Just after I got married, we traveled a bunch in a half-ton truck with shell. Drove all over Colorado, traveled to Washington and Oregon, or even short trip overnighters just to get out of the city. I miss it.
Just a shell is light weight, and can go wherever the truck can go.
Never had issues with water coming in during rain. Did have stuff get covered in dust when driving down dirt roads, but that could be helped with weatherstripping in the gap between the bed and tailgate.
We looked at getting rid of the TH and going with a popup-TC, but it would be a tight fit with 2 kids now, so the trailer stays.
I did a solo trip into Canada in August; took the truck for a 2200mi drive, and slept in the back on the way there and back (fiberglass tonneau cover). Got poured on and wind blown on the way home, stayed dry in the bed. And I do want to get rid of the tonneau and get a shell just for room to sleep if 1 kid and I go out.
