Shell vs. Leitner Bed Rack

[TheGreatWhiteBuffalo]

Hey guys, I'm hoping for some opinions on going with either a Shell + RTT or the Leitner bed rack + RTT. I don't think a normal bed rack is right for me, because I do want the extra storage and organization capabilities of the Leitner. Both options I'd like to put on a RTT, I have a 5ft bed Tacoma and want to do a 6ft RTT, so I do want something cab height to fit that extra foot.

The pros/cons as I see it are:
Shell is covered/secure, but minimal organization (unless drawer system), and super heavy.
Leitner is lightweight but no covered bed.

The big thing is that I am going to be extremely heavy already... I have a 2016 Tacoma, adding up all my steel armor and whatnot I'll have about 700lbs constant weight on the truck (about 220lbs of that is in the rear).
How much do I need to worry about cutting weight?? Looks like the shell is about 100-150lbs heavier but I'd probably do a drawer system if I went the shell route... which puts that setup at around ~250-300lbs heavier than the Leitner.
This weight component is really uncharted territory for me. I've never had a heavy truck, up until now I've been running ~450lbs armor and lightweight camp gear but the wife is wanting to be more comfortable for bigger trips.
This is also my daily driver, I'll drop the RTT weight but rack/shell+drawers would stay.



Looking for some real-world opinions here... weight... covered bed... organization... expedition vs daily use... etc.

Thanks a ton guys!

 

[RoarinRow]

If I remember correctly I seen someone use a Leitner rack over a soft topper. Kinda the best of both worlds. I'm based with a hard shell like I have today because of the security aspect. I sleep in the shell and gear goes on top on roof basket.

 

[Rich_the4x4podcast]

Normally I say topper, but since you are wanting a RTT, I'd go Leitner. Weight is the enemy. What kind of armor are you running and why? Are you rock crawling?

 

[TheGreatWhiteBuffalo]

Normally I say topper, but since you are wanting a RTT, I'd go Leitner. Weight is the enemy. What kind of armor are you running and why? Are you rock crawling?

I do more 2-3 day overlandy type stuff, but in Northern CA the trails can get rocky quick, so I do end up scraping my bottom pretty often.

I had a hybrid bumper but have an aluminum CBI T3 bumper on order, so my armor will be:
CBI front (70lbs)
Winch (~70lbs)
Full steel skids (130lbs)... they're beasts, but I scrape/slide em on granite a lot
Sliders (~150lbs)
Roof Rack (~50lbs)
CBI high clearance rear w/ swing out (200lbs)

All pretty standard stuff... weight adds up quick though

 

[TheGreatWhiteBuffalo]

If I remember correctly I seen someone use a Leitner rack over a soft topper. Kinda the best of both worlds. I'm based with a hard shell like I have today because of the security aspect. I sleep in the shell and gear goes on top on roof basket.

Yeah, I've seen some guys rock the soft topper like that. I like the storage of the Leitner though so it kinda takes that away, plus then I'm adding more weight to get it covered without the security, might as well just get a shell at that point haha.
I love a lot of aspects of the shell too, just don't know if I'll regret all that weight (extra 100lbs alone, extra 300lbs with drawers)

 

[RoarinRow]

Yeah, I've seen some guys rock the soft topper like that. I like the storage of the Leitner though so it kinda takes that away, plus then I'm adding more weight to get it covered without the security, might as well just get a shell at that point haha.
I love a lot of aspects of the shell too, just don't know if I'll regret all that weight (extra 100lbs alone, extra 300lbs with drawers)

To me a RTT with bed rack will be more stable as far as weight. I believe my camper shell holds up to 250lbs dynamic weight. I’m sure a bed rack is a lot more.

 

[League With A T]

I don't have experience with either but personally I've been leaning towards a topper with drawers and bed slide for my truck if it was in the budget. I think it would keep your gear cleaner (snow, dust/mud, rain, etc). Less clean up work when you unpack for daily use I'd think.

 

[PonoAdventures]

I’m biased but I love my Leitner rack. I went with a XL pod and 3 regular pods. The XL pretty much carries sleeping gear/ personal bag while the 3 pods separates my tool/emergency, recovery, and air.

 

[IAm_Not_Lost]

I vote camper shell. If you are going to be leaving a RTT on there then there is little sense in using a Leitner. It looks cool and lets everyone know that you OVERLAND (Bruh!), but the main draw is that you can move around and rearrange the top bars easily or even push them fully forward and throw a dirtbike (or other tall object) in there if you wanted to. So in my mind if you're leaving an RTT on there then any truck bed rack would work (at a quarter of the price) and you could mod it however you want, OR, and this is my vote, you get a camper shell and install a rail system like the Rhino Rack topper rails and mount your RTT to that and you're all done and have an enclosed area beneath you for your fridge, and maybe a single drawer system with area for loose cargo on top.

 

[Pretzel]

I second the camper shell, if you fill up a rack with permanent fixtures your bed becomes more and more inaccessible anyway (the pods would be nice to stash stuff, but when you need a truck bed for a truck bed you know what I mean), with a shell at least you've got all that space. You could get your shell with side windows that open out to access things stowed along the sides of your bed if that's your concern. Not sure if it's 1/4 the cost, but you could probably find a used one for a Tacoma if you're patient enough.

 

[IAm_Not_Lost]

Not sure if it's 1/4 the cost, but you could probably find a used one for a Tacoma if you're patient enough.

Was speaking to a regular truck bed rack/ladder rack. Not a topper. Yes, a new topper will easily be the price of the Leitner system if not a little more.

 

[Pretzel]

Was speaking to a regular truck bed rack/ladder rack. Not a topper. Yes, a new topper will easily be the price of the Leitner system if not a little more.

You were clear, I misread.

 

[TheGreatWhiteBuffalo]

I vote camper shell.

I second the camper shell

Yeah, the shell seems like a great option.

If I do shell + drawers I'll probably be about 400-500lbs (~10%) over GVWR fully loaded though. I have BP-51's and can do heavy leafs/ regear, I've never had such a heavy truck though. What do you all think about that much added weight? Will it really hinder me off-road or cause too much wear on the truck?

 

[NJ5]

I've got an RTT over a shell on my Frontier. I would love the lower height a rack would provide - better gas mileage / would fit in the garage - so I looked at the bed rack option as well. I decided the option of having an enclosed space to sleep in if the weather is too bad (i.e. windy) is more important. Also, you don't have to use drawers to gain storage space in a shell; I just have a single layer of 3/4" plywood over vertical 2x8"s that slot nicely into the grooved truck bed. The platform is above the wheel wells for an entirely flat sleeping/bin storage area and provides three storage bays underneath for a hi-lift jack / recovery gear / etc.

 

[Pretzel]

I'd skip the drawers. Any system I've seen except for some people's custom built ones make for a lot of wasted space. I was checking out a guys rig at a campsite one time and he had pull-straps on the hard cases he had against the back wall. It seemed like a very simple solution.

 

[Pretzel]

The only reason I went with the Leitner, is I still wanted use of my truck bed to carry tall items, I've got a decked drawer system with my Leitner. But a shell would be better if I only wanted to use the truck as an overland vehicle, I want and need the dual use, which is why I went with the Leitner.

if #GreatWhiteBuffalo is intending to permanently install the RTT he'll have the same issue with the rack as he would with a cab, may as well have the security along with it.

 

[Pretzel]

if #GreatWhiteBuffalo is intending to permanently install the RTT he'll have the same issue with the rack as he would with a cab, may as well have the security along with it.

EDIT:
With my access to a small utility trailer, I'm going with a cab and not thinking twice about it, but if you don't have one that HAS to factor into the consideration. I don't have a dog in this fight, I don't mean to come across as a Paladin for Truck Shells, it's just a decision I've recently made for myself... haven't even bought the thing yet.