A tonneau cover is a section of fabric, fiberglass, or aluminum that covers the bed of your pickup truck and protects it from the elements as well as prying eyes and thieves. Not only will a tonneau cover protect any valuables you place in your truck bed from theft, but it’ll also slightly increase fuel economy by making your truck more streamlined, and prevent rust and corrosion buildup due to rain and snow.
With that in mind, it’s important to note that there are several different tonneau covers available on the market, with each type having its own pros and cons. Retractable and folding tonneau covers are two of the most popular and prominent types available, which is why we’ll cover them in this article and explain the advantages and disadvantages of both.
Retractable Tonneau Covers
As their name might imply, retractable tonneau covers simply roll underneath themselves when you want to retract them. The cover is then safely stored in the free space just below the bulkhead. Retractable covers are also called sliding tonneau covers because it’s easy and straightforward to roll them on or off.
If your budget allows it, you can even get an electric retractable tonneau cover that can be easily opened or closed using a remote. Should your battery die, you can still open and close an electric cover manually just like you would on a normal tonneau cover.
The advantages of a retractable tonneau cover are obvious. They’re really easy to fold or unfold, and you can even do so with no manual effort required if you get an electric unit. They also look and feel premium and are usually made out of quality materials.
Are Retractable Covers Weatherproof?
No tonneau cover is fully waterproof, but some come close. When it comes to tonneau covers, no available option is completely impervious to water penetration but the more premium, quality options, can withstand quite a lot of rainfall before letting water drizzle in. That being said, you can always use a special coating that gives the cover a water-repellent coat to make it nearly completely waterproof. Even so, there could be mild water penetration from the mounting locations including the side rails and at the tailgate.
Security of Retractable Truck Bed Covers
Retractable covers are quite tough and sturdy since they’re manufactured from sections of aluminum that hinge together, making them an excellent choice if safety and security are of major concern. Slicing through a retractable tonneau cover is quite tricky and you’ll need more than a kitchen knife to do so. What’s more, retractable covers can typically work in conjunction with the locking tailgate, making it extremely difficult if not impossible for thieves to access your truck’s bed.
Folding Tonneau Covers
As opposed to retractable covers which consist of one smooth layer, folding tonneau covers typically consist of three or four separate flat sections that are hinged together to fully cover the truck’s bed. When you want access to the bed itself, you can fold up one section (or all of them) and retrieve or store whatever you need to.
Folding (also called tri-fold or quad-fold) tonneau covers are super simple to install and use, and most come assembled and ready to go out of the box. This makes them extremely popular, and that’s before you factor in the price and how affordable some folding covers are.
There are two types of folding covers: soft or hard tri-fold options. A soft cover is less expensive but it also offers less protection against thieves and criminals since the canvas is easier to cut through. Hard covers offer better protection and can’t be sliced through with a sharp object, but as a consequence, they cost more.
Depending on the tonneau cover make and model, you might not be able to fold up the last section, leaving a third of your truck’s bed more difficult to access (unless you load everything from the other two sections which is tricky and annoying). Another disadvantage of certain soft tri-folds is that they might not allow you to use other truck accessories such as bed racks.
Hard folding covers are slightly difficult to install and mount because of their weight and stiff structure, but as we mentioned previously, they’re more secure and harder to break into.
Are Folding Covers Weatherproof?
Folding covers are just as waterproof as retractable tonneau covers, meaning they’ll keep most if not all of the water out except in a serious rainstorm that’s been raging on for hours when some water might find its way into the bed of the truck. That being said, we should point out that soft tonneau covers are more susceptible to wear and tear caused by the elements, specifically rain, snow, and sun damage.
Soft folding covers can stretch out over time and become wrinkly, letting some water inside the truck’s bed and causing a distinct flapping wind noise at highway speeds. Because of that reason, soft covers are more commonly used for city driving while hard tri-fold covers are recommended for frequent highway driving or when towing.
Security of Folding Truck Bed Covers
Hard folding truck bed covers are just as secure as retractable covers, if not more, but soft foldable covers offer the least amount of protection and security out of all of them. Their soft vinyl/fabric structure makes them easy to slice and cut through, so we suggest only using soft covers if someone breaking in and stealing valuable equipment from the back of your truck isn’t a major concern.
If security is crucial, always pick a hard folding cover as not only are they more rigid, but they might deter some thieves away knowing breaking into a hard cover will be more difficult and time-consuming.
Hopefully this article helped you better understand the differences between retractable and folding tonneau covers, as well as the pros and cons of both. In the end, you really can’t go wrong with either option. It all comes down to your budget, taste, and personal preferences.
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