Truck caps

nycsteve wrote:
Any opinions on quality brands? The 2 big ones, A.R.E. and Leer , preferances? Anything else out there?

Mine is Century, apparently owned by Leer? Many of the same options.
It's a good cap. As good as the Leer we had on our previous truck.

I got the glass "windoors" that open up along the sides. They are great, improving visibility and access, especially with my 8' bed.:B
And the roof rack tracks were important for us also.

If you will take the cap off ever, I really prefer the aluminium ones. They don't look as slick as the fiberglass but the two of us could easily move the aluminium one by ourselves (in a pinch I could do it by myself). The Fiberglass needs two strong guys or 3-4 weaker people.

No strong opinions on brand.

I have a softopper. Not good for a full time cap, but perfect for our purposes. I use it a half dozen times a year when we're on a family trip and we need covered "trunk" space. Then the rest of the year it just sits in our garage or shop. Takes about 10 minutes to install and 5 to remove. The only issue it had was the clear vinyl on the rear flap shattered on one trip when it was about -15. I was able to tape it up to get it home and they replaced it for me, but you do need to be careful opening it in cold weather (I wasn't careful - my fault).

If you only want a part time cap it's a great option. If you're wanting your truck to make like an SUV all the time I'd probably go with an ARE or Leer.

I have owned two Leer toppers with no problems, would not hesitate to purchase another. Have not owned a ARE but understand they are good quality as well.

nycsteve wrote:
Any opinions on quality brands? The 2 big ones, A.R.E. and Leer , preferences? Anything else out there?

Just want to mention of one to avoid, SnugTop. I bought a brand new, very pricey SnugTop and it looked really nice, but the quality turned out to be bad in multiple places. Worst of which were the leaks and didn't help that I lived on the north Oregon coast at the time. I had to spend my own time fixing leaks as the dealer was too stupid to correct the leaks after multiple attempts. That didn't include the canopy's third LED tail light that ultimately leaked and there was condensation inside that light where 1/3 of it stopped working... which that light could not be easily removed to try and reseal it. The back 1/3 hinged windows rattled badly, the tailgate closure weather stripping only lasted 2-3 years.

SnugTop = looks good, horrible product execution, steer clear!

valhalla360 wrote:
If you will take the cap off ever, I really prefer the aluminium ones. They don't look as slick as the fiberglass but the two of us could easily move the aluminium one by ourselves (in a pinch I could do it by myself). The Fiberglass needs two strong guys or 3-4 weaker people.

I did this for my very heavy 8 ft fibergalss canopy and it worked very well, was very easy and I did not need anyone else to remove the canopy. youtube - How to remove a pick-up truck cap with one person and simple hardware

I have had 2 leer toppers and both have the windoors and love that I can access the front of the bed from the sides and I also got the slider window and it also folds in so I can clean the windows in between.

My truck had a Century top when I bought it. Really well made and a nice cap. I'm not a fan of caps so we sold it and bought an Extang Solid fold tonneau cover.

Mine is a Century also. It's a commercial cap. Its now on it's 3rd long bed Silverado. After all these years, it's still a great cap. I love the inside side panel shelves, which are the full length of the bed. Centruy ... click here.

Lumber for leveling, under tires, jacks... lots of lumber. We often park on very unlevel campsites!



Other side. Supplies: Electric cords, drill, tools, floor jack, rope, bungie cords, straps, and other things:



And the bed of the truck is still free for:

35 gallon water container for transporting water when not on full hook-up or have accessible water within 200 feet. Blue Tote for dumping, air compressor, dog stroller, tool box, water transfer pump, firewood, hoses, and 7 foot ladder, spare tire for the camper (as I don't carry it on the trailer bumper any more), and more:





If I ever have to replace it, I'm getting another one like it.

I did remove the ladder rack, which we used to transport our canoe, when we purchased our last truck. The truck bed rails were higher than the last truck, and the ladder rack make the top too tall to fit in my garage. So I removed the ladder rack on the top, now it fits in my garage door with no problem.

Can't see the pictures in the above post?

Here's a pic of my 8' fibreglas Century with the WinDoors open:


This model doesn't come with shelves so I built some bins along the sides and back. Easy access. And good visibility if I don't pile things up too much.

Make sure you buy from a Company that has been in business a long time as I bought from a Company that went out of business. The rear window on the door that raised up shattered in a million pieces and no glass Company would or could replace it. I had a Company make a Plexiglas window for $326.00 with no guarantee. If the Company that built my shell was still in business I could have ordered the glass or the entire back window and frame. I had a Leer before
and they are good Toppers