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Don’t pay attention to all of the specs and jargon automakers toss out about their pickup trucks. It’s all nonsense. The only thing that matters to 90% of truck owners is the usefulness of the bed. Well, mostly. Payload capacity, tow rating, and off road abilities are also essential, but for a surprisingly small number of owners. Either way, it’s the bed that really makes it the vehicle of your dreams and most of us need a tonneau cover to make those dreams a reality.
Unfortunately, one of the best things about a truck bed is also the worst. It’s a big, wide-open cavity that’s perfect for storing tools, gear, furniture, and even other vehicles. Unfortunately, anything that’s back there is exposed to everything the truck is. If you want to add protection but want to keep the bed completely accessible, a tonneau cover is the way to go, and for most use cases, a roll-up is the best choice.
Summary List
- Best Overall: TruXedo Truxport Soft Cover
- Best Value: Gator ETX Soft Roll Up Tonneau Cover
- Honorable Mention: BAK Revolver X4s Hard Rolling Truck Bed Tonneau Cover
- Honorable Mention: RealTruck Truxedo Deuce Soft Folding Tonneau Cover
- Best Overall Runner-Up: Extang Revolution Soft Roll-up Truck Bed Tonneau Cover
Our Methodology
We can’t put our own hands on every item available. In these instances, we put our collective experience in journalism, research, and prior product testing to use to make our product picks. Items that are used by our own staff may get earnest endorsements as well, but we’ll never accept fees or bonuses to sell you stuff we’re not actually excited about. Affiliate revenue is always disclosed.
The Drive aggregates reviews and research from all over the internet to figure out which products are worth buying. We also put out shopping guides to help you understand how to assess the value of these things on your own. Knowledge is horsepower!
Best Roll-Up Tonneau Covers: Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall: TruXedo Truxport Soft Roll Up Tonneau Cover
Pros
- Affordable price point
- Excellent protection against elements
- Easy installation
Cons
- Fit can be exceptionally tight
- Alignment has to be perfect for proper sealing
The TruXedo TruXport takes the pick for Best Overall for several reasons. This line of covers is one of the most affordable on the market, which is something the average truck owner is definitely going to appreciate. It’s not just some cheap piece of vinyl, though. It offers excellent protection from the elements, installs with ease, and the fit and finish certainly won’t drag your prized truck down in style points. It’s also backed by a solid 5-year warranty to offer peace of mind to the owner.
It’s certainly not the most refined piece of equipment. Issues with alignment during installation can drive owners of some models nuts. As could the exceptionally tight fit in some cases, making it worth reading the reviews to ensure it’s a good choice for your exact truck.
Best Value: Gator ETX Soft Roll Up Tonneau Cover
Pros
- Affordable price point
- Leaves stake pockets uncovered
- Backed by a limited lifetime warranty
Cons
- Quality isn’t the best
- Single latch allows the cover to come loose in harsh conditions
The aesthetic appeal of Gator’s ETX alone makes it worthy of your consideration. It’s no one-trick pony, though. The low-profile design offers the practical advantage of leaving the stake pockets exposed, allowing you to make use of them for tie-downs and bedside rails as necessary. It also sits at an economical price point that’s sure to win over many truck owners. Despite that, it still has exceptional protection against the elements and is backed by a limited lifetime warranty, making it a clear choice for the Best Value award.
Managing editor Jonathon Klein has put this specific tonneau cover to good use and loves it. You can read up more on his experience with the tonneau cover here.
Honorable Mention: BAK Revolver X4s Hard Rolling Truck Bed Tonneau Cover
Pros
- Unmatched security
- Does not cover stake pockets
- Backed by 5-year guarantee
Cons
- Premium price point
- Rubber seals tend to fail
The BAK Revolver X4s is the clear choice if you want max security from a roll-up tonneau cover. Underneath the tasteful vinyl layering lies a sheet of aluminum panels. While aluminum isn’t the hardest metal, it’s certainly not something thieves can slash through with any old knife in seconds. Pairing it with a locking tailgate means anything in the bed is going to take serious effort to access. It also leaves the stake pocket holes wide open, rolls neatly to the cabin, and is backed by a solid 5-year guarantee.
The obvious drawback is the price, as this cover costs nearly five times as much as the average rolling tonneau. Also, it seems that the rubber seals are something of a problem area, and the cover will leak once the adhesive separates.
Honorable Mention: RealTruck Truxedo Deuce Soft Folding Tonneau Cover
Pros
- Low-maintenance materials used
- High durability
- Lifetime guarantee
Cons
- Relatively high price
- Must unfasten tonneau to open tailgate
One of the issues associated with just about all tonneau covers is access to the bed always starts at the tailgate, as the majority of products are anchored (semi) permanently at the front of the bed. With the Deuce from Truxedo, you can unfasten just the front of the cover to access what’s underneath. This is especially helpful if you have a storage box in your bed.
This is on the expensive side of soft covers, so not everyone will see the utility in the Deuce. Also, some owners have reported that it doesn’t seal as well as some other tonneau covers they have owned. This seems to vary by application, so your experience may be different. Just about everyone we’ve heard from says the Deuce is easy to install, with great hardware and build quality.
Best Hard Roll-Up Tonneau: Bak Revolver X2 Hard Roll Up Tonneau Cover
Pros
- Quality construction
- Holds 400 pounds
- Fits flush with rails
Cons
- Expensive
- Takes up space when rolled up
Deciding on a tonneau isn’t easy. Before you even get to the brand and model, you have to decide on what type of construction fits your needs. A hard roll-up option can make your decision easier. You get the convenience of a soft roll-up but with most of the rigidity and the fit of a hard tonneau. There are downsides: like it’s a little heavier, it’s harder to store when off of the truck, and what you may notice most often is the space it takes up when it’s rolled-up at the front of the bed.
This particular model from Bak, holds up to 400 pounds. I need to point out that’s a distributed load—don’t try doing your squats standing on the cover. We like the fact that it sits flush with the side rails for an extra-clean look. It leaves the stake covers on the sides of the bed open, which is a positive for some and a negative for others. It includes a 3-year warranty, which isn’t as good as some of the competition.
Our Verdict on the Best Roll-Up Tonneau Covers
For the money, the TruXedo Truxport Soft Cover is hard to beat. It’s simple, built well, protected with a warranty, and affordable. However, the Gator ETX Soft Roll Up Tonneau Cover is not a bad way to go if you need something more economical. What’s your pick? be sure to reach out and tell us what you think the best roll-up cover is!
What to Consider When Buying Roll-Up Tonneau Covers
What if you’re not ready to jump on a tonneau cover just because a few have been recommended to you? That’s a good thing. You should want to know more about these types of covers ad what your options are. That’s exactly what the following sections are here for. They highlight key features as well as some things you certainly need to know before you spend the time and money that goes into popping one of these bad boys in place. Don’t worry. It’s a lot less complicated than I’m making it sound.
Types of Roll-Up Tonneau Covers
Soft
Soft covers are the most common and most basic version out there. However, there’s a little more going on than simply stretching a piece of vinyl over the bed of your truck. These are set in place with the use of a metal frame that bolts to the bed. The frame extends down the bedsides and is paired with either a hook-and-loop system or snaps to anchor the vinyl in place. Underneath the vinyl are metal bows to provide structural support that keeps the cover from distorting and coming undone when forces are encountered. These are a go-to option due to their cost-effective nature and ease of use, but they don’t offer the best security as they are primarily a simple piece of fabric that’s not going to stop much other than the weather.
Hard
Hard rolling tonneau covers are the clear choice when security and support are necessary. Rather than the primary material being a simple layer of vinyl and fabric, a layer of metal or plastic plates rest underneath. These sheets are narrow and able to fold over each other so that the cover can roll out of the way just like their vinyl counterparts. Using these harder materials is great for keeping snow and other threats from collapsing the cover, but they can also keep thieves out. These can be very expensive, though, and you will need a locking tailgate to get the most out of them.
Key Features
Compatibility
The first detail you need to sort out is whether or not the tonneau cover actually fits the truck. This seems like a relatively easy detail to sort out, but it can be more complicated than you originally imagined. That’s because truck manufacturers don’t necessarily stick to a standard with sizing. Cabin sizes don’t always determine bed size, and measurements can be taken in several ways. Your best bet is to read into the exact make and model of your truck to find out how to measure your bed and go from there. A year-make-model search can simplify the ordeal, but even then, you may need to take measurements to be sure.
Quality Materials
It always helps to stick with top brands, especially in the case of tonneau covers when prices are pretty level across all manufacturers. That said, you still want to do a little bit of homework on any you’re considering. Make sure to sort out who’s using quality vinyl, how well-made the latches are, and which frames hold up the best. Keep in mind that the elements you’re regularly exposed to will play a big role in which models are best suited to your truck.
Securing Method
In most cases, roll-up tonneau covers feature hook-and-loop systems down the rails to keep the vinyl in place. There are, however, many that still use snap buttons to get the job done. Which is better will ultimately come down to personal preference. Hook-and-loop is generally easier to install, and they do a fine job of securing the cover. However, some prefer the positive engagement of the snaps, and you should hash out this detail if you’re partial to one over the other.
FAQ
You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.
A. You can expect anywhere between 15 minutes and an hour for installation, depending on the design. Hardcovers take the longest because of their complex design and a greater number of parts that must be installed. This will also depend on the make and model vehicle you’re working with since different trucks like the new Chevy Silverado and old Dodge Rams have unique bed profiles.
A. Most of the time, yes. They usually only take up a few inches at most when rolled up. Because harder roll-up covers use metal segments that can’t bend like fabric, this design tends to take up more room (usually 8-12 inches). But even then there’s still plenty of access to the bed.
A. As long as you can secure the cover when it’s rolled up, which is the case in most situations, you can drive with it in that position. It’s just important to double-check before you take off, as letting it fly freely in the wind is bound to cause trouble.
