Yep, the A.R.E. Ascend roof rack was a big part of my expense, but I never liked my previous Yakima or Thule racks and this one sits almost flush. I've already mounted 200w of solar up there.
I do it with a family of five and two German Shepherds. The windoors are screened and I've added a 12V fan to the back. They traveled in a near identical setup in my Ram Rebel.
The embedded rails are barely above flush.
Crutchman truck caps in Gloucester VA ordered my cap. (804) 694-5000. They should know the code. They closed at 1700 EST though
My last cap was a Leer that I liked very much. I bought this because it was first out due the Gladiator. It feels sturdier, especially in the roof.
The A.R.E. Ascend Roof Rack is better than my previous Yakima and Thule racks. Aluminum but sturdy, it has auxiliary light and antenna mounting...
150 lbs. More than I need. I'm putting two rigid 100 watt solar panels on there. You can see the extra thickness in the roof and it feels pretty solid. Since I ordered it, A.R.E. came out with their HD edition. Identical, but with a higher load rating.
I felt like shortening the handle might take away the leverage sometimes needed with winch handles and certainly wouldn't be as easy to clean up and paint as the bumper.
I'm taking the bumper off, hopefully this weekend, to install my Maximus 3 tow loops so I can towit behind my RV. It will...