PITA to access my chest. I'm just hoping I could find a used tan one somewhere rather than paying $700 to order from their website, but that's not looking like it'll happen lol

Haha I live right across the river on the Montgomery county/Frederick county line and I work down in McLean, so I'm moving out of my parents house to get closer to the office and because my fiancé will be moving in with me when she graduates law school this spring. Where in Arlington are you looking? I just signed a lease last week down in Shirlington.

 

We realy like the cool old houses in del Ray and crystal city. You are more than welcome to check out the topper on my truck and get Hands on to see if you even like them in person.

 

It definitely different and a lot cheaper than buying and RTT and a trailer.

 

Oh nice. My apartment is right at south Glebe and 395, so I'm only about 1.5 miles from downtown crystal city. It's a nice area! And that'd be awesome if you wouldn't mind. It does always help to see it in person haha maybe we could meet up real quick one afternoon or during a lunch break or something?

 

I live on JBAB and work at thre Navy Yard. Do you have base access?

 

Nope :/ I'm in consulting though so I have projects in Columbia and Arlington.. I have one in NoMa, but I haven't been there in a while. Would you be able to meet somewhere outside of the city/off base maybe on a weekend?

 

Wow, beautiful truck man. Very classy. I love it!

 

Thank you!

 

Scored a stainless steal counter top that they where going to toss out at work. Turned out it is the perfect size for where I want to mount it on the back of the trailer. Now to figure out a way to make a removable mount for it.

 

I wonder if you could rig something like this, just obviously a lot sturdier, and upside down..



You could put two or three of them to hold the weight, and then when not in use they fold flat.