Commercial aluminum truck canopies: ARE vs Leer

[BlindingWhiteTaco]

I’m looking at commercial aluminum contractor type canopies for my truck. Leer and ARE have similar products. It’s an 8ft bed. I want glass front, solid side doors, double rear doors with glass, and Thule/Yakima type tracks on top. I’m not finding any good comparison articles of the two. Does anyone have any input?

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

I wish I had gone with aluminum over fiberglass. I’m un-impressed enough with my Leer that I’d go right towards the ARE. Actually, I’d also check out an aluminum Snugtop, my fiberglass unit from them was excellent. Both Snugtop and Leer now owned by the same parent Corp but I don’t see much cross contamination.

 

[BlindingWhiteTaco]

I wish I had gone with aluminum over fiberglass. I’m un-impressed enough with my Leer that I’d go right towards the ARE. Actually, I’d also check out an aluminum Snugtop, my fiberglass unit from them was excellent. Both Snugtop and Leer now owned by the same parent Corp but I don’t see much cross contamination.

I had a snug top on the Tacoma I just sold. I opted for the “nicer” latch mechanism when I bought it. After having it break on me and leaving me locked out of the canopy I was so unsure of it I had a windoor installed driver side. The latches were secured to the glass with a single bolt, which would be fine if the struts connected directly below the bolt. But they don’t, they connect an inch plus inboard, beside the bolt. After driving around on bumpy forest roads the single bolt loosened enough for the strut to exert enough pressure on the latch to twist it and bind the latch, rendering it inoperable. Poor engineering of the latch, but no problems with the rest of it.

 

[BlindingWhiteTaco]

ARE ordered.

 

[MattF350]

What did you end up going with?

 

[BlindingWhiteTaco]

DCU, gray, 26” tall, front picture window with security screen, solid full length doors both sides, double rear doors with windows and security screen. ARE doesn’t have rack tracks as an option, but other manufacturers do, so I’m sure I can add them. I didn’t want the permanent square tube rack. I’m going to look into rack options. It needs to hold, at most, a canoe, kayak, fly rod tube, and possibly an awning, which won’t be more than 200 pounds. Usually just the canoe and rod holder.

I thought about the liner and insulation, but I will probably add some custom interior alterations and it would make it difficult. I’m looking forward to having a big open cargo area.