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Anyone considering a bed cap topper?
- Thread starter bking
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univurshul
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I've had an ARE on a 2001 Ram for almost 10 years. They're great for keeping snow & rain out, but the basic shells are a pain in the ass for accessing the area just behind the cab. Make sure you get side doors.
The best shell IMO rn is the GFC. But they're 10K with the RTT. Competitors cost even more. About 18% the value of a 60K truck. Better than towing a caravan tho, so....
The best shell IMO rn is the GFC. But they're 10K with the RTT. Competitors cost even more. About 18% the value of a 60K truck. Better than towing a caravan tho, so....
Datrane01
New member
I bought the flated topper because I only want to use it when I go camping, and it is easy to remove and store. It was also under $1500 I believe. I haven't actually used it yet, but plan to in a few weeks. It does seem well built for what it is and will fit my purposes quite well. I have a tonneau cover on the bed the rest of the time.
JustAnotherDingus
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caps are super useful imo ā gotta love locking storage. Iād suggest getting doors or āwindoorsā for the sides otherwise reaching things near the cab side of the bed can get tricky/bothersome. Personally, Iām prob gonna slap something thatās part cap part tent on mine since I camp all the time but if you donāt, the fiberglass shell is tried and true. Iāve heard nice things about the rsi smart cap too, but theyāre a bit spendy.
TacoTime
Well-known member
Just sharing from my own research....may help some.
Alu-cab has recently introduced a modular "modcap". Similar to the canopy camper but include a cap variant. Designed with a swing open door and tailgate delete.
https://www.alu-cab.com/modcap/
Alu-cab has recently introduced a modular "modcap". Similar to the canopy camper but include a cap variant. Designed with a swing open door and tailgate delete.
https://www.alu-cab.com/modcap/
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bking
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I don't typically like toppers either, but this time I decided to go for it. I think the Tacoma will look good, and quite frankly with a 5' bed what I'm hauling in there will be somewhat limited anyway. I have trailers for the big stuff. I go on nature photography trips pretty often, and some of those take me to some remote places. It'll be nice to have that extra, lockable storage. I did take the advise from some here and got the windoors on the sides. Should be here in about 3 weeks.
2ndGen2TrlHntr
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Same here for my TH. Did you see they have a 4th gen they are measuring today? Excellent news.
2ndGen2TrlHntr
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I have one on my second gen and would be going with one again if I just needed a topper and wasnāt doing camper shell route (built in tent). Going with a Lone Peak.
RSI is a really nice and functional topper. Only complaint was lead time initially but canāt do anything about that.
Datrane01
New member
I put the topper on today for a fit test. It was pretty easy to install by myself, but because of the spoiler on the back of the cab, it pushed the flated topper back a couple inches. I deflated the topper to give more play and tried to shove it under the spoiler, but it wouldn't budge. The topper is quite sturdy even with low inflation. I sent an email to the company to see if there is something that can be done, but if I have that large of a gap, not sure I can keep it.
bitrunner
Active member
Oh wow, wasnāt even thinking about the spoiler.. thatās too bad. Iād bet that Flated will address that soon with a modified design: one of the other perks of Tacomas is that with that much market share, most midsize truck accessory makers strive to be compatible. Not a good look to say your flagship product doesnāt work with Tacomas.
And while Iām wishing for things from flated, why not another air chamber option in the toppers for a bed extender for short beds to become big enough to sleep in? The existing topper tent solutions are janky and having something hard-sided and insulating would be a great removable alternative to GFCās and the like.
Datrane01
New member
I should have probably started a new thread for this, so sorry if I hijacked this thread.
I am going to try the topper out the first weekend of May, but I will likely be returning it after that. The customer support from Flated is the best I have ever seen and were trying to work with me whether I wanted to keep it and try to make it work or return it. One solution they mentioned trying was to get some waterproof flashing-type material like laminate and attach it to the topper so the gap is not there between the bed and the topper, but I do not see how I could keep that attached and trust it not to come off when driving. They are also offering me to return it for a full refund or keep it and get a discount trade-in when they come out with a version specifically for the 2024 Tacoma. The problem is that it will be 8-12 months they said. By then, other soft topper options should be available or if I still cannot find something that I prefer, I can give Flated's new version a try because I really do like how easy it is to install and remove as well as store. And I agree that it would be much better to have an option that turns it into a sort of extended bed camper. My current plan was to use a tarp that I attach and hope I get the run-off right.
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