Pull back truck toppers : Reviews?

[setterguy]

I saw some "pull back" truck toppers in the back of an outdoor magazine and was wondering if anyone has any feedback on them. They run on a track on the truck rails, and are made of a canvas like material. I have always wanted a topper, but like the flexibility of being able to load the atv in the truck also. They look pretty slick, if they hold up.

[Whopper Stopper]

I know the tracks get screwed up from the snow making sliding it open hard on some models. For that reason I went with a lid at the time and gee........everything was always to tall to shut it.

[Dave]

I've been running an Access Roll Up cover for about 4 years and haven't had any problems with it. I highly recommend it. Do a search on the internet and you should be able to find it.

[setterguy]

Sorry, I wasn't very clear in my post about what I'm referring to. These are actual full size truck toppers, that are made of canvas, so you can have a topper when you need one or fold it up when you don't. Thanks for the replies.

[iffwalleyes]

Access are the way to go.

Setter fire me a email I might have something you are interested it or not. But you won't know unless you e-mail me.

iffwalleyes at hotmail dot com.

[Moose-Hunter]

Hi setterguy...

From hard and soft toppers. Lids to tonneaus, I think I've had just about all of them. What I have found is that they ALL are some form of compromise.

Hard toppers, very convienient and secure, but still too short for loading your ATV. Big, bulky and heavy if you ever have to remove them. And then, where do you store it? Hard covers, sleek looks, good security and very weather tight. But, they have to be raised or removed for tall items. Same problems as the topper. Just on a "thinner" scale. Track and paneled model tonneaus, just due to design, these can be enviromentally challenged. Snow, mud... even bugs get into the tracks or between the panels and bind up the operation. Easy to use when they work, but a real pain when they don't.

A "soft" topper? Could this be the answer?

The new soft "toppers" look real interesting. The one I had a few years back suffered badly from flapping in the wind. Everything I tried, I just couldn't get the material tight enough. I saw one just recently that had actual adjusters to stretch the cover out, once you had it all set up. I'll see if I can find the info for you. I too would like to get a cover back on my truck, I trailer my ATV's so a hard topper is still an option for me. But I do like the versatility of the soft models.

Keep us posted and good luck on your project....

[iffwalleyes]

Access covers are just like what you mentioned moose. They roll up and buckle down so they don't flap. They have a tension adjustment on the front and then in addition they have a set of slides of the back that work as wind latches. Because on a really windy day like we get out here in ND you need that. Access covers are very popular out here the were orignally made in Jamestown I think that they still are but I could be wrong. I have had one for 3 years know and acctually just came about owning another. I am getting a different truck and it has one on it already. I have a buddy that has a truxedo cover and it is nice as well about the same for the way they are constructed. Both are easy to adjust and work great in the summer and winter.

[arbuck]

iffwalleyes, I beleive what moose and setterguy are talking about is a cab hight soft topper not a box hight tonneau cover like the Access.

I have only seen one of these units on a truck and it looked pretty impressive but I didn't get a good chance to look at it up close or talk to the owner about it.

I too would like to hear a review of one of these. Like Moose I have owned just about every style of box cover out there truxedo, access, hard tonneau, glass topper, aluminum topper and the all have there strong points and weaknesses. I would think that if a company could make a soft topper that wouldn't flap in the wind and did even an average job of keeping the elements out that would be the ticket!!!

Do you remember the brand name of the units you saw in the magazine? I would like to check into these also.

Thanks

arbuck

[Dave]

I think it'd be tough making a quality cab high soft cover. The air flow going over the cab basically pushes down on the box soft covers and would be pushing against a higher soft cover. I haven't really seen any soft cab height covers here in MN. I'm interested in what ya find.

[marine_man]

I think the biggest drawback to getting / using one of these would be the security of your gear that's inside... at least with a hardside topper you can lock it...