One of the benefits of driving a pickup truck is having a lot of space to store and transport cargo. You can keep numerous goods, items, and equipment in its spacious truck bed, provided that you make sure they’re secure and protected against the elements.
This is where having a tonneau cover comes in handy. It protects your truck bed and its contents against theft and harsh weather conditions. The cover also eliminates the risk of your cargo falling out of your truck when you’re driving in rough terrain.
A tonneau cover is a must-have, especially if you regularly store items in your truck bed. It protects the back of your truck from corrosion and damage caused by the elements. If you’re in the market for this accessory, consider investing in a soft or hard tonneau cover made of high-quality materials to avoid problems like premature wear.
Whether you want to upgrade your truck or SUV or simply need to replace its worn-out parts, JC Whitney has you covered. Trusted by American drivers since 1915, it now has an extensive line of premium tonneau covers! Get your rig ready for your next great adventure with JC Whitney.
6 Best Tonneau Cover Brands
Choosing the right tonneau cover for your truck can be challenging, especially if it’s your first time shopping for one. To help you pick the best one for your ride, we’ve listed down the six brands known for manufacturing high-quality tonneau covers.
- JC Whitney
- Access
- Truxedo
- Extang
- Weathertech
- BAK Industries
JC Whitney
JC Whitney offers high-quality tonneau covers for various truck beds. The covers feature lightweight aluminum frames and UV-protected, vinyl-coated fabrics made with precision tri-layer sewing and stitching. These guarantee long-lasting, weathertight protection and a stylish, seamless fit. This brand is the perfect choice for truck bed cover buyers who want all the benefits of an OE-grade tonneau cover without breaking the bank.
Key Features:
- May come with a toolbox provision
- Available in soft or hard tonneau covers
- Stainless steel hardware for superior durability and corrosion resistance
- Inner and outer edge reinforcements for maximum support
- Precision-welded frame connectors
- Direct fit for easy installation
- JC Whitney limited lifetime warranty
Our Score: 10/10
Access
With years of experience producing vehicle accessories, Access has developed roll-up tonneau covers that perfectly combine innovative fit and finish with exceptional durability. Its tonneau covers feature a simple twist-dial release system that makes them a breeze to roll up. They also have a dual side latching that automatically locks and unlocks when the lid is opened or closed and handy tension adjusters that fine-tune the cover tension with the turn of a dial.
Key Features:
- Sleek vinyl/aluminum construction
- Features black, diamond plate, and textured matte black covers
- Available in clamp-on, hook and loop, bolt-on, tight bite clamp, and limited tie down rings attachment styles
- Easy to install, operate, and remove
- 2-year Access limited warranty
Our Score: 9/10
Truxedo
Truxedo’s tonneau covers are designed for quick and easy installation and operation. They blend the functionality of roll-up tonneau covers and the convenience of clamp-on style ones. Truxedo supplies high-quality, innovative tonneau cover concepts that seamlessly integrate form and function for various truck models.
Key Features:
- Vinyl or aluminum cover material
- Secure trigger latch design
- Mounts to truck’s bed side rails
- Available in clamp-on and hook and loop attachment styles
- Direct fit for easy installation
- Lifetime Truxedo limited warranty
Our Score: 8/10
Extang
As one of the most trusted brands in the industry, Extang designs and engineers high-quality tonneau covers and other accessories for various trucks. Expect optimum durability and security from all of its products.
Key Features:
- May come with a toolbox provision
- Comes in clamp-on or bolt-on attachment styles
- Features leather-grained vinyl, TPO with polypropylene, canvas, fiberglass, aluminum, and vinyl cover materials
- Available in soft or hard tonneau covers
- Direct fit for easy installation
- Lifetime Extang limited warranty with a 10-year warranty on cover
Our Score: 9/10
WeatherTech
WeatherTech offers sleek, stylish, and durable tonneau covers designed to fit low-profile truck beds. The covers feature an automatic dual-locking system with a single downward pull. Easy to install and use, they offer excellent protection against theft and harsh weather.
Key Features:
- May come with a toolbox provision
- Sophisticated low-profile styling
- Features vinyl or aluminum cover materials
- Available in clamp-on or hook and loop attachment styles
- Direct fit for easy installation
- Lifetime Weathertech limited warranty
Our Score: 7/10
BAK Industries
When it comes to tonneau covers, BAK Industries has it down to a T. Its hard tonneau covers come in folding and roll-up styles that suit various truck models. Each cover features superior weather resistance and ensures easy installation with its direct-fit design.
Key Features:
- Easily lockable and removable
- Comes in fiberglass, aluminum, and aluminum with a laminated vinyl top
- Features black, powdercoated black, and matte black covers
- Available in clamp-on, bolt-on, and pre-applied adhesive tape and bolt-on attachment types
- Includes a corrosion-resistant EPDM rubber hinge
- 3-year BAK Industries limited warranty
Our Score: 8/10
Our Recommendation
We recommend JC Whitney tonneau covers because of their unparalleled quality. They match other brands in terms of performance and fit but are priced more competitively, allowing you to keep your cargo safe from theft and the elements without breaking the bank. All tonneau covers also come with a JC Whitney limited lifetime warranty.
Types of Tonneau Covers
Tonneau covers come in two main types: soft and hard. These can be further subdivided into five different types: folding, roll-up, retractable, hinged, and snap tonneau covers.
Hard Tonneau Cover
If your main concern in buying a tonneau cover for your truck bed is security, then a hard tonneau cover is the best choice. It’s made from aluminum, polypropylene, or fiberglass, so it can’t be cut or pried from the side rails easily. Paired with a locked tailgate, a hard tonneau cover can keep all your cargo more secure than a soft one.
Some hard tonneau covers include a built-in lock to keep the cover in place even when the tailgate is down, offering an extra level of security. It’s why they come at a steeper price compared to soft tonneau covers.
Soft Tonneau Cover
Soft tonneau covers are lighter on the pocket than hard tonneau covers. They are also easier to use, install, and store. Most are designed to be portable, made of materials like canvas, polyester, or vinyl with aluminum framing. After using your soft tonneau cover, you can remove it and store it for future use.
Folding Tonneau Cover
Available in both soft and hard tonneau covers, folding tonneau covers feature two or more connected segments. By folding one segment, you can reach part of the truck bed while ensuring the rest of the bed stays covered. If you regularly haul large cargo, this is a convenience you’d want to have.
Roll-up Tonneau Cover
This type rolls back towards the pickup’s bulkhead. Since it doesn’t need to follow pre-set folds, a roll-up tonneau cover offers more precision than a folding one when it comes to fitting huge, oddly shaped cargo in your truck bed. It’s available in both soft and hard tonneau covers.
Retractable Tonneau Cover
A retractable cover withdraws into a compact canister mounted at the bulkhead. It offers almost the same capabilities as a roll-up cover and is perfect for you if you rely on in-bed hitches to tow your cargo trailer. It comes in both soft and hard tonneau covers.
Hinged Tonneau Cover
This type has a huge one-piece lid affixed to a hinge at the bulkhead, where it can stay locked while partly open. However, it’s designed in a way that could present issues if you plan to carry objects that can’t fit under the lid. You may need to remove the entire thing before you can access the truck bed.
Snap Tonneau Cover
A snap tonneau cover is similar to a hinged one but with more versatility. It consists of a metal frame that’s attached to the pickup’s bed with a vinyl lid that snaps on the frame. To free up the bed for huge cargo, all you need to do is remove the snap lid.
What to Consider When Looking for Tonneau Covers
Buying the right cover for your truck bed can be difficult because there are so many options available. Merely knowing which brands are the best may not be enough. If you’re not sure where to start, here are some other factors you should consider when in the market for a new tonneau cover:
Application
Make sure the new tonneau cover fits your truck bed perfectly. Keep the specifications of your truck in mind when you browse your options. Also, consider the purpose of your purchase. Do you simply want to keep your equipment protected against harsh weather conditions or do you also want to prevent theft?
Don’t forget to measure your truck’s bed length to ensure the tonneau cover you’re buying is the right size. Use our website’s vehicle selector to narrow down your options to suitable truck bed covers. Simply enter your truck’s year, make, and model in the search bar.
Cost
A new tonneau cover costs anywhere from $200 to $1700. The price varies depending on the brand, type, and attachment style. It is usually sold individually.
Brand
Since these brands are well-known for producing the best quality tonneau covers on the market, you can’t go wrong with any of them for your truck accessory needs.
To limit your choices, identify which of them manufactures tonneau covers specifically designed for your pickup. Analyze the offers of the remaining brands. If you’re unsure which manufacturer to rely on, ask your mechanics for their recommendations based on your options.
Tonneau Covers Recommended for:
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Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.
