Tonneau covers are a stalwart of pickup truck ownership. They can keep your cargo protected from the elements, not to mention that they can be locked to give you peace of mind
- If you need to keep cargo protected from the elements, tonneau covers are the best
- There are multiple options in terms of rigidity and the mechanism to open and close
- This article features our recommendations considering common pickup truck models
Pickup trucks are a favorite in the automotive market for a number of reasons. Modern ones are beautiful, spacious, even comfortable to drive. Not to mention that diesel and V8 engines make them very powerful. Some models make things even better by adding levels of luxury comparable to those of typical high-end sedans. However, the truth is that none of those is the main reason why people love pickup trucks.
These vehicles usually have a huge bed and a huge towing capacity, so they are extremely useful. You can get groceries for the month, help a relative move, go camping with a trailer, host a tailgate party… pretty much anything. The only problem is that we cannot leave them in a safe garage every time we need. Truck tonneau covers like those are a great solution to keep your cargo protected when you need it the most.
Best hard folding
Gator EFX
Sturdy construction, discreet look, and three independent panels. What’s not to like?
Best rigid cover
UnderCover SE
Affordable, good-looking, and resistant. The best one-piece tonneau cover in the market.
Best roll-up
TruXedo Lo Pro
Easy to use, compatible with most pick-ups, and features a unique low-profile design.
What is a tonneau cover?
Originally, the term refers to accessories that cover any open areas of a vehicle, which makes it applicable to convertibles as well. Nowadays, its most common application is on truck beds, especially pickups. Their main function is to physically cover the bed in order to protect the contents from the elements. Since they come with an independent lock, truck tonneau covers can also pose a barrier of their own against theft.
From the outside, they also replace an open region with a smooth surface. People often say that they also make the truck more aerodynamic because of that. While that train of thought makes sense, there is little evidence that it brings significant improvements in fuel consumption or noise reduction. Here, we focus on its primary function, along with variables which you should keep in mind when browsing options.
What to look for in tonneau covers?
The first decision is about their material. Soft ones are made of vinyl or leather; you can fold or roll them open. Hard tonneau covers are made of polymers or aluminum and may come a single piece or divided in a few parts. The latter are usually more resistant, especially against physical impacts, but come at a cost. They are more suitable for people who use their pickup truck a lot and park outside most of the time.
You will also find different opening options. Low-cost tonneau covers require you to fold or roll them into a pile that stays right behind the cabin. Upscale ones are automatically retractable: you push a button and the cover goes out of sight taking up minimal bed space. And there are the rigid ones, which you can just fully install, or remove and store away. Here, you are going to see the tonneau covers we have chosen.
Best hard folding: Gator EFX
While it is always nice to see innovation in a product, we cannot deny the value of doing the basics right. This tonneau cover is easy to install, has a sturdy aluminum construction, and opens in three steps. If you need quick access to the bed, you can open the rearmost panel alone. When you need full access, they all neatly fold against the rear window. And all that comes with integrated locking and holds up to 300 lb.
You will also like the fact that the outer layer has a polymer coating to protect it against scratches and UV rays. We could mention the big panels as a flaw, but that is only a consequence of its design: that is why there are retractable options in the market. Parallel to that, we know it is definitely not the cheapest one here. Gator also offers the SFX tonneau cover, which trades in some of those features for a lower price.
Pros
Easy installation does not require external tools
Polymer coating adds resistance to the elements
Three independent panels make it more usable
Cons
Not compatible with all pickup truck models
One of the most expensive tonneau covers here
Panels cover the rear window when fully folded
Best rigid cover: UnderCover SE
Rigid tonneau covers essentially convert your truck’s bed into a trunk. This one is made of ABS composite and has an X-shaped frame for extra physical resistance. That matte-black finish goes well with all trucks and is protected against scratches and UV rays. The manufacturer says it also features perimeter seals to protect your cargo from the elements and – look at that – a short rear spoiler to improve aerodynamics.
Having a one-piece tonneau cover is interesting because of its rigidity, but it can also be cumbersome to operate. Besides, there are times when you do not want to expose everything in the bed at the same time. The worst point, though, is that you will probably have to keep it installed forever, since such a large item is hard to store away. If you want a fancier model with more features, UnderCover offers the Elite model.
Pros
Generic design goes well with all truck colors
SE tonneau cover is no-frills and quite affordable
X-shaped frame and ABS cover are very resistant
Cons
Plastic cover is much more fragile than metal
Premium “Elite” option is much more expensive
Single-piece cover exposes entire bed at once
Best roll-up: TruXedo Lo Pro
If there is a “standard” type of tonneau covers, it is this one. The roll-up type is simple and easy to install, the fabric lays over the bed with tension to stay in place, and there is a quick-release roll-up mechanism for you to use. Besides, TruXedo is known for its “low profile design”: the cover sits much lower than usual to provide a seamless design. You can find it in three different bed sizes and several design patterns.
Compared to the others, this is a simpler product. It offers less mechanical resistance than a fully rigid one and may be more troublesome to operate than a rigid folding one. However, it costs less than either one of those. The all-black design is easy to go well with several pickup models, but you can expect this cover to need a replacement sooner than those ones. It is a matter of pondering how severely it will be used.
Pros
Quick-release mechanism makes opening easy
Low-profile design looks better than average
More affordable than any rigid tonneau covers
Cons
Less resistant than any of the rigid models
No options to customize its external color
Rolling up the cover may be cumbersome
Extang Trifecta 2.0
This type of tonneau cover is actually a combo. The Trifecta offers a regular rigid foldable cover plus some room for a heavy-duty toolbox. If you choose a toolbox made of galvanized steel, for example, it will be as resistant as the cover. This way, your equipment will be protected all year round. This particular model comes in two bed sizes and only in the black color with matte finish. It does not include the toolbox.
RetraxOne MX
As the name anticipates, this tonneau cover slides on rails towards the front of the bed, where it retracts into a dedicated box. That makes it easy to use and does not leave a pile of rolled fabric to obstruct the driver’s view. It also allows access to the cabin with only the cover or only the tailgate open. On the other hand, that dedicated box takes up cargo space. And fabric construction is less resistant than aluminum.
R&L Racing Heavy Duty Snap-on
Commercial-grade vinyl with coating on both sides. Pre-assembled design with simple installation. Quick and easy operation to open and close. And the lowest price in this list by far. Then again, there is little to no impact resistance and not much more against the weather. And you will have to snap seal by seal on your own. The good part is that the manufacturer gives lifetime warranty for the tonneau cover itself.
What is the best tonneau cover?
If you want us to name only one, it will be the Gator EFX. While it does not innovate, it does everything else right. In the end of the day, the average user prefers a reliable tonneau cover that is predictable and easy to use than something new and complicated. It is expensive, sure, but drivers who make good use of it will find amazing value. And it offers a nice balance between the fully soft and the fully rigid models.
This time, the honorable mention goes to the RetraxOne MX. Retractable covers have only two big weak points: high price and less cargo room. But they are so practical that it is hard to beat them. This tonneau cover is perfect for people who work with their truck. They will need to access the bed often but also need to keep it closed when not in use to protect the items. That high price can be considered an investment.
Frequently asked questions
The fact that it covers the truck’s bed with a smooth surface favors aerodynamics, indeed. But there is little evidence that actually supports that affirmation. That effect depends on many other factors, so it is not a matter of simply using the cover or not.
The best answer to that lies on your cover’s user guide. After all, each device has its own methods to firmly attach to the bed. The good news is that most of them do not require external tools for you to install them.
Pickup trucks are quite standardized when it comes to their beds because of the variety of accessories there is in the market. The easiest way to deal with that is knowing the year, make and model of your truck plus the bed’s length. That is all you need to search for a compatible cover.
It depends on its type. Basic models open by detaching the seals from the frame. Rigid ones require you to simply lift them, whether one panel at a time or the whole thing at once. And there are roll-up and retractable options in the market.
It is an accessory that physically covers a pickup truck’s bed. It may be soft or rigid, and come as one piece or as multiple panels that can be folded. Besides, they come in one version per each truck model in each of its bed sizes.
Joe Stewart is a 35-year-old automotive enthusiast born in Miami, Florida. He is a part-time collaborator in AutomoBible and specializes at making car passion accessible to readers thanks to his product curations of all types.
Stewart worked in the automotive industry for several years especially in the field of accessories. He executed projects for several automakers whether to improve existing solutions or to design new ones according to their needs.
Nowadays, Stewart is expressing his passion for cars on AutomoBible. He is always looking for exciting new products and he tests them whenever he can, whether on his own 2020 Dodge Charger or on his friends's cars.
