Westin EXP Truck Cap Review: 2005-2023 Toyota Tacoma

If you own a Toyota Tacoma with the 5.2 ft short bed, you have probably walked the hard truck cap aisle a hundred times trying to figure out what is actually worth the money. Fiberglass shells from LEER and A.R.E. dominate the dealership lots, but a newer breed of aluminum gullwing toppers has been quietly winning over Tacoma owners who want better security, no-drill mounting, and 270° bed access. The Westin EXP Truck Cap for the 2005-2023 Toyota Tacoma 5.2 ft bed sits squarely in that category — and it is the most-viewed Tacoma upgrade in our shop right now.

At NLP Performance in Tampa, we get the truck-cap question almost weekly: aluminum or fiberglass, cab-high or high-rise, drill or no-drill, and is a $3,000+ topper actually worth it over a hard tonneau cover? In this review we break down the Westin EXP top to bottom — specs, the two-box ordering quirk, how it stacks up against LEER, A.R.E., RSI SmartCap, and OVS Expedition, and the real-world use cases where it earns its price tag.

Westin EXP Truck Cap at a Glance

The EXP (Westin’s shorthand for “Expedition”) is a low-profile, cab-height aluminum truck cap built from five extruded aluminum panels that bolt together on top of your Tacoma’s bed rails. It is not a fiberglass shell, not a soft topper, and not a tonneau cover — it is closer in concept to an RSI SmartCap or OVS Expedition cap, but priced under both. Every panel is double-wall aluminum with a textured matte black powder-coat finish, and the gullwing side doors swing up and out to give you full access to the bed without climbing in.

A few other specs that matter day-to-day: integrated T-slot roof rails (compatible with Yakima TrackTower, Thule Rapid Podium, Front Runner Canopy Load Bar Kit, and Westin’s own crossbars), an LED 3rd brake light wired to the Tacoma’s factory taillight harness, a rechargeable magnetic dome light inside, EPDM sponge double seals on every opening, and locking T-handles on both gullwing doors. The driver-side door also includes an emergency interior release lever — a small detail, but a meaningful one if you ever crawl in to load gear and the door swings shut behind you.

Why Aluminum Beats Fiberglass for Most Tacoma Owners

Fiberglass camper shells from LEER, A.R.E., and SnugTop have been the default for decades, and there is a reason: they color-match well, they are quiet, and the dealer network installs them everywhere. But fiberglass has three weaknesses that aluminum solves. First, fiberglass cracks under impact — a low-speed scrape from a tree branch or a tipped ladder can put a spider crack in the gel coat that telegraphs into a leak. Second, fiberglass shells often use external hinges on side doors, which are easier to defeat with a pry bar than the EXP’s internal hinges. Third, fiberglass shells almost always require headliner-and-paint dealer installs at $400-$800 on top of the cap price.

The Westin EXP’s double-wall aluminum panels do not crack, do not chip, and shrug off shopping-cart dings that would scar a $2,500 fiberglass shell. The internal hinges and locking T-handles are the same approach RSI SmartCap and OVS Expedition use, but those caps cost $4,200 and up. For a Tampa-based Tacoma owner who deals with humid summers, occasional salt air, and the kind of daily-driver use where a tool box gets dropped against the cap once a quarter, aluminum is the more forgiving material long-term.

There is one tradeoff worth naming: the gullwing side doors on the EXP are solid aluminum panels with no glass and no factory screen. Owners who sleep in the bed and want airflow at night either add aftermarket screens or pair the cap with a rooftop tent. If you want a screened side window for camping, an A.R.E. CX or LEER 100R has the edge there.

The Two-Box System: 16-11065A and 16-11065B Explained

This is the part that confuses every first-time EXP buyer: the cap ships in two large boxes, sold under separate part numbers. Box 1 is 16-11065A (the top piece, sometimes listed as “Top” on retailer sites). Box 2 is 16-11065B (the side pieces and hardware kit, sometimes listed as “Sides & HDW”). You need both to assemble a complete cap. Westin splits the shipment because a single carton of a fully assembled aluminum cap would not fit through residential freight networks — so they break it into two palletized boxes that LTL carriers can deliver to a driveway.

The Shopify product page you land on is typically Box 1 (16-11065A). Order Box 1, then call us at NLP Performance to confirm Box 2 (16-11065B) ships together so it all arrives at the same time — you do not want to assemble the top and find out the sides are still in transit. We keep both boxes in stock and ship them as a set whenever possible.

A small fitment note worth surfacing: Westin’s factory spec sheet lists the verified fitment as 2016-2023 Toyota Tacoma (3rd gen) 5.2 ft bed. This product is also commonly sold as “05-23 Tacoma 5.2 ft” across the aftermarket channel, and many 2nd-gen (2005-2015) owners have installed it successfully. If your Tacoma is a 2005-2015, message us your VIN before ordering and we will confirm fitment with Westin directly. The 2016-2023 fit is bulletproof.

Westin EXP vs LEER, A.R.E., RSI SmartCap, and OVS Expedition

Here is how the EXP stacks up against the four caps Tacoma owners cross-shop most often. Pricing is approximate retail; we update against current Westin and competitor MSRP as it shifts.

The takeaway: if you want a fiberglass cap that color-matches your Tacoma and you do not load anything on the roof, the LEER 100R is still a strong value buy. If you want overland-grade roof load and gullwing access at the lowest price, the OVS Expedition is the value play but uses external hinges. The Westin EXP slots into the sweet spot — aluminum durability, internal hinges, 700 lb static roof, and a delivered price under most steel competitors.

Real-World Use Cases: Who Buys the EXP?

Tradesmen and Contractors

Locking T-handles on both side doors plus the rear door, double-wall aluminum that resists pry attacks, and gullwing access that lets you reach into the front of the bed without crawling on top of your tool boxes. Florida contractors in particular gravitate to the EXP because the powder-coated aluminum holds up to humid, salty air far better than fiberglass with chipped gel coat.

Overlanders and Rooftop Tent Users

The 700 lb static roof load is the headline number here. A Roofnest Sparrow weighs ~125 lb, and two adults plus gear easily fits inside the rated capacity. Mount Yakima TrackTower towers into the integrated T-slots, drop a Roofnest, iKamper, or Smittybilt RTT on top, and you have a Tacoma overland rig that still parks in a normal garage. The 300 lb dynamic rating handles RTT-on-while-driving plus crossbar gear.

Daily Driver with Weekend Adventure

This is the most common Tacoma EXP buyer. Cap is on for groceries, Costco runs, and Home Depot trips during the week, then gullwing doors swing wide for kayaks, mountain bikes, ski gear, or a dirt bike on Saturday. The cab-high profile costs about 1 MPG vs an open bed (versus 2-3 MPG for boxy high-rise shells), so it is the most forgiving choice for owners who are not commuting around with their topper full of cargo.

Pet Transport (with Caveats)

The bed becomes an enclosed space, which works for short trips with dogs. Two important notes: the gullwing doors are solid aluminum with no factory screen, so summer ventilation requires aftermarket screen kits or 12 V vent fans. And on hot Florida afternoons, the enclosed cap can heat up fast. Plan for an interior fan, leave the rear door cracked, and never leave a pet inside in direct sun without active airflow.

Installation: No-Drill, Bolt-On, About an Hour

The EXP is engineered as a no-drill, clamp-and-bolt install onto the Tacoma’s factory bed rails. Tools you actually need: a 10 mm and 13 mm socket, a Phillips head screwdriver, and a torque wrench if you are particular. Two people make the install easier — the assembled cap is roughly 115 lb and you will want a second set of hands when you lift it onto the bed. Most owners report start-to-finish times in the 60-90 minute range, including unboxing both palletized boxes.

The pre-installed bed gaskets are one of the genuinely nice details. Many fiberglass shells require you to lay down a foam gasket strip yourself, eyeballing alignment as you go. The EXP’s gaskets are factory-bonded to the cap base, so you drop the cap onto the bed rails, square it, and tighten the clamps. One real-world note from owners on the TacomaWorld forum: there is “very little adjustment for the back door,” so take the time to square the cap on the bed before you torque the clamps down. If the cap is crooked, the rear door alignment will fight you.

After install, give the EPDM seals a few open-and-close cycles to let them break in. The 3rd brake light wires into your factory taillight harness through a T-tap (included). The interior dome light is rechargeable and magnetic — pop it off the cap to use as a flashlight, charge it via USB, click it back into place. No drilling, no headliner, no dealer install fee. Removable in under 15 minutes if you ever need an open bed.

Pros and Cons: Honest Assessment

Build Out Your Tacoma EXP Setup

The EXP is the foundation, but a handful of factory accessories and Tacoma upgrades pair well with it. Here are the ones we sell most often alongside the EXP at NLP Performance:

• Westin Gas Strut for EXP Truck Cap — replacement / upgrade gas strut for the gullwing doors. Worth keeping a spare on hand if your cap sees daily use.
• EXP Smoke Front Window — tinted front-glass replacement that matches modern Tacoma aesthetic and reduces interior glare.
• EXP Smoke Rear Window — matching tinted rear-door glass for a complete blacked-out look.
• Westin Overland Cargo Rack Base — bolts directly to the EXP’s integrated T-slot rails for traction boards, jerry cans, and rooftop gear.
• Westin Tacoma Rock Sliders — complete the overland build with steel sliders that protect the rocker panels off-road.

If you want a different category entirely — for example, a hard tonneau cover that costs less and improves MPG — we also stock the Westin Hard Tri-Fold Tonneau Cover for the same Tacoma 5 ft bed at a fraction of the EXP’s price. Different tool for different jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions