A tonneau cover is one of the most popular accessories for pickup trucks, which is not surprising as it is meant to provide functionality and style your vehicle requires. First of all, a tonneau cover is a great protection for your truck bed and its contents not only from rain, snow, and sun that can cause rust, corrosion, and fading, but also from opportunistic thieves that might try to filch something valuable from your open bed. Second of all, with the variety of tonneau covers offered on the market, you can pick the product that will perfectly match your taste and help you give your vehicle a stylish look.
Moreover, studies have proven that a tonneau cover provides better aerodynamics and consequently, increases fuel economy. Considering all the above-mentioned benefits of tonneau covers, it’s clear that this accessory is a must-have for any pickup owner. The only question is how to select the best tonneau cover for your truck and that’s exactly the topic we’re going to cover in this article.
As we’ve already mentioned, nowadays the aftermarket offers hundreds of options, so when you face the problem of choosing the best truck bed cover for your vehicle, you might want to get familiar will all types of tonneau covers to choose the one that will precisely meet your needs. We’ll describe the main designs of tonneau covers available on the automotive market today for you to consider all pros and cons of each type.
Roll-up Tonneau Covers
These tonneau covers are really easy to roll open and closed, moreover, they can be left in a partly-open position, so this type is perfect if you often need access to all parts of your truck’s bed. Roll-up covers are usually made of thick vinyl and are secured with the help of Velcro, snaps, or tongue-and-groove seals.
There are soft and hard roll up covers, with the latter featuring a row of aluminum slats under the vinyl layer. These are probably the top rated tonneau covers due to the combination of versatility and affordability they offer.
Retractable Tonneau Covers
Featuring a durable construction made of aluminum or ABS, retractable tonneau covers slide open, rolling into a storage canister placed inside the bed’s front area. They are really easy to operate, allowing you to lock them in various open positions. They provide easy access to your truck’s bed while reliably protecting you cargo.
Retractable covers come in a variety of options to fit nearly every existing model of a pickup truck. There are also electric retractable covers that are highly convenient as they can be opened or closed with just a push of a button.
Folding Tonneau Covers
Coming in hard and soft versions, these truck bed covers fold up into three (tri-fold tonneau covers) or more sections and are stored in the front of the truck bed, just behind the cab area. Soft models utilize a vinyl covering over aluminum framework, while hard folding covers come with completely solid panels made of aluminum, ABS, or fiberglass.
This type of tonneau covers is perfect if you regularly carry tall or oversized items such as furniture or bikes.
Hinged Tonneau Covers
Hinged tonneau covers are developed for those pickup truck owners who don’t carry oversize load and only occasionally need access to the front of the bed area. Possessing a one-piece design, they come in hard and soft versions, both are hinged at the front and are supported by gas struts.
Resembling a trunk lid, they are simple to open and close and can also be locked into a lifted position for you to easily access your truck bed.
Toolbox Tonneau Covers
If you have a toolbox that you would like to mount in your truck bed for maximum utility, then a toolbox tonneau cover will be a perfect choice for you as this type provides the perfect combination of cargo protection and tool storage. Aimed to maximize your productivity, toolbox tonneau covers are specially designed to accommodate standard size toolboxes and are available in folding, tilt-back, and roll-up configurations.
Surely, with such a great range of available designs, picking the best tonneau cover for your truck might seem like a hard task. There is a number of factors that can influence your choice, including your cargo carrying needs, your budget, and of course, your taste. Rely on reputable, well-known manufacturers that create products of supreme quality and precise fit, therefore offering the best truck bed covers to meet all your needs. We hope that the provided information will come in handy and you will make the right choice, selecting the accessory that will perfectly upgrade your valued truck.
