Bestop Supertop Camper Cover - Camper on the Go
| What we liked most was that the Supertop folds out of the way in seconds for full bed access-which can't be done with traditional pickup truck caps. It's also weather-resistant. Pricing depends on the application; however, we found Supertops starting as low as $550 from JC Whitney.
One of the first things many truck owners realize is that they instantly have new friends, especially when people need help moving, either from one house to another or after buying that large plasma TV. The next thing they realize is how quickly all that previous cargo room they once had in the bed of the truck fills up.
This trend may start out innocently enough by just adding a toolbox, then a gooseneck or fifth-wheel, but when truck owners convince themselves they need a fiberglass bed lid or camper shell, things quickly spiral out of control. It's at this point that our trucks become no longer useful at hauling anything of any substantial size.
Versatility is a very important aspect of buying a truck, and there are many new products on the market that have taken this under consideration. There are toolboxes with quick-release systems and fifth-wheel hitches that can be removed or installed in minutes. Now Bestop is providing another practical alternative for those who like the look and convenience of a standard cab-high camper shell but don't like the hassles that go along with it.
We decided to test-fit a canvas Supertop on a 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 and discovered that under the right conditions, this rugged, lightweight camper can be installed in about two hours with common hand tools. Letting the top heat up in the sun and not being in too much of a hurry will help the process along. Many of the wrinkles in the canvas caused by the shipping container will disappear once the top material has been allowed to unfold naturally to its frame.
The instructions were very detailed, and we suggest that you do a thorough inventory check before you get started installing the Bestop camper. After the top had been allowed to expand in the sun, the tailgate brackets and rear and side rails were installed first. The camper's rails were then clamped on the bedrails of the truck, which ultimately makes removal of the shell as simple as possible. The canvas top then snapped onto the camper's bows and slid into the channel of the rails. A piece of adhesive J-hook strip held the top in place near the cab. The windows/side panels were then slid into a J-hook strip that was sewn into the top itself and slipped into the channel on the lower rail. Note that the adhesive J-hook strip that holds the front of the top (closest to the cab) takes 72 hours to fully cure, and if you don't allow this time for curing, the top could come loose due to road vibration and wind.
If your truck is outfitted with an in-bed toolbox like ours was, there may not be enough room to tighten down the clamps toward the cab. There was a work-around though, using small, store-bought C-clamps. While this overview was simplified, the installation process was straightforward and was better achieved using two people with lots of patience.
In the end, what we got was a camper-on-the-go that offered plenty of weather-resistant storage space, perfect for camping, biking or weekend vacations. What was especially nice was the fact that it folded up against the truck's cab when it wasn't in use and then easily extended to its full length when we needed it. It doesn't get any more versatile than that!
