Oh, the truck. That open payload in the rear gives you the freedom to haul everything from bricks to gravel to your convertible bed. But that open payload also leaves your gear and furniture exposed to the elements and the sticky fingers of parking lot bandits.
Many truck owners choose to install a caravan shell because they want to protect their stuff from the wrath of Mother Nature and useless thieves. However, this reduces the versatility of your pickups. You can’t exactly pack a full-size reproduction of the statue, Laocoön and his sons, into your payload when it’s sporting a trucker hat. There are clear pros and cons to RV covers, so consider these pros and cons before you make the investment.
advantages
Protection: Hands down, RV covers give you the most protection from bad weather and parking lot vikings. Because they are lined with an insulated seal, rainwater and sleet should not be able to infiltrate your truck bed. And, lockable latches on your access doors prevent all but the most determined thieves from stealing your valuables.
Best MPGs: RV covers improve the aerodynamics of your truck and can improve your fuel economy. You may not have known it, but your open payload is killing your MPG. When air flows over your cabin, it spills onto your bed, hits your tailgate, and creates drag. With a caravan shell in place, breezes of air flow smoothly across the roof instead of hitting the rear.
Cons
Less load capacity: Your truck bed is always limited by its length and width, but it’s also limited by height when you add a camper cover. Instead of having open skies overhead, there will be a fiberglass roof that will limit the load that can fit. Due to the bulky size of a shell, picking it up and removing it every time you have to move a sofa isn’t practical, especially in impromptu moving situations like tripping over a spare mattress in an alley. Of course, truck cap racks are available to give you more room on top.
extra weight: Don’t let the word “shell” fool you: Camper shells aren’t as delicate as an egg. These heavy-duty truck tops are constructed from layers of fiberglass and weigh about 100 pounds. That kind of extra weight on the rear of your vehicle puts extra pressure on your shock absorbers. Also, it can reduce fuel economy that comes from improved aerodynamics.
Choosing to buy a truck is no small thing. Be sure to weigh the pros and cons carefully before spending a lot of money on a shell.