Buying guide for best truck bed covers
A truck is a handy vehicle to have if you frequently carry items that don’t easily fit in a car. Unfortunately, a truck with an open bed is pretty much like driving around with your trunk wide open. All the time. If this is the situation you’re in, you need a truck bed cover.
Truck bed covers provide a couple of benefits: they keep any cargo that you have in your truck bed out of site (and off the radar of potential thieves), and they keep said cargo dry and secure. Also known as tonneau covers, truck bed covers are available in a variety of brands, styles, and materials. They are less expensive and bulky than truck caps or shells and easier to move on and off your truck for those times when you need a cover-free bed.
This guide will help you to navigate some of the features, styles, and other considerations that you need to think about before settling on a truck bed cover. We also dive into some of the pricing considerations and share some of our recommendations on which cover to buy.
Key considerations
Type
Covers are considered to be “soft” or “hard,” depending on the material. They’re also available in a variety of types that can differ from each other considerably. Some of the more popular types include the following:
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Roll-up: These covers include a soft material that stretches over a frame, which is then clamped to the truck bed. To access the bed, you roll the cover open; to secure the bed, you roll the cover closed. The cover is usually secured by some form of snap or hook-and-loop fastener. Most soft covers are equipped with tension-control adjusters that you can use to keep the cover material taut. This will improve its appearance and aerodynamics.
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Folding: Available in both soft and hard versions, folding covers offer a quick and easy way to access the bed. Most folding covers are made of three or four panels. To open the cover, you simply fold the panels together. Some of these covers fit on top of the bed, while others fit flush. (Low-profile truck bed covers sit flush – or close to flush – with the top of the truck bed, giving your truck a clean appearance.)
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Retractable: These covers are usually made up of a number of panels or slats that glide along a track to open and close. They’re available in several materials ranging from vinyl to aluminum. These covers operate in a similar way to folding covers, but they provide you with access to more of your bed when the cover is fully opened. Like folding covers, these are available in either sit-on-top or flush versions.
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Hinged: These soft or hard covers open like a door and usually have some form of support rod to keep them propped open. The hinged section usually gives you access to half or three-quarters of the bed when it’s open.
- Solid impact: These are hard hinged covers – usually constructed of plastic or fiberglass – that offer more durability and security than other covers. The entire cover lifts up to provide you with full access to the bed. These can usually be painted to match your truck.
Hinged truck bed covers are great because they can be made out of a wide variety of materials based on your needs, which is something we consider during our investigation.
Vinyl truck bed covers are a great blend of durability and affordability that many users love. We assess the longevity of these items and how well they work in less than ideal environments.
Retractable truck bed covers have a gliding system that allows for as little or as much access to your storage as you need. We assess how smoothly this system operates and if it is simple to install.
Folding truck bed covers are often a go-to for those who are looking for maximum durability. We do a deep dive into these products to see how they maintain longevity in a variety of weather conditions.
A big reason to use a truck bed cover is to protect items from bad weather conditions. We do a deep dive into how water-tight each cover is during heavy rainfall.
One of the most important features of a truck bed cover is a locking mechanism to keep people from taking your items. We consider how hard each product is to get into without a key.
Certain types of truck bed covers may be easier to install than others. We investigate how easy each one is to put on your truck and if you need additional hardware to do so.
The fit of a truck bed cover can make or break how well it works for daily use. We make note of what type of covers fit best on various sizes of truck beds and if there is leeway in the sizing.
Truck bed covers can be made from vinyl, fiberglass, metal, or canvas. We consider the advantages and drawbacks of each type of material and how well it protects your bed.
Truck bed covers can range in price from $100-$2,000 depending on how durable it is and how it opens and closes. We consider every aspect of a product and how much value it gives for its price.
Truck bed cover features
Construction
Truck covers can be either hard or soft, and constructed from a wide range of materials, including canvas, vinyl, aluminum, and fiberglass. Whichever type of cover you buy, it should be durable, and the material itself should be water resistant.
Installation
Truck bed covers are considerably lighter than truck caps or shells, and as such are generally easier for one person to install. When shopping for a cover, verify that it also ships with all the hardware needed for installation. Most covers attach using some form of clamping system that secures the cover to the bed. Some may require a minimal amount of drilling, particularly if you have a truck bed liner. Installation time and specifics vary by brand and cover type, but most of them should install easily in less than an hour. Be sure to read the included manual carefully to know what’s involved, what tools you’ll need, and whether you’ll need help.
Fit
Most truck bed covers are available in a variety of sizes to fit a wide range of trucks. So long as you carefully measure your truck bed and match it with the correct size cover, you should receive a cover that fits. Some covers are constructed with specific makes, models, or years of truck in mind, so be aware of this when you’re comparing covers.
Security
Truck bed covers offer differing degrees of security, but they all have the benefit of covering what is in your truck and keeping it from prying eyes. If you want a bit more in the way of security, you’ll need to shop accordingly.
Simple snap covers like soft roll-ups offer the least amount of security. With these, you’re basically buying the simple out-of-sight security already mentioned. The next step up would be something like a soft folding cover, although you’d probably need a locking tailgate to realize adequate protection here.
Hard covers like hard folding or retractable covers that lock offer an even more secure solution, particularly if coupled with a locking tailgate. The securest covers are one-piece solid-impact covers, which can extend over the end of the tailgate to keep the whole bed as secure as the cab.
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Truck bed cover prices
While not as expensive as a truck cap or shell (which can run $2,000 or more), a truck bed cover can still set you back a bit. Soft covers tend to be less expensive than hard covers. You can find a simple cover for under $100.
Pay more and you will find better quality and more advanced features like increased security. Most high-quality covers run into the hundreds of dollars. Several of the ones we recommend are priced in the $800 to $900 range.
Tips
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Lubricate the rails of a roll-up cover periodically. This helps make sure that the cover can roll open and closed easily.
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Check all clamps or other hardware for fastening the cover to your truck. Do this periodically to verify that they’re secure.
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Check the owner’s manual before placing any weight on the cover. Most tonneau covers aren’t constructed to be weight bearing.
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Apply a UV protectant to a vinyl cover. Do this occasionally to protect the cover from sun damage.
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Consider a truck bed cover with a built-in rack system. You can use it to carry items like kayaks or ladders.
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Choose hook-and-loop fasteners for a soft cover if you live in a cold climate. Cold soft covers have little give, and trying to stretch it taut and secure snaps can be difficult in the winter.
- Consider a special toolbox tonneau cover if you have a toolbox in your truck bed. These are shorter than traditional covers to accommodate a toolbox while giving you the full security and protection of a traditional cover.
Other products we considered
Given the wide variety of truck bed covers available, we weren’t able to include all of our favorites in the matrix. Several more that we like include the Tyger Auto T3 Tri-Fold Truck Bed Cover. This best-selling option is rugged, easy to install, and offers a lifetime warranty. The Extang Trifecta Toolbox 2.0 Soft Truck Bed Cover is a great soft option if you already have an existing 18- to 20-inch tool box in your truck. And the UnderCover Flex Hard Folding Truck Bed Cover is a hard cover option that stands out for its sleek appearance and ultra-low profile.
FAQ
Q. Will my truck be more fuel efficient with a bed cover?
A. That depends largely on who you ask. Some studies (usually touted by those selling covers) suggest that it will. Others say that a cover will actually make your truck less fuel efficient. Our take on it is that yes, it will help to cut down on drag, but not in any significant way. Any change in fuel efficiency will be negligible.
Q. Is one type of cover more waterproof than others?
A. Based on the materials they’re made of, all truck bed covers are waterproof to some extent. It’s the areas around the edge of the cover – where it attaches to the bed – where waterproofing starts to fail. The design of retractable covers provides them with the best waterproofing capabilities, while snap-based roll-up covers are the least waterproof.
Q. Will I have problems installing a truck bed cover over my bed liner?
A. The majority of covers clamp on, so it really depends on what kind of bed liner you have. Under-the-rail liners generally don’t interfere with where the cover clamps go, so you shouldn’t have a problem with these (one exception may be retractable covers in the bulkhead area).
Over-the-rail liners may present you with some installation challenges, however. Because these may cover over some clamping areas, you might need to do some drilling or cutting to securely attach the cover to the bed with this type of liner.
