Regrets going from topper to tonneau?

With the majority of trucks running around now without toppers, I have to believe some of the fisherman are among that crowd. I currently have a topper but have toyed with a tonneau for the next truck. It’s nice to have the height of an open bed the random times you need to haul something tall and don’t want to take a utility trailer along.

However, I also know that there are many times when I fill my topper-covered bed packed with stuff on trips that would not fit if I only had a tonneau. Putting stuff in the boat is always an option, but for stuff I want to keep under lock, I want to keep in the truck.

I just feel like I am in a case of grass is always greener and I fear shortly after I get the tonneau, I’d be quickly missing the topper. I feel like you guys are the best group to survey as we likely use our trucks in similar ways.

I think you’d regret it. You’d lose a ton of storage space.

I’ve had tonneau covers on my last few trucks, been casually looking for a topper lately.

My vote goes to the topper. You can fit all kinds of stuff into a toppered truck bed and aren’t as limited if you only have a tonneau cover. Of course… that could be a negative thing too. If you have the room, are you more likely to pack stuff you don’t really need? Probably. But I’m in the camp that I’d rather bring it and not need it than vice versa.

I had many trucks with a tonneau cover and now have one with a topper. I can’t foresee myself going back to a tonneau cover any time soon. The storage space in the topper cannot be beat.

Pros and cons. I have the roll-up cover. Nice because I can store stuff and lock it. But mostly it’s open. Once you get used to packing things in Rubbermaid totes and other weather proof containers it’s mostly a non issue.

For me, I like packing the bed of the truck while standing and not crawling on my hands and knees like you would with a topper.

Topper all the way for me. I have vented contractor windows on the sides so I can reach everything in the bed, it keeps the rain and snow off, and it is lockable. I can also put a mattress in the back for a place to sleep on overnight fishing trips.

I have put a tonneau on every truck I’ve bought for the first few months until I get a topper. It’s kinda a bummer everytime and instantly turns them into gramps lookin vehicles but it’s the only way to go for me. Toppers all the way. Way too functional for an outdoorsman.

Topper hands down, it’s not even close.

If you’re single, no kids, like window decals and cutting out your exhaust, tonneau cover.

Double post

Coletrain27 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>basseyes wrote:</div>
Topper hands down, it’s not even close.

If you’re single, no kids, like window decals and cutting out your exhaust, tonneau cover.

Ha ok, it’s hard to load mulch, rock, dirt in a truck with a topper with a skid loader. All depends what you use your truck for. Pros and cons for both. Comes down to what fits your personal needs. Hauling atvs and sleds is pretty much out with a topper also.

A topper would be nice but I wouldn’t be able to haul my dirt bikes, mountain bike and my boat at the same time. My tonneau removes completely in under a minute. Each one is a compromise

A topper would be nice but I wouldn’t be able to haul my dirt bikes, mountain bike and my boat at the same time. My tonneau removes completely in under a minute. Each one is a compromise

I straddled the fence and actually have both for my truck. Initially used each about 50/50 with the topper on during winter months for hauling ice fishing gear and for camping trips. I have now “permanently” installed the topper. Reasons include: rarely haul anything that requires the tonneau and can take topper off or use trailer if I need to, can better secure items that would not otherwise fit under a tonneau, can toss mattress in back for mini camping trips, and I get a little better gas mileage pulling the boat. To make it easier to get to stuff without climbing in the truck, I have an extendable pole that I hose clamped a pegboard hook to that allows me to push or pull things within the bed. I am 95% sure I will only have a topper for my next truck.

I had a topper on my last truck and the height limited certain items I could haul. Visibility kinda sucked too. I know they can be removed, but it’s a bitch taking those metal clamps off and then removing a heavy fiberglass topper. My current truck has a roll up tonneau cover. I’ll never go back to a topper ever again.

Check out the diamondback tonneau cover. It locks and cannot be easily broken into, will keep water out, and you can load 400 lbs or 1600 lbs on top depending which model you purchase. This allows you to have more cargo space than a standard cover

My Dodge has a topper. When I bought it I put a tonneau cover on and didn’t like it. I bought the topper and the Decked drawer system. If you have stuff to lock up and you want to reach it easily the drawers are cool. You basically are double locked. The tailgate of the truck and you can lock the lock on the drawers. Very handy for guns, tackle boxes, tools ect. However, it really limits what will fit under the topper. I suppose I could take the topper off if I really really needed the space.

I also have a old Ford with a 8′ box. Thats the truck I haul stuff with if needed. I also have a lift gate on it for heavy stuff.

Topper plus bedslide
If u can afford to lose a little space bed slides are priceless

Attachments:

1. 

   IMG_20200126_164226530.jpg
   

No reason not to go with a topper. Can’t make more room in a cover.

I have a Dodge with the “Ram Boxes”. I have a Tonneau that works pretty well, although there have been situations where a topper would have worked better. The problem is that nobody I’m aware of makes a topper that’s compatible with ram boxes. Like somebody else said, it’s all compromises.

SR

My last 4 trucks have had toppers.
My 2020 got a tonneau cover. In the end, I will more than likely also get a topper for it. I have a place to store it when not being used.
In the short time with the tonneau cover, I like it but can tell already that I will miss some things about the topper. Those mainly consist around the dog and his kennel.

I have always had a topper on my trucks and this is the first time having a tonneau cover. So far I am really liking it. I really did plan on getting a topper to the point that I had a Bedrug installed. I will see how this winter works out and if there is no need I will stick with the tonneau cover.

About the only thing I can’t do with a topper is load an atv in the bed. Other than that, my truck had a tri fold tonneau cover when I bought it and I had to fold it back and lift the back of the Otter to get the shack loaded, otherwise the lip of the shack would hit the tonneau supports. Maybe the soft covers are better.

Topper gives way more room for 2 guys bow hunting with climbing tree stands, bow cases, and totes of cold weather clothes too.

I can get by with a tonneau in the summer with no problem, and may even prefer it then, but hunting through ice fishing season it’s a topper no question.

Tucker

basseyes wrote:

If you’re single, no kids, like window decals and cutting out your exhaust, tonneau cover.

I feel attacked. Just @ me next time.

That said, I’ve never owned either but would buy a topper long, long before a cover. Especially if you’ve got a garage and a buddy that’d be willing to help you take it on and off easily if needed.

Topper all the way!!👍

After about 38 years of having a cap I bet I took it off a total of three times. Toppers all the way. Find a friend with a tono cover if hauling something tall.

Get the Topper- Winter is here!

I bought a new Chevy truck in February and did not order a topper till early June. The topper took a few extra weeks to come in after ordering it (2 months total). I love it. My last 2 vehicles have been Suburbans but went back to a truck this time. Before that I had a 91 Dakota with the aluminum topper with racks, tip up windows and crank out screens. It was very functional that way. I often took that topper off.
My new topper is an ARE (fiberglass) and I went with the tip up Windoors(w/screen slider). The fit and function of the locks and latches is awesome. I love the topper and the side access is helpful to really load it up. before the topper we used Rubbermaid tubs and so forth. It was kind of a pain.
The new trucks are so tall that it makes reaching in a little difficult. I bought a metal pole with a hook on the end and it really helps to slide in and reposition boxes and coolers.

Good luck

Steve

Open bed with toolbox on quick connect clips.
I am constantly changing the use of my pick-up bed, and this has been my go to.
Everything from tools to dogs gets covered up and strapped down.
No plans to change in the future.

Had a topper on my last truck and with a stubby bed that crew cabs like that one have I’d definitely go topper again. I was dead set on putting a topper on the pickup I bought last winter, an extended cab with the longer bed but opted to put a tonneau on for now just to see how much I would miss the topper and so far I have not regretted it. Did our annual fishing trip this spring and with the longer bed length everything fit under the tonneau just fine. Will see how we do through hunting season, hauling stands out this summer I actually could fit more in between the extra bed and not having the topper limiting how I could stack stuff.
Only water penetration issues I have had so far is going through the carwash, but still less water than when I went through with the topper and forgot to slide the windows shut (usually about 50% of the time).
It took some getting used to being actually able to see through the center rearview mirror at night with not having to see through 3 tinted windows but I drove a enough work trucks that you couldn’t see out the rear window at all that Ive gotten so used to using the side mirrors that I rarely use that mirror anyway.
I did notice the missing weight of the topper right away (snowed the day after i took it home) so added a few sandbags to mimic the extra weight over the rear wheels and made it act more like the old one did in snow, pretty amazing what an extra 300# over that axle did as far as taking away how squirrelly it was.
Two things I have noticed are not as nice 1) I can’t put the dog in his kennel under the tonneau so he has to ride in the back of the cab now and 2) when taking the recycling into town I have to strap the lids on the cans and then either roll the cover up and stand them in the bed or leave cover on and lay them on their side and I made a hook to reach farther in the bed to pull them out (versus just tossing the in under the topper and going).

One really nice perk of no topper after the strong winds last week, i sure get pushed around by the wind a lot less with less of a side profile.

Mookie Blaylock wrote:

Open bed with toolbox on quick connect clips.
I am constantly changing the use of my pick-up bed, and this has been my go to.
Everything from tools to dogs gets covered up and strapped down.
No plans to change in the future.

Can you post a picture? Just curious if I’m envisioning your description correctly.. If I had a bed toolbox it would be so loaded down with stuff there would be nothing quick about changing it unless I had a forklift to help.

I should have probably noted that I keep my emergency and recovery items under my rear seat, and keep my toolbox mostly empty when the truck is just being used to get to work and back. It’s really light and takes less than a minute to get out of the truck when I need the extra bed space.
It really all depends on how the truck is used. When I had a gangbox in my truck, I kept that thing pretty loaded down because I would always have equipment to remove it.