Benefits of a Tonneau Cover

An exposed truck bed presents a number of risks. Not only can unsecured items fly out the back, but loose items or valuables in an unprotected truck bed can be an easy target for theft. But what if there was something to keep your supplies secure and organized? Say hello to the tonneau cover.

Top Benefits of Installing a Tonneau Cover

There are four main benefits afforded by tonneau covers:

• Weather Protection
• Security
• Increased Capacity
• Improved Efficiency

Keeps Your Cargo Protected From the Environment

Weather protection is one of the best benefits of a modern day tonneau cover. Many people haul sensitive cargo in their truck beds: golf clubs, power tools, athletic equipment, and other items that are at risk to weather damage. There are a wide variety of weather conditions that can damage your cargo:

• Rain – Especially problematic because it can remain in your truck bed for days. This problem can be worse in humid conditions where the water may not be able to evaporate quickly.
• Snow and Ice – Similar to rain, rot and rust can be a common problem for items exposed to snow.
• Wind – If you have loose items, strong winds could whip them out of your truck.

Protect Your Belongings From Theft

Anyone with a truck has experienced the fear of leaving cargo in the truck bed, exposed to potential theft. Tonneau covers protect your belongings in many ways. First off, and most importantly, they keep it invisible to would-be thieves. In this case, the old adage rings true: out of sight, out of mind. By definition, thieves only bother to steal things they know about. If your cargo is hidden out of sight, these individuals won’t be tempted to steal your goods. Many tonneau covers come with the ability to lock. With these tonneau covers, even the most prepared thieves will have a difficult time stealing your cargo. The most effective way to prevent theft is to secure your belongings.

Improve Your Truck with Increased Capacity

Tonneau covers can also be used to increase the towing and hauling capacity of a truck. Some truck drivers may require increased capacity when hauling other vehicles (such as ATVs, motorcycles, dirt bikes, etc.) or different types of loads. Hard or rigid tonneau covers can be used to both cover cargo that is stored in the bed of the truck, as well as support larger loads, which can be placed on top of the tonneau cover.

Improve the Efficiency and Speed of Your Truck

Tonneau covers, when properly used, can increase fuel mileage by decreasing wind drag. Additional air drag on your truck bed can cause your drivetrain to work harder, using more fuel per distance traveled. Tonneau covers can decrease a truck’s MPG, therefore saving you money. When a tonneau cover is installed, the aerodynamic drag of your truck is decreased, which means the truck will be able to use less fuel.

What Exactly is a Tonneau Cover?

Tonneau covers, also known as truck bed covers, are one of the most versatile and practical ways to upgrade the performance and looks of your pickup truck bed. A tonneau cover is a protective cover that is placed over the bed of a truck to keep the items inside the bed safe and shielded from outside elements.

The Early Beginnings of the Tonneau Cover

The French word tonneau, meaning “cask,” refers to any uncovered space in a vehicle, not just pickup beds. In the earliest versions of the automobile, there were often passenger seats that were exposed to the elements. As you could probably imagine, anyone sitting in these seats was subject to sun exposure, rain, or any number of other discomforts. Because of this, tonneau covers were created to protect passengers who were riding in these mostly-uncovered seats. Aside from automobiles, tonneau covers were also used in the racing world as well. Race car drivers used stretched leather covers to improve the efficiency of their vehicles. Similar to how it functions in a normal truck, the drag reduction allowed these race cars to take advantage of both increased fuel efficiency and higher rates of speed. While their usage dates back to the earliest days of the automobiles, and even in some horse-drawn carriages, today, many of the same original benefits—weather protection, safety, and security—are still applicable.

What are the Different Types and Styles of Tonneau Covers?

There are many different types of tonneau covers. The two basic distinctions are hard and soft tonneau covers. However, there are also rolling tonneau covers, folding tonneau covers, retractable covers, and hinged tonneau covers.

Soft tonneau covers

These covers generally fold or roll-up. These tonneau covers protect your items from thieves and the weather. They can be expanded relatively easily and can be removed or moved out of the way when you don’t need them.

Hard tonneau covers

These covers can either fold over themselves or be hinged. Some hard tonneau covers also have locks, increasing security even more. These types of tonneau covers can be made of plastic, fiberglass, or a number of other materials. These are generally the most expensive tonneau covers, but the wide variety of benefits they offer make them quite a popular choice.

Still Wondering If You Need a Tonneau Cover?

Still not fully convinced? Just think about all the benefits a cover for the bed of your truck can provide. If you are a truck owner that needs security and peace of mind for their materials than a tonneau cover may be your answer. Check out AmericanTrucks’s tonneau covers today.