Truck caps?

Anyone have positive experience with a brand/model? Been considering one for my truck, mainly for hunting/ice fishing season. I like the looks of the more stylized/non grandpa ones, but holy shit the reviews are horrible pretty much across the board. Looked at ARE and Leer, haven’t gone much farther than that. It’s hard to fork over 3k when 70% of the reviews talk about terrible fit and finish, operation, and absolutely awful experiences dealing with the manu trying to get shit rectified.

Is it just a crap shoot, or is there a brand that is pretty much a cut above?

Truck is a 17 Ram 2500 if it matters.

 

I really like the canvas ones that slide forward.

 

Keep in mind, people usually will put more effort into bitching about products than praising them.

My Leer was bought used and it has some niggles about it. However, for my truck, it’s the best looking topper ever made for it. I’ll gladly put up with minor stuff for its looks.

I’d say, buy what you think looks best, because everytime you look at your truck, the looks will outweigh the construction. Leer and SnugTop seem to do pretty good job with both aspects.

 

No doubt. But some of these complaints are common, and pretty major. Shit like 1/2” gaps between the rear glass and the cap, etc. I’ve been peeking at them in parking lots when I see one and a lot of them do look pretty horrible gap/fit wise.

Yours looks good, that’s the style I like except for the rise towards the rear.

I haven’t checked out Snugtop yet. Seems like the truck cap game is similar to travel trailers - every manu is marketing 4 different brands with pretty much the same negative experiences if the customer isn’t happy. I’m not a picky guy, really. But I like my stuff looking good and I’m not cool with forking over 3 for something that has a 1/2” gap at the tailgate.

 

I have an ARE truck cap from my older ram. Fits a long bed. Has side doors that secure. And believe it or not, i think i still have the keys for it. Its gold in color and last time i saw it, it was in good repair.

A hunnit bux and its yours if it fits.

 

I was of the same opinion, when I started searching. But, no choice, as this model shell is the only one with the side glass that goes all the way down to the bedside. The flat-roofline topper for this truck has 2-piece windows that stop ~2” up from the bedsides and they’re recessed. It’s not nearly as clean. In person, the rise is not really noticeable, so don’t let a profile picture of your model of truck override better looking windows.

As mentioned, this one was bought used and was originally white. I removed all the windows and seals, before dropping it off at the bodyshop. When I reinstalled everything, I used 3M weatherstrip adhesive and clamps, to get all the gaskets and seals watertight and where I wanted them. My back glass wasn’t perfect, either. However, I took the time to align the seal with the tailgate and adjust the glass so it fits as best I could. I still get a couple trickles down the inside of the rear glass. But, I’m OK with it. When the weather is nice, I have my side glass open to air out the shell, anyway. I have a BedRug inside and really don’t want that all moldy, down here in FL.

 

Big fan of ARE tops. Get a topper with side windows that open like the rear window/door.

Will never have a topper without one again.

 

Some of these are made in RV country. Most of these guys follow the RV model...make it fast, make it cheap.

If your're OK living with small fit/finish issues you wont be disappointed. If you think spending 2-3+K means its built like a tank and perfect then you will be disappointed.

 

Last cap I bought was a Leer, they make them in Muncy, PA. My only bitch was it was heavy and took two of us to remove or install. They matched the paint perfectly to my stealth blue '06 GMC.

 

I've got a Leer "High-Top" on my Tacoma. Painted same dark grey as my truck. Fit / finish is good. Its been great for at least 8yrs now.

I added a couple things because I planned to sleep in it. The roof came with a "honeycomb" section they call insulated, then I put the optional headliner in it. I also added a 12v light. Screened slider tinted windows.

Its been a good purchase for me. I think it affected my mileage more than I thought it would.

 

I have had multiple over the years, and ARE have always been very good caps. Used to be, whenever I got a new truck, the first thing I did was to go order a new topper. I had to settle for something other than ARE one time because it was too short of time before hunting season to get it to me. I regretted that purchase. I havent bought one in several years because I have been driving used trucks, but even my current one has an ARE commercial alum topper. I didnt think I'd like it, but damn, I was wrong. The full side doors are awesome.
If I was to buy a new topper, it would be the ARE Toolmaster with no toolboxes, glass front and rear(single handle), aluminum side doors with t-handle locks. I would build a removable shelf across the front 2-3' and some storage on the sides. This is what my current truck has, and it works awesome.

 

I've had a Leer on my Dakota quad Cab since almost new.
Ordered it.
the front window center opens- to match my trucks rear slider.
Side window slide 45% for ventilation.
Yakima rack on top.
It's been great. Slept back there several times.
I've actually done quite a few things back there, that I won't mention here, but they were fun!

When the kids were young, we'd make it a big padded bed back there, I had a 12V socket installed. We put a small DVD playing TV back there.
We'd have the rear window of the quad cab opened and the front window of the topper - with a clear plastic boot around it to keep the outside air out. I also had a small fan to get the cab heat, or air blown back there too sometimes.
It was awesome!

Just some thoughts, lots of options- depending on what you want it for.

It's currently still on my truck. It's been off and on several times over the years. Usually on though.
It will be coming off in a few weeks so that my GSXR1000 will go back there to take it to my first TD!

 

I’ve got an ARE overland on mine. I feel your pain, when I decided on the one I wanted it tipped the scales at just about $3,000. I could deal with that on a new truck but I was giving an old truck a facelift. It took some time but I found the options I wanted in a different color for $600 plus another $600 to paint it to match. I’m the 3rd owner and I have zero issues with it. We use the truck for road trips and it’s great to throw whatever we want in there and have it be relatively secure.

The Overland has a strip of bed liner that helps break up the grandpa look, plus leveling it and some bigger Ridge Grapplers makes it look new/different enough that I think I’ll be happy to drive it a few more years instead of dropping $60,000 on a new one. Look for one where the front window folds down so you can clean the font of the camper glass and the back of the truck glass. I never thought about that but it’s really handy.

 

When I decided I wanted a cap for my truck I bought a suburban.

 

I tend to agree. A legit question - what’s the real benefit for regular use of a cap vs a flip cover?

I love the idea of a trucks utter utility to keep dirty items separate from the passenger compartment, but weather does exist and to some degree thieves. I’ve always assumed if I went back to a truck I’d just get a roll top cover thing.

SUVs are great and I’ve lived with one instead of a truck for about 10 years now, but trucks have gotten so nice in the last decade it’s got me thinking of switching back.

What benefit does a traditional cap offer? To me it’s hugely expensive, unwieldy for one person to remove if needed. Impossible to store if not used regularly....I just don’t see the use - other than I honestly dig the look lol.




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The suburban is a great idea until you throw your ice fishing flip up in there after a long week, or three dead deer. Some things are not friends of room temp.

 

Or fuel cans, or a motor, or anything else that you’d rather not have inside the cab.

 

Hitch rack for your smelly stuff.

I’ll take sleeping in a climate-controlled environment over a pickup topper, everytime. Suburban/Excursion, FTW.