i use an Access soft cover and i have no issues with seeing the bed while hitching up. i don't like the folding kind as they block the bed when open and the hard-type rollup seemed a bit excessive on the cost. i would like to be able to walk on my truck cover instead of needing a ladder, but not happening now. maybe if i come into some money i'll switch out to a hard-type rollup. i didn't think that there would be any issues with rusting but it's good that you bring that up; just another reason that the Access cover was the right decision for the time being...the one i had on my '05 lasted 8 years and was still going strong.