Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Jayco RV Owners Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 07-20-2014, 06:18 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: VA
Posts: 394
Tonneau cover or topper?

Which do you have, if any, on your truck?
I have a tri-fold that I am returning because it looks like it has been used previously. I have found a deal on a used "topper" (camper shell, cap...seems different terms are used depending on where you're at) that matches my truck. on craigslist.
I am concerned about the tonneau because it limits the height to the top of the bed rails unless I roll, fold or retract. When we load up for camping, our stuff is always above the bed rails. The topper would solve this, but I am not crazy about the looks. Although I am more about practicality than looks. I have never had a topper on any of my trucks. I have read comments where people have said the topper makes the truck like an suv and you should get an suv if that is what you want. I agree with the looks part, but I want a separate truck bed to haul firewood with all the critters that can hide in the wood. Not to mention the things I haul during huntin season that I wouldn't want on the inside of a vehicle.
What are y'alls opinions on the pros/cons of both covers?
__________________
2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab 5.7 HEMI
2̶0̶1̶4̶ ̶J̶a̶y̶ ̶F̶e̶a̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶X̶1̶9̶H̶
howie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2014, 07:54 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Dale Hollow Lake Tn/Ky
Posts: 2,525
Flat covers will limit capacity in the bed to the level of the bed rails. My Silverado 2500 HD has an open bed that I load with a hard shell roof topper that is placed in the bed for secure / dry storage and a truck box where I keep all my TV stuff [jacks/5 gal fuel jug/jump cables/etc]. The rest of the space in the bed us stuffed with my camping stuff. For the most part it fits to the level of the bed rails, but different items can stick up higher. I've not had any problem with this set up but have been considering a hard shell to dry up the whole bed and increase security of the load. If I go with a hard shell, it will probably be a lighter alum. type so it can be removed easily when I need an open bed. The fiberglass shells are extremely heavy and while they can be removed in much the same way as the lighter types, they are a lot harder to deal with even with help.

For now, I am sticking with the open bed.
Bassdogs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2014, 08:30 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
UPCamper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: The Mitten
Posts: 459
I have an Access roll up tonneau and I love it. No leaks and looks great I think. Plus it rolls up, and I have a fifth wheel so that necessary. I am going to get a topper for my truck though for the winter months. Yeah, I don't like the look as much but they are great. We fish and back country hunt/camp a lot and with a topper I can put everything in my truck away from the elements and locked. And it's still a truckbed, so I can still put firewood, chainsaws, etc in the back - things I probably wouldn't put in the back of an SUV. People say they are for old guys, not so...from an outdoorsman/women perspective, they are great. When my wife gets a truck we are getting here one because she put dogs kennels in it for competitions and hunts. Again, keeps the mutts out of the elemtents on long and hot or rainy days. Plus you could sleep back there if need be.
UPCamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2014, 09:00 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
1wayhighway's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Ortonville, MI
Posts: 123
Always had a cap I my trucks and always will. Great place for whatever you want to keep dry and secure. I have had 2 suburbans and they don't look like my truck with a cap plus when it comes to camping I would rather have my pick up, the only benefit the suburban had over the pick up was seating.

Love my cap, makes for a bunch of extra room.
__________________
2018 GMC 2500 Duramax
2014 White hawk 28DSBH
1wayhighway is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2014, 10:16 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
RickAE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Evans, Ga.
Posts: 325
I've got a tonneau cover on my truck. It will lock in any position I put it. It works great for anything lower then the bed rails. I would prefer to have a camper shell for carrying larger items.
__________________
2016 Ford F-250 Lariat 6.7L V8 Diesel
2013 Jayco Whitehawk 26DSRB
Rick
US Army
VN.71-72
RickAE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2014, 10:25 AM   #6
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Corpus Christi
Posts: 9
Ive had both on my trucks. The camper shell, for practicality reasons alone, is the way to go. Tonneau is great for the day to day however, if you bought the truck bc its a truck and use it to haul things the tonneau is just a pain in the butt especially if its the snap kind. I hear the toss up in the decision btw practicality and looks however
__________________
Off We Go,

Ryan & Terri
werleyr20 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2014, 10:58 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Iraqvet05's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 1,710
I had an Undercover hard cover on my old truck and loved it except when I need to fit something tall in the truck like a snow blower. It was light enough that my wife and I could remove it easily in a few minutes. I have an Access roll up tonneau on my 2500 and it's OK but the Velcro is getting a little worn. I also had a fiberglass topper on an old Dakota and it was nice but taking it off required 4 men and a small boy to lift it off.
__________________
2018 28BHBE
2017 Ford F250 XLT, 6.2 gasser
2013 26BH (traded)
Iraqvet05 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2014, 12:17 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Brownie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Greater Grand Rapids
Posts: 1,392
I've had "all of the above" on various trucks over the years. First truck had an aluminum cap. Liked the convenient/ lockable storage, but it was noisy in the rain. I had the front window removed, and put a blow-up "donut" between the cab window and the front of the shell, so I could open the cab window to heat/cool the bed for the dog. But the donut leaked water into the cab, and didn't last very long. I had to replace it twice during the 7 years I owned the truck. Got a matching fiberglass cap with an integrated pass-thru window gasket for my next truck, and really liked it a lot. Had plenty of room to store everything - even semi-tall items - and I believe it helped the aerodynamics/mpg. Only problem was with real tall items like trees. I'd have to lay them down, which got dirt all over the inside of the bed. But hey - it was a truck! Just hosed it off! Last truck came without anything, and I couldn't afford a cap, so picked up a roll-up/snap-down vinyl tonneau cover for it. Hated it! The bows were always sliding loose, and I'd have to crawl inside the bed to reposition them. Had to roll it up to store about anything in the bed, and it was a pain to roll & unroll it. Plus, I had to remove, flip, and reinstall all the snaps when the seasons changed, due to the expansion and contraction of the vinyl. Current truck came with a tri-fold hard tonneau cover. I like it much better! It's easy to flip open one, two, or all three sections to carry tall items. Easy to close back up and lock the tailgate if I have shorter items that might otherwise "walk off". It's a real happy compromise: most of the advantages of both. As I start my "full-timing" adventures, I believe I'll be able to keep things like my generator, w/w tote, ladder, tools, golf clubs, and firewood back there and still keep it buttoned up tightly. If I need more (ie. taller) storage space, I may swap it out for a cap down the road. I like the looks of both tonneaus and caps, so need and budget will be the determining factors.
__________________
2013 Eagle 266RKS
2011 Ford F-150 w/3.5L Ecoboost & H.D. Tow Package
Brownie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2014, 03:49 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: NJ
Posts: 274
Camper top on my pickup
1 great for the dog when hes muddy or sandy
2 great for the beach the family can get changed in the back and when we get home i can leave all beach toys in the back if im tired (some times for a few weeks) lol

Con dosent look cool but its a truck who cares
Greyhawk01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2014, 07:32 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 3,430
Sounds like you've already convinced yourself that you want/need a cap. Nothing wrong with that. That's why there are so many options. It really comes down to how you use your truck. The good part about buying a used cap is that if you decide it's not what you want you can re-sell it and get most if not all your money back.

Our truck came with a really nice, high quality color matched cap. Trouble is neither my wife or I care for the look of caps. It's not that it looks like an SUV, it makes it look like a work truck. My truck is not a work truck, its a sport truck.

However we could really see some advantages to the cap. But two issues came up that pushed our decision to sell it. One is hauling bikes. With the cap we had you can't stand them up without removing the front wheels. Not too bad expect it was a pain crawling in to remove secure and remove them. The other is that my wife was too short to reach the cap door when opened. Put it on Craig's list and it sold in 2 weeks.

What we bought is an Extang Solid Fold tonneau cover. It's pretty much what Brownie described, folds in 3 sections. Secure, no one can see what's in the bed, keeps the bed dry, folds up to use more of the bed, easy to remove to use the whole bed (hauling bikes!). It was a good purchase, its very versatile, looks great, and we like it far better than the cap.
__________________
Chuck
2013 Jayco Jayfeather X20 E (sold)
2016 Chevy Silverado LTZ 2 Z71 Crew Cab (sold, and dearly missed)
DocBrown is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2014, 07:38 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: VA
Posts: 394
Thanks for all the replies. Doc, you're correct that I pretty much want a cap as opposed to the tonneau. I am constanly hauling stuff on my truck and the tonneau would be folded up the majority of the time. I am even looking at the soft top caps now. I am driving the wife nuts.
__________________
2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab 5.7 HEMI
2̶0̶1̶4̶ ̶J̶a̶y̶ ̶F̶e̶a̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶X̶1̶9̶H̶
howie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2014, 05:56 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Quahog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Houston
Posts: 2,526
Have you looked at the Truck Covers USA American Roll top? I have one on both my trucks and they work great. Very sturdy and flexible. When I am towing my 5th wheel, I simply unlock the cover and let it retract. When I'm done, I pull the cover back into place and lock it. It covers the hitch and protects it from rain, dirt, theft, etc.

I've had toppers and tonneau covers and for me, this is the best solution.
__________________
Mike, Sue, Sissy and Little Man

2015 Ford F350 Lariat FX4 6.7 CC DRW
2015 Eagle Premier 351RSTS

Quahog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2014, 08:44 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Bobx2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 282
I have a Roll-N-Lock cover. Cap is not an option with a 5th wheel. I like the cover because I can lock it and keep everything safe and protected from the elements. I can also haul my ATV in the bed if needed. Caps limit how tall a load can be. The tonneau gives you the flexibility to use you truck bed for anything you need.
Pros and cons for each. It just depends what your truck needs are.
__________________

Becky, Bob and Taylie & Bode
2009 Silverado 2500HD Duramax/Allison
2014 Heartland Sundance XLT 245RL
His and Hers Polaris 570 Touring ATV's
2018 Polaris General 1000
Bobx2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2014, 01:43 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Jeff61's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: northern Il.
Posts: 138
Quote:
Originally Posted by howie View Post
Which do you have, if any, on your truck?
I have a tri-fold that I am returning because it looks like it has been used previously. I have found a deal on a used "topper" (camper shell, cap...seems different terms are used depending on where you're at) that matches my truck. on craigslist.
I am concerned about the tonneau because it limits the height to the top of the bed rails unless I roll, fold or retract. When we load up for camping, our stuff is always above the bed rails. The topper would solve this, but I am not crazy about the looks. Although I am more about practicality than looks. I have never had a topper on any of my trucks. I have read comments where people have said the topper makes the truck like an suv and you should get an suv if that is what you want. I agree with the looks part, but I want a separate truck bed to haul firewood with all the critters that can hide in the wood. Not to mention the things I haul during huntin season that I wouldn't want on the inside of a vehicle.
What are y'alls opinions on the pros/cons of both covers?
I've always had a cap on the PU. Anything back there, stays there if I have to tag the brakes. Bicycles, wood and just the general amount of stuff stays dry and easy access through lift up side windows. To each his own.
Jeff61 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2014, 11:06 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: VA
Posts: 394
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff61 View Post
I've always had a cap on the PU. Anything back there, stays there if I have to tag the brakes. Bicycles, wood and just the general amount of stuff stays dry and easy access through lift up side windows. To each his own.
Funny you mention bikes. Do you have a cab high cap? I am curious if our bikes would fit under the cap while standing upright.
__________________
2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab 5.7 HEMI
2̶0̶1̶4̶ ̶J̶a̶y̶ ̶F̶e̶a̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶X̶1̶9̶H̶
howie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2014, 07:06 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
LBL 1206's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Land Between the Lakes, Tn
Posts: 282
We have a Leer cap on our truck. Our bikes will stand up when seats are lowered. Also have the Leer factory installed Yakima Rails on top and use the round tubes for hauling two kayaks on top...like others have said, can't beat it when the dog has too go to the vet, or hauling whatever...works pretty well when traveling across county by myself w/out trailer and need a place to catch a night's sleep at any CG...I carry a air mattress and sleeping bag.
__________________
2012 Jayco 184BH
1998 Ford F150 Supercab. Original owner
2013 HD Ultra Classic Tri Glide
Two Kayaks. Dagger for me, Old Town for Wife
Gary Fisher Mnt Bk for me, Trek for Wife
Retired U.S. Army in 1991
Life is Good!
LBL 1206 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-2014, 07:29 AM   #17
Senior Member
 
Seann45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Saskatoon Sask Canada
Posts: 10,714
I have a cap on my truck and will always have one. Get the highrise cap and as an added bonus it will deflect the wind over top of your trailer.. MIGHT give you better mileage but does keep the bug cleaning down...
__________________
Seann
2004 Chev Silverado Duramax optioned past the max. 2009 Jayco Eagle 308 RLS 900watts of solar, Lithium batteries (400amp hour), 2000 watt (4000 surge) whole house inverter.
145days boondockinig in2023 2022/151 2021[/COLOR]
93/2020,157/2019219/2018 206/2017,215/2016, 211/2015, 196/14, 247/13, 193/12

Seann45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-2014, 06:09 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
Nighthawk 96's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 572
I have a Leer 100R cap on my truck. Just got it because we intend to start traveling more and wanted to be able to secure stuff like bikes and generator. The downside of a cap is that you have to crawl into the back of the truck to get stuff toward the front of the bed. Also put in a bed mat, which is kinder to your knees than the spray in bed liner.
__________________
2012 Toyota Tundra 5.7 Litre DoubleCab
6 speed, 4.30 Limited Slip, Tow Package
2013 Jayco White Hawk 27DSRL
2010 Jayco JayFlight 26BH sold
Yamaha EF2000is Generators (2)
1996 Honda CB750 Nighthawk
Nighthawk 96 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Jayco, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:04 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2002-2016 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.