Why Tonneau Covers Are So Worth It

The choices can be confusing, but finding the right one will pay off with added styling and function to your rig.

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Words by Perry Mack

It starts the day you forget to remove your power tools from the truck bed that fills with pools of water after a heavy rainfall or when it gets loaded with snow and you have to shovel it out before you can load your gear or materials. 

That’s when you begin your search for a tonneau cover and find so many choices that you can’t decide. It’s called paralysis through analysis and we’re going to remedy this type of paralysis right here.

First, why are they called tonneau covers? Some may recognize that it means a barrel or cask in French. However, it was originally used to describe an open passenger compartment in early automobiles. At some point, the term switched from meaning ‘open space’ to ‘the cover that encloses it.’

Tonneau covers are subject to fitment. In other words, truck beds have different widths and lengths and their bed rails also vary in heights and widths. Fortunately, almost every manufacturer wants your business, so they build a tonneau to fit virtually every truck. Find the tonneau cover you want and then select your fitment.

Soft Tops, Hard Tops and Other Functional Tonneaus

The main benefit of tonneau hard covers is they are lockable and safely secure gear. But some soft tops, like the one on our 2011 Silverado 3500 diesel, are also lockable but we don’t recommend you lock it. Anyone with the opportunity and a sharp pocket knife can cut it open, get a look inside and help themselves. In other cases when it’s locked, thieves assume you’re hiding something of value and not only do you lose your gear, but you also have to purchase a new tonneau. 

Let’s say locking up your truck bed is very important. Hard tops come in different versions including one-piece, sectional and retractable. A one-piece cover can be colour-matched to your truck so if you want the best-looking cover, this is it. The other benefit of a one-piece hard top is quick access. Lift the lid and get your gear, just as you would with a trunk lid or tailgate.

If you need to easily access tall items in the bed, this design is not for you and perhaps search for a retractable hard top. Your trip down the decision tree will lead you to roll tops or folding tops. The latter lets you use the full length of your truck bed and it can be flipped up against the back window. 

In the event you commonly use every millimetre of the bed length, this is the style you want. Make sure the one you choose folds vertically against the back window (cheaper ones don’t). As their name suggests, folding tops usually fold up by three or four sections, which means you can keep the portion of the bed closest to the cab covered so stuff doesn’t blow out and there’s still space for taller items in the rear.

The other consideration is when you want to use a ladder rack or overland rack with your tonneau cover. Most covers prevent the use of a rack and vice versa. Typically, you’ll need to buy a rack and tonneau from the same manufacturer, although not necessarily at the same time. It’s best to research which tonneau covers work with your cab rack or find a cab rack first and then see what tonneau covers are compatible. 

Rolling hard tops have multi-sectional bars that extend out from behind the cab to cover the bed. These are stronger and more secure than soft top versions. Of course, they are more expensive. With the top retracted and the low height load, you’ll still be able to see out the rear window and use your bed cam.

Soft tops are the most budget-friendly tonneaus, which can be spring-loaded, move in a rail or are weatherproof that you manually unroll/roll and attach to the bed rail with Velcro.

So What Do You Need?

Begin your search by determining your endgame. Do you need your tonneau cover to work with a headache rack for cab protection (and to mount lights, bed rails and long tool mounts), a bed-mounted toolbox or an overland/ladder rack? Or will you check the box for all of the above?

Keeping this in mind, start with your dream list and work backwards until you find the tonneau you want and need within your budget. Our tonneau cover is an essential accessory for us that we use every day and we’ve never regretted the investment. For all the reasons we mentioned and the fact that a tonneau cover will improve drag and reduce wind noise in the cab, remember the classic Nike slogan, ‘Just Do It.’