What Are Truck Caps?

Truck Caps are enclosed, hard-bodied, lockable units that you mount in or over your pickup truck’s bed. They typically have windows and a rear hatch, with individual models having features unique to them—and they usually give a pickup truck the stylish appearance of an SUV while maintaining the practicality associated with a truck bed.

There are several other names for this type of truck cover, including:

• Truck tops
• Pickup truck bed toppers
• Camper shells
• Truck canopies
• Box shells

No matter what you call this truck accessory, it’s the one that covers the large empty space in the back of your pickup truck.

How Are They Different from Tonneau Covers?

Tonneau covers, also called a box cover, truck bed cover, or a pickup bed cover—spans the bed to protect what’s inside. They can be hard or soft, and they can be retractable. When these covers are used, the pickup retains the styling of a truck (versus the SUV-like appearance a cap provides).

What Benefits Do Truck Caps Offer?

This durable, weatherproof canopy protects whatever you’re hauling in your truck’s bed from the elements while also protecting the truck bed itself. In addition, truck caps provide protection against theft of your cargo by enclosing what’s inside.

Plus, fiberglass truck canopies can be one of the best ways to finish off the customized look of your vehicle, providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The color of the shell can match the factory paint, creating a seamless look, and you can care for the outside of your truck canopy in the same way that you clean and protect the rest of your vehicle’s exterior.

As a bonus, if circumstances arise when you need to sleep overnight in your truck, a truck canopy can keep you safe and protected inside the cargo bed space.

What Brands Are Available?

We have a number of quality brands for sale, including Action and A.R.E. truck caps, with the latter company being the first to manufacture fiberglass ones. We also have commercial truck canopies from Spacekap with room for everything you need at the jobsite. Here is just a sampling of what we have available for you:

• Action options include Contour III, Contour IV, and Innovator III
• R.E. truck cap options are numerous, including the Classic Aluminum Series, MX Classic, and Z Series
• Spacekap options include Compak, Wild, and Diablo

Types of Truck Bed Toppers

As with just about any truck accessory, there are a range of styles at multiple price points to choose from. As you go through the options on our site, we’ll provide a quick overview of that topper, along with information about its installation method, overall type, style, mounting, locking, extras, and warranty.

For example, by looking at the A.R.E. Truck Cap, CX Evolve, you’d see the following information:

• Install: Clamp On
• Type: Hard
• Style: Camper Shell
• Mountain: Top of Bed Rail
• Locking: Keyed Lock
• Extras: Includes Paint, Side Windows, Front Window, Rear Door, Dark Grey Interior Headliner, 12V LED Dome Light
• Warranty: Limited Lifetime

In this model, the CX cap is paired up with a true innovation: the industry’s first tailgate-style rear door. To create a sleek and functional experience, the handle is OneMotion™.

Compare that to another A.R.E. model, the ToolMaster Series, and differences you’ll see are in the extras. This rugged model features toolboxes on both sides, heavy-duty doors, the commercial-grade Prime Design AluRack ladder rack and brake light, and painted aluminum insert in side and rear doors.

How to Choose the Right Truck Cap

What are your needs? Do you, for example, want to use the vehicle when going hunting, fishing, or camping? In each case, there are options that will work well for these uses. Do you want to haul cargo? There are rugged varieties that will provide the toughness and extra durability that you require.

No matter what you need, Action Car and Truck Accessories will help you find the right solution!

If you have questions about which model will best match your usage needs, our chat box option is available to you. You can also use our contact us option or call us, Monday through Saturday, during business hours at 1-855-560-2233.

Shop at Action Car and Truck Accessories

We’ve been providing customers with just the right truck accessories for more than 40 years, taking the guesswork out of the process. We offer the best truck caps and have numerous local dealers to help you find the best one for your lifestyle. Whether you need your truck canopy for recreation, work, or commercial use, we offer them all.