As an avid outdoorsman I am always adding more and more gear to my overwhelming collection. To an outsider I guess you would come to the conclusion that I may be an Organized Hoarder. However, all the gear has a purpose and a use and without it I couldn’t do my job, both with clients and just fishing and hunting in general.
Recently I had to give up my truck due to the age of the vehicle and the amount of money I would have to start to put into it. It was an older Ford F150 with a nice fiberglass topper on the back. I put on over 211,000 miles on that vehicle. Miles spent traveling to new or trusty fishing areas. The key to that truck was the the fact that it had the top on the back. Because of the cover it allowed me to carry all my gear in a safe and dry place that I could access with ease.
I traded my trusty truck in for a new Chevy Silverado, but this new truck didn’t have the rear topper on the back. Not having this added accessory made me realize how much the proper accessories can make a difference in how I am able to operate as a guide and in everyday adventures.
After doing all I could to save money I reached my goal of equipping my truck with the necessary accessories I need to be efficient and accommodating. The process of finding the right top at the right price was not taken lightly. Countless hours of internet research and phone calls were made and I was able to come to develop a relationship with a great local company that was more than helpful to offer the right cap for my needs.
I have been working with Lee, Bill, and Pete from Tri-County truck tops in Algonquin, Illinois. Lee and Bill are partners in the business and they have four Chicagoland locations to accommodate the outdoorsman in any area.
The process of getting my truck “outdoors ready” has begun and I will be documenting the adventure as it unfolds. There are many different options for your vehicle and the guys at Tri-County have been more than helpful on their recommendations.
According to their Website:
Since 1965, our family has been providing thousands of customers with quality vehicle accessories and professional sales and installation services. We pride ourselves on our vast resources of product knowledge and experience to help our customers find the best answers to their vehicle needs.
What started as a small fabrication shop that built and installed aluminum truck covers, has now grown to four Chicago area stores that offer hundreds of assorted truck bed covers and accessories for trucks, sport utilities and vans. Whether you are looking to add function, style, protection, convenience, or just want to have fun with your vehicle, Tri-County has the experienced staff and quality products to help you achieve your goals.
Now in our third generation of ownership, the basic principles that started with our parents and grandparents still hold true:
- Offer quality merchandise that enhances the look, durability, function and value of the vehicle.
- Offer our products at a fair and competitive price through volume purchasing and our strong vendor relationships.
- Provide friendly, expert advice to assist in the accessory selection process.
- Install vehicle accessories with trained, experienced personnel who respect the trust placed in them by the vehicle owner.
- Support the products and services not only with manufacturer’s warranties but also with special attention to customer satisfaction for years to come.
Although simple in nature, these principles help define us, and serves as our focus to continue to provide quality accessories and professional sales and service.
Finally, in addition to exploring our web site, we would like to personally invite you to visit any one of our four stores and allow us to help answer your questions and make your accessory search an enjoyable experience.
As you can see this is a family owned operation that has dedicated themselves to helping out the truck owners to make better use of their existing vehicles.
I guess I shouldn’t leave out one of the important parts of this process and that was: what top did I choose to go with? Given the multiple lines of toppers that Bill and Lee carry I have chosen to go with the Century Royal series. This series of cap offers; an industry first all glass compound curved rear door, curved side vent windows, trimless painted edges and a flush mounted LED third brake light. The Royal — with its SUV styling — has dark tinted glass, side vent windows with screens and a sizeable front window; making it not only impressive to look at, but also perfectly suited for your next adventure.
This cap fits my needs in functionality as well as it looks great. The cap is on order and as the process goes on there will be other entries on the installation, accessorizing, and use of the top and truck.
You are only as good as the equipment that you have to work with and I feel that with this new addition it will only add to my abilities. Not only will my truck have great styling, but it will also offer me the opporutnities that I may not have been able to take advantage of without the added protection on the bed.
Please follow along as I take my vehicle to the next level. There are many other options and products to add and you will never know what I might be adding next. Come along on this journey and let’s see where we end up.
disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Tri-County in any way. This is an informational article for those that are looking to make additions to their vehicles.