Pickup toad bed cover choice

[CaptainJerry]

I am planning to purchase a GMC Canyon as my new toad and use the bed as additional storage as I full time travel. I will also have a rack to carry my kayak.
My question of those who tow pickups is - What do you find is the best way to protect the contents of the cargo you carry in the bed?
I am considering either a fiberglass topper (or cap) or a semi-rigid cover that has several sections that flip back to expose the bed.

The plus of the topper is added volume and weatherproof. The minus is the visibility of what is in the bed to passersby to possible theft by breaking the windows. Another minus is the added weight.

The plus of the semi-rigid cover is no one can see what's there. The minus is you can only place items as high as the sides of the bed.

I plan to store things in bins and probably a bicycle in the bed.

I'm looking for real life experiences here as opposed to just speculation please. Anyone towing a pickup and storing cargo in the bed?

[vsheetz]

I would go for a Topper without windows or with obscured glass. Then a rack on top of the topper or exoskeleton rack for the kayaks. Lots of room for stuff this way. I had a bed cover once, seemed I often wanted to carry something that was just a couple inches too tall...

Only major downside of a topper is not being able to carry tall items. If not planning to move refrigerators around, not a big deal. (-:

[CaptainJerry]

Thanks for the reply Vince. Seems like you have thought it through well. I am still torn. I was leaning toward the "Bak Flip" product but am now wavering toward the topper. The topper sure is more convenient for access. I am still nimble enough that I can duck walk in there to the front of the bed.

I will just have to watch my weight with how much I throw in there.

[t55watson]

I have fiberglass cap and I also have a problem getting in the bed to retrieve stuff. I now pack in milk crates or plastic storage bins and keep a garden rake in there to pull bins out to the tailgate. Works for me.

[pops2]

If you get a Topper, you can get a bed roller that you can pull out much like they make for the basement in a M/H.

[Pigman1]

Our first pickup toad was a Colorado and I made a low cover for it. It was liftable from the rear and fairly easy to get at things in the bed, but, of course, I soon needed more room. Went with a super high fiberglass cap and figured I was set. Yeah sure, for a few years and I then found I AGAIN needed more room. We moved up to the Silverado and I went with the biggest, highest cap I could find. So far so good, but I just finished packing for Alaska and it's FULL. We put a 4' 17 cu ft freezer in there so we can bring down a lot of fish, A 20 hp outboard, all accessories for a 14' inflatable and a trailer to put it on, downriggers, shrimp pots, line, pot pullers, and about a dozen fishing poles, reels and every known goody for fishing. Anyway, you get the idea. GO BIG. You'll fill it up and want more room so avoid the recriminations and get a jump on it. Then enjoy.

Yeah, ours has darkened windows and locking latches but they won't deter a determined thief. I do lock the motor in but figure the thief won't bother trying to sort out what's valuable vs what's junk to him. No problems since 2002 so I'm not worried.

[Duoglide1]

I've had the Bak Flip on my 2010 F150 since new. I love mine as it keeps things out of sight and if needed I can fold it up against the cab for either tall items or loading rock etc with a bucket loader. They do seep a little rain at the four corners and also can't carry near the volume of stuff that a cab high topper could carry. YMMV


2005 Country Coach Inspire, C9 CAT

[CaptainJerry]

Thanks Duoglide. When visiting the topper dealer who also sells the Bak Flip they said it seals tight, but your experience says otherwise. I am leaning harder to the topper decision now with non see-through windows and a lock to get water tightness and additional capacity.