Tonneau Covers: Just The Facts

Why do real men drive trucks? Simple: there's no way you can cram a cord of firewood into the backseat of a Smart Car, or a ton of paving stones into the trunk of a Tercel. Real men are ready for action, whether it's hauling drywall down to the jobsite or snatching up a free recliner sitting out on your neighbor's curb. But, that wide-open payload of yours is killing your MPGs, leaving your gear exposed to the elements, and inviting crooks to swoop in and snatch up your stuff. Protecting your pickup from all three hazards is a cinch with tonneau covers.

Like a finely tanned piece of fox skin stretched across a gourd drum, bed covers cover over your payload—pretty simple. But, once they're in place, they deliver advanced protection from wind, weather and highwaymen. For wind, the taut tarp of your tonneau cover creates a smooth surface for air to blow over instead of smashing into your tailgate, creating MPG-killing drag. For weather, the tarp acts like a giant umbrella, shielding your gear from blistering sun, torrential rain and frigid snow. For highwaymen, the tonneau cover conceals what you're packing, hiding your tempting valuables from the green-eyed gaze of bandits.

Tonneau covers come in a wide range of styles and finishes, but the primary difference comes down to the tarp—you can either go for a soft tonneau or a hard tonneau. Soft tonneau covers tend to be more affordable than hard tonneaus, and they're usually easier to install. However, hard tonneau covers provide more security, more weather-blocking, and they can hold gear on top of the tonneau, too. Either style comes in a multitude of opening designs, including roll-up, hinged, retractable and folding truck bed cover options.

Because tonneau covers have been around for a long time, the market is teaming with quality manufacturers with years of experience under their belts. Extang and Truxedo are both well-respected manufacturers, and Lund tonneau covers are also sought after by truckers in the know.