Why does no one use a high truck shell?

[skrypj]

My truck has a Leer roof height shell but, next time around, I will go with the Grandpa high shell. Why? I have no idea. It will be easier to put my bikes in the back without swearing and may help punch a hole through the air while towing my camper.

The wife and I area also talking about trying to simplify our camping. We have a 21' Jayco trailer right now but that enables to bring way to much stuff. We kinda wanna cut down so that its a lot easier to pack up and break down. Right now its a whole process to get the trailer on the road, and then a whole process to break it down and clean it when we get home. A high topper would be beneficial here as we could camp out of the back of the truck as well as a small teardrop trailer or something. Problem is we have a 4 year old and a 3 month old so not looking to get too wild with the camping.

 

[kodiak-black]

I love having the extra height when sleeping on our platform. Allows me to basically sit upright.

 

[dbhost]

Not my video, but this is an example of someone using a hi top shell for camping, albeit in a stubby bed truck...


It should be noted, I am building a custom hi top shell that is wider than normal to accomodate a short king size custom mattress as my wife and I find a queen a bit too constraining. The idea is to be able to sit up in bed, or fold the bed up into a sofa should we need to be socked into the camper due to foul weather. We've been driven out of our tent, and into the cab of our truck on at least 3 different outings due to extreme weather. I'd rather ride it out on a proper bed, or couch if need be...

 

[Willingham]

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I love all those windows. Is that the leer 122?

 

[Willingham]

I found a new 1/2 price leer 122 for my 2001 F350 7.2 Power-stroke. Just returned from FL with it. Its a big sucker. It does not color match, but its close.

 

[dbhost]

I found a new 1/2 price leer 122 for my 2001 F350 7.2 Power-stroke. Just returned from FL with it. Its a big sucker. It does not color match, but its close.

Due to the age of your truck / the paint, perfect color match isn't going to happen, however you can get close. Look up the color code for your truck. Google how to do that from your VIN, and then look up Duplicolor, and your paint code. Scuff, clean, mask, paint, second coat, clear coat, done... Paying someone else to do it might not be worth it for you... That can run into some money...

 

[billiebob]

Love my raised camper shell! So much room inside. Mountain bikes fit without taking wheels off! Aluminum shell with side window/doors. Great expedition platform.


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this is the style I prefer, all metal, no fiberglass, full opening side doors
attaching racks etc is so much easier on the all metal canopy

not as fancy as the molded fiberglass units but that also suits my function first attitude

 

[Tex68w]

this is the style I prefer, all metal, no fiberglass, full opening side doors
attaching racks etc is so much easier on the all metal canopy

not as fancy as the molded fiberglass units but that also suits my function first attitude

Contractor tops, they are ugly but very functional. I’d have a hard time not ordering one that has rear doors that replace your tailgate.

 

[Wallygator]

Contractor tops, they are ugly but very functional. I’d have a hard time not ordering one that has rear doors that replace your tailgate.

Trying to sell my RTT so have time to decide but.... I go back and forth on the doors vs the tailgate, cuz I really like using the tailgate when camping. Have not completely decided but leaning towards keeping the tailgate at this point.

 

[Tex68w]

Trying to sell my RTT so have time to decide but.... I go back and forth on the doors vs the tailgate, cuz I really like using the tailgate when camping. Have not completely decided but leaning towards keeping the tailgate at this point.

I get it, benefits to both, the doors look cool as hell though lol.

 

[Wallygator]

I get it, benefits to both, the doors look cool as hell though lol.

It's a hard decision, or at least seems that way for me.

 

[Wallygator]

Have both !
Years ago my workfleet Rangers had toppers made by Gem Top.
They had ’barndoors’ but inset enough so the tailgate was still functional.
Sadly as those Rangers retired, their replacements were not the same and far less useful to a worktruck.

Now that would be ideal to have the barndoors with the tailgate. Like having a back porch

 

[dbhost]

this is the style I prefer, all metal, no fiberglass, full opening side doors
attaching racks etc is so much easier on the all metal canopy

not as fancy as the molded fiberglass units but that also suits my function first attitude

Now picture this if you will. That overall construction type, but widened, still attaching to the bed rails, but with an overall interior width of 76" to accomodate a shortened king mattress, and an overall shell height of 48" above the truck bed rail. THAT is what I want. Sadly I have to design and build it myself.

If you look at the thread about the "Craptor" build with the replaceable side panel to hold a window unit AC, you get the idea of how comfortable you can make one of these... With not a lot of weight.

Those fiberglass ones on the other hand tend to weigh a lot more than the aluminum jobber tops...

AS far as the barn doors vs. tailgate question is concerned. That one is a tough call. The tailgate is pretty useful as a table, when rubberized at the corners, the liftgate of a topper can come in handy as additional support for a tarp attached off of the topper. That would make a great little impromptu kitchen area assuming you don't need to climb in and out of the camper shell while you are using it...

 

[UglyViking]

I have no experience with a mod/high truck topper, so I can't weigh in on why they are the bomb. I think the main reason you don't see a ton of them seems to be twofold as mentioned already.

1. Let's face it, they look kinda goofy
2. I'd imagine it creates challenges for low profile mounts of RTT and such.

For me, I don't know how often I'll be sleeping in the bed of the truck, and while the extra hight is prob pretty nice, I just can't see myself doing it, just can't get around the look to be honest. Maybe that is vain, eh, fine but I like how my truck looks now and I think caps overall look goofy to start so at least a roof height one is the least offensive to me personally.

I do think the caps with doors over a tailgate seems like a winning idea though. Can't have one without the other though.

 

[Pogue]

Wedge toppers are where it's at. Room for dogs, secure(ish) storage for gear. I found a bent one off a Nissan Titan and made a headache rack/platform for it sit on and it gave me a 1/4 inch plate to mount to inside as well! The only thing miss about fiberglass is it was much nicer to sleep in.