I'm happy for you..

 

What's the point of the leer cap or any bed cover, if everything gets wet/dusty because of huge gaps in the bed ?

 

For some, it is. Some bought a tonneau cover with the expectation of keeping contents within the box dry and mostly clean. I bought some totes as my solution. Anything I want to be kept dry and clean goes in a tote or case. Bulky items would be subject to the water and dust environment.

 

Other vehicle is an SUV. This is a truck, not a car with a trunk or SUV with rear cargo area inside an enclosed cab. As such, I don't think it's realistic to expect a water-proof compartment like inside the cab. (Maybe I would if it were designed like that from the factor, but lets be real here, they all ship from the factory without a roof over the bed or rubber seals around the tailgate.)

Even if you seal the seams in the floor and get a cap with perfect weather stripping there's the tailgate. There are aftermarket tailgate seals, but who honestly expects them to seal up like a factory door? (All the reviews I've read said they weren't perfect, so plan accordingly.)

Honestly, a shell or tonneau just keeps the rain off. The raised ridges of the bed or a bed mat keeps items off the floor while the small amount of water getting in drains out.

I have 4 kids, plus the Mrs. so there's almost always something in the bed. Plastic foot locker sized tote works well, and I haven't even gotten a bed cover for this truck yet after a year of owning it.

 

My last truck did the same thing with the only gap being around the tailgate so is it really the tiny gaps between the bed walls, or the tailgate?

 

Interesting takes. FWIW, there are 3 trucks in my driveway right now - a 2011 Ranger, 2013 GMC Sierra, and my 2015 F 150.
All 3 have covers, and all 3 have dust in the bed(s) - it's South Texas, home of dust.

Not one of the 3 has a "sealed bed" by any measure - but I do see beads of adhesive in the Ranger's bed, holding it together. Not one would hold water in or dust out...

 

A sealed off bed would make for a rolling swimming pool in heavy rain or washington state constant rain ... Dumbest idea ever.

 

I am still stuck on figuring out where to put the silicone in the Red Neck Hot Tub picture. I don't think there is a need for it.

I did see a dealer in Georgia that put drop in bed liners in all the F150s. Went by the lot a day or two after a big rain and there were lots of skeeter ponds.

I do get dust and snow below the front edge of my gatorback cover. Not too much and I have never had a major fail with rainfall. Put my gear in rubber made containers for long trips.

Maybe host a Tupperware party to keep your stuff dry?

 

Bingo. I have hard case suitcases ,gun cases or coolers in my flat bed when using it - uncovered. If I had stuff which shouldn't get wet / dirty - buy a few huge plastic Tupperware boxes. Walmart has those for cheap

 

My 2500HD Ch*vy had 2 factory drain holes near the front 1/2" in diameter. If they got plugged for some reason, yes it was a bath tub, with a forward rake it would fill up to the tailgate.

After I sealed the tailgate, it was dust free under the tonneau.