Used to have a bed cover, sold it to get a cap. I am using the truck to tow an open trailer.

View the cap as "more" secure than nothing (but likely not as much as the "completely out of sight" nature of a bed cover), and double the storage space of the bed cover. Dark tint on the windows of the cap = good [;)]

Wouldn't go for open unless you're willing to accept that you have no truck storage (even for luggage) at all. Might be ok if you're towing an enclosed trailer, but otherwise...not so much.

Do keep in mind that the "more space" nature of a cap means you tend to load the truck with more stuff = more weight. Be sure you aren't overloading the rear springs of the truck while towing. I've been closer to it than I would have thought with just a loaded truck bed/cap and the open trailer with a heavy car on it (as checked on a CAT scale at a truck stop which will give you axle weights), and that's with a 3/4 ton truck. That weight would have easily been overloaded on a half-ton truck.

I use a tonneau cover, it works well, but for nationals, I'm carrying to much stuff so I need a cap. I have a 4 1/2 foot bed with a crew cab, so there just isn't the space for all the tires and stuff.

That's an interestesting cover.

Your tire size may play into your decision as well. I can stack mounted 285's plus 245's (Hoosier A6 and wet) under the roll top, but 285's stacked are too high. Unmounted is worse.

Howdy,

I no longer tow with a pickup, but... Cap. Bed covers suck. Not much room. If I were going to have to have a bed cover anyway, get one that gets outta the way easily, either by rolling up or lifting up on gas struts.

Mark

I'd hate to see that after an accident!

I have a shell and Bedslider (http://www.bedslide.com/) and *really* like the setup. I'll do it again on my next truck. The Bedslider easily holds two sets of wheels and all the gear I can wedge in there, and hasn't flinched even at full extension.

Mike

Caps in my opinion are a PITA -- tough to crawl around in, make the generally GOOD visibility of a pick-up BAD. With pull-out organizers they can be OK (still hard to see around). Plus anything but the metal ones with shankless padlocks are a break-in magnet.

I have an ARE fiberglass tilting locking bed cover (ya, had I KNOWN there was an app, woulda got the Roll N Lock so I access everything equally well from the top). Most of my tools are in home-made canvas roll-up pouches strapped to my tailgate. With my pouch setup and and two shoulder-slung toolbags, I can move and carry the tools wherever I need to, on foot, which was important to me. (2) 2x4's divide up the rest of the bed to keep gear somewhat organized and not slide around. Currently it's not loaded to the gills but there is definitely space left for an air tank and a couple big "tupperware" containers for more race/towing/travel gear... and I already have a buttload of tools, supplies, 2.5T jack, 20' jumpers, 5G gas can, and other stuff in there. Later when I get to my home computer I can post pics of everything if interested. F150 supercrew (with the "extra short bed").

On the flip side, American Van sells a number of trick (and EXPENSIVE) flat floor-mount toolboxes with long slide-out drawers. A fellow s. FL racer had one of those in his short-bed Chevy with a cap, and it worked pretty well for him. It's just a $$$ box with limited space inside the drawers, e.g., an impact wrench probably won't fit. There are also some law enforcement and hunting supplier that sell $$$ pull-out organizers for the back of trucks, you could look there if you still want a cap. The law enforcement ones are typically lockable and very robust.

Edit: However, if you add up the cost of a "secure" cap, truck, special cabinets/boxes... maybe you just want to consider a van already outfitted with shelves. A Sprinter allows everyone but Lebron to stand up inside, and a DRW/Blue Tec can pull ~ 5,000. Not cheap though.

Just a follow up

Here's what I wound up going with

[url]http://aaaworktrucks.com/[/url]

[url]http://www.agricover.com/index.php/products/category/C9/[/url]

[youtube:CclRKu-JX5Q]
[youtube:X7Q59UMq1Sc]

At the shop we just picked up a 2010 E-150 Cargo Van. It's BAD. For ~$25,000 out the DOOR (~$3,000 under MSRP, guess Ford is FINALLY hungry) we got a full outfit of trick steel cabinets and shelves (each with lots of hooks and slots), power locks/mirrors/windows/remote keyless, AC (of course), decent mirrors with a surprisingly useful convex portion, tilt/cruise (for the road trips), E-rated tires w/ full-size spare, external front-stack trans cooler, 7-pin trailer connector, 3.73 rear end, and Class III/IV bumper hitch. It has a 8520# GVWR and a 6000# MTW rating -- good enough for just about any typical open trailer/car combo and some gear.

A Sprinter would offer a little more headroom and a little better fuel economy, but I don't think that's worth the additional $15,000 Dodge-Fiat charges...

The van makes fumbling around with tools and gear in the bed of my F-150 feel like crawling into a shallow cave. If I didn't have to have a dating life, an E150 set up exactly like this would be the ultimate race weekend vehicle. Or at least second in line to a cabinet & LQ-equipped 52' Pace, but you get the idea.