Have 2014 Dodge pu. New to trailer, could use more room for chairs, generator bikes, etc. thinking of a fiberglass topper, looking for pros and cons from owners.Thanks

I have a SNUGTOP Xtra Vision. It's a great cab high topper, color matched.SNUGTOP

I used to have toppers on my trucks but found that getting stuff out of the front end of the bed became a pain with crawling up in there. Now I have a vinyl, roll-up tonneau cover that really like. Granted, it limits the vertical space you can use with it closed but it also rolls up easily out of the way when you need to carry something large.Also, remember that the weight of a topper is going to decrease your available GVW.

I bought a topper for our GMC when we pull our TT. Not the first time I've had this set up. For us, this is why we have a topper: the kids toys, bikes, sometimes a generator and water jugs for boondocking, and the dog in a crate when we drive (yes, windows provide air!). We can lock stuff up at night. Additionally, there are many times we buy "junk" (read: antiques) and need a place to put it until we get home, again, to lock it up and keep out the weather.Bottom line: For us, the ideal set up is having a topper. I even installed an LED strip light with a toggle switch. Man, its bright at night....works great.

I got a Century aluminum truck topper, construction style. Here's the advantage:It has full length side panels with doors that open up and out of the way. Inside the panels (called tool boxes), it has 2 shelves that run the full length of the shell. What's the advantage? We can pack all sorts of thing on both shelves and still have the bed of the truck 100% empty. The shelves are great for putting groceries, or your sewer hose, or ... in our case ... our canoe equipment so we don't have to crawl around in the back of the bed. Actually, we bought this shell specifically so we could transport our canoe and all the equipment for it. One side of the tool boxes is reserved for all the canoe stuff. The other side is reserved for ropes, tie down, jacks, an extra light weight hitch, parts, stuff like that. Stuff that small, easily lost in the shuffle, but stuff we need access to immediately.On the top of the shell, we had them install the ladder rack. Why? Well to carry the canoe! The topper is now on it's 3rd truck. We have it for many years now. It's getting some age on it, but it still works and does the job great.By the way, with all the stuff in the tool boxes, it leaves the bed of the truck available for my 6 foot ladder, my blue tote, my air compressor, wooden boards for leveling, a tool box with tools in it, the spare tire for the trailer (I took it off the trailer bumper), 6 gallon water jugs, fire wood, a container for all our water hoses, and another container for our sewer hoses. Put all that in the bed of the truck, and those side panel tool boxes come in REAL nice and handy!When not towing, as a daily driver, or winter, all the canoe stuff comes out. The side panels are great for grocery shopping. Put your groceries there and they don't slide all around the back of the bed! Right now, one side is completely empty, the other side has my ratchet straps, ropes, the small hitch (for my utility trailer), bungie cords, electric cords, a few tools, and it still has lots of room. I think the snow scraper is in there now, as well as extra sets of winter clothes. Nice and dry and easily accessible.Click here for Century Caps.Our Springdale and first diesel duly:It sure beats doing it this way! I made that ladder rack myself out of chain link posts:Our Outback with our first diesel duly, you can see the tool boxes shelves. This space is wonderful!So... before purchasing ... consider something like this. It takes no more space than a conventional topper, but give you SO much more space to do stuff with!

I have a fiberglass topper on my truck but if I had it to do over again I would get a camper shell instead. The one thing I would do the same is get a bed slide so I can just pull it out and reach items from anywhere in the bed.

Topper for Truck | Good Sam Community

Bigbird65
Explorer
Jan 19, 2015
mileshuff wrote:
I had an A.R.E. tonneau on my 2007 Dodge until I changed to a 5th wheel and had to remove it. Looked at many brands and felt ARE was superior to others. Really nice top. Now it sits in my garage till I find a friend or someone with the same model truck! I'd assume the ARE build quality of the topper shells are just as good as my tonneau.

The build quality of the shell is top notch. I had mine installed with clamps instead of bolts. here are a few more photos.
mileshuff
Explorer
Jan 18, 2015
I had an A.R.E. tonneau on my 2007 Dodge until I changed to a 5th wheel and had to remove it. Looked at many brands and felt ARE was superior to others. Really nice top. Now it sits in my garage till I find a friend or someone with the same model truck! I'd assume the ARE build quality of the topper shells are just as good as my tonneau.
Bigbird65
Explorer
Jan 18, 2015
As you can see from my photo above, the ARE has a very wide rear glass and very little blind spot.
robval1987
Explorer
Jan 18, 2015
Here is my 2014 Ram 1500 with an ARE topper, pulling a 28 ft enclosed trailer.
brulaz
Explorer
Jan 18, 2015
Hoosier Daddy wrote:

...
I am not happy with the limited view out the rear window. Even with the side windows there is a big blind spot at both rear corners....and as previously mentioned with factory tinted rear glass on the cab and the rear window of the topper,night view is reduced even more. At night it's like backing into a dark tunnel!
...

This is a very good point.

My Leer cap also restricts the rear view and creates large blind spots.

But my "Dumbo" trailer tow mirrors, rear view camera and rear proximity sensors compensate. Wouldn't want the cap without those.
Hoosier_Daddy
Explorer
Jan 18, 2015
Having owned trucks with toppers,and tonneau in the distant past. I am still getting used to the Monroe Aluminum Topper that came on my New-2-Me '13 F150. It was on it when I bought the truck and thought it a nice addition, but I am still depating on taking it off.

I like being able to haul items protected from the elements and being able to lock it. I also like the opening side windows, I can reach items at the front without climbing in.
I am not happy with the limited view out the rear window. Even with the side windows there is a big blind spot at both rear corners....and as previously mentioned with factory tinted rear glass on the cab and the rear window of the topper,night view is reduced even more. At night it's like backing into a dark tunnel!
Being aluminum it's very solid and light weight, but with that comes straight corners and sides. The new tuck shapes are full of curves. Since it meets at the center of the front,sides, and back, it extends past at the corners giving a slight gap . I see fiberglass toppers are molded to fit the contours of todays trucks much better.
I hated my old trucks tonneau. It was an early style vinyl one with velcro strips to attach it on the sides and tailgate. While easy to roll up and use the bed, it didn't last long and always came off the sides from the weight of snow, even after I intalled bows. But they have come a long way since then.
TurnThePage
Explorer
Jan 18, 2015
'tiredTeacher wrote:
My solution was to buy a Softopper. It is similar to a boat bimini. The sides and back can be rolled up for bed access, the entire top can be folded forward and down to accommodate tall loads, or the whole thing can be removed by pulling two circle clips if you need to make a trip to the dump. How many other caps are a one-man operation for removing?
The construction is tough, the fit is tight (no flapping at interstate speeds) and the versatility is outstanding. For the price of a top-of-the-line tonneau, you get a cap.
Here is a LINK
.
That looks like an awesome option for a truck bed that performs varied duties! It's on my list for my next truck. Thanks for sharing!
Bigbird65
Explorer
Jan 18, 2015
Here is the topper on my 2014 RAM 1500 TV. The brand is ARE. I really like it.
marcsbigfoot20b
Explorer
Jan 17, 2015
Love mine with the extra height. Keeps things dry, out of sight, and a little more secure.
CKNSLS
Explorer
Jan 17, 2015
The soft toppers provide no security . But products like the BakFlip do, and they weigh only 50 pounds and can be removed by one person.
http://www.bakflip.com/