Until you've walked out to your truck and found your tools or other items of value missing from the bed, you can never truly appreciate how fantastic it is to not worry about theft. There is a multitude of ways to protect what's inside the bed of your truck, but no way is less obtrusive than the traditional fiberglass shell. Tonneau covers will do the job, but if you actually use your truck to haul more than a surfboard, you'll be taking that tonneau off the bedrails often to haul real cargo. A shell not only gives you an aerodynamic advantage over tonneau covers, but it also allows you to haul the tall and oddly shaped stuff that life routinely requires. Yeah, there are a lot of ugly shells out there, but this isn't one of them.
The Snugtop Super Sport is a smooth-sided fiberglass unit with frameless tinted windows, a cab-high design that follows the natural lines of the truck, and a secure, lockable rear door. The Super Sport also features a hidden, clamp-on mounting system, which requires zero holes be drilled in our truck. We ordered ours in the factory Toyota Blue Streak Metallic paint, and the color of the shell matched almost identically to the factory paint of the truck. The installation went quickly, even after we decided to throw in a BedRug and retain the factory cargo tie-down system. Check it out.
1.The '07 Tundra Double Cab...
1.The '07 Tundra Double Cab has a deep bed that's over 6 feet long, and we've used it frequently to haul everything from engines to steel. We haven't lost anything yet, but we're not taking any chances. A BedRug will protect the sheetmetal, and the Snugtop will protect the cargo.
2a.The BedRug is a two-piece...
2a.The BedRug is a two-piece deal that zips together and is normally attached to the walls and floors of the bed via hook-and-loop tape.
2b.We wanted to keep the cargo...
2b.We wanted to keep the cargo management system, so the rails were unbolted, the BedRug slid in place, and the rails reinstalled.
2c.The header was the only...
2c.The header was the only spot we couldn't fit the thick material of the BedRug behind the cargo rail. The bolts were just too short, so we cut the rug just below the rail and then attached the hook-and-loop tape.
3a.The Snugtop shell includes...
3a.The Snugtop shell includes a center-mounted third brake light and a cargo light. The left rear taillight of our Tundra was removed by unscrewing a pair of 12mm bolts. This gave us access to the brake-light power and ground wiring.
3b.If you've ever wondered...
3b.If you've ever wondered how Toyota Tundra tailgates are able to slowly open without slamming, here is the secret: a gas-charged strut hidden behind the taillight assembly that operates a cantilever mechanism beside the gate
3c.The wiring connector was...
3c.The wiring connector was run right through an existing hole in the corner of the bedrail.
4a.The Snugtop was wheeled...
4a.The Snugtop was wheeled out of the shop and hoisted atop the bedrails.
4b.The provided hardware clamped...
4b.The provided hardware clamped into the cargo management rails, which did reduce the operating area of the sliding hooks. We settled for this style of attachment though because we didn't want holes drilled in our leased truck.
5a.With the shell in place,...
5a.With the shell in place, you can get an idea of how nice the tooling and finish is of this piece.
5b.It lines up nicely with...
5b.It lines up nicely with the front edges of the bed, and the fiberglass is free of the wavy surface that we've all seen on older, inferior-quality shells.
The Final Word
There's not much to rehash here other than to say that we've gotten a ton of compliments on our Tundra from people that had never considered adding a shell before. We've enjoyed the carefree feeling of leaving our truck in any parking lot, in any weather condition, without fear of losing or damaging our cargo. Our only gripe about the shell is that the clamp-on mounting system isn't durable enough to keep the shell in place during rough off-road excursions. Our shell slid backward on the rails about an inch after one too many high-speed missions in the dirt. It was an easy fix though and not something that would keep us from choosing another shell for any of our other trucks.