Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Camper shells

I’m considering a basic camper shell for my Toyota Tacoma.
Just a cab high fiberglass shell with sliding side windows.

Locally, it looks like Leer & Snug Top are popular.

Does anyone have an opinion, is one better than the other ?
Any other brands I should consider ?

I guess I should prepare myself for sticker shock, how much do they cost these days ?

Locally here - Leer is king it seems. Been a long time since getting one but the expense was getting it painted to match. Make sure whomever you speak with calls that out in the quote or doesn't "forget" to add it.

Always liked ones where the side windows flipped up, similar to there rear window. In the front section of the bed then we'd lay a piece of plywood across, cut to size, covered in carpet and a piece of trim on the rear edge. Kept things from rolling off. then it was right at level for pulling items out, off the shelf. Obviously theft means items aren't put there round the clock but usually the first things we needed when getting places. Shotguns, tents etc.

You might want to check the used car lots, Craigs List or autotrader.com. I had an inexpensive aluminum cap on my older Ford that I wanted to replace with a fiberglass cap. I found one that would fit and the same color as my truck on a used truck at a dealership. $75.00 that they were happy to take off their truck and $75.00 more than they were going to get for their used truck. A win win.

I have a Leer on my Tacoma and love it. It has the removable sliding front window and vent side windows. I got it from a car lot. Someone had traded in a 3 month old Tacoma and the dealer just wanted rid of it. It's easier to sell a truck without the camper. He was happy to take $500 for it. It was easily worth twice that.

Local shop says ARE have the least trouble and are the nicest finish. I’ve had 3 of them and they are very nice. I would avoid the z-series in that brand as the latch doesn’t hold up very well.

I know you said you were looking for fiberglass, but I'm gonna give you the 24HCF treatment and suggest something else.

Check out a commercial ARE shell with windoors. The prices are similar and they are more secure, hold up better, make easier access to the bed and retain better resale value.

The last fiberglass one I bought like you are describing was $2,700 in 2017.

I bought this ARE for $2,250. Might be something to at least check into. I hate fiberglass shells after using these fwiw.

Love the Lifetime work shell on my Tundra. Ordered with front sliding and rear fixed windows, plus roof rack. Added a backup camera in a custom aluminum mount I made which includes new auxiliary brake lights. Looks right down at my trailer hitch ball.

I'm on my second Jason brand fiberglass shell. Bought one new for a truck back in 2014 and had zero complaints (unlike my ARE which had to go back to fix a window and paint). Bought a used truck last year that came with a mid-height Jason shell and it's alos pretty solid. They used to be quite a bit cheaper than other brands; not sure about today. If I were buying new again I'd probably go commercial like Higg recommended.

IMO the top brands are very similar. It depends on which has the best price and service where you live. For me it was Leer. I have the basic cap on my 2007 Tacoma and my 2014 F150. I'm afraid to ask about current prices, but I paid $900 in 2007 for the one on my Tacoma. I paid $1500 for the one on my Ford in 2016.

A lot of guys like the soft toppers. I do not, but you may, and they are less expensive. Before I'd go with a soft topper I'd look at aluminum. You don't see them as much anymore but you can still get one. They look better than the soft toppers to me and are still easy enough to remove and put back on. Even possible with one person.

Craigslist is your friend, I bought a nice Leer for $300. Wrong color but works excellent when needed.

I had a cheap, uninsulated ARE on my tacoma. It sucked. Sleeping back there in the winter id get a lit of condensation. And after a few years the windows started leaking. There were also very large gaps at the corners of the back window where it met the tailgate. Bought that thing in 2012 or 2013 for $1400. I checked out several other peoples canopys and decided id go snugtop next.

Back in november i got a snugtop rebel, insulated, for my silverado. Its way nicer, fits way better, i can have it locked while sleeping inside, the led light is great but im sure those are on all models now.
The snugtop cost $2900. Took forever to get it, as mine got destroyed in transit, then they were out of windows. I asked about getting the xtra vision (xtra view?) Model instead, since my rebel was being delayed, and was told by the dealer if i got an xtra vision i WOULD have window leaking issues. Figured id mention that.

My last was a mid-level Leer. It was OK, but the features were cheap and think I'm going to go with an ARE this time. Better order it soon, so I can have it by next hunting season.

I’ve had Leer, Snugtop and ARE brand shells. I haven’t had any trouble with any of them.
I just bought a new F250 and ordered another ARE cab high shell. $2,800.00 installed.
My 2017 power wagon had an ARE. Same shell has gone up about $500 in five years.
Craigs list usually has some for sale at good prices. It’s hit or miss on what’s available when you are looking and you’ll obviously find more used shells available for trucks that are at least a few years old.
Good luck

They sure aren’t shy about what they can charge for a fiberglass cap these days. I just called the biggest used truck dealer in WI. and they said that most guys aren’t putting caps on their trucks any longer! Color me paranoid, but I can’t even fathom having a truck without a cap these days. The dealer said that lots of guys will sell the caps on their own rather than getting pennies on a dollar by trading. My truck has an upper end ARE on it now which would be way better at resale and for camping out of with that carpeted ceiling. My first cap was a Glasstite and condensation made mold from sleeping under that cap. The only thing that I don’t like on the ARE is the tinted glass is too dark to see out of well in the rear view mirror. I’ve never once used the front drop down window option either. The LED lights are a must have for me in a cap. Once installed I never take caps off because I have trailers for the bigger stuff.

I will say - caps seem to be a bit out of style. Toneau seems to be "in"

Had a cap on 2/3's of my trucks. Father on 1/2.

Spray in bed liners seem to be going out too - replacement is more of a rug. Brother had one. Pretty neat and yeah - oil just vacuumed right off it.

I'd go ARE before I bought another Leer

I’ve spent more nights in the bed of a pickup truck than I can count and have had several different brands over the years. I had a ARE many years ago that I liked and I currently have a Leer that I special ordered 5 years ago and it has served me well.

I just pulled the trigger on something a little different that’s geared more towards the camping aspect. I first saw one of these while watching the Yellowstone tv series a bit ago & it caught my eye. I just happened to run across a used one for sale and I’m picking it up in a week.

Here’s a link to the Capri Cowboy Camper:
https://capricamper.com/?gclid=CjwK...rLk2chTdZIR1YJRpKQc5zTTz0PBoCBPIQAvD_BwE

I got lucky buying my F-150 4 yrs ago before Covid, and most of the Crazy stuff were experiencing now.
I got the short Bed, 5 1/2 ft, as I didn't need the 8 ft Bed any more, but I did got the larger 4 door cab, as It did suit my needs getting older.
With wanting to drive out West for hunt trips, I looked for a Cap, that I could put a freezer in the back, for Meat, and Boy did that work out well!
I found a Ranch brand, cap that installed, put's my height at 7 ft. and 3 inches high, as it fits in my Garage with 8 ft. high Garage doors,
and I can still hit the 24 hour, open Laser wash in the AM before they get busy, in the afternoon, at 530 AM!
I know that you want a cap that's flush with the cab, and I understand that, and agree with you if that's what you want, and or your needs dictate that.
I wanted a cap that I could almost stand up in, when loading and unloading the Freezer, that I strapped into the Bed, behind the Cab.
The plan could not have worked out better, as the 7.0 cubic ft. Freezer lid could be opened fully, while installed.
Yeah Caps are kinda an old school look, and I had tonneau covers in the past for different truck applications, and their great, as needed!
My truck came from the factory, in a darker Stone Grey color that I really like, and the Cap that I ordered was almost Identical, as you'd of thought I had them both painted to match.
As far as Looks, it really looks nice, and like anything else, some may like it, and some not, different strokes, but I don't buy my vehicles to please anyone else!!!
It definitely does not look Hokey, as I'm always aware of that. Originally it was my oldest Son's idea when I was looking for a truck, and the plan couldn't have worked out better.
Just wanted to throw a different twist at it, for some additional FYI!

HS58

I just ordered a ARE yesterday, 7-8 weeks lag time. I'm fine with that.

I had a really nice tonneau type cover on my truck when I bought it. Couldn't use it with dog crate, coolers, and all the other c rap I haul around.

I can't imagine putting carpet in my bed. It's constantly dusty, bloody, muddy, full of dog hair and stuff that needs to be power washed out. If I was gonna put carpet back there, I'd just buy a suburban.

I agree! I miss my older like new Suburban! Got a couple nephews that recently bought new ones! OUCH!!!

Had a Leer on my old Taco for 12 years and was happy enough I went from the car dealer to the Leer dealer in 18 for another.
One needs to have the front opening window so they can clean between the truck and topper.

After doing some online research and visiting several local dealers, I came up with some options that wanted. I found a camper shell that had everything I wanted and some things I didn’t know I wanted until I saw them.
It was the most expensive shell I looked at, and it was backordered for 5 months+.

I talked to a factory rep., and he suggested I contact “Off Road Alliance” they had several on order for months already, so the wait was cut to 9 weeks.

I just ordered a “RSI Smartcap – EVO Sport.

It's made out of Stainless steel and has more windows and attachment points than a boy scouts backpack.

Don't ask me how much it cost, if the wife overhears I could be in trouble

I've seen a few of those around. Look pretty neat.

Post pics when you get it!

I have been looking at the Smartcap too. Very cool

I love my aluminum commercial topper from ARE. Bought it used for a song. Took me a while to find, as they are not common on frontys.
https://tinyurl.com/3fywb9nr
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wbL4tMMddxYtPx7K8
The windoors are the way to go if you ever want to be able to easily get at items toward the cab. And the single handle on the back beats the dual handles of most fiberglass toppers.

Good luck.