Hey overland camper companies. Make this topper a reality!

[Maverickman74]

This Nissan "flex bed" concept just hit my news feed. Would have been killer if they had really done it and it would have probably had a major impact on SUV development through the 90s. Maybe it just didnt work back then, but maybe it could today. Imagine the Maverick or trucks with longer beds, having a 1.5ft lockable dry trunk at the front of the bed. Then when you want have a full topper covered bed, shorted beds like the Mavericks would need a SUV style tent to really make good "bed" use of the bed. Otherwise it would be awesome.

What do yall think?

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[itzJack]

How has no one replied to this!? This is an amazing concept! especially with todays tech, it'd be easy to design one of these.

 

[Maverickman74]

How has no one replied to this!? This is an amazing concept! especially with todays tech, it'd be easy to design one of these.

I know, right? Any shortfalls this design had could easily be fixed the designs we have in all these roll up toppers and such today.

 

[bgn]

While the idea is interesting, it has a lot of issues.

1. Each truck bed size and make would likely need its own version. Add on top of that customizations like color, windows, etc., and you're looking at thousands of SKUs.

2. And that means...this would be really, really, really expensive. Which means low volume.

3. I don't think this does anything better than a topper.

Given that this concept is 30 years old and we've seen nothing similar from manufacturers in that time, I think it's safe to say it won't be coming anytime soon to a Maverick near you.

 

[Maverickman74]

While the idea is interesting, it has a lot of issues.

1. Each truck bed size and make would likely need its own version. Add on top of that customizations like color, windows, etc., and you're looking at thousands of SKUs.

2. And that means...this would be really, really, really expensive. Which means low volume.

3. I don't think this does anything better than a topper.

Given that this concept is 30 years old and we've seen nothing similar from manufacturers in that time, I think it's safe to say it won't be coming anytime soon to a Maverick near you.

You are mostly correct. But that doesnt change the fact that its awesome and looks way better than the soft top bed toppers that offer ease of open bed usage. Speaking of which, those soft topper companies could probably sell it as a premium model of their soft tops.

 

[Montana]

Fitting in multiple ways. Cool concept but I have to agree there is a good reason is never caught on. That said, the inflatable toppers are thing on this forum and I find those to be a totally ludicrous idea, especially for the cost they want. So who knows... Some younger generation may see this and have a lightbulb moment to bring it back like bell bottom jeans in the early 2000s.

I think the more modern removable toppers have pretty much taken over though, even though most people chose to never remove them lol. It's like a topper you can mount things to and show off your recovery options, yeti coolers and your mounted above ground mobile home equipped with awning...

I'm more impressed with the truck it's mounted on

 

[Maverickman74]

I think the more modern removable toppers have pretty much taken over though, even though most people chose to never remove them lol.

I'm more impressed with the truck it's mounted on

Oh I love my hard topper. I will put racks on it eventually. It is really for our dogs though, but would be nice if it just folded on up when we needed to haul something tall. Ideally it wouldn't be as chunky as the Nissan design. I would think its 2 portions could me 6 inches each and both have a integrated rack. Tracrac has a good slider style system that could be a basis of it.

Either way the ruck it's on matter to me too. Mines perfect!

 

[jesemd]

A vehicle similar to an old Chevy Avalanche combined with a fabric bed topper that folds like the new 4-door Bronco soft top would be fantastic. You could have a mostly open 8-foot bed, or a fully enclosed 5 passenger SUV or anything in between. The only downfall would be theft-resistance of the soft top.

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