Pop up/wedge camper tailgate delete option

[Inked]

Long time lurker here but avid explorer looking to outfit my 6.5' Tundra. I recently sold my overland trailer and looking for a canopy camper (pop up style or wedge) similar to all the top dogs on the market. I want the option to eliminate my tailgate for best dust/water intrusion. There aren't many manufacturers out there offering this option.

Here are some of the folks who offer this option:

Alu-Cab: Love the design and options available
Vagabond: Offers the Nomad but not willing to risk the money with them
Hiatus: Long wait times
OVRLND: Nice customizable company but not really excited about their aesthetic

Those are the 4 I can think of right now. Any other options right now being offered that I'm not aware of? Really like the new offerings from Lone Peak but I reached out to them about that option and he said probably in the future. I've tried Topo and really like the Tune outdoors M1 offering but not seeing anything available on their website. I don't want a slide in (FWC), too much weight. Looking for more of a blank slate to work on. I'm leaning towards All-Cab but if I was hoping to keep it under $15k for the basic shell.

 

[Northern Tundra]

The Snap Outfitters Treehouse offers a single rear door option:

Rear Door — Snap! Outfitters

We offer several rear door options: Standard flip up +$0 Full-sized single door (tailgate delete) +$2400 *Windows are an additional price

www.snapoutfitters.com

Scroll through the pictures to see it

 

[Inked]

Correct, I had Snap Outfitters on my radar, but being on the other side of the country kind of made it a tough buy for me. (I'm in Oregon). Thanks for the response...I suppose I could make an adventure out of it!

 

[dstefan]

FWIW you dont need to eliminate your tailgate to avoid dust intrusion in a Tundra.

What you do need is:
- a positive pressure vent
- obsessive sealing of the many hidden voids in the bed
- obsessive sealing of tailgate with a good tailgate seal kit including covering over the large bottom gap

You dont need a Bedrug, but they help a lot.

I get nearly zero dust with half barn doors and a tailgate AND the above mentioned mods. Nothing wrong with full barn doors, but if you don’t do the other things mentioned, you’ll still get dust.

 

[Inked]

FWIW you dont need to eliminate your tailgate to avoid dust intrusion in a Tundra.

What you do need is:
- a positive pressure vent
- obsessive sealing of the many hidden voids in the bed
- obsessive sealing of tailgate with a good tailgate seal kit including covering over the large bottom gap

You dont need a Bedrug, but they help a lot.

I get nearly zero dust with half barn doors and a tailgate AND the above mentioned mods. Nothing wrong with full barn doors, but if you don’t do the other things mentioned, you’ll still get dust.

Thanks for the feedback. I currently have a RSI Smartcap with the positive pressure vent...seems to work real well. I've heard both sides of the problem with tailgates. Some folks, like yourself, have had great luck with water and dust intrusion, some have not. I'm not ruling out the option of keeping the tailgate, especially with the Tune M1 design that appeals to me greatly. Do you have a tailgate seal kit you'd recomend?

 

[Flyelk1]

I have the Alu-Cabin on my Tundra. Although I agree a pressure vent would help, I get very little dust and don’t have the vent.
I attribute that to an unbelievable install/sealing, and the bedrug. No complaints at all from me.

 

[Inked]

I have the Alu-Cabin on my Tundra. Although I agree a pressure vent would help, I get very little dust and don’t have the vent.
I attribute that to an unbelievable install/sealing, and the bedrug. No complaints at all from me.

Yep, I've been leaning heavily towards the Alu-Cabin. Have heard nothing but great stuff about them. I did speak with TuneOutdoors about their M1 today. Super nice and responsive folks. They do plan on adding the tailgate delete option, possibly starting next year...modeled off Alu-Cabin's design if I understood them correctly. They feel Alu-Cabin was the best product on the market until they came along with their new design. They might be right.

 

[86scotty]

OVRLND: Nice customizable company but not really excited about their aesthetic

I have only recently seen a couple of OVRLND campers in the flesh and they look a lot better in person IMO. But, with the 6.5 Tundra you've got the weird 45 degree (only slight sarcasm) rear window and that screws up the lines on a lot of truck campers IMO.

 

[Ozarker]

Why not get with a local fab shop and build one? Probably have it your way for a lot less money in the end.

 

[SoCalTacoTruck]

Topo

 

[97heavyweight]

As someone who built their own camper with the idea that I would prevent dust and water intrusion and all the extra stuff that I did after to seal it up I can say that i wouldn't worry too much about dust and water. It's going to happen no matter what. Maybe a little, maybe a lot. You can only mitigate it some. I will say that positive pressure has been the best way for me to ensure that excessive dust does not enter my camper.

 

[MR E30]

Yep, I've been leaning heavily towards the Alu-Cabin. Have heard nothing but great stuff about them. I did speak with TuneOutdoors about their M1 today. Super nice and responsive folks. They do plan on adding the tailgate delete option, possibly starting next year...modeled off Alu-Cabin's design if I understood them correctly. They feel Alu-Cabin was the best product on the market until they came along with their new design. They might be right.

I've poked around one Alu-Cabin in person, and its quality is just like my Canopy Camper, which is simply stellar. AluCab currently outpaces the rest of the wedge camper competition.

It took me ~20 hours to fully seal my Canopy Camper to my Tacoma, but I have zero water or dust intrusion into the camper. This has been tested with a pressure washer, by driving alone in the dust of the southwest, and while convoying in a group of trucks in the same landscape.

People will tell you it can't be done, but it most certainly can. At least with the right camper, and the willingness to spend the time to seal it.

 

[Inked]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'm just going to go with the Alu-Cabin. I've never heard anyone really regret their purchase, quality seems to be outstanding and they really are the best option, IMO, for eliminating water and dust. The rear door is an excellent option for spare tire also, they have an amazing set up for the awning package. They really have nailed it with their design...and it comes with a price. I think Tune Outdoors has a really excellent concept, well priced, and when they do offer the barn door style rear entry, they're going to have an excellent product. If that was an option available now, I'd probably lean more towards their product, given the amount of livable space below.

 

[Flyelk1]

Good choice. I haven’t regretted it at all. Buy once, cry once on this type of thing is my opinion. I’ve spent the last year on the build out. When you get to that stage, feel free to reach out and I’ll let you know what I have learned and mistakes I’ve made along the way.
May save you some time/$.

 

[Inked]

Good choice. I haven’t regretted it at all. Buy once, cry once on this type of thing is my opinion. I’ve spent the last year on the build out. When you get to that stage, feel free to reach out and I’ll let you know what I have learned and mistakes I’ve made along the way.
May save you some time/$.

Thanks! I will for sure. I think the two must haves for me right now is water storage and creating a lower sleeping arrangement for the two small kiddos.