truck opinions, please

[270man]

I appreciate all the comments and suggestions on the choice between a hard tonneau bed cover vs a camper shell. I now have the cab-high shell installed on my Chevy Silverado and think I'll be happy with it. Just returned from a backcountry trip and my gear rose above the top of the bed sides. Packing would have been more difficult with only a tonneau.

Another reason I chose the shell camper is that I carry a canoe a couple of times each year. The only way I could see that a tonneau would work is to remove it and install a temporary "ladder" rack in the bed rail slots. Turned out these aren't real cheap -- at least the ones I checked. With the camper shell, a rack can be attached to the camper and even the top of the truck cab. I prefer not to do the latter and just use foam blocks if they are needed. A permanent rack installation on the shell camper is acceptable.

The place I bought my shell has a rack unit that bolts onto the shell but I was quoted a price over $400 -- too high for my limited needs. I won't need the rack for another 6 months, so I have plenty of time to check out options. If you have any ideas, please reply to the posts.

270man