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Truck cap/camper shell reviews?

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    Truck cap/camper shell reviews?

    Want to get one for my truck, but the info on YouTube isn’t giving me much confidence. A.R.E. is supposedly the best but there are quite a few videos and comments about their quality and customer service. LEER is the same. Leaks, poor manufacturing quality, material deterioration. I ain’t spending $1500+ on a piece of crap, so I could use something me help on your real world experiences with whatever brand/model you have.

    I had a camper shell on a Ranger that never gave me much trouble. It didn’t have windows though. And the truck itself was a beater so if there were issues with the cap, like the fact that the front was wider than the back, it didn’t bug me.

    Given the likelihood that I’ll have issues with the product I will probably go with a mid-grade or basic model. Issues with a $1500 cap are a lot less anger inducing than the same issues on a $3000 one.

    #2
    I owned a Leer and currently have a Jason. They leak between the camper and the truck. Water can also get in around the tailgate. Some leakage isn't a problem if you pack accordingly. If I was really concerned I would lift the shell and put more foam tape under it. The quality was good on both of them. The leer was over 10 years old. The Jason is almost 3 years old.

    The options I like on a camper are tilt-down front window for easy cleaning and swing up side windows for easier access. The tilt up windows are great for when you want to get something by the cab when the bed is fully loaded.

    I also recommend a camper that has flat rear glass. That way you can fix it with plywood or plexiglass for emergencies. I had to pay $500 to replace a curved rear glass on my old Leer.

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      #3
      I got an ARE CX series last January - pretty much identical to the one shown in this link. Got the vented side windows that open along with the tilt down front window and carpeted headliner. No complaints so far - build quality is fine. Paint quality is good. Got it from Johnson GT over in Spring. They were great to work with and did everything they said they would.

      A.R.E. Truck Caps & Truck Accessories manufacturer of fiberglass pick-up truck caps, truck canopies, tops, toppers, truck toppers, camper shells, canopies, hard tonneau covers, work caps and truck accessories.

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        #4
        I have an ARE CX series as well. I also have the flip down front window, and vented side sliding windows. While I see the benefit of the swing up side windows my 2500 is too tall for me to utilize those much anyways.

        I'm really happy with my ARE. I have the factory mounted roof rails, and carpet headliner as well. I also highly recommend running an led light back there so you can see at night.

        While you cannot say these are 100% waterproof, I have noticed mine is more water tight/proof than when I initially got it. I can take my truck through a car wash and have less than an 1/8 cup of water in one spot when its all said and done. Often times in a rainstorm, which is much less forceful than a truck wash, I won't even see any water, especially if driving during the rain and not just siting in the rain.
        Last edited by smithb164; 08-21-2018, 10:33 AM.

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          #5
          I like the ARE brand. I’ve owned several for the past 15 years. Mainly put on company truck and when the company switched from GM to Ford or Ram I’d get a new one. Warranty has been great so far.

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