Much of the successful growth of truck/shell combinations can be traced to the attributes of the camper shell itself, which transforms what would ordinarily be an open and unsecured cargo space into a sheltered container for a varied and voluminous amount of contents.
"There's a lot more space in the back of a truck, so cargo can more easily be managed," notes Jeannie Keough. "Even with short bed trucks, you can pack in a ton of stuff. Soccer moms are now purchasing four door trucks and putting shells on the back because they are way more spacious than a minivan. You can go to the hardware store and pack the bed with home improvement projects like plants, fence posts, and sacks of mulch, while still reserving the back seat for the kids. Try that in an SUV."
"You can't beat the convenience of having a truck bed," adds Wayne, an avid fisherman who's netted his share of big fish. "I just throw my rods in without having to collapse them, and I don't worry about getting anything dinged or scratching the leather. Whereas the new SUVs are getting more luxury amenities in the back, so there's no cargo space anymore. For instance, a friend of mine has a Ford Explorer with a third row of seats that are absolutely useless except for taking up space."
Adding to the increased allure of camper shells are updated locking mechanisms which provide security on par with any SUV, van or hatchback.
"Locking mechanisms are a big factor, without a doubt," says Casey Meints, manager of Campway's Truck Accessories World, which operates eight retail stores in the California Bay Area. "Some manufacturers have gone to really nice rotary latches. The SNUGTOP shells also use stainless-steel rods, which offer the same secure way of connecting the latch to the locks as found in the door of most trucks."
"Like any dedicated hobbyist, I have to have the latest and the greatest, and I'm willing to pay for it," says Wayne about his fishing tackle. "So the last thing I want is some guy walking past my truck when it's parked in a lot while I'm having breakfast, and take my rods and reels. So the whole issue of security is really enhanced with the shell. I can go anywhere I want and leave my gear in the back and know that it's going to be there when I return."
Not only do camper shells excel at protecting their contents from theft, but also from the ravages of weather.
"I know that SNUGTOP employs two, two-bolt seals, so essentially you get four weather-stripping seals across the bottom of the shell," points out Mark Gibbs of American Camper Shells, which boasts three Southern California locations. "The second one gives it a much better seal, and even prevents the shell from rubbing against the bed of the pickup. There's no way any water is getting in."
"My wife, our girls, and I camp as often as we can, and we throw all our gear inside the shell to keep it secure and out of the weather," says Matocha of DFW Camper Corral, who obviously enjoys what he sells. "We don't normally sleep back there, but when you have no other option, like in a sudden rainstorm, it offers welcome shelter."
Above all, a shell on a truck bed offers something that no SUV or van can approach: unmatched flexibility to occasionally carry a high-vertical load.
"People use their shells for any number of things, and sometimes they need more room than what an enclosed vehicle can offer, but a shell gives them that versatility because it can always be pulled off when the need arises," notes Matocha.
With continued innovations in the design of the simple camper shell, it appears that the union of pickups and these tops will continue to appeal to an increasing number of people well into the future.
"It's the security, ease of use, flexibility, and it's all right there in one attractive package--that was the real motivation for me," says Wayne of his decision to ultimately purchase a camper shell.