Cap or no Cap

[SKINSFAN]

I'm trying to get some help in making my mind up to get a truck cap or not. I want to give a different style to my truck and have some extra security when I need it but I don't want to give up that freedom of just having that open bed and the caps are pretty pricey. What do you think? Have you ever bought a cap and then regreted it? Do you love the one you have? Do you have or would you ever want one?

[Mark57]

I put mine on about a week after I bought my truck and never regretted it.

[Phaedrus49er]

Can't say I went that direction, but they do look good and offer decent security comparable to anything else lockable. I went with a bolt-mounted locking toolbox--where would the dog go if I got a cap?

[Alcoholiday]

i don't own a truck, but i personally always thought caps were pointless. My parents have had pickup trucks since i was little, and we've always used it to haul stuff back and forth. A lot of stuff can't fit in trucks if caps are on it.

Plus, i always figured if you wanted a cap, why not just buy an suv?

I like Phaedrus' idea.

[Egham]

I've had a couple of pickups, but have never added a cap since I often haul mulch.

My dad bought a cap for his first truck, but removed it after about a year so that he could haul bulk matter.

It all depends what you want to do with your truck.

[Terry Monk]

Ugh. I hate caps on trucks. If I ever hauled large items it would just get in the way.

[UConnJulie]

DH's old truck had a cap and there were many times that we wished it didn't (it was heavy and needed 4 guys to lift off the truck). Like when we were moving and wanted to put big bulky things in it or getting mulch or topsoil.

His new truck doesn't have one and it's been great. For those times when we want a covered bed, we got a tonneau cover which works great.

[chris_f]

wow... looks like I walked into the redneck thread

Just kidding. My dad has a cover like the on julie described, and it works great when you need coverage. I couldn't have moved my bed if he had a cap on it.

[GG300]

I had a cap on my first truck about 30 years ago and never had another one. I didn't like the look of them or the limiting factor when you wanted to haul something. I prefer just having the cover that I can roll up. It at least gives you some visibility and weather protection when you are traveling. It also stops me from throwing my empty coffee cups in the bed of my truck.

[laxcdn]

I would say look into folding tonneau covers.

[SKINSFAN]

Thanks All, you have helped in a No Cap answer, I think I will get a rollup cover though to reduce wind drag and maybe get an extra mile per gallon hopefully.

[Phaedrus49er]

Originally Posted by SKINSFAN

Thanks All, you have helped in a No Cap answer, I think I will get a rollup cover though to reduce wind drag and maybe get an extra mile per gallon hopefully.

I'm not sure of the effects a cap would have on gas mileage, but Mythbusters did show that a closed tailgate gets better mileage than an open tailgate (something about how the dead air bubble trapped by the tailgate acts as a buffer over which faster moving air travels--in theory, the bed should be getting some lift)

[SKINSFAN]

Originally Posted by Phaedrus49er

I'm not sure of the effects a cap would have on gas mileage, but Mythbusters did show that a closed tailgate gets better mileage than an open tailgate (something about how the dead air bubble trapped by the tailgate acts as a buffer over which faster moving air travels--in theory, the bed should be getting some lift)

Come to think of it, I have heard that once before, Thanks

[Mon]

My dad has a cap on his truck to put stuff in it. Could be for work, stuff for his own truck if something happens to it, straps to strap up things when he buys them to keep them from falling off the truck, etc.