Bed cover or camper shell?

Has anyone gotten a bed cover and wished the got a camper shell or vise versa? I’ve been looking for an affordable bed cover but wondering if I should wait to get a camper shell

 

The camper shell has been game changer for me.
I use mine for everything from camping to moving furniture to keeping bikes or surfboards inside and locked up.
It's nice to have such a large space that can be securely locked and kept out of the elements.
I have a raised snugtop with windoors (highly recommend getting windoors since it lets you reach stuff at the forward end of the bed without crawling in)

 

I’ve seen ones with windoors before, they look really useful

 

I went from a bakflip bed cover to my current softopper for the versatility versus a hard camper shell. Not as secure as a hard shell but I like the folding aspect to haul large items along with the weight savings and rugged utilitarian look of a softopper.

 

I've had both.

Regret not going with a shell from the jump. Make sure you go with side windoors and a fold down front glass window for ease of cleaning.

 

Lomax tonneau cover. @truckalter sells them for a massive discount thru here. I’m not a fan of camper shells. Makes the truck look like an old guy vehicle.

 

The tri-fold bed cover advantage is (easy) unrestricted access to your truck bed and the the contents, as well as minimized vertical height restrictions. (I once loaned my Tacoma to a friend because he bought a recliner and it wouldn't fit in his full size f-150 with a shell on it!) The answer to your question is; how do YOU "USE" your truck, and how do you want to store or secure the bed contents. Over the years, I have loaded "stuff" in my Tacoma that wouldn't have been possible with a camper shell, and it only took 10 minutes to remove the tri-fold bed cover for full access to the bed.

 

I had the same dilemma and decided to build a hybrid

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ynamic-bed-cage-tonnaue-cover-version.582736/

 

I've had a cap on every truck I've owned going back to the 1970's. I'm more likely to haul camping/hunting/fishing gear in my truck than large bulky items so the cap is really the only way to go for me. You ain't gonna put much in the bed of a Tacoma regardless. I went from a 1/2 to to my Tacoma and figured out real quick that I needed a utility trailer to haul anything big or heavy.

I can put more volume or weight in my 10X6 trailer than I could put in the bed of a 1 ton truck. It is easier to load/unload and rocks or firewood doesn't beat up my truck bed.

 

Yes. I’ve had a bed cover on every truck I’ve owned and always wanted a cap/topper/shell (whatever you want to call them) but couldn’t afford exactly what I wanted until recently.

I ordered an ARE cap a couple months ago and it should be arriving sometime next month. I can’t wait for all the added storage space and options it will provide me for trips.

 

My current Tacoma came with a Leer tonneau- I tried it for about a month, hated it and ordered a camper shell which has been on there ever since. I camp out of the back or have a kayak or bike on the top a lot when I'm in the country, it also tends to keep folks from asking you to help them move. I have a utility trailer if I need to carry something larger or taller.

 

tonneau covers are absolutely useless and camper shells are not

there's a reason you can buy a new tonneau for only $100

 

Lomax is only made for 3rd gen.

 

I currently have a cheap Tyger Tri-Fold Tonneau cover on my 5' Taco bed and I have loved it. It comes fully on and off within a couple minutes if I need the full range of the bed, but keeps my bed contents relatively secure (in combination with my pop n lock tailgate handle) and out of sight the rest of the time; as well as offering decent protection against the elements.

A good friend of mine in law enforcement once said that the majority of thefts out of the beds of trucks in my area are usually opportunistic, where the criminal looked in the truck bed, saw something worth taking, and then proceeded to do so. Just having items kept out of sight prevents so many thefts. A determined thief will manage to break into most any truck cover security devices if they are bound and determined to do so.

I eventually would like a Gofast camper or something similar, but my tonneau cover has suited me fine for now.

 

Thanks for the support! We sell a lot of covers with some great discounts for forum members so feel free to PM us to see what we can do no matter the brand!

 

I went from a Bakflip MX4 to a Softopper with an UpTop Overland Truss rack and wish I would’ve gone this route sooner. There’s a lot more room for stuff back there, but you do give up a little bit of security.

 

I'll have camper shells for life! Both my tacoma and tundra have them. Platforms over the wheel wells and storage underneath.

 

really comes down to your own personal needs.
I have a tonneau. My tonneau is an extension of my cab with the ability to get real dirty if needed but it will keep it clean when i go to throw none dirty items back there. I can take it off in 1 minute if i need the height. Basically, a protected or covered compartment that can be transformed in a flash.
I have def thought of adding a shell, but then the Tacoma might start complaining about all the weight back there. Shell, plus towing, now im adding springs or bags. Oh wait, the bed sides are flaring out, need stiffeners. I also plow, and the shell would block my views.
I would get a shell if given a deadly deal, but for me i just need something to keep the back dry for extra storage when needed.

 

How old are you? I have a tonneau cover and my wife's reaction was "Old Man Level Complete!" I liked it, but you really can't haul much with it shut. On the other hand, a hard topper limits how tall of things you can haul. No trees from the landscapers or dressers moving the kids to college. And I think hard topper says "Old Man" more than the tonneau. I'm switching to a softopper this spring. I lover the rugged look and versatility of the softopper. And the wife says it makes me look at least 10 years younger.

 

Went through this same struggle. I have had tonneau cover, hard shell, and a softopper. Should have kept all three. The softopper was a nice mix, folding it down was convenient for bigger items. Liked the looks also but sold it. For hunting trips I went with a hard shell for security and picked up a used 8 ft trailer for anything I'd need to haul. Planning on making a sleeping deck in bed and do some camping with it. As others have stated prob depends on your needs. If you can find a hard shell and go that route the windoors and folding sliding window is convenient. Head room would also be something to think about. Mine is level with cab. I've never had the high rise style but the extra height would be nice. Best of luck finding what you need and enjoy your truck.