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I’ve been on the fence about a cap for my Platinum when it arrives. I’m not a huge fan of them, but I’m looking at the utility of them.
We are a mil family so we move a lot, 3 times since 2019 and moving again in ‘23. I was considering one for the following reasons:
1-we have 2 dogs, one a giant horse dog Newfoundland and my English bulldog. I thought it would work well as a place to put the dogs when we travel while being able to open the window and keep it cool back there for them or even a fan for them since it will have the onboard power. Up front doesn’t work because we have one in a car seat and one in a booster
2-the Evo has a camp kitchen module that has a full pull out kitchen that is pretty cool to be able to use when camping
3-a little more space and security of our stuff when we are moving around (I was also considering a Decked Drawer system and then the cap)
So since I’ve never had a cap before, what are some pros and cons from you guys that have used them?
I’ve been on the fence about a cap for my Platinum when it arrives. I’m not a huge fan of them, but I’m looking at the utility of them.
We are a mil family so we move a lot, 3 times since 2019 and moving again in ‘23. I was considering one for the following reasons:
1-we have 2 dogs, one a giant horse dog Newfoundland and my English bulldog. I thought it would work well as a place to put the dogs when we travel while being able to open the window and keep it cool back there for them or even a fan for them since it will have the onboard power. Up front doesn’t work because we have one in a car seat and one in a booster
2-the Evo has a camp kitchen module that has a full pull out kitchen that is pretty cool to be able to use when camping
3-a little more space and security of our stuff when we are moving around (I was also considering a Decked Drawer system and then the cap)
So since I’ve never had a cap before, what are some pros and cons from you guys that have used them?
I plan to get a cap for my 8' bed Supercab, and have one on my 2007 8' bed regular cab.
(This is more about caps in general rather than just the Evo cap.)
They make life a lot easier when you need to load stuff up in it. Since I have an 8 foot bed, I also routinely sleep inside of it.
I chose to get a mid-rise fiberglass cap (Leer 180CC) on my 2007. I got the commercial version to get the heavy duty roof rack, since I routinely add 150-250 lbs of canoes to the top.
Most standard fiberglass caps are limited to a 150 lbs load on the roof rack. This isn't a limitation with the bar, but instead just the fiberglass cap itself. Leer commercial versions don't advertise a weight limit, but they suggested 300 lbs to me, and I've seen 400 lbs elsewhere. ARE HD caps have an internal aluminum skeleton made from 80/20 or Misumi-style aluminum extrusions that bring the rating up to 550 lbs. (The HD series caps are very popular for rooftop tents.)
Caps are much harder to remove than a tonneau, but you will have to remove it much less since most loads fit under the cap. If you have access to a garage, it is much easier. Just look up "jeep hardtop hoist" for a dozen different hoist ideas. The fiberglass caps can weigh anywhere from 130-250 lbs depending upon build.
They come in several different height options. Most brands offer a standard, mid-rise, and high-rise. Standard height caps are the same height as the cabin, and are about 23" tall outside. Mid-rise are generally 3-4" above the cabin roof height. High rise are usually 7-9" above the roof line. Roof racks (optional) usually protrude about 4-6" higher than the cap itself.
Your bed rails are about 21.4" high, and generally you can expect the inside of the cap to be about 1" lower than the outside. So a standard height fiberglass cap will give you on the order of 42.5" internal height. Door height is usually 4" or so less than overall outside height, so your door to tailgate opening might only be 38.5" or so for a standard height cap. Taller caps usually have taller rear doors. Side windoors are also an option to improve access.
The most popular fiberglass cap brands are Leer and ARE, and they are generally more expensive than the smaller brands. I would definitely consider either one. Century and Snugtop are part of the same corporate group as Leer, and have comparable products. ARE is probably my first choice, but Leer is also high on my list.
Ranch, ATC, and Jason are all a part of LTA Manufacturing and are all exactly the same. No experience with these, but I'm eyeballing them too.
As for aluminum caps, these are mainly reserved for commercial use. They are quite stout, but can dent (visual defect only) pretty easily and tend to make more noise. They are usually lighter, but also less aerodynamic.
There are a couple companies (EVO being one of them) making recreational style aluminum caps, but I don't have much information.
Basically, you have hundreds of options, and I recommend taking the time to browse through a lot to find what you like. A well made cap will last as long as the truck, 15 years or more.
Last edited by Steel City 07; Feb 13, 2022 at 07:30 PM.
I was just starting my research into them, weighing all the differences between the fiberglass and the stainless steel of the Smartcap. Also comparing pricing between them and easy of taking it on and off
Luckily I still have a while to research since I just received my VIN last week
Originally Posted by Steel City 07
I plan to get a cap for my 8' bed Supercab, and have one on my 2007 8' bed regular cab.
(This is more about caps in general rather than just the Evo cap.)
They make life a lot easier when you need to load stuff up in it. Since I have an 8 foot bed, I also routinely sleep inside of it.
I chose to get a mid-rise fiberglass cap (Leer 180CC) on my 2007. I got the commercial version to get the heavy duty roof rack, since I routinely add 150-250 lbs of canoes to the top.
Most standard fiberglass caps are limited to a 150 lbs load on the roof rack. This isn't a limitation with the bar, but instead just the fiberglass cap itself. Leer commercial versions don't advertise a weight limit, but they suggested 300 lbs to me, and I've seen 400 lbs elsewhere. ARE HD caps have an internal aluminum skeleton made from 80/20 or Misumi-style aluminum extrusions that bring the rating up to 550 lbs. (The HD series caps are very popular for rooftop tents.)
Caps are much harder to remove than a tonneau, but you will have to remove it much less since most loads fit under the cap. If you have access to a garage, it is much easier. Just look up "jeep hardtop hoist" for a dozen different hoist ideas. The fiberglass caps can weigh anywhere from 130-250 lbs depending upon build.
They come in several different height options. Most brands offer a standard, mid-rise, and high-rise. Standard height caps are the same height as the cabin, and are about 23" tall outside. Mid-rise are generally 3-4" above the cabin roof height. High rise are usually 7-9" above the roof line. Roof racks (optional) usually protrude about 4-6" higher than the cap itself.
Your bed rails are about 21.4" high, and generally you can expect the inside of the cap to be about 1" lower than the outside. So a standard height fiberglass cap will give you on the order of 42.5" internal height. Door height is usually 4" or so less than overall outside height, so your door to tailgate opening might only be 38.5" or so for a standard height cap. Taller caps usually have taller rear doors. Side windoors are also an option to improve access.
The most popular fiberglass cap brands are Leer and ARE, and they are generally more expensive than the smaller brands. I would definitely consider either one. Century and Snugtop are part of the same corporate group as Leer, and have comparable products. ARE is probably my first choice, but Leer is also high on my list.
Ranch, ATC, and Jason are all a part of LTA Manufacturing and are all exactly the same. No experience with these, but I'm eyeballing them too.
As for aluminum caps, these are mainly reserved for commercial use. They are quite stout, but can dent (visual defect only) pretty easily and tend to make more noise. They are usually lighter, but also less aerodynamic. There are s couple companies making recreational style aluminum caps, but I don't have much information.
Basically, you have hundreds of options, and I recommend taking the time to browse through a lot to find what you like. A well made cap will last as long as the truck, 15 years or more.
I think if I had the 5.5' bed, and in your situation, my first choice would be the ARE CX HD. It is cab-height, and is a very popular cap for overland campers. Easily holds a rooftop tent, and the internal extrusions make installing accessories super easy.
That said, it is definitely among the more expensive caps, but it would probably outlast the truck even with a good amount of abuse.
I really want the MX HD (same cap with 4" rise) but unfortunately the 8' bed is the last on their list of caps to design.
Just throwing my 2 little pennies in the mix. Since you’re already on the fence about a topper. Make sure you settle on one that’s not only top quality but looks good. The Evo is going to give your truck an overlander look. While ARE and Leer have cap styles that can almost make the truck look like an SUV. Just depends if you want a overland look or a street truck look. Aluminum toppers (not Evo) and higher than cab height toppers in my opinion look like commercial trucks.
As for the pull out drawers, I wouldn’t do it. It’ll take away a considerable amount of head room for your doggos. Plus the tops of those drawer systems are usually slippery for a k9. Speaking of slippery, I’d highly recommend a bed rug as well for the dogs.
Just throwing my 2 little pennies in the mix. Since you’re already on the fence about a topper. Make sure you settle on one that’s not only top quality but looks good. The Evo is going to give your truck an overlander look. While ARE and Leer have cap styles that can almost make the truck look like an SUV. Just depends if you want a overland look or a street truck look. Aluminum toppers (not Evo) and higher than cab height toppers in my opinion look like commercial trucks.
As for the pull out drawers, I wouldn’t do it. It’ll take away a considerable amount of head room for your doggos. Plus the tops of those drawer systems are usually slippery for a k9. Speaking of slippery, I’d highly recommend a bed rug as well for the dogs.
Good idea about the bed rug. My bulldog travels in his kennel and on his bed normally (he’s still a pup) but the horse dog we just normally have her out and she makes a bed of some blankets.
My thought for the drawers is that it’s a bit more organized for carrying all my gear and such for training/classes and what not without cluttering up the backseat or having to load up one of my big heavy dry boxes. But like you said the decked system does take up quite a bit of room limiting the space in the bed
Good idea about the bed rug. My bulldog travels in his kennel and on his bed normally (he’s still a pup) but the horse dog we just normally have her out and she makes a bed of some blankets.
My thought for the drawers is that it’s a bit more organized for carrying all my gear and such for training/classes and what not without cluttering up the backseat or having to load up one of my big heavy dry boxes. But like you said the decked system does take up quite a bit of room limiting the space in the bed
My dad has a ARE cap and drawer system on his Ram 2500 and the drawers are really nice especially for him after having knee replacement surgery. The drawer system he has is super high quality and if you put a rug or mat on the deck of it for the dogs it would probably work nicely for you. I must say it is nice pulling the drawers out to grab stuff than climbing inside it just depends on your needs for the truck. For my Dad the drawer system is a godsend. For me I need that bed depth for hauling materials and equipment
crawl down the Youtube rabbit hole to see drawer options. The "simplest" one I saw was just a sheet of MDF on carpeting.
As to the Cap, the only reason my Ram 2500 never got a cap was because I had a 5th wheel camper. I had a cap on my 2003 and another one is going back onto the 2020 F150. Yes, I plan to overland in it too.d
We've got 3 dogs (2 labs and a little yappie thing) and they love riding/staying in the back with the Cap. Our 2016 XLT/Crew/5.5 has a SnugTop Rebel on it, which is a standard size, color matched and make it look like it's part of the truck (ie SUV style). https://www.snugtop.com/product/rebel. It's got a Rack, headliner, Pet Screens (reinforced screens on the windows) etc that come with it. Also got a bed rug (
Bed Caps
