No I haven’t quiet yet. To be honest I have just been using it like it is because it’s summer now.. but I will definitely address it within the next month or two. I’ll let you know how it goes because I have an idea what might be wrong..
I own a GFC, so commenting from that. Sealing the corners of the tacoma bed is a pain in the rear. You have got to seal under the plastic bed rails and that front header. In those front corners, that is the most difficult spot. Sika flex and RV putty will be your friend. After my 3rd time of attempting to seal it, I got ~ a 98% seal in those front corners and get minimal leakage. If you get down and shine a light, you will see the daylight coming through. For the windows leaking, that is surprising. In terms of the winter condensation/freezing, I use diesel heater in my GFC and it completely fixes the condensation/freezing inside along with the freezing material. I have camped in 20º weather and the tent inside was 65º F.
I have a leer 122, high rise. We do ovelanding and also some ruff off road trip. So ruff the i had to add more shell anchor. I use gorilla tape in the corners and it keep the rain out. Tape is black and i replace it once a year. The tacoma bed are indeed almost impossible to be rain tight, dixit. We are buying the topo messa. Next week, i will ask about the window leak. Will let you know
Very good editing and it is nice that you are honest about some of the current flaws. I expect with your engineering skills you will overcome them quickly. But still looks like a very nice product.
Thanks for the nice comment. I believe they have fixed one of the leaks I dealt with so props to them. And yeah overall it’s a great product! Have a great day
I was told (by the dealer) that its virtually impossible to seal up an Alu-Cab around the bed walls to prevent leaks. However, the window leaking in this case is unacceptable in my book.
Yeah no problem glad I could help. It’s an awesome product, just some small problem areas but with a little bit of work it seems like you can mitigate most of them.
Thanks for showing how the Badlander did in the wind. I can live with the noise. My friend has a AT habitat and worries about it collapsing In The wind. This doesn’t seem like it will do that.
To repeat Ahmed’s very pertinent observation. How can I open/close the camper from outside the bed? Any serious overland or long term use will fill that bed with gear. Using the bed as a working platform to operate the pop-up would not be feasible. Also, under the same environment the camper needs an outside/ladder entry, that enables access while keeping the truck tailgate closed. Looks like a well engineered product by smart people with no real world experience.
That’s a great question Jeff. I don’t have that much gear as I’m not doing a lot of over landing. Mainly just truck camping at/near trail heads for my hobbies I like to do. I think maybe in your case, maybe mounting an additional push handle on the corner more near the cab could possibly work. It would apply uneven pressure which may put stress on some components when opening/closing. It’d be interesting to see what people come up with since these are relatively new product/ideas. Another option would be to just get a wedge style topper like the “mesa” Topo toppers offer which would only require you to open one side from the rear. Just thoughts.
Hi Bud, Great videos. You are the only one putting up substantial videos on the Topo Topper. I am up for installation in March and in the geek out mode of gear getting. I appreciate the perspective in your videos and chat.
Thanks Ryan I’m glad these could be of some help. Im sure your ready for the install and time out on the trails/nature. And i agree its easy to geek out on this stuff haha and after awhile expensive. What kind of gear are you going to start with?
7:37 I pulled of the 3 bed plastic top rails and siliconed under all 3 and added butyl putty in those big gaps in the corner. My taco doesn’t leak under my LEER cap at all.
Awesome! Thanks for the tips. I’m definitely going to seal those air gaps like your saying as soon as possible. I’m pretty sure for my situation that’s the biggest problem area. Is that what you noticed?
@Bud Chap 👍ya. Water gets in between the plastic and metal along bed rails and drips everywhere. Nevermind the 2 big holes in the corners. Once I sealed all that up I'm 99% dry.
Hi just found your channel and subscribed. I am waiting on the delivery of my pop up topper, cant wait for the adventures it will bring. For now we use our Leer shell. Look forward to seeing more on your topper.
Welcome and thanks for the sub! Much appreciated. You guys have an idea of a lay out or you going to keep things simple. It’s pretty amazing how much or little you can do to these. Have fun on your adventures
Yeah it’s a great product, just a few adjustments and issues can be resolved. And I plan on leveling the truck eventually! Some upgraded coil overs and upper control arms most likely. Thanks for the comment!
good review. That answered some of my questions, I am older and want to camp into my retirement and I don't believe that all remote areas are safe. I wanted a pass through window because if people or animals present a danger I want to be able to pull the front down (guessing that would work from inside) and pass through to the cab and pull away, without having to get out of the truck. I realize that I couldn't drive fast with camper not secured down but I could leave
I have definitely thought about this situation before and having the sliding glass door on both the camper and your truck are a good idea.. I have driven at low speeds (10-20mph) with the camper still up and it was no problem. Glad this review helped out a bit. Cheers.
I think the tacoma bed corners are just hard to seal with any type of these campers dealing with the same issue on my topo mesa . I really like the in house side doors I can climb inside and reach anything
After reading a few of the comments and watching a few videos online it looks like your right.. still hoping I can seal it a bit better but it may just be what it is. I really like the look of the new doors, you scored! How are you liking the mesa? Probably pretty quick set up and break down.
Leaks from the side windows is a no go! I've owned a flippac and FWC. The flippac leaked and it sucked. The FWC was great but heavy for a Tacoma. This camper seemed promising but if it leaks at the windows that is unacceptable.
Thank you citizen park. Yeah I think the fan would have been a game changer. Maybe I’ll upgrade one day.. for now I just keep a window cracked for airflow, which doesn’t completely take away condensation but it helps out a little bit.
Thoughts on a solid ladder for going up to bed? My in laws are 70 and would love to travel on trails with us but don't like climbing into a cramped roof top tent. I wondered if getting a nice pop up topper would work.
@Bud Chap it doesn't mean that there isn't annoying noise. Yes, it is true that you can use music to overcome some other noise, but that is not the point . What of your partner wants a quiet snap while you are driving and there constant of metal scratching, clicking ringing or whatever... Just imagine that.
Thanks Bud. Great review! I live in the PacNW and am often skeptical about fair weather do it all campers. This one seems to check a lot of boxes. However, I'm wondering how this pop up fabric compares to 4 Wheel campers fabric. 4 Wheel has been doing it a long time, and their fabric seems to last a long time and do pretty well in most conditions. You mentioned that the Topo campers fabric is "so thin". Any comparative specs to the 4WC fabric? Thanks!
So I haven’t ever seen the 4wc fabric in person but to me it looks like the fabric that is used in pop up tent trailers.. which is much thicker and durable.. I’m not saying the fabric isn’t durable that Topo uses, it just is part of the way the company saves on cost/weight I would imagine.. if I were to get one living in the PNW I would definitely invest in getting the inside insulated with additional fabric.. at one point the company did offer that option but I don’t believe they do it anymore. Atleast when I asked they were no longer doing it. But I’m sure if you are somewhat handy, you could get the job done over a few days. I’m thinking of doing that as my next project but it will take a month or two to get that video out. Hope this helps!
I have yet to remove it.. it’s been on full time for over a year. I’ve seen products that help assist you remove it and put it back on. Hope this helps
Hey thanks for the comment. No I haven’t tried that. Would you recommend that tape? And yeah I got the L tracks up top which will allow me to put some roof racks up there.. haven’t decided if I want a basket style of just some Thule racks.
I typically will pull stuff out if that’s the case but as long as you can get in the camper you could easily push the remainder up from the rear of the camper. But if you can’t get in at all I would probably just open up the access door of the truck and push lightly from a corner on the exterior if that makes any sense.
Terrific walk around, Bud. I am continually amazed at how quickly the Badlander top goes up and comes down, which you illustrated nicely. I also have a long bed, double cab Tacoma. I have a different cargo door and also the Euro window. So far no leaks, nor in the corners. I noticed your suspension is raised. Did you do that before or after getting the topper? I ask because I find that my rear springs are almost flat and so am replacing the leaf pack and changing out my shocks for better performing equipment.
Hey Bill thanks for the comment! Did you end up going with Topo toppers cargo door? Good news about not having any leaks on your end! I just put in some Old Man Emu heavy duty leaf springs in the rear and some Old Man Emu rear shocks. Just like your experience I felt like the factory leaf pack was close to maxed out. The ride is a bit more firm with the new set up but once it’s loaded it rides pretty close to how stock originally was. Overall I’m content with the upgrade. Eventually I’ll do the front as well. Hope your enjoying your camper!
@@budchap They did not have their own cargo door, so I went with the one they offered. I wanted a door on one side to lean and get gear and then put the Euro window on the other side for camping convenience. I am going with an Icon spring pack and Bilstein shocks. They should handle the load without giving me more than an inch or two of lift.
Sounds like a good combo. I wish I would have went with a smaller lift but the heavy pack gives around 2.5 inches without the load so I figured I needed to change the shocks as well. Are you going to make a video of your new suspension when it’s complete? Would be interested to see the difference
When you open the side door, is there a netted screen that can pop in there to keep the mosquitos out? Being an older fat guy, be tough for me to get up into that bed. Would need a step stand to get up over the tailgate and into bed. I cant see paying 25-50K for a Four Wheeler pop up, so this is a lot more do able. Vagabond Outdoors makes a similar one 30 minutes from home, so will be looking at both. Thanks
Hey Angelo, there is no netted screen when I open up the cargo door.. they offer awning style windows that come with a screen if that’s what your looking for. But the screen is something I’ll have to add on my own.. which is on the list of things to do but probably won’t get done for a while. Yeah I also need a step, just for convenience.. and to help my aging knees out a bit haha. I’ll have to check out the vagabond outdoors campers, not familiar with them. Cheers
What about the rain on the fabric top? I do not see how rain will not come in as there is no flap over the lower connection of soft material to the pop up. Or just pool in the topper bed.
So there is a little bit of bleed through on the fabric too IF you experience a side rain but it has to be pretty substantial. But other than that I haven’t gotten any pooling on the bed portion where the fabric is. The only pooling has come from the cargo door at the sill. Still haven’t addressed that issue yet but I think I may know why it’s happening. Hope this helps
Maybre this has been covered....but when crawling inside your bed to do the final popping up of the camper....what if you back is loaded with gear? It would seem that this popping up should be designed to do from the outside like popping up the back. Did I miss something?
Yeah there isn’t an option of opening it up from the exterior that they offer, that I know of. But u understand what your saying about having a fully loaded bed. I know I’ve opening mine from the exterior before without having to crawl into the bed. I just open my rear passenger door, stand above the rocker panel and push up on the corner of the camper exterior. Easier from inside but possible. Hope this helps
What kind of rear suspension upgrade was needed or what have you done? With the leaking issues…..is that something that can be addressed during the installation process? Does the bed-liner have to be removed?
I’ve upgraded my leaf springs to OME heavy duty springs and upgraded rear shocks for the added weight. I leave the shell/camper on full time so I have 400+ pounds constant. I plan on doing the front coil overs and UCA here soon. As far as the leaks go, I haven’t addressed the issue yet.. currently working on insulation. It seems after talking to people that one of the issues is the actual truck bed. I guess tacomas are notorious for leaking so some will remove the bed liner to address that issue.. I’m going to attempt to caulk any voids I see at the level where the camper meets the bed railing at the corners near the cab.. I’ll make sure to do a video and let you know how that comes out and whether or not it solves anything. I’m sure you could ask TopoToppers if they’d be willing to attempt to seal at those points during install. They are really good at communicating and working with the buyer. Hope this helps
Hey Jim, so at the time the mesa wasnt offered by Topo toppers, just the badlander. Mesa seems like a smoother setup up but I really enjoy all of the space on the inside when the bed is removed. When the bed is in place there is still room for standing.. I would say roughly two feet between the end of the bed and the end of the camper near the tailgate. Cheers
So im not sure how well they seal but I would probably go with and aluminum commercial truck cap by ARE or similar manufacturer. I think it would be a good template and relatively easy to insulate and customize the interior. That’s if it’s just me though. And im also not dissatisfied with the topper I have. I just think you can go with something cheaper and still get the job done. Even a normal camper shell with a good interior build would be a solid option
So I don’t overpack my bed with gear so I just use the void space between the tailgate area and where the bed panels stop.. I think it’s fought two feet of space that I have to pop up into.. but it would be difficult if you had a bunch of gear in the bed of your truck. Hope this helps
I would be comfortable putting it on a 4cyl truck.. it weighs around 150lbs more than a typical camper shell so I don’t see it being a big deal. But I’m also not a mechanic. And it comes for 5ft beds as well.. thanks for watching
How long have you had it? I got mine in November and they sealed the front of the bed differently. That is one of the things I like about them. When they get feedback with things like leaking, they make changes.
@@budchap they sealed it with some kind of tape, on the outside corner of the bed. Basically blocking water from getting into the open side of the seal between the topper and the bed. It has been working, but I question the longevity of it. I might hit it with some silicone.
@@takenpictures awesome thanks for the reply. Using silicon is a good idea, I might have to do that soon and see how it holds up with whatever rain we might get for the rest of the winter. How are you liking the topper overall
@@budchap I've been loving it. I've taken it out 3 times and have spent around 8 nights in it. I really need to insulate it. Not a fan of the condensation building up on the ceiling and either freezing or raining on me 😂. I'm going to do the walls with foam board and cover it with carpet, then some thin foam and carpet on the ceiling. My only regret is not getting one sooner.
Haha yeah the rain down in the morning can be fun. I think insulating and a diesel heater will make it that much more enjoyable. I’ve never insulated before but I’m going to give it a go as well. And then I’m trying to figure out how to insulate the actual tent material because at one time I know they offered that option.. it’s definitely a fun ongoing project to have. Well enjoy and maybe I’ll see you out on the road or trail!
It’s a company named Topo toppers. You place an order on their website. If you goggle the name you can find it. And the base price used to be 8500 but not sure how much they run for now.
This topper isn’t insulated.. in the past they offered added insulation for the tent portion (the pop up) but the aluminum is single walled with no insulation. Currently working on a video right now of an insulation install. Hopefully will be out in a week or so.
Right now I just have the rear done with OME heavy duty springs for the added weight of camper and gear. And I also have the rear ome nitrocharger shocks. Plan on doing the front coil overs and upper control arms here soon to level it out
@@budchap I like how you gave a honest assessment of the camper. I dont like peoples reviews stating what they are reviewing is the best thing on the planet. Looks like a great camper sith some mods to stop the water leaks.
Well maybe that’s where the leak is coming from but when I’ve looked on the interior it looks like it’s from where the truck and camper meet but I could definitely be wrong. Where does the leak in the truck bed occur
For sure at the windows. And at the corners of the truck bed.. but after reading some comments it sounds like they have changed how they seal the camper which is nice to hear
Hey thanks for the advice! I’m planning on trying the “no music” style for my next video.. just waiting for to be healed from an injury and it’ll be posted shortly after. Interested to see how it goes with no music. Take care
Finally someone who talks about the cons that these campers have. Thanks🙂
There will definitely be cons no matter what route you go with camping haha
I was going to say the same thing. I appreciate the honesty about the leaks and wind noise.
Thanks for the comment Ryan. Glad I could help
Have you address the leaking issue with Topo? and if so how did they respond?
No I haven’t quiet yet. To be honest I have just been using it like it is because it’s summer now.. but I will definitely address it within the next month or two. I’ll let you know how it goes because I have an idea what might be wrong..
Really informative, especially about how the camper handles different weather conditions
Thanks for the comment zachary. Looking forward to making more vids as the build continues.
I own a GFC, so commenting from that.
Sealing the corners of the tacoma bed is a pain in the rear. You have got to seal under the plastic bed rails and that front header. In those front corners, that is the most difficult spot. Sika flex and RV putty will be your friend. After my 3rd time of attempting to seal it, I got ~ a 98% seal in those front corners and get minimal leakage. If you get down and shine a light, you will see the daylight coming through.
For the windows leaking, that is surprising.
In terms of the winter condensation/freezing, I use diesel heater in my GFC and it completely fixes the condensation/freezing inside along with the freezing material. I have camped in 20º weather and the tent inside was 65º F.
I have a leer 122, high rise.
We do ovelanding and also some ruff off road trip.
So ruff the i had to add more shell anchor.
I use gorilla tape in the corners and it keep the rain out.
Tape is black and i replace it once a year.
The tacoma bed are indeed almost impossible to be rain tight, dixit.
We are buying the topo messa. Next week, i will ask about the window leak.
Will let you know
My guy, I appreciate you and this review; thanks for telling it like it is.
Hey no problem! Glad it could help
For the price I think I'm sold on this. Great Video.
Thanks for checking in! Yeah it’s a good inbetween from camper shell to full blow cab over camper
Very good editing and it is nice that you are honest about some of the current flaws. I expect with your engineering skills you will overcome them quickly. But still looks like a very nice product.
Thanks for the nice comment. I believe they have fixed one of the leaks I dealt with so props to them. And yeah overall it’s a great product! Have a great day
I tried caulking the corners where the leaks occur.. still no luck!
Best camper review I think I’ve seen. Honestly I’m sold on this camper. The couple issue seem minor. Nice job!
Thanks Jon I appreciate the positive feedback. Yeah it’s a cool product they have going on. And when not camping it’s a great camper shell.
Thanks for the honest review. i think I will try and save up for a alu cap then a tent down the road
You are best than common ability man.
Thanks for the heads up on the leaks and the noise!
Outstanding showing! Thanks and enjoy your adventures!
Thanks for the kind comment. I’ll hopefully be posting trips here on UA-cam!
I greatly appreciate your honesty.
Thanks Eric. Hope it helped out a bit
Great work. Appreciate the well rounded review. 👍
Thank you for watching. Appreciate the kind comment
Appreciate the honesty in regards to the cons
Of course! Hopefully it helps out a bit. Cheers
that a really nice lightweight camper for an off road truck. very nice.
Yeah super off road capable.. and don’t really notice it when driving around town
I was told (by the dealer) that its virtually impossible to seal up an Alu-Cab around the bed walls to prevent leaks. However, the window leaking in this case is unacceptable in my book.
Have you had any luck with minimizing leaks? And yeah I’m bummed on the leaks but not the end of the world. Thanks for the comment
@@budchap I take delivery in May but I plan to go over the bed thoroughly in hopes of sealing up any daylight.
Thanks for this review!
Thanks for the honesty, appreciated 😁👍
Yeah no problem glad I could help. It’s an awesome product, just some small problem areas but with a little bit of work it seems like you can mitigate most of them.
Thanks for showing how the Badlander did in the wind. I can live with the noise. My friend has a AT habitat and worries about it collapsing In The wind. This doesn’t seem like it will do that.
Yikes, this is a great vid and definitely helped me lean towards the Tune M1. Thank you!
Truck looks great. Thanks for sharing the honest review. Looking fwd to seeing it in use.
Thanks Mike! Going to attempt to insulate it next week and hopefully do some snow camping to see how it holds up.
Thank you for the video. I'm just looking into getting a camper, not ready to do it just yet, so I appreciate the info.
Yeah of course glad I could be of some help. Are you thinking of getting a camper shell?
@@budchap I'm just looking at options at this point. Thanks for your response.
To repeat Ahmed’s very pertinent observation.
How can I open/close the camper from outside the bed?
Any serious overland or long term use will fill that bed with gear. Using the bed as a working platform to operate the pop-up would not be feasible. Also, under the same environment the camper needs an outside/ladder entry, that enables access while keeping the truck tailgate closed.
Looks like a well engineered product by smart people with no real world experience.
That’s a great question Jeff. I don’t have that much gear as I’m not doing a lot of over landing. Mainly just truck camping at/near trail heads for my hobbies I like to do. I think maybe in your case, maybe mounting an additional push handle on the corner more near the cab could possibly work. It would apply uneven pressure which may put stress on some components when opening/closing. It’d be interesting to see what people come up with since these are relatively new product/ideas.
Another option would be to just get a wedge style topper like the “mesa” Topo toppers offer which would only require you to open one side from the rear. Just thoughts.
Hi Bud, Great videos. You are the only one putting up substantial videos on the Topo Topper. I am up for installation in March and in the geek out mode of gear getting. I appreciate the perspective in your videos and chat.
Thanks Ryan I’m glad these could be of some help. Im sure your ready for the install and time out on the trails/nature. And i agree its easy to geek out on this stuff haha and after awhile expensive. What kind of gear are you going to start with?
7:37 I pulled of the 3 bed plastic top rails and siliconed under all 3 and added butyl putty in those big gaps in the corner. My taco doesn’t leak under my LEER cap at all.
Awesome! Thanks for the tips. I’m definitely going to seal those air gaps like your saying as soon as possible. I’m pretty sure for my situation that’s the biggest problem area. Is that what you noticed?
@Bud Chap 👍ya. Water gets in between the plastic and metal along bed rails and drips everywhere. Nevermind the 2 big holes in the corners. Once I sealed all that up I'm 99% dry.
Great set up. thanks for sharing.
Hey James, thanks for the support!
Hi just found your channel and subscribed. I am waiting on the delivery of my pop up topper, cant wait for the adventures it will bring. For now we use our Leer shell. Look forward to seeing more on your topper.
Welcome and thanks for the sub! Much appreciated. You guys have an idea of a lay out or you going to keep things simple. It’s pretty amazing how much or little you can do to these. Have fun on your adventures
Great review! Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Nice! Great video!
Thank you! I appreciate the comment and view
thanks for the warning about this product nice looking truck you should level it.
Yeah it’s a great product, just a few adjustments and issues can be resolved. And I plan on leveling the truck eventually! Some upgraded coil overs and upper control arms most likely. Thanks for the comment!
Great video!
Thanks Sam I appreciate the comment and support!🙏🏾
good review. That answered some of my questions, I am older and want to camp into my retirement and I don't believe that all remote areas are safe. I wanted a pass through window because if people or animals present a danger I want to be able to pull the front down (guessing that would work from inside) and pass through to the cab and pull away, without having to get out of the truck. I realize that I couldn't drive fast with camper not secured down but I could leave
I have definitely thought about this situation before and having the sliding glass door on both the camper and your truck are a good idea.. I have driven at low speeds (10-20mph) with the camper still up and it was no problem. Glad this review helped out a bit. Cheers.
I think the tacoma bed corners are just hard to seal with any type of these campers dealing with the same issue on my topo mesa . I really like the in house side doors I can climb inside and reach anything
After reading a few of the comments and watching a few videos online it looks like your right.. still hoping I can seal it a bit better but it may just be what it is. I really like the look of the new doors, you scored! How are you liking the mesa? Probably pretty quick set up and break down.
If interested I made a video of the interior build that I started a few months back. Pt.2 of the build coming soon
Seems like there are better options out there, until it is improved, but I like the overall concept!
It’s a great product. Some issues being resolved by the company which has been very helpful along with way.
Leaks from the side windows is a no go! I've owned a flippac and FWC. The flippac leaked and it sucked. The FWC was great but heavy for a Tacoma. This camper seemed promising but if it leaks at the windows that is unacceptable.
Good job bud(day)… honest review. Think the fan woulda helped with condensation?
Thank you citizen park. Yeah I think the fan would have been a game changer. Maybe I’ll upgrade one day.. for now I just keep a window cracked for airflow, which doesn’t completely take away condensation but it helps out a little bit.
Thoughts on a solid ladder for going up to bed? My in laws are 70 and would love to travel on trails with us but don't like climbing into a cramped roof top tent. I wondered if getting a nice pop up topper would work.
Those 4 carabiner hanging loose will cause a lot of funny noise when you're driving. Wish they could have come up with a better design.
I haven’t noticed much but I also listen to my music pretty loud.
@Bud Chap it doesn't mean that there isn't annoying noise. Yes, it is true that you can use music to overcome some other noise, but that is not the point . What of your partner wants a quiet snap while you are driving and there constant of metal scratching, clicking ringing or whatever...
Just imagine that.
Good point. Might be a better option to secure the latches down during driving, just haven’t thought about it to much. Thanks for the input
Nice Taco, I have one just like it! What size tires you running?
Thanks Bud. Great review! I live in the PacNW and am often skeptical about fair weather do it all campers. This one seems to check a lot of boxes. However, I'm wondering how this pop up fabric compares to 4 Wheel campers fabric. 4 Wheel has been doing it a long time, and their fabric seems to last a long time and do pretty well in most conditions. You mentioned that the Topo campers fabric is "so thin". Any comparative specs to the 4WC fabric? Thanks!
So I haven’t ever seen the 4wc fabric in person but to me it looks like the fabric that is used in pop up tent trailers.. which is much thicker and durable.. I’m not saying the fabric isn’t durable that Topo uses, it just is part of the way the company saves on cost/weight I would imagine.. if I were to get one living in the PNW I would definitely invest in getting the inside insulated with additional fabric.. at one point the company did offer that option but I don’t believe they do it anymore. Atleast when I asked they were no longer doing it. But I’m sure if you are somewhat handy, you could get the job done over a few days. I’m thinking of doing that as my next project but it will take a month or two to get that video out. Hope this helps!
PNW here too; did you end up making a choice?
Freddie Mercury called and he wants his mustache back 😂
Haha currently growing it back
How difficult to install and remove? Excellent video BTW.
I have yet to remove it.. it’s been on full time for over a year. I’ve seen products that help assist you remove it and put it back on. Hope this helps
great, honest review! The leaks would be a deal breaker for me. Have you tried buhtl tape on the outside of the topper? Can you put a roof rack on it?
Hey thanks for the comment. No I haven’t tried that. Would you recommend that tape? And yeah I got the L tracks up top which will allow me to put some roof racks up there.. haven’t decided if I want a basket style of just some Thule racks.
@@budchap yeah buhtl tape what rvers use to fill in gaps where leveling caulk won’t work I’d look into it May or may not be right for your situation.
The leaks are not good. How it did in the wind seems perfectly acceptable. 30 to 40 mph wind is a pretty good wind.
So how do you access the tent to push open it from the front side (cabin side) if you have stuff in the bed
I typically will pull stuff out if that’s the case but as long as you can get in the camper you could easily push the remainder up from the rear of the camper. But if you can’t get in at all I would probably just open up the access door of the truck and push lightly from a corner on the exterior if that makes any sense.
Terrific walk around, Bud. I am continually amazed at how quickly the Badlander top goes up and comes down, which you illustrated nicely. I also have a long bed, double cab Tacoma. I have a different cargo door and also the Euro window. So far no leaks, nor in the corners.
I noticed your suspension is raised. Did you do that before or after getting the topper? I ask because I find that my rear springs are almost flat and so am replacing the leaf pack and changing out my shocks for better performing equipment.
Hey Bill thanks for the comment! Did you end up going with Topo toppers cargo door? Good news about not having any leaks on your end! I just put in some Old Man Emu heavy duty leaf springs in the rear and some Old Man Emu rear shocks. Just like your experience I felt like the factory leaf pack was close to maxed out. The ride is a bit more firm with the new set up but once it’s loaded it rides pretty close to how stock originally was. Overall I’m content with the upgrade. Eventually I’ll do the front as well. Hope your enjoying your camper!
@@budchap They did not have their own cargo door, so I went with the one they offered. I wanted a door on one side to lean and get gear and then put the Euro window on the other side for camping convenience.
I am going with an Icon spring pack and Bilstein shocks. They should handle the load without giving me more than an inch or two of lift.
Sounds like a good combo. I wish I would have went with a smaller lift but the heavy pack gives around 2.5 inches without the load so I figured I needed to change the shocks as well. Are you going to make a video of your new suspension when it’s complete? Would be interested to see the difference
When you open the side door, is there a netted screen that can pop in there to keep the mosquitos out? Being an older fat guy, be tough for me to get up into that bed. Would need a step stand to get up over the tailgate and into bed. I cant see paying 25-50K for a Four Wheeler pop up, so this is a lot more do able. Vagabond Outdoors makes a similar one 30 minutes from home, so will be looking at both. Thanks
Hey Angelo, there is no netted screen when I open up the cargo door.. they offer awning style windows that come with a screen if that’s what your looking for. But the screen is something I’ll have to add on my own.. which is on the list of things to do but probably won’t get done for a while. Yeah I also need a step, just for convenience.. and to help my aging knees out a bit haha. I’ll have to check out the vagabond outdoors campers, not familiar with them. Cheers
What about the rain on the fabric top? I do not see how rain will not come in as there is no flap over the lower connection of soft material to the pop up. Or just pool in the topper bed.
So there is a little bit of bleed through on the fabric too IF you experience a side rain but it has to be pretty substantial. But other than that I haven’t gotten any pooling on the bed portion where the fabric is. The only pooling has come from the cargo door at the sill. Still haven’t addressed that issue yet but I think I may know why it’s happening. Hope this helps
Is the metal side / top of the topper a single sheet or is it honeycomb between two sheets of metal? Great video.
So from my understanding it’s a aluminum skin up top with a honeycomb base.. thanks for the comment!
Maybre this has been covered....but when crawling inside your bed to do the final popping up of the camper....what if you back is loaded with gear? It would seem that this popping up should be designed to do from the outside like popping up the back. Did I miss something?
Yeah there isn’t an option of opening it up from the exterior that they offer, that I know of. But u understand what your saying about having a fully loaded bed. I know I’ve opening mine from the exterior before without having to crawl into the bed. I just open my rear passenger door, stand above the rocker panel and push up on the corner of the camper exterior. Easier from inside but possible. Hope this helps
Bed Stiffiners lol what are those 500 a piece lol the bed of the truck is bolted to the frame
Not sure on exact price but yeah not cheap. I can look up the invoice if your interested
Gave you a sub
Thanks ed! It’s much appreciated. Any particular content your looking for?
🍻
Cheers!🍺
Thankyou for the review. Do you happen to know what the opened strut length is?
I don’t but I can measure them for you
@@budchap that would be fantastic
What kind of rear suspension upgrade was needed or what have you done?
With the leaking issues…..is that something that can be addressed during the installation process?
Does the bed-liner have to be removed?
I’ve upgraded my leaf springs to OME heavy duty springs and upgraded rear shocks for the added weight. I leave the shell/camper on full time so I have 400+ pounds constant. I plan on doing the front coil overs and UCA here soon. As far as the leaks go, I haven’t addressed the issue yet.. currently working on insulation. It seems after talking to people that one of the issues is the actual truck bed. I guess tacomas are notorious for leaking so some will remove the bed liner to address that issue.. I’m going to attempt to caulk any voids I see at the level where the camper meets the bed railing at the corners near the cab.. I’ll make sure to do a video and let you know how that comes out and whether or not it solves anything. I’m sure you could ask TopoToppers if they’d be willing to attempt to seal at those points during install. They are really good at communicating and working with the buyer. Hope this helps
What made you choose this model over the Mesa? and is there room to stand towards the back when the bed is in place?
Hey Jim, so at the time the mesa wasnt offered by Topo toppers, just the badlander. Mesa seems like a smoother setup up but I really enjoy all of the space on the inside when the bed is removed. When the bed is in place there is still room for standing.. I would say roughly two feet between the end of the bed and the end of the camper near the tailgate. Cheers
Hi, What's the hight clearance of the camper?
So what would you buy instead I live in Montana severe snow and wind
So im not sure how well they seal but I would probably go with and aluminum commercial truck cap by ARE or similar manufacturer. I think it would be a good template and relatively easy to insulate and customize the interior. That’s if it’s just me though. And im also not dissatisfied with the topper I have. I just think you can go with something cheaper and still get the job done. Even a normal camper shell with a good interior build would be a solid option
👌👌👌
Great video! Have you had any water intrusion near the seals above in the sleeping area when the top is closed?
Hey Reece, so far no water through any of the seals at the top of the camper.. that’s during storms when it’s been opened and closed. Hope this helps
@@budchap k cool. Appreciate the reply 👍
Are you able to park your Tacoma with the camper in a normal house garage?
I have yet to try that out but once I’m at home I’ll test it out and let you know!
Great! Thanks
Looks like it would be a rough nights sleep with 30mph winds
Yeah the gusts definitely wake you up!
How do you get up into your bed?
So I don’t overpack my bed with gear so I just use the void space between the tailgate area and where the bed panels stop.. I think it’s fought two feet of space that I have to pop up into.. but it would be difficult if you had a bunch of gear in the bed of your truck. Hope this helps
Any thoughts on this vs the GFC?
Turn on the light
Can this work on a 4cylinder? Also a 5 ft bed?
I would be comfortable putting it on a 4cyl truck.. it weighs around 150lbs more than a typical camper shell so I don’t see it being a big deal. But I’m also not a mechanic. And it comes for 5ft beds as well.. thanks for watching
Do they make these for the Short bed trucks as well??
Yes they do! 👍🏽
How long have you had it? I got mine in November and they sealed the front of the bed differently. That is one of the things I like about them. When they get feedback with things like leaking, they make changes.
I got mine sometime around April/May. Yeah they are super good with communication. How is your sealed?
@@budchap they sealed it with some kind of tape, on the outside corner of the bed. Basically blocking water from getting into the open side of the seal between the topper and the bed. It has been working, but I question the longevity of it. I might hit it with some silicone.
@@takenpictures awesome thanks for the reply. Using silicon is a good idea, I might have to do that soon and see how it holds up with whatever rain we might get for the rest of the winter. How are you liking the topper overall
@@budchap I've been loving it. I've taken it out 3 times and have spent around 8 nights in it. I really need to insulate it. Not a fan of the condensation building up on the ceiling and either freezing or raining on me 😂. I'm going to do the walls with foam board and cover it with carpet, then some thin foam and carpet on the ceiling. My only regret is not getting one sooner.
Haha yeah the rain down in the morning can be fun. I think insulating and a diesel heater will make it that much more enjoyable. I’ve never insulated before but I’m going to give it a go as well. And then I’m trying to figure out how to insulate the actual tent material because at one time I know they offered that option.. it’s definitely a fun ongoing project to have. Well enjoy and maybe I’ll see you out on the road or trail!
hello , how much is this camper and where can I buy it or find it ?
I believe they are still starting at $8500 with options available such as ventilation fans, mounting brackets, solar, etc..
what is the cost
At the time it was 8500 base. Not sure what they are running these days. Hope this helps
Reduce the volume of the background music, and eliminate it completely during the wind “sound” portion. Otherwise very good video. Thank you
Thanks for the feedback.. I definitely appreciate any type of constructive criticism!
Not paying upwards of $10k+ for leaks.
I'm not getting any of your audio, only music on the video?
Left speaker channel was out, got it now 👍
Okay good to hear!
Thanks for watching
how much did you get?
where can I buy it and How much is it?
It’s a company named Topo toppers. You place an order on their website. If you goggle the name you can find it. And the base price used to be 8500 but not sure how much they run for now.
How much does a camper like that way? Thank you.
This one weighs around 350 pounds
@@budchap at some point we want to graduate from tent camping!
Yeah it’s a great upgrade. Less prep and more places to camp with 4x4
Thinking of getting a pop up camper. Is this topper insulated?
This topper isn’t insulated.. in the past they offered added insulation for the tent portion (the pop up) but the aluminum is single walled with no insulation. Currently working on a video right now of an insulation install. Hopefully will be out in a week or so.
@@budchap thanks for letting me know. I’ll be looking forward on seeing the video.
What suspension is on your truck?
Right now I just have the rear done with OME heavy duty springs for the added weight of camper and gear. And I also have the rear ome nitrocharger shocks. Plan on doing the front coil overs and upper control arms here soon to level it out
I like your video except the music needs to be a little softer.
Hey Kory thanks for the feedback. I really appreciate comments like this. Still trying to figure it all out
@@budchap I like how you gave a honest assessment of the camper. I dont like peoples reviews stating what they are reviewing is the best thing on the planet. Looks like a great camper sith some mods to stop the water leaks.
The Tacoma truck bed leaks if not sealed properly….
Well maybe that’s where the leak is coming from but when I’ve looked on the interior it looks like it’s from where the truck and camper meet but I could definitely be wrong. Where does the leak in the truck bed occur
Really need to fix the sound
Does it leak?
For sure at the windows. And at the corners of the truck bed.. but after reading some comments it sounds like they have changed how they seal the camper which is nice to hear
Towards the end of the video I show where the leaks occur
doesnt make any sense why they dont support a ford ranger. plenty of 5 ft truck beds on their list
They have a part on their website where they take requests for make/models that they don’t support as of right now. Might be worth looking into
Kill that background music thanks. Because your presentation is great but that music is too distracting.
Hey thanks for the advice! I’m planning on trying the “no music” style for my next video.. just waiting for to be healed from an injury and it’ll be posted shortly after. Interested to see how it goes with no music. Take care
I thought the roof was the floor of the tent. Shit.
Mall lander.
Malls deserve love too
Design flaws. Great.
Turn off the disco music!
Not impressed! 🤷🏼♂️
get off the couch. go to work.