Retractable tonneau covers are a highly sought after tonneau cover on the market today. The price range on these tonneau covers are among the highest for tonneau covers but with good reason.

They usually are manufactured with aluminum panels. Some are painted with a very durable powder coat finish. This is a very tough paint system which holds up to protect the tonneau from the elements. Others have a powder coated frame and hardware but the aluminum slats or panels are laminated with weather proof padded polymer to give the cover a leather look.

All these retractable tonneau covers glide along rails which are usually clamped along the top of the truck box rails. The cover rolls up into a canister which is located behind the cab of the pickup truck. The cover usually has spring tension on it to help with opening and closing the tonneau.

They are constructed to withstand a snow-load and water is directed into the side-rails and then to the canister and out of your truck box through drain hoses. They pretty much have the same basic design.

These retractable tonneau covers really look sharp on the back of a pickup truck and save you fuel at the pumps. They are pretty lightweight and allow the wind to pass over them rather than hitting against the tailgate causing a drag.

They protect your cargo from thieves in a couple of ways. They usually lock at the back to protect your cargo from thieves and they also just keep your cargo out of the eyes of people who like to take things that don’t belong to them. The hidden factor alone is a great asset for the tonneau cover owner.

The retractable tonneau covers also protects your cargo from weather conditions such as rain and snow. Your cargo is also protected from ripping winds caused from higher speeds. This is especially great if you are carrying delicate cargo such as plants.These covers are great when you need to carry larger, taller loads as you can open them up very quickly and easily giving you complete access to your truck bed.

If you are looking for a tonneau cover that opens and closes easily, looks great, saves fuel, has locking capability, completely opens for complete access to your truck bed, maybe you should have a look at the retractable tonneau covers.

Well I thought I seen it all in tonneau covers but now you can get a tonneau cover made from aluminum diamond tread plate. One thing you can be certain of, it won’t tear on you. These covers look pretty tough. They are made in polished aluminum, black or white painted finishes.

They are constructed with panels that fold up and lock in any open position. There is no need for a tailgate lock as when the panels are completely folded in the closed position, the last panel is made to come down over the tailgate. Once you lock the tonneau cover the tailgate cannot be opened. The hinges are made of aluminum and the hardware from stainless steel, keeping the tonneau cover rust proof.

For those of you who are looking for a tool box tonneau, Reds Beds have you covered. They seem to offer a tool box tonneau edition which accommodates a truck tool box. In addition to having a tonneau cover made from aluminum diamond tread plate this tonneau would look even tougher and give you a place to store tools and such.

Don’t have an aluminum truck tool box don’t fret here either as Reds Beds go all the way to offer you a tool box edition with a tool box combined. I guess this way you are assured the tool box will work with the tonneau cover.

You do have to wait a while longer for powder coat finishes but if that’s the look your going for I am quite sure you will be very happy with the finished product and the great new look you will add to your pickup truck. Whether you want the polished aluminum or the powder coat black or white, either way you go your going to have a great new look and an added look of toughness as well security for your cargo with the aluminum diamond tread plate tonneau cover by Reds Beds.

I put together this tonneau cover buyer’s guide to help some people find what they are looking for in a truck bed cover.

When buying a tonneau cover for your pickup truck, one of the first things you should do is ask yourself, what do I use my truck for? By this I mean do you use your truck bed often, do you carry high cargo loads or low loads below the truck bed rails or do you use your truck bed very seldom. Are your pockets deep or like many others shallow and you need an inexpensive cover. Do not just go out to buy a tonneau cover because you seen one on another truck and it looked great. That truck may have a cover that takes time to open and that would be no good if you use your truck bed often. Below I will throw some of my personal ideas at you just to get you thinking.

Inexpensive:

If you are looking to get a one that protects your cargo but is inexpensive or so called cheap, The Mile Maker by Tonneau Masters is about the cheapest you will find with runners up the Slant Side also by Tonneau Masters and the Seal N Peel and Snap Soft both by Lund Genesis.

Quick Roll Up:

You may want to get at your truck bed quick and easy but still want to keep the price down, I would suggest the Extang Express. This is a great cover if you use your truck bed but not continuously.

Inexpensive and fast:

If you are looking for one that is inexpensive but allows you very fast access to your truck bed I would suggest the Hinged Tonneau by Lund, the hinged Slant Side by Tonneau Masters or FullTilt by Extang. These are all great products, if you use your truck bed often and want quick, easy access to your truck bed and you are carrying low loads.

Inexpensive, Quick and High Loads:

You are trying to keep the price down but you need to be able to get at your truck bed fast, often and maybe with high cargo loads. If this is you then a soft folding bed cover would be a great way to go. The Extang Trifecta or the Trifold by Lund. These lids fold open allowing you to drive with them open for full access to your truck bed when hauling higher cargo loads.

For a more expensive product and more security for your cargo I will make the following suggestions.

Easy access:

If you use your truck bed often or just want a truck bed cover that can be matched to your trucks paint, the fiberglass hinged lids by Gaylords will do very nicely as long as you aren’t carrying high cargo.

Easy Access and Higher Loads:

The Bakflip by Bak is an ABS plastic folding tonneau which is very popular. Reds Beds make a folding aluminum diamond tread plate cover which will give you great security and full access to your truck bed quickly and easily.

For a class all on their own, not cheap, allow you quick access to your truck bed and open up completely allowing you to carry higher cargo loads any time.

Retractable Tonneau Cover:

These covers retract into a canister behind the cab of your truck. Pace Edwards has the Roll Top, JackRabbit, Full Metal JackRabbit and even one that opens and closes electrically with a remote called the Bedlocker. Bak offers the RollBak and Truck Covers USA offer their American Roll.

If you are not concerned about access to your truck bed they are many more tonneau covers available in roll up, with snaps or with velcro to secure them.

Extang are a leader in their field of manufacturing soft tonneau covers. They seem to be the manufacturer of the most different model soft covers on the market today. In my opinion they are still in business because they provide quality products at a reasonable price.

Extang produce everything you could want from roll up covers such as the low profile of their RT to snap up, velcro sealing system to folding lids as well as a hinged tonneau cover.

To briefly describe some of the products they have to offer I will start with their lowest price truck bed cover to their most expensive.

The Black Max is one lower price covers on the market today. It comes with a aluminum powder coated black frame and a snap up tarp which is adjustable for all seasons.

The Tuff tonneau III is the next in line price wise. This truck bed cover is a snapless lid that seals together using Extang’s J45 peel and seal system. They use a rotating tail rail that tightens up the tarp. This tarp also uses the spring loaded monster bows.

Next comes the Classic Platinum. This has an all aluminum frame which installs with clamps that are included. Extang boasts this cover to be made of an all-climate nylon and polymer tarp with stainless steel and brass snaps.

The Saber is next on the list which uses a peel-on design which attaches evenly to the entire frame to ensure the lowest possible fabric stress even during high speeds.

The tool box tonneau cover is a snap up lid with a leather grain black vinyl tarp. This tool box tonneau accepts a tool box between 18 and 21 inches deep. This is a no drill installation with and all aluminum frame and adjustable snaps to keep your tarp snug in different climates.

The RT and the RT Tool box models come at the same price. The RT low profile sits nearly flush to your truck bed. This cover rolls up quickly along with the bows to give you quick access to your truck bed. The RT has adjustable controls by the cab. It has a Velcro sealing system and secures your cargo with a locking rail. The tool box edition accepts a 20 inch tool box.

The next product they have to offer is a hinged tonneau called the Fulltilt. This one comes in both snap and snapless editions. The snapless is a few dollars more. This cover has hinges back by the cab and lifts up from behind on gas shocks. You can lift it up or roll it up or remove it without tools easily. This tonneau cover also comes in a tool box edition.

Another one Extang can be quite proud of is their Trifecta which is a folding tonneau cover. This truck bed cover folds up in sections from the back towards the cab giving you complete and easy access to your truck bed. This cover comes fully assembled and ready to mount on your truck.

The express model was designed to be just what the name implies, fast. Customers asked Extang in their reviews for fast and they gave them what they wanted. It rolls up or closed with integrated bows very quickly. The frame is a strong black anodized aluminum. The strong vinyl tarp seals with industrial strength Velcro.

If you are looking for a soft tonneau cover whether it is a roll-up, snap or snapless, hinged, folding or a tool box edition, Extang has you covered.

The Jackrabbit tonneau cover by Pace Edwards is a retractable tonneau or as some may call a roll top. To briefly describe what a retractable cover is I will try to give you a rough idea. The tonneau itself is made from aluminum panels, which in this case are laminated with a water resistant padded polymer. It has sort of a leather look. The frame is powder coated aluminum. The cover slides in tracks which extend from front to back along your truck bed rails. It rolls up into a canister which is located at the front of your truck box, below the cab rear window. This particular model has the option of stopping every 12 inches along its route so you don’t have to open or close the cover all the way. Water is directed from the cover to the side rails and through drain hoses to the canister and then through drain hose out through small holes in plugs in your truck box.

This cover has been purchase many times and most people loved what they received. Some say it was easy to install others say, actually most said the instructions sucked. Some give advice to read the instructions all the way through, then read them again, while others say make sure you have all the parts then throw the instructions away so you don’t get confused. All in all, customers for this cover did the installation themselves and were rewarded with many compliments for a great looking tonneau cover.

If you have a bed liner you will probably have to do some modifications to install this cover. Usually where the canister sits is a likely place for changes to your bed liner. From what I read I would get some help installing the cover so you don’t end up scratching your truck and just to make the installation a whole lot easier. I have read, a middle age woman installed it herself with little problem. I guess being mechanically incline will help.

A lot of people say their truck bed stays dry while other complained about water getting in between the tailgate and the cover. Just off the top of my head, maybe some extra stick-on weather stripping may help as it does on some other tonneau covers.

Even with lousy directions and water leakage this cover has been highly regarded for its operation and looks.

The Jackrabbit tonneau cover by Pace Edwards is a retractable tonneau or as some may call a roll top. To briefly describe what a retractable cover is I will try to give you a rough idea. The tonneau itself is made from aluminum panels, which in this case are laminated with a water resistant padded polymer. It has sort of a leather look. The frame is powder coated aluminum. The cover slides in tracks which extend from front to back along your truck bed rails. It rolls up into a canister which is located at the front of your truck box, below the cab rear window. This particular model has the option of stopping every 12 inches along its route so you don’t have to open or close the cover all the way. Water is directed from the cover to the side rails and through drain hoses to the canister and then through drain hose out through small holes in plugs in your truck box.

This cover has been purchase many times and most people loved what they received. Some say it was easy to install others say, actually most said the instructions sucked. Some give advice to read the instructions all the way through, then read them again, while others say make sure you have all the parts then throw the instructions away so you don’t get confused. All in all, customers for this cover did the installation themselves and were rewarded with many compliments for a great looking tonneau cover.

If you have a bed liner you will probably have to do some modifications to install this cover. Usually where the canister sits is a likely place for changes to your bed liner. From what I read I would get some help installing the cover so you don’t end up scratching your truck and just to make the installation a whole lot easier. I have read, a middle age woman installed it herself with little problem. I guess being mechanically incline will help.

A lot of people say their truck bed stays dry while other complained about water getting in between the tailgate and the cover. Just off the top of my head, maybe some extra stick-on weather stripping may help as it does on some other tonneau covers.

Even with lousy directions and water leakage this cover has been highly regarded for its operation and looks.

Let me start with a brief description:

The RT Tonneau Cover by Extang is a low profile tonneau cover that sits nearly flush to your truck box. The tarp is made from an industrial vinyl. The bows are not so pronounced as other soft tonneaus. There is what they call a “perfect fit control” at the cab end to keep your cover adjusted to suit the different hot and cold climate conditions. This adjusting is done manually. The rear rail locks at the rear and you must open it with the tailgate down from underneath the tarp. The bows roll up with the tarp. The tarp seals with an industrial Velcro sealing system. There are buckles to secure the tarp when it is rolled up to the cab. This tonneau cover also comes in a tool box edition.

Benefits:

The Rt sits almost flush with your truck box.

The bows roll up with the tarp to give you quick easy access to your truck bed.

Lock on rear for added security.

Protects your cargo from weather, winds from higher speeds and keeps your cargo out of sight from thieves.

Great new look on your pickup truck.

As most tonneau covers it saves on fuel consumption.

Easy installation with no drilling required.

Customer Woes:

Many say this cover is nice and snug but some say the tarp does flap a little at higher speeds. Some do admit they may have to play around with the adjuster.

Some say they get a little water.

Although the stake holes are usable some did not like the fact the tarp did not cover these.

Make sure the rails are straight for the lock mechanism to work properly.

Although the tarp locks at back but even with a tailgate lock it would not be hard for thieves to get in.

Truck tool boxes keep your gear from getting thrown around in your truck bed. The tool box is a reliable storage area to store the gear you don’t want to get damaged. You can also lock it to protect your valuable items.

It seems some of the more sought after boxes are the ones made from diamond aluminum tread plate and those made from stainless steel. These are usually polished or powder coat finishes. Others on the market are made from molded plastic products, and steel. There are a lot of these truck tool boxes on the back of pickup trucks all over United States and Canada.

Truck tool boxes come in all different shapes and sizes to suit your needs as well as specialty boxes, storage boxes and chests you can even use at home. There are some made to sit along the side of your truck, up under your truck and even models made to fit on the tongue of trailers. If you do any type of hunting that requires a dog, there are dog boxes available that are like a kennel underneath and a place to store your rifles, guns and other gear above. You can get single lid, double lid, shallow well, deep well, low profile and more. The trailer tongue storage boxes are very convenient allowing you to store items in an easy to get at place, protected from weather and thieves.

If you have a truck tool box or want to purchase one but also want a tonneau cover don’t despair because they make tonneau covers to suit truck tool boxes. This allows you the best of both worlds.

If you buy power tools or other electronic tools and carry them in your pickup truck, I don’t have to tell you how important it is to keep them dry and locked up. A truck tool box is the perfect answer. Not only is your gear locked up but just as important it is out of sight. Most of the time thieves don’t bother with what they can’t see.

For a great investment for your valuable gear, to keep it protected from the weather, thieves or to just keep it from rolling around in your truck bed, get yourself a truck tool box. You won’t be sorry you did.

A tonneau cover is about the best aftermarket auto accessory you can invest in for your pickup truck. The advantages of owning a truck bed cover heavily out-weigh the amount of money you are going to pay for one.

The advantages of owning a tonneau cover can be such as the great added look you will give your vehicle by adding one to your truck bed. There are so many different types out there you should have no problem picking out a look that is right for you. You can get a sleek looking low profile, or one that stands up a little. There are soft covers, fiberglass tonneau covers, aluminum, roll-up, retractable, electric, folding, hinged and more.

Having a truck bed cover on the back of your truck will protect your cargo from weather conditions such as snow or rain. There is no need of having everything in your cargo area soaking wet. Who wants to shovel snow out their truck box before using it? Just being able to keep the debris out is a bonus with pollen or leaves in the fall. It just a real clean sleek look having a tonneau cover.

Whenever you haul delicate cargo such as flowers or plants or even paper products a truck lid will protect them from winds such as created from higher speed highway driving.

Without a tonneau cover you don’t feel safe leaving your vehicle with cargo in it, even for a few moments. There are a lot of people out there who like to take things that don’t belong to them but when they can’t see what your truck box contains they don’t even think about it. For added protection there are quite a few tonneau covers that are lockable today.

Having one on your truck bed in the closed position will create less wind resistance by allowing the wind to pass over your vehicle instead of hitting the tailgate causing drag. Less drag spells less fuel consumption and there is no need for me to mention the advantages of saving fuel to you.

Investing in a lid is just the logical thing to do when you’re the owner of a pickup truck. For those of you who have not decided if a tonneau cover is any good. Well Duh. Have a happy shopping experience, you’ll be glad you did.

First let me give a brief description of the Gaylord’s traditional tonneau cover and list some of its features. The Gaylord’s traditional tonneau cover is constructed of fiberglass. You can order them in black or custom painted to match the color of your pickup truck and give it a factory look.

The traditional lid has a stainless steel crossbar and lock system. The two locks are self-tightening compression-type that helps ensure a watertight seal and add security to your cargo area. This tonneau cover by Gaylord’s also comes with two gas struts to help with opening and keeps the lid from slamming closed. The traditional tonneau cover comes with a lifetime warranty for the fiberglass structure and the paint and 2 years on the working parts. I myself think this is a very fair warranty.

The traditional tonneau cover by Gaylord’s also comes available with a speedsturr wing on the back which adds a more sporty and racy look to your pickup truck.

Some previous buyers of this truck bed cover have such comments as how great the truck bed cover looks on their truck and how happy they were with the paint job on the truck lid. I haven’t found very much in the line of negative comments about the traditional tonneau cover by Gaylord’s.

A few points you may want to think about before purchasing this truck bed cover.

The hinged fiberglass tonneau cover would be great if you are looking for great weather and security protection as far as tonneau covers go.

If you use your truck for hunting, fishing, going for groceries or other such uses where you want quick easy access to your truck bed or if you want a very sharp look for your truck, or with the speedsturr wing, a sporty, racy look, the traditional tonneau cover by Gaylords would be a great choice to make.

If you use your truck for larger, high cargo loads, this truck bed lid would not be such a great choice for you. If your loads are usually higher than your truck rails, look for a tonneau cover such as a roll up cover, folding tonneau cover or a retractable truck bed cover.

This truck bed cover comes highly recommended by previous buyers. Overall, as far as quality and looks go, the traditional tonneau cover by Gaylord’s would be a very good purchase for your truck bed.

When asked recently “What tonneau cover would fit a Honda Ridgeline?” I really had to dig but there are a few covers that fit the bill. First of all not being familiar with the Ridgeline by Honda I had to investigate. The Honda Ridgeline looks sort of like a cross between an SUV and a pickup truck. I certainly am not knocking this vehicle I think it looks absolutely great. Unfortunately at the time I wrote this article there are not a lot of tonneau covers manufactured to fit this pickup truck. I do hope that changes in the near future.

The first and my favorite for the said automobile that I did find is the BakFlip folding tonneau cover by Bak. This is a lockable hardtop tonneau cover made from an ABS plastic laminated over a honey comb core for extra strength. This tonneau cover allows you quick easy access to your truck bed by folding up in sections and when folded back all the way, it protects your rear window from large loads. The cover is easily removed by loosening a couple of wing nuts. This cover would add a great look to an already great looking automobile.

The next tonneau cover I found for the Honda Ridgeline is the Lo Pro soft roll-up truck bed cover by Truxedo. This soft roll-up tonneau has no snaps, it uses large velcro loop system for great sealing. This tonneau cover has a patented tension control so it will keep a snug fit on your Honda Ridgeline in all types of weather conditions. The Lo Pro rolls up and out of the way for easy access to your complete truck bed.

The last tonneau I found to fit the Honda Ridgeline was the Access Roll-up tonneau cover. The roll-up by Access also uses a hook and loop system to seal the tonneau. This cover uses an easy dial tensioner to keep the tonneau snug. The frame of this tonneau is made from aluminum and everything rolls up quickly to get at the bed of your Honda Ridgeline.

Whatever your choice is you will be getting a quality tonneau cover with any of these three truck bed covers. There are not a lot of tonneau covers for the Honda Ridgeline but these three would all look great on this pickup truck.