Softopper Guidance (Pros and cons)

Anyone running a Softopper or Bestop and can offer any guidance on things they like and dislike. Also please add photos and other brands if possible.

 

I’ve had a tan Softopper on my 2003 since 2018. Just a heads up, Bestop doesn’t offer anything for 1st gen tundras, so Softopper is your only option. I absolutely love it, I will have a Softopper on any truck I own moving forward. Well built, looks great, and incredibly functional. I have a simple sleeping platform in the back and sleep back there on camping trips. My last trip was really windy, but didn’t notice it much when sleeping as the canvas is thick and didn’t flap in the wind. Overall it’s pretty much waterproof, if it’s raining heavily for a few days a little bit of water will drip in. I live in SoCal so I didn’t worry about applying the seam sealer that came with the Softopper, if you’re in a rainy region you could apply it and it would probably stop the small leaks I experienced. I also have a motorcycle and love being able to fold down the Softopper in a couple minutes and having the full functionality of my bed as needed. I’ve kept mine up pretty much full time and haven’t noticed any fading or sun damage.

The only cons I can think of are 1) security, and 2) visibility. If I have anything super valuable, I just store it in the cab or below my sleeping platform so it’s out of sight. The visibility is rough, you can only see directly behind you and not out the sides of the bed. I just installed some of those small round blind spot mirrors and adjust my side mirrors correctly and don’t have any issues.

Overall, I can’t recommend the Softopper enough. I absolutely love it and think it’s the best add on for any truck. Feel free to ask me any questions you have about them!

 

I second that post, so easy to fold or take off when you need to load and haul anything you cant get in with tailgate down.Well made and worth the money.

Pics of silver and grey combo. Never had any flapping going down the highway. Material is pretty stout.

 

I've always liked those, even though I've never owned one.
Really versatile ... and light !
I saw one once where the sides were rolled-up providing shade/ cover . . . looked like a safari rig.
That one looks cool on your truck, I dig it.

 

I always wondered about making my own soft topper, but making it "expandable" with some sort of flip-up "high top."



I will say that the hard side high-topper we've got now is nice when it's windy.

 

I am sold on one for the flexibility. Just trying to decide what color will look best on a silver truck.

 

Thanks! I really like the tan color, the vast majority of Softoppers I see on the road are black. Ya there’s straps sewn in so you can roll up the sides and back, I haven’t really used that function much but it’s definitely a cool look!

 

I vote for tan! It’s a little more bold but gives it a cool utilitarian look. Also, if you plan on camping back there it will be cooler in the heat.

 

I wish they came in Olive but I really would like a tan one.

 

Good idea, I’d probably go for an olive/army green color if available too.

 

The Tan one looks like butt on my color truck on their website. Black seems like it would hide mold/mildew/dirt.

Never had one of these, but they do look cool. I’d be concerned about the Vacuum Effect at high speed due to the flexible softness was one con I read about these on another review. Not sure if I could handle stuff flapping around messing up my Highway Mojo.

Any feedback on this?

 

Can't take em through a carwash. That's a deal breaker for me.

 

Thats a good mention. I avoid carwashes but so many use them.

I think tan would looks really nice on a black truck. Grey looks pretty cool too.

 

Luckily I haven’t had to deal with any mold on mine yet, but that might be a concern in a wetter climate than mine.

The Softopper doesn’t necessarily vacuum, but does push in on the sides and top a little on the highway. I was concerned about this at first too, but it’s surprisingly really thick canvas and the frame/snaps hold it securely in place. I have not had a snap or buckle come undone, and drive on CA highways at 85+. The frame supports the shape well!

 

That’s a good point. I either wash my own truck or take it through touchless car washes personally. My parents have had a couple wiper arms ripped off by the car wash brushes on their vehicles over the years, so I get nervous!

 

We have really good carwashes here where you drive onto the belt and it pulls your truck through. Not touchless. Touchless can only do so much. You have to touch a vehicle to get road scum off. So yeah, not great for the paint long term, but I like having clean cars and I'm too lazy to hand wash as often as I'd have to to keep them clean with Texas weather.

 

I was actually picturing the opposite effect; I was picturing the 80s convertible dome top effect. You know how those old verts look when the top goes round, reminds me of Tom and Jerry when Tom takes a lump on the head.

I'm also in CA and drive CA speeds so really good to hear.

 

That makes sense. I don’t live in an area that gets my truck too dirty, so my perspective is pretty skewed in terms of how dirty a vehicle can get!

 

Ya if anything I think the wind forces keep the canvas and frame all in place by pushing in. The Softopper is sealed in the front with heavy duty Velcro and sits between the cab and bed, so no air gets in the front. Doesn’t look like a hot air balloon!

 

I was kind of in the same boat here:
https://www.tundras.com/threads/camper-shells-topper-soft-or-hard-for-camping.65838/

I was originally leaning towards a soft top but the price was pretty high for what it was and what they offered IMO. Soft topper is local to me too. I ended finding a local topper dealer with a FGT topper he wanted gone ASAP. I think I paid $350 for it and it was complete with new struts, new locks and keys. It was pretty apparent that it was used by a construction or painting company as the inside had a lot of random paint all over. I shot the inside with bed liner and it’s been great. You don’t realize how handy they are till you have one.

As people mentioned in my other thread, if you use your bed a lot for tall objects, a hard top may not be your best option. I don’t have a way to easily remove nor store it but I do have another truck with a roll up tonneau cover so I’m covered either way. I also didn’t like that soft topper doesn’t really have a good warranty and they aren’t water tight.

 

IV been looking for a shell on OfferUp, Craigslist and fb marketplace. They are all sold or priced to high. I’m looking to spend about $800 if it’s color matched to my truck.

I found a softopper on offer up today for $400 in tan. Going to pick up Friday and give it a shot. Figured I can always resell it.

 

Your truck looks awesome ! What lift and tire size are you running?

 

Thanks its coming along, as always more plans in the works, they never seem to be done lol. I went with radflo 2.5 non res. In the back went with Alcan pack with 1.5 lift, running Faulken wildpeak at load range c 285/70r/17. ride is firm but not hard.Plan is to add bedslide and rack over softtopper.

 

Thx, did you replace UCA?

 

Yes SPC uppers,New OEM lowers

 

As @Acatlin96 stated, the only real downside to these is the blindspot when looking back, and the fact that someone can easily peak/get into your bed. I've had two of these on my taco, both picked up in the $200-400 range, and can always be resold fairly easily. I'll eventually buy one for the tundra, just looking for a used gray one first.

 

Bringing back an old thread. Can anyone tell me if a softopper on a 2nd gen double cab tundra will fit the 1st gen double cab. Their website isn't very clear. I'm email them as well.