Truck Bed Cover

Fold-a-Cover here, 11 years and working just fine. I will replace with same if it ever wears out.

Travelon

I bought the long bed truck used with a 4-fold hard cover on it. The first section locks and folds back. The other three lock (at the tailgate) and fold forward.

I built a plywood partition across the bed under the first fold hinge line. This gives me a lockable storage area in the front two feet of the bed. No truck-box (I had one in the front of the bed on my previous short-bed Dodge.) and not entirely weather proof, but camp chairs, extra 50 amp cord in a milk crate, and such stuff is contained, locked, and out of sight.

I can tow with the first two sections covered.

My truck came with an Access Lorado and its still in excellent condition after nine years of use. I like keeping my hitch and 42 gallon blue tank out of sight when not towing.

It also rolls up tight enough with the rods removed to clear my truck camper when loaded into the bed.

Truck bed covers are another personal preference item ... there is something out there for everybody.

shadows4 wrote:
I use the TonnoPro trifold. Works well for us, had ours for two years and it is just as good as it was when new. Here.

x2.

Another happy Retrax Pro customer.

I had a roll top on my last pickup and it worked good. Reasons to have one for me was locked, dry, storage of items in the bed and to make the whole bed area look better when not towing. It worked for that. It had a couple of disadvantages also. It's not hard to open, but takes more effort than not having anything. I also learned on winter trips below freezing, never close that thing on camping trips because I had it ice and freeze up on one trip to the point it couldn't be opened. Not good when you need to pack up and pull the trailer home. I also noticed that when I attached the trailer, sometimes the airflow around the nose of the trailer would actually blow (or suck), the lid to the roll-top box open (up), despite there being two latches holding it down. I'd hear a loud bang when the lid would slam into the back window area. I noticed that only happened when I had the cover partially extended to the first lock position. When it was fully open, it held the lid down. Nothing like hearing a loud bang in the truck's rear window when pulling a fifth wheel down the road to wake you up.

On my new truck I have not added one. I've got a spray-in bed liner that looks good all the time, so cosmetically I don't need to cover a scratched bed. Easier bed access all the time. I've also got $1000-$2000 I haven't spent. My son is grown, so I rarely have more than 2 people in the truck. If it's raining I just put items I need to carry in the back seat area.

As others have said, it's all personal needs and opinions (what works best for you).

I like my Retrax because it can lock in any position, so if the weather is a little sketchy on my trip to the campsite I can close it up to hitch and be able to keep the firewood in front of it dry.

Old Duck wrote:
I'm not meaning to hijack this thread, but for those with the folding covers, are you able to fold the front back and get access to a tool box in the bed? I'm about to start shopping for some sort of cover.

My Fold-a-cover G4 Elite allows you to open the first section after the cab to get to a toolbox. It has a lock on it. The last section at the tailgate is the same. The G4 folds into fours and lies flat on top of the first section when fully open so there is no obstruction when I tow my 5er. You cannot access this first section, however, when the cover is completely open. I have to partially close the cover to do that. This is not a problem for me because I do not have a traditional tool box there. There are several Youtube videos on it.

Well Everyone that has one has an viewpoint on what is best. If it were not for my shoulder area, my flip a protect would position right up there. Now I would choose one of the self moving models.

ReTrax Pro is top of the line! Can be locked at any point so great for covering the front part of the bed while towing the 5er.

Best used in long-bed applications. You lose some box space with the rollup portion in the front.