Tonneau covers are one of the most popular accessories you can add to your pickup truck, and for good reason. They provide security for your truck bed, protect your cargo from moisture, and can even save you gas mileage! There’s no doubt a tonneau cover can be a great investment, but there are a few questions you should consider before making a final decision.
What are your reasons for wanting a tonneau cover?
Are you looking to add more security to your truck bed, enhance the look of your truck, or add some versatility? There are various styles of tonneau covers to choose from, such as Soft Roll-Up, Hard Tri-Fold, Retractable or Hard One-Piece, and they all have their own set of pros and cons. Decide what you want out of a tonneau cover, because that will help your initial decision.
How will you be using your truck bed?
How do you use your truck and how often will you need access to your truck bed? All tonneau covers provide tailgate access, but some can pose limitations if you routinely need full truck bed access to haul larger items. Soft Roll-Up Covers are the most versatile, and can easily be rolled all the way to the cab to provide full truck bed access, but they offer less security than a hard tonneau cover. Most Hard Tri-Fold Covers like the BAKFlip G2 can fold against the back window of the cab to provide a full truck bed, but this also reduces visibility in the back window. If you’re building a show truck and don’t plan on hauling large items often, a Hard One-Piece Tonneau can provide a clean, finished look.
What styles of tonneau covers do you like the best?
This is something that will be on your truck for a long time, so you should like the way it looks. Decide what tonneau cover styles you like the look of the best.
What is your budget?
There is a wide price range when it comes to tonneau covers. With prices starting at $269, Soft Tonneau Covers are the least expensive, and Hard Covers are bit more expensive, with prices that start at $663.
Do you want a tonneau cover on your truck at all times?
Some covers are easier to remove than others. If you only want a tonneau cover to use occasionally, you should review the installation instructions to be sure of the process involved. We provide installation guides on all our tonneau cover product pages.
How tall is your truck?
The height of your truck can also play a role in decide. Folding the panels of a Hard Tri-Fold Tonneau might be difficult if you already have a hard time reaching your truck bed. Retractable tonneau covers like the Pace Edwards Switchblade slide easily with little effort, and may be better suited to those with lifted trucks.
Are you planning on using your tonneau cover with a rack or other truck bed accessories?
Some tonneau covers might not be compatible with other truck bed accessories, so be sure to find out before making a purchase. If you plan on getting a truck bed rack with your cover, check out the BAKFlip CS or CS-F1 Tonneau Cover/Rack Combo.
What’s more important: versatility or security?
This may be the question that determines whether you want a hard or soft tonneau cover. Soft Roll-Up Tonneau Covers like the Access Original Roll-Up Tonneau Cover tend to be the most versatile, but you can’t beat the security of a Hard Tri-Fold or One-Piece Cover.
How easy is the cover to use?
Would you rather access your truck bed by rolling your cover back, folding panels open, letting it slide or pressing a button? Some covers are easier than others to use, and some retractable covers like the Pace Edwards Bedlocker can even be opened via remote!
How difficult is the cover to install?
If you’ll be installing the tonneau cover yourself, you should review the instructions to make sure you have everything you need before buying it. Some covers are easier than others, and some require great accuracy to ensure it operates smoothly and remains water tight. This should also be a consideration if you plan on putting on and removing your cover frequently.
Now that you’ve asked yourself these 10 important questions, you’re ready to choose a tonneau cover! To help you out, here are some tonneau cover categories you might be interested in.
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