Want to protect your cargo from wind and weather? Looking for some secure storage space? Hoping to turn your pickup's bed into a big trunk? Then you just might be in the market for a truck cap or tonneau cover.
These days, there are plenty of choices. With tonneaus, you can opt for soft or hard, manual or automatic, colormatched or basic black, with or without a toolbox. You can even choose models that tilt open from the rear or from the side, are hinged in the middle, fold forward, or roll up out of the way.
Caps also come in all different flavors, from serious work-truck models to soft-sided camping specials. In addition, you can get the SUV look you want with a cab-high design or get maximum storage space--and maximum headroom--with a high-rise shell.
It's all about making that pickup bed even more useful, and in many cases, you don't have to sacrifice versatility: Plenty of truck caps and tonneau covers can be removed easily whenever you need to haul tall, messy, or awkward stuff.
Transport an ATV Inside
Raider's Sierra has a minimum rear-door clearance of 48 inches, which means there's enough room to transport an ATV inside. This cap also comes with a choice of two side window offerings: standard 20-inch-high sliding windows or optional 20-inch windoors (a combination window/door that tilts open). It also comes with standard fiberglass base rails, DuPont basecoat/clearcoat automotive paint, a double-locking rear door, dark tint on the side windows and rear door, a skirted wrapover exterior rail, and an interior wrapover base rail. Raider Industries; 800/771-8677.
www.raider.caCurvaceous Cap
A.R.E.'s Z Series fiberglass truck cap features soft, rounded curves and recessed windows, doors, and LED brakelight. The side vent windows have screens for ventilation purposes, and the ergonomically designed doorhandle comes with OE-quality locks and a double-sided key. Options include a tilt-down or sliding front window, Yakima roof racks, and remote keyless entry. A.R.E. paints each Z Series cap to match the truck's OEM paint code. A.R.E.; 330/830-7800.
www.4are.comThe TruXedoPlus by Shur-Co Automotive is a toolbox and tonneau cover combination. The soft tonneau rolls up and stores behind the toolbox so you have full access to the bed. The low-profile toolbox lid is powdercoated black to blend in with the tonneau. The locking toolbox uses a gas strut for easy opening, and the tonneau features a weather seal to keep elements out. Shur-Co Automotive; 877/878-9336.
www.truxedo.comFabric Cap
Bestop's Supertop offers versatile truck-bed coverage at about half the cost of a hard shell, with double the storage of a tonneau. The soft truck cap features heavy-duty fabric and zip-out tinted windows and attaches to a truck's bed rails using C
www.bestop.com