Bed Covers: Tonneau Vinyl Roll-Up or Tonneau Fabric Tri-Fold - Which is Better and Why? - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Bed Covers: Tonneau Vinyl Roll-Up or Tonneau Fabric Tri-Fold - Which is Better and Why?

Posted: 2/21/2018 2:53:50 AM EDT

I need a bed cover ASAP, there are two choices in my budget and available in my area for my truck.

I'm just not sure which to get as I've never owned one before. Hoping to get some info so I can make a wise choice

Posted: 2/21/2018 2:56:38 AM EDT

[#1]

I got the roll up type off Amazon. 2 years in it's working great. I like that if I've got something tall, I can just roll it up. Best of both worlds I figure. It latches so that you need to open the tailgate so it is reasonably secure as well.

Posted: 2/21/2018 2:57:50 AM EDT

[#2]

I'd never owned one prior to the truck I just bought. It came with a bakflip mx4. It's pretty solid. Folds up against the rear window and gives access to the whole bed. Also latches in middle if you only want half open. Almost completely dry inside after going through a car wash. No exterior locks. When it's closed and tailgate is closed there is no access to open it. I like it and I've always hated covers.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:00:15 AM EDT

[#3]

I prefer a steel roof.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:04:08 AM EDT

[#4]

I had an Extang Tuff Tonno (roll up) on my old F150 for several years. It worked great. Looked good too.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:04:55 AM EDT

[#5]

I've had roll-up tonneaus before. This time I wanted to try a tri-fold on my latest truck. I tried out a Gator hard tri-fold, and while it had a nice form factor, I only kept it on for about a week. I didn't like flipping it up against the cab to get full use of the bed. I quickly went back to a roll-up. I'm partial to the Access line. I've had the Access Limited/Original on previous trucks. Got the slightly lower-profile Access Lorado this time. Pretty much the same tonneau, just sits about 1/2" lower.

A lot of tri-fold tonneaus have quick-detach features some people like. To use this, however, you have to find somewhere to stow the tonneau. I like just being able to roll mine up tight against the cab.

We're talking about vinyl & fabric, so security (or lack thereof) will be a wash between the two. Out of sight, out of mind... Honest people honest... etc, etc.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:07:20 AM EDT

[#6]

I like my solid trifold a lot

Posted: 2/21/2018 8:51:19 AM EDT

[#7]

I like the snap type because I had a tool box on the bed and carried a saw that was above the top of the bed (about 2").
I made bows that were higher in the center of the bed to clear the saw.

I had the local car upholstery guy make mine with snaps on all four sides ( I had a piece of angle attached to the tool box with the snaps).

I did it that way so I would not have to unsnap the hole cover to get something from the front of the bed when it was raining.

The first two I had were not very good when the temp dropped below 40 degrees, they held up well but would shrink in the cold weather (I doubt you will have that problem) and was almost impossible to snap closed

By the time I was on my third one, I found a vinyl by the trad name of "Top Gun", would not shrink even in the coldest weather no problem snapping it closed.

Mine would last about 6-7 years. material cost is about $16.00 a yard. A boat cover company would be able to sew it up for you.

Posted: 2/21/2018 8:59:10 AM EDT

[#8]

Bak Revolver X2

it doesn't block or sit up against the back window like a tri-fold does.

Posted: 2/21/2018 9:30:26 AM EDT

[#9]

I have the hard trifold and love it. I like to keep stuff in my bed sometimes and it locks so don't have to worry about it getting stolen. Easy access.

Posted: 2/21/2018 9:30:56 AM EDT

[#10]

I have used the Truxedo Truxport on my last two trucks and love it.

6 clamps hold it on so it's easy to take off if needed. It's watertight and it rolls up nicely so you lose just a few inches of bed space ... above the rails.

I had an ARE hard tonneau 3 trucks ago and while it looked great and provided very secure bed space, it was a pain to remove when I needed to haul anything that wouldn't fit under it.

Posted: 2/21/2018 9:33:52 AM EDT

[#11]

I had a Pace Edwards roll up. It was nice, but it kept getting stuck when it rolled up. It also took up room in my box.

I would vote for the trifold.

Posted: 2/21/2018 9:34:54 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
I have used the Truxedo Truxport on my last two trucks and love it.

6 clamps hold it on so it's easy to take off if needed. It's watertight and it rolls up nicely so you lose just a few inches of bed space ... above the rails.

I had an ARE hard tonneau 3 trucks ago and while it looked great and provided very secure bed space, it was a pain to remove when I needed to haul anything that wouldn't fit under it.

View Quote

This . . . another vote for the Truxedo.

Have had one on my F-150 for over 5 years. Watertight and compact when rolled up. I put 303 protectant on it, on average, once a month and it still looks great.

Posted: 2/21/2018 9:35:08 AM EDT

[#13]

Truxedo soft roll up with velcro attachment.

Posted: 2/21/2018 9:43:07 AM EDT

[#14]

I have had the Retrax retractable bed cover on my last two trucks, and will most likely get one on my new truck I bought yesterday, though I looked at the jackrabbit roll up as well.

I have a hard cover "Under Cover" on my sons Ranger that has been nice as well at half the price but less convent IMO as well

Posted: 2/21/2018 9:52:52 AM EDT

[#15]

Had both roll-ups and tri-fold in the past on numerous trucks.
When you need it out of the way the tri-fold still takes up space or has to lean against/block the back window.
Roll-up vinyl is best because it gets out of the way more.
My current Tundra has an Access Lorado, very happy with it.

Attached File

Posted: 2/21/2018 9:55:25 AM EDT

[#16]

I put a Gator Tri-fold on my new to me truck and love it so far. If I need access for most of the bed, I fold it up and click it down, get 2/3 top access. If I need full access, I then unscrew 2 latches and pull it off, if I had to I could put it in the backseat of my crew cab.

If I need my bed covered, which it is most of the time, I clamp 2 latches down and have a fairly water tight bed. It literally took 5 minutes to install it on the truck.

Good compromise and the price was decent. Hard covers and rollups get expensive fast.

Posted: 2/21/2018 10:03:11 AM EDT

[#17]

I put a new BakFlip MX-4 on my new Frontier a few months ago and am happy with it.
As another poster pointed out it gives you the opportunity to use the entire bed of the truck if necessary.
The only down side is what I experienced a few weeks ago when I took a three week camping trip and that is I had to lay one of my taller storage totes on it's side and my Coleman 70 quart Extreme cooler was a tad to tall for the top to close securely.
I solved the cooler issue by buying a shorter but very performance comparable Igloo STX 72 quart cooler that fit under the folding aluminum panels perfectly.
So when I stayed at a motel 600 miles away the first night everything was out of sight and locked away as this was the very reason I bought the cover in the first place.

Posted: 2/21/2018 10:03:29 AM EDT

[#18]

Get both, truxedo deuce. its a roll up, but you can fold the front half back to get to the front of your bed.

Posted: 2/21/2018 10:04:05 AM EDT

[#19]

Have the Ford branded rollup. Like it a lot.

Posted: 2/21/2018 10:50:47 AM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:
I have used the Truxedo Truxport on my last two trucks and love it.

6 clamps hold it on so it's easy to take off if needed. It's watertight and it rolls up nicely so you lose just a few inches of bed space ... above the rails.

I had an ARE hard tonneau 3 trucks ago and while it looked great and provided very secure bed space, it was a pain to remove when I needed to haul anything that wouldn't fit under it.

View Quote

I had this on an 08 F350. Came with the truck. Original owner installed it. I sold the truck last year with 320k and it still worked great.

Posted: 2/22/2018 11:26:32 AM EDT

[#21]

I looked at new covers yesterday and I think I will step up to the contractor series Retrax. Lifetime warranty.
$1800 bucks but I think it is worth it. Hopefully I can shop around and save a little money??

Posted: 2/22/2018 11:27:38 AM EDT

[#22]

I've had very good luck with Truckedos. Cheap, available for every model, simple installation...

Posted: 2/22/2018 11:28:36 AM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:
Bak Revolver X2

it doesn't block or sit up against the back window like a tri-fold does.

https://c2.rt-static.com/images/products/bak-revolver-x2-tonneau-cover/thumbs-670x503/provides-full-bed-access.jpg

View Quote

Previous truck had a vinyl cover. This truck I put the money towards the Revolver x2. It is an awesome cover so easy to open and close.

Posted: 2/22/2018 11:30:16 AM EDT

[#24]

I have an aluminum roll-up unit called the Revolver X2. I like it and would buy again.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Bed Covers: Tonneau Vinyl Roll-Up or Tonneau Fabric Tri-Fold - Which is Better and Why?

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