Tonneau Covers – Choosing the Right Style for your Truck

Tonneau covers can be an incredibly beneficial truck accessory, but with the variety of options available it can be difficult to determine which style best fits your needs. However, if you just break it down into what each tonneau cover has to offer, it becomes much easier. Let’s take a look at the four main types of tonneau covers and the features of each one:

1. Hard Tonneau Covers

   If you’re looking for something heavy-duty, then a hard tonneau cover is probably your best option. Because it is constructed as one solid piece, it offers a higher weight capacity than almost any tonneau cover. This is especially important if it snows a lot where you live – hard tonneau covers will stand up to an incredibly large snow load. However, you also have to consider that because it is one large piece that lifts up from the very back, you will have slightly less access to the part of the truck bed closest to the cab.

2. Roll-Up Tonneau Covers

   On the other side of the tonneau cover spectrum are roll-up tonneau covers, the softest option available. If price is a big concern, this is definitely going to be your most affordable option. True to its name, you just roll up the cover whenever you want something from your truck bed, allowing full or partial access. While this does give you easy access, it also means it has the smallest weight capacity of the tonneau covers, making it ideal for more temperate environments.

3. Folding Tonneau Covers

   This is basically the best of both worlds. Because they have a sturdier structure, these tonneau covers have a slightly higher weight load than roll-up tonneau covers. Plus, because it easily folds up in three or four sections, it offers fuller access to your truck bed than a hard tonneau cover. Keep in mind, however, that it still isn’t the best option for harsher environments.

4. Retractable Tonneau Covers

   With an incredibly strong structure, almost no amount of snow can take down this tonneau cover. Plus, it is one of the simplest to open, easily gliding back to a variety of locking positions, allowing for full or partial access. However, all the extra support and simplicity comes at a price – it is definitely the most expensive of any of the tonneau covers.

Now that we’ve broken it down, it should be easy to determine which tonneau cover is best for you based on the environment in which you live, what kind of access you need, and your price range.