4 Most Popular TRUCK BED Covers for 2024

The four most popular styles of bed covers for your car that you will encounter here on the site. We'll talk about the pros, we'll talk about the cons, and we'll even go through the basic operation of each one. Now, tonneau cover, bed cover, hardcover, softcover, no matter what you guys call it, they all exist to serve that one common purpose, and that is to protect yo stuff, whether it be from the elements or wannabes or maybe even a combination of both.

When you first encounter the bedding category, you're going to be blown away because there are a ton of options out there. So we've narrowed it down to the five most popular here on the site, including a snapping cover, a folding cover, a rolling hard cover, a retractable cover.

Snapping Soft Truck Bed Cover

So with all that said, we come to our first choice. And that will be the most affordable and the most basic snapping soft cover. First up we have the snapping soft cover we just mentioned, very nice option in the category. Durable thick vinyl here, aluminum rails and aluminum bows to kind of keep some tension on this thing no matter what season or weight you get on the cover itself.

Now, snap covers like this are kind of the OG's in the tonneau or bed cover world. They've been around forever and are still popular today because it's a quick and easy way to cover the bed. And best of all, it doesn't cost a lot of money. Key point, the MOSTPLUS is kind of the Cadillac of the category, if you will, thanks to the adjustable snaps, and it's still only 200 bucks, give or take. So very affordable considering the product.

Now, the cons are kind of twofold here? First of all, if you live in a climate that sees big temperature swings, like the Northeast, for example, you know these snap covers can be a little tricky. Why is that? Well, in the summertime, when the sun is beating down on the vinyl, it tends to stretch out a little bit more, it gets a little bit baggy. And in the winter, the opposite can happen, right? The vinyl tends to shrink a little bit when it gets cold, and that can make getting those snaps an absolute pain.

So, if you're the type of truck owner who needs frequent access to the entire bed at a moment's notice, there may be better uses of your time and better covers to consider. Now, the final con can really be said of all soft covers, and that is safety. Now don't get me wrong, a soft cover like this is going to be a great first line of defense against things like bad weather and prying eyes. But all it takes is a little knife here and you're going to lose your precious cargo. So if you want to dramatically increase the odds of saving your cargo from a would-be thief, you might want to consider a hardcover instead. But if you're just looking for an inexpensive way to cover your bed, a soft cover like this is a great way to go.

Trifold Truck Bed Cover

Next we have what I would argue is probably the most popular style in the category right now, and that is a trifold or hard cover design. Obviously, a healthy increase over our first option, but kind of to be expected when you make the switch from a budget-friendly soft cover to something with a little more security.

Now, most hard covers like this are gonna use either aluminum for the panels here. We, however, use what's called FRP or fiberglass-reinforced plastic, and as you might imagine, it's certainly gonna pass a knife test. So a nice step up not only in quality but also in safety. Another big thing I like about this cover is that if you look at it from basically eye level, you can barely tell that it's installed. So it's very flush with the bed rails and makes for a very sleek look once everything is installed.

But as the name implies, this cover is all about the folding process. And frankly, it couldn't be easier to use. Just pull on this cable to release it, and at that point you can just start folding this guy up and out of the way. Now, you can secure it at this point here if you don't need access to the full bed with these straps that come with it. However, if you do need access to the entire bed at one time, simply fold it up here and use your little support rods, as you can see, that are included to kind of clip in and you're good to go. So very easy to use if you need full access to the bed at a moment's notice. But it does lead us to, I would say, our one and only con here with the folding cover, and that is your rear window obstruction.

With this guy folded up and out of the way, I personally don't think it's a big deal, especially when you consider the side mirrors and most of these modern trucks have a backup camera anyway. But if it is a big deal to you, you might want to consider our next option instead. However, for my money, these guys are really hard to beat when it comes to popularity.

Rolling Hard Truck Bed Cover

We have another heavy hitter in the category and that is the rolling hardcover. This is a hardcover, although it may look a little different because technically it's more of a hybrid. You're going to get a durable aluminum slat underneath as a base with this thick, durable vinyl material on top. So yes, it's still going to pass a knife test, but it's going to give you a slightly different look.

In return, you get a very solid product. Supports up to 400 pounds, so a lot of weight on this guy, and you also get this very flush look with the bed rail, which is something I really like once these guys are installed. But as the name implies folks, the Revolver here is all about the rolling design. So let's talk operation, pop our tailgate release, the cable much like the trifold option, and at this point you're just rolling this puppy out of the way.

Very easy to use, as you can see with one person. But that kind of brings us to our first con with this. Now, unlike those folding covers where you can kind of leave your bed half covered and maybe half open if you had something smaller to carry, the revolver here, it's pretty much all or nothing. And at that point, you secure it with the straps that are included here if you're on the highway. So just something to keep in mind. Again, it's pretty much all the way closed, all the way open. There's really no in-between.

However, with the top all the way open, you can't see any obstruction out of that rear window in terms of visibility. Our second and probably final con here with the rolling top, there's really not much to nitpick, is the fact that when you have this thing fully open, you lose about, I'd say maybe half a foot of bed space because it doesn't completely flip out of the way like the trifold top. So again, very minor nitpick here with the roll-up cover. It really couldn't be easier to operate, and you can really get a good look at the aluminum underneath. To close it, just do it like the trifold, close the tailgate first because you don't want to damage the seal, pop it, and you're good to go.

So I would say the rolling covers here are probably number two in popularity behind the folding trifold covers that we just talked about. And it's going to be another solid way to cover your bed, add a lot of security, and provide a very sleek look.

Retractable Truck Bed Cover

We have the relatively new kid on the block in the land of duvet covers. And that is the retractable option shown here. Now, these guys are really cool because, as the name implies, they simply retract into the base that is located near the cab here. And they do it very easily. Price points are gonna be right around the revolver and the Undercover Flex trifold option, hovering in that eight to nine hundred dollar range. And you're getting a ton of safety here with the Barricade. Case in point, the sturdy polycarbonate material, textured matte black finish.

Aside from the solid construction of this thing, you're also getting a very cool look thanks to that textured matte black finish. And it also maintains that very flush finish with the bed rails. Let's talk operation here with a retractable cover, and honestly guys, like our previous two covers, it really couldn't be any easier. Pop your tailgate, release the latch, and at that point, you just slide this guy in out of the way.

Now, one big thing I really like about any retractable cover for that matter, there are adjustable stops along the way. But you can just stop it at any point. Say you only need access to half of your bed, the other half stays covered and this guy doesn't go anywhere. Now, that wasn't the case with the revolver because, as you remember, it was kind of all or nothing. And the trifold cover, well, you have to kind of roll that out of the way enough or get it all the way up against the rear window. Not the case with the Barricade.

If you're the type of owner who frequently hauls a lot of big stuff and can't sacrifice any real estate in your truck bed, a retractable cover like this might not be the best choice for you. However, if you're like most other truck owners out there and can live with a little bed space occupied by a very cool cover, there's really not much to dislike about the retractable.