# Topper Vs Bed Cover



## Gemsters (Jul 7, 2006)

We are debating the new truck's attire...to have a "roomy truck topper (DW opinion) or a "easy to use"(hubbys thought) and neat looking bed cover. We are considering all factors..aerodynamics, cost, and usage options etc... We are still new to this camping business...and lovin it







but still need to make the mods including what to add to the truck. Thanks


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

The topper you can carry bigger stuff in there and will help push air up over the TT
But the cover is sleek looking and only carry smaller stuff in it to keep them out of the weather

Don


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## Spring Outbackers (Feb 15, 2005)

Don is right! I have a roll top on my truck because I pull a fiver. I really love it. If I need to use the entire bed it comes off very easy. But if I want to cover things up they can not be taller than the sides of the bed. If me hitch didn't have a pivot side to side I would not be able to close the top and hide the hitch. Another downer is that it is not 100% water tight.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

I sure like the looks of the item that isn't a canopy, but rather a lid for the truck. Out of sight out of mind is my thoughts on keeping things safe in that setup.


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## JimBo99 (Apr 25, 2006)

My previous TV had a stylish toneau hard cover. Great lookin' and convenient for groceries and locking up luggage when I was without the TT. I couldn't have carried anymore weight back there if I had had a full size cover on it. But I longed for more room.

So when I traded up I bought a heavy enough truck to pull the TT AND fill the back with stuff with a full size cover. Also in the front of the bed I have a 100 gal diesel tank with a tool box on top.

I assume you have a TT and not a fifth wheel, or you wouldn't be considering a full siz cover. Sooo - a consideration is your max weight allowances. If your not sure of what it all weights load it all up like you normally do, adjust your hitch and head to the truck scales. There is excellent advice here on the forum on how to weight you unit.


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## Moosegut (Sep 24, 2005)

I have a Tonneau cover that looks great. I get a lot of compliments about my truck. I had thought about getting a cap but my sone had a fit. Didn't want to be seen in it with a cap on - TEENAGERS!

I would rather have a cap. My Tonneau is difficutlt to take off if needed and then I can't lock things up. I find the Tonneau, while looking great and partly functional, limits me too much. I can't even carry my generator in the bed because the Tonneau won't close. With a cap, I could put bikes in with no problem and for those times you want to get out fast, you can toss everything in the back of the truck.

Depends on what you want - looks or more functionality. Hmmmmmmm . . . . . . . sounds sort of like wife hunting.









Scott


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## sleecjr (Mar 24, 2006)

I have an are hard cover. Its great. Its like haveing a trunk. It locks and unlocks with my factory keyless entry, and for some reason stays very very cool inside. Even when its 95 outside. I have had roll and locks in the past. They are nice but not 100% water tight.


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## Hokie (Jul 10, 2006)

I didn't like the restrictions that a cover or a top had with what I could carry in my truck bed. However, I did need some way of keeping things dry and secure while away from home, such as tools, strollers, suitcases, etc.

I went with a large 2x2x4 contractors box. It can hold all of our suitcases, tools, kid's tricycle, etc, and is lockable. There is still plenty of room in my bed for other stuff, and long stuff still slides underneath the box since its side legs stand up 3.5 inches. It stays in my bed most of the time and when I need to haul something really big, my wife and I just lift the box out and into the garage.

-Sam


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

I just installed a retractable hard cover. I can keep the entire bed covered or none at all. After I hitched up the fifth wheel, I closed it 1/3 of the way where it latches. If I carried something that would not fit under the cover (say a generator), I could close it 2/3 of the way with the item at the back of the bed.

John


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## NJMikeC (Mar 29, 2006)

Money and yes weight. What does a good cap cost these days? $1500? Also depends what you do. I'm constantly hauling stuff so a Cap or anything hard would just be a pain for me so I have a rollup cover. It isn't 100% waterproof but darn close. Nothing really gets too wet.

Security is out of sight out of mind. You can look right into Caps and the locks are flimsy and not alarmed so they are only partially secure.


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

It is more of a personal choice.

I prefer te hard covers that are lockable. The bonus with my Avalanche is now the tail gate lock works with the keyless entry









Thor


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## arbee (Feb 3, 2005)

I have an Advance Cover for my truck. It folds in half (Ford Supercrew) and allows you to access the front or rear of the bed. Comes off with 2 screws and only weighs 40lbs. I can have it off or on in 2 min.

I saw this one recently on a truck near us:

http://www.redsbeds.com/redsbeds_gallery.html

Looked really nice. It folds up completely against the back glass giving you access to the entire bed without removal. If water tight, it might be the best thing going.


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## RizFam (Feb 25, 2006)

Hi









We have a cap on our pick-up b/c we we have two dogs. I like both with & without, each has it's pros & cons, but we needed to get it for our dogs. It is a good one & it wasn't cheap $2000.

Good Luck,
Tami


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## Gemsters (Jul 7, 2006)

hi, thanks for all of the info everyone....by the way, how can we insert our dogs' picture as an avatar? We have a slow connection...so maybe that is my problem



Thor said:


> It is more of a personal choice.
> 
> I prefer te hard covers that are lockable. The bonus with my Avalanche is now the tail gate lock works with the keyless entry
> 
> ...


thanks for the information....what type /brand do you have?


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

The Avalanche has it as factory equipment


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## austinpowers (Jul 9, 2006)

I bought a GMC Sierra 5 years ago and talked my wife into allowing me to put on a hard bed cover from ARE. They are a little more than say a Snug Top or one of the others but they are custom designed for each make. Even GMC and Chev are different. They match the cover to the accent lines of the hood. They are really made well and the thing I liked most of all is that they are about 2 inches higher than the top of the bed rails. That extra 2 inches has saved me more than once. Also, when I traded trucks a couple of years back the wife said... "we keep the cover. I love it and wouldn't be without it." Mine uses 4 clamps to hold it on. I took a hand crank winch, some 1/8 inch wire cable, hooks, and made a lift on my garage ceiling. When I needed the top off I backed up, take off the clamps, cranked it off the truck and drove off in less than 5 minutes.

Another "must have" for me was the Rhino liner spray in liner.


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## Not Yet (Dec 13, 2004)

tdvffjohn said:


> I just installed a retractable hard cover. I can keep the entire bed covered or none at all. After I hitched up the fifth wheel, I closed it 1/3 of the way where it latches. If I carried something that would not fit under the cover (say a generator), I could close it 2/3 of the way with the item at the back of the bed.
> 
> John


I am with John on this one - and most other things also - but I have a Retrax cover and I love it. It is water tight, lockable, fully adjustable and I can roll it out of the way to put big things in the bed. Easy self intall and very worthwhile.
Jared


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## muliedon (Jul 6, 2005)

I have a fiberglass "lid" or bed cover. It was on the truck when I bought it used, along with several other accessories that I vowed to take off. Two years later I have not taken any of them off. I do take the cover off from time to time to haul larger items, and during hunting season. The cover locks and is pretty much water tight. We use this truck much more like a suv or car than past trucks I have owned. When I have it on, I can think of ten reasons why I need to take it off, when it is off I can't wait to put it back on. It is pretty heavy and a bit of challege for wife and I to take it on and off. Then there is the whole issue of storing it when it is off. It has been great when we go camping.

Don


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## Captdah (Jul 23, 2006)

I have a Roll - Lock and love it. It sure is handy when you want to lock up items in the bed of the truck. My wife loves it because nothing gets wet in the back of the truck anymore.


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## huntr70 (Jul 8, 2005)

I was going to get one of these....









but they were back ordered and I wouldn't have had it for our major trips this year.

It is made by Bestop, which makes soft tops for Jeeps. The frame all slides front when you need to use the whole bed.

It's not super secure, but I really don't haul anything that is a major expense anyway.

Steve


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Teri,

It really depends on your needs. I installed a steel tonneau on mine, capable of supporting a bick rack. I didn't want to carry the bikes on or in the Outback, and a topper has to be pretty tall to fit bikes inside, so this seemed to be a pretty good solution. I have been very happy with it.


















Happy Trails,
Doug


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## Not Yet (Dec 13, 2004)

huntr70 said:


> I was going to get one of these....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I used to have an '87 4-runner, with the removable back. I had one of those and kept in on all summer. What fun.


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## Gemsters (Jul 7, 2006)

PDX_Doug said:


> Teri,
> 
> It really depends on your needs. I installed a steel tonneau on mine, capable of supporting a bick rack. I didn't want to carry the bikes on or in the Outback, and a topper has to be pretty tall to fit bikes inside, so this seemed to be a pretty good solution. I have been very happy with it.
> 
> ...


Hi, thanks for the information...looks interesting. did it come with the bike rack all together or are they two different items? What make is it? Was it expensive?


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## sleecjr (Mar 24, 2006)

Gemsters said:


> Teri,
> 
> It really depends on your needs. I installed a steel tonneau on mine, capable of supporting a bick rack. I didn't want to carry the bikes on or in the Outback, and a topper has to be pretty tall to fit bikes inside, so this seemed to be a pretty good solution. I have been very happy with it.
> 
> ...


Hi, thanks for the information...looks interesting. did it come with the bike rack all together or are they two different items? What make is it? Was it expensive?
[/quote]

I think you can get that for an ARE hard top as well. When I purchased mine I remember seeing it in the book.


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## GoVols (Oct 7, 2005)

I am looking into the Undercover brand tonneau covers myself. They are rigid plastic, locking covers, easy to remove and weigh around 50 lbs for short bed trucks. They go for around $600 in the Nashville area.

A truck shell would be nice, but they are heavy, bulky and trouble to remove/replace.

I really like Doug's set up and I have checked into doing that very thing with the Undercover. The Undercover can support over 1000 lbs, and the factory rep I talked with said racks can be attached.


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## Gemsters (Jul 7, 2006)

Thanks, We are checking out all options including moving the bikes from the back hitch so that we can carry 4 instead of 2 on the back and 2 in the truck


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