Topper or Bed Rack for Rtt cross country.

I went the custom hybrid option. Bed cage with roll up tonneau on top with drop on rtt

 

Gotcha, yeah I was thinking about at least one Windoor, fold down front window and The Thule tracks that leer offers just in case I decide on a roof rack later. Thanks!!

 

Definitely add pet screens too, they’ll save your lighter screen material if you load a lot of gear up to them.

 

THIS. So much this.

I upgraded mine with about $30 and some time...

 

Good call, thanks for the tips!

 

I currently use CBI bed bars for my RTT, but recently placed an order for a Go Fast Camper...

EDIT: My current bed bars survived some pretty nasty backcountry washboard roads in Utah recently (~500 miles) with a full load and no issues.

 

ARB simpson III with annex, on the KB voodoo high rise bed bars. folded up, and centered on the rack..

I got the HighRise bars so I can retain my soft roll up tonneau cover, to keep the items in the bed Some-what clean.. dust still gets in through the bed holes I havent filled it.. (no real reason to, stays rather dry in there). also due to pricing on the full sized racks.. $368 shipped for the KBV high Rise, VS over $700-800 for the others.. and I was short on funds for a late fall trip to Northern Maine Woods(this pic, Mt Katahdin in background)



the only downside to a rack this low is I am unable to use the annex that came with my tent (annex would sit half in the bed (at the seam of the tent floor(drivers side).. I also cannot get an awning that would be worthwhile.. sitting would be ok, but no standing space..

I am planning to eventually get a higher rack, like either the RCI, or even the MaxRack- modular 18" rack to get the tent higher off the ground, and give me some of the bed space back ( height when i need the space), and then I can use my annex, have the tent open to the back (tent shell, and awning covers the tailgate for loading/unloading, and easier access to the vinyl cover straps, and sides for packing tent away.) I can then also get myself an awning to give me a place to sit out of the weather, and possibly add sides to for longer campouts.

I have the Tyger tonneau cover from Amazon for $189 works well, although the bars are a bit thick to fit/roll the top under the high rise rack...

 

My RTT mounts on the shell. No noticeable wind noise and haven't seen a huge hit in mileage. It weighs 120lbs so it's light enough that I don't really feel it up there.

 

I didnt see much of a drop in MPG at all, even though the ARB does stand a bit higher, and weighs about the same 120lbs for the tent/cover, and another 30-40lbs for the annex walls.. than some of the other RTT's out there. mine is just about level with the cab of the truck, however when i get a taller rack I imagine I will see a 1mpg drop or so.. NBD... my future tire, armor, and suspension setup will do more than that..

 

sd
Dude, I have struggled with this question as well.

1. I have a Leitner Designs bed rack with a Tepui on top.

Pros
Easy to get things in an out of the bed.
Lightweight
Adjustable so you can still use your truck bed as a truck when needed.
High Quality

Cons
No security for items in the bed.
No protection for items in the bed.
Tent is mounted to the top of the truck which means you can't set up a camp and leave.
Pain to get to a truck when it is on top of a truck.

Bottom line, I learned a hard lesson on a trip to the beach for a few weeks last year. The remote parts were great, but when we got back to town and wanted to go a restock food and such, I was worried that things would get stolen from the bed. So you have to lock everything down with cables and that was a pain. It also rained. Everything was in water proof containers, but the everything in the bed was still wet.

2. ARE Topper CX Series

Pros
Customizable from the factory. (Windows, doors, yakima racks, that sort of thing)
Keeps everything dry
Keeps everything secure.

Cons
Quality on the ARE toppers is not great anymore, all of the hardware on my was corroded within a month.
Not actually rated for a tent with two adults inside of it. (At least not mine).
Still have a tent mounted to the truck which means you can't leave to explore after setting up a camp.
Pain to get to the tent when it is on top of a truck.

3. Trailer

Pros
More capacity to carry items and weight.
Tent sits lower and is easier to set up.
You can leave it as a base camp.
Helps with Gross Vehicle Weight.

Cons
It's a trailer, you have to tow it.
Can't explore more difficult terrain.
Cumbersome



4.. The Future??

I am considering a GO Fast Camper. I think this offers a good mixture of speed and comfort. It is really coming down to ease of set up once we stop. I want it to be fast and easy to put up, even after a rain.

There are others like it on the market such as the Vagabond Drifter as well.

 

I really enjoy my setup. Smittybilt on KBvoodoo HiRise bars and all my stuff is out of sight under the bed-cover.

 

Good point. Simple and effective way to gain some security.

 

I've had both, but found RTT on top of topper is way too tall for my liking.

Might look into thinner RTT. Mine is 11" tall at highest point. I also have full bed use

 

I love the slant back look of this! Post more pics in my build thread?