How to Pick the Right Tonneau Cover for You

What is a Tonneau Cover?

Also known as truck bed covers, tonneau covers are simply covers for the bed of your truck. They lay flat over the bed, covering the tools, toys, or luggage that you’re carrying around in your truck. They add protection, increase the organization and aerodynamics of your truck, and look pretty awesome, too.

What to Consider when Shopping for a Tonneau Cover

There’s no one type of tonneau cover that’s right for everyone. There are a lot of different options because different people and different trucks have different needs. So it’s important to think about what you need from your truck bed cover when you go shopping for one. Here are a few factors to consider.

What your security needs are

The most important benefit of having a tonneau cover on your truck is the added security. Truck bed covers protect your cargo from the elements, by blocking the wind, sun, and debris from the road. If you keep expensive tools in your truck, you might want to consider a truck bed cover with a lot of strength, but if you’re just carrying around lumber or non-delicate luggage, you could opt for a soft-top cover. Tonneau covers also decrease the chances of having your cargo stolen by keeping all of your valuables out of sight and harder to access.

Locking Hard Covers

A hard tonneau cover can refer to various different styles, including one-piece hinged, hard-folding, hard-retractable, hard-roll-up, and more! While some models feature keyed lock cylinders and twist handles–like most one-piece hinged covers and toppers–many companies have done away with conventional keyed locks due to the increase of factory-equipped locking tailgates. Rather than outfitting hard covers with separate locks, most modern hard-folding and hard-roll-up covers utilize self-locking rails which automatically latch the cover in place when in the closed position. Others, like retractable covers, feature integrated tailgate latches which automatically lock when the cover is closed. In some cases, retractable covers also feature key-lockable handles for added security. In both scenarios, when the cover is closed and the tailgate locked, cargo in the bed is safer than in the cab!

Locking Soft Covers

Soft tonneau covers typically take a similar approach to modern hard covers, featuring manual or self-locking rails. When closed, the cover either latches into place near the tailgate or is secured using integrated manual latches. Once latched, shut and lock the tailgate! While not as secure as most hard covers, locking soft covers (when paired with locking tailgates) are an excellent theft deterrent. While any thief with a sharp blade can gain entry into the bed through soft cover, locking the tailgate alone may prove too much of an obstacle for an unprepared, would-be thief.

What look you’re going for

While tonneau covers are highly practical, they’re also great looking. Adding a tonneau cover can really upgrade the look of your truck, and we know how important that is! Different types of tonneau covers have different looks, and only you can choose what’s right for you and your vehicle.

What weather you live in

Many tonneau covers are also water-resistant, which is perfect if you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, snow, or sleet, and if you haul around tools or luggage that would be damaged if they got wet. A lot of truck bed covers offer UV protection, which you might want to consider if you spend all day driving in the sun.

What your budget is

Like almost all truck accessories, tonneau covers come in a wide variety of prices. As with all things in life, you get what you pay for, but you might not need the best quality truck bed cover on the market. No matter what your budget is, you should be able to find a cover that works for you.

Types of Tonneau Covers

Now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to move onto the different types of tonneau covers that are available, so you can find the one that’s perfect for all of your needs.

Retractable tonneau covers

Retractable tonneau covers are some of the best-looking truck bed covers around, and they’re super convenient. As the name suggests, they retract either partially or entirely, giving you access to whatever part of your truck bed that you need. Most retractable tonneau covers are made of fabric, so they’re usually not the best option if you need the strongest protection.

Hinged tonneau covers

With a hinged cover, your tonneau will open up just like a lid. This makes them really easy to use, and really convenient for accessing your cargo. Hinged tonneau covers are usually quite strong and sturdy, but you can’t drive with them opened up. So they’re not a good choice if you find yourself constantly needing to have the cover effectively off to accommodate taller luggage.

Folding tonneau covers

A folding tonneau cover usually has two-to-four hinged panels. That allows you to essentially customize your truck bed cover to fit whatever your needs are on any given day, because you can have half of your truck bed covered, and the other half exposed for your larger cargo.

Roll-up tonneau covers

Like a folding cover, a roll-up tonneau cover can essentially be customized to cover as much of the truck bed as you’re looking for. Because the cover rolls up like a towel, it has to be made out of fabric rather than hard plastic or aluminum. So it’s very convenient, but not as strong of an option.

Snap-on tonneau covers

Snap-on tonneau covers are kind of like entry-level truck bed covers. They’re the most affordable option, they’re easy to order to the exact specifications of your truck bed, and you can quickly and easily install them or take them off. However, they’re also the most lightweight, so they offer the least protection and don’t look as spiffy as the other options.

Whether you’re shopping for a tonneau cover or some tools, you can find whatever you and your truck need at AmericanTrucks. Explore different brands, options, price ranges, and fitments, and if you need a hand, call to talk to one of our sales techs.