Camper shells in different shapes and sizes offer protected storage and versatility.

Protected storage is an important asset for RV owners, and for the owner of a pickup truck towing a travel trailer, a camper shell is virtually essential. It provides storage practicality and increases the truck's usefulness, both for travel and as a second vehicle for transportation around town, not to mention potential esthetic improvements.

A camper shell can provide sleeping space after dropping the trailer in a campground. Since many great camping spots are near lakes or streams, it's simple and inexpensive to add a car top or a pair of canoes by installing a roof rack on the camper shell.

The interior of a camper shell offers plenty of room to carry additional equipment in good conditions. Therefore, the right camper shell can greatly expand your versatility in a surprising variety of RV pursuits.

Camper shells come in different shapes and sizes and they are basically constructed from two materials: molded fiberglass and aluminum with an internal frame and sheet-aluminum exterior covering. Some manufacturers build camper shells out of steel that are similar in appearance to the aluminum models, but use steel for the frame and exterior.

Most fiberglass camper shells manufacturers strive to echo the truck styling in the shell's contours, windows and so on, creating an image that's cosmetically integrated rather than the shell looking like an obvious add-on.

The aluminum and steel versions have a rather distinctive commercial look, but they offer some unique features and can be dressed up with matching truck-body color and tinted windows for recreational use. The only camper shells using wood framing with an aluminum exterior appear to be direct-to-public custom builders.

Aside from the marked difference in looks of fiberglass versus aluminum or steel, the main difference in the selection of camper shells is in overall height, as measured from the top rail of the bed to the top of the unit.

Regardless of the style of a camper shell, it's a very important component in the usability of a truck-and-trailer combination, boosting practicality and appearance.