Best Aluminum Roll-up Tonneau Cover
One of the drivers’ tops priorities are their cars, and I will be talking about a special category of drivers, truck drivers. As a car is present in our lives almost every day, it is expected to treat it with care as it is not just a tool, some people may even prioritize the car over family members.
Either if you are looking for a way to make your truck look better, or to protect it from weather or to protect your belongings left in your truck bed from bad-minded people, you should consider getting a tonneau cover.
Not only that you will increase your truck security, protect it from bad weather and boost its looks, but the truck will be much more aerodynamic, and this fact can even slightly decrease the fuel consumption. However, from wanting to buy a tonneau cover to actually buying one is a long way, and you should consider a couple of things beforehand if you don’t want to end up with a cover that may not be suitable for your truck or it may not be what are you actually looking for.
Best Aluminium Roll-Up Tonneau Cover of 2020
Rugged Liner EH-NT5516 Hard Cover
If you are looking for a cover with increased durability and enhanced strength, then Rugged Liner cover is the perfect match for you. As a hard cover, its panels are made of aluminum with slid foam core. You can easily open or close the cover, and it won’t affect your driving at all as you are able to drive with the cover open or closed. Its hinges are double layer sealed that will not let the water get into your truck bed, therefore with this type of sealing you don’t have to worry about your belongings left in the truck bed if it’s raining outside.
The tonneau cover also has a 3 years warranty. The installation process is not complicated at all as it does not require any tools for installation.
Key points:
- Easy to install
- Great against rainwater
- Durable and strong materials
- Comes with 3 years warranty
Tonno Pro Hard Fold
Tonno Pro Hard Fold provides extra strength with increased durability as the cover is not only made by sturdy aluminum panels, but it is also covered with marine-grade vinyl. The cover is designed to withstand harsh weather without problems. The cover is easy to fold, and you can securely lock it in the open position due to the nylon straps.
The installation process is relatively easy, it can take up to 10 minutes and it does not require drilling at all. You can also install it on your own as it has a lightweight design. Not only that the cover is easy to install but you can remove easily remove it as well. Tonno Pro Hard Fold cover comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
Key points:
- Easy to install, no drilling required
- Lightweight design
- Durable materials used
- Limited lifetime warranty
Gator ETX Soft Tri-Fold
Gator ETX Tri-Fold is a soft cover that will protect your truck bed of snow, dust and rain due to its superior sealing system. It has a sturdy aluminum frame and the cover panels are made with industrial-strength vinyl. The cover is operated by a simple folding system, therefore, the installation process does not require any drilling and it can be done without tools at all as you just need to mount it on the top of the truck bed rails.
Not only that the cover is able to protect your truck from snow, water and dust but it is also able to withstand harsh weathers while maintaining a nice and clean look.
Key points:
- Easy to install or remove as no drilling is required.
- Durable aluminum frame.
- Simple to operate (folding open / close system)
- Protects your truck bed against water, dust and snow
- Budget-friendly cover
Roll-N-Lock LG111M
Roll-N-Lock is a tonneau cover made out of aluminium that ensures great durability. It is covered with strong vinyl that offers a pleasant appearance and also enhances the strength of the cover. The cover is operated with a retractable system just 7 ¼’’ deep, maintaining a large storage room available.
The cover is specially designed for theft protection and it is able to resist harsh weather. The installation process is relatively easy with clamp-on track design. The cover comes with a 3 years warranty.
Key points:
- Compact design that ensures a large storage capacity
- Durable and strong material
- Easy to install
- Superior anti-theft system
- 3 years warranty
Tyger Auto T3 Soft Tri-Fold Cover
Tyger Auto T3 is one of the best choices among soft covers. Its heavy duty aluminum powder coated frames ensure a superior durability. The cover is dual coated with 24oz marine grade vinyl, therefore it is able to keep your belongings safe while withstanding harsh weather. Due to its preassembled horizontal crossbars, you will experience a convenient fold-up that will grant you full access to the truck bed.
The cover is easy to install as no drilling is required and you will be provided with a set of instructions. It will require some hole cutting to secure the clamps. However, the installation process will take just a couple of minutes. Tyger Auto T3 comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
Key points:
- Durable materials, double-coated covers
- Easy to install, no drilling required
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Full access to truck bed while fully folded
BAK Revolver X2
BAK Revolver X2 provides superior security features as its rotational locking rails system is able to secure the cover on the entire length. Also, it has an integrated latching mechanism that makes it possible for the cover to be locked with the tailgate. Not only that the BAK Revolver X2 cover provides superior security features but it also presents great durability as the aluminum sheets are covered with a strong layer of gloss vinyl.
The installation process may be a bit difficult for unexperienced people and it can take quite a while. This cover comes with a 3 years warranty.
What to consider prior buying?
As I mentioned before, there are a couple of things to consider. In this section, I will list them and give you a brief idea about how that will help or affect you / your truck. However, it is not required to consider all of them as you may not look for something in particular, you don’t have to mind all of the things listed. But if you want to get a high-quality product without fail, you should consider as many things listed as you can.
Type of Tonneau Cover
As you may already know, you can find either soft covers, either hard cover. Depending on your needs, choosing between these two types can be quite easy.
If you are looking for a cover to keep the water and the dirt away from your truck bed, then you are looking for a soft cover. Unfortunately, soft covers won’t provide much protection against thieves as these types of covers can be easily cut. But, on the bright side, these types of covers are way cheaper and takes less space compared to the hard ones.
Not only that these covers will take less space, but these covers also have a small impact over the fuel consumption as due to their weight, the consumption is smaller compared to the consumption of truck that uses hard covers. However, this is not noticeable on short distances as the difference is quite small.
On the other side, you can opt for hard covers that will provide you a more secure way to cover your truck bed. As this type of cover is made of harder material, it takes more space as when it is retracted the cover plates will stack one on the top of the other. Also, the installation process of hard covers is more difficult and can make you spend some good time to get it done properly. Moreover, hard covers are more expensive compared to soft ones.
Consider the space
Even if a truck bed has a lot of space it doesn’t mean that you won’t need all of it, therefore you should keep in mind that if you are looking to save as much space as possible you should opt for a soft cover that can be opened by rolling it and not by stacking cover plates.
Consider your car type and truck bed size
Even if you own a truck that doesn’t mean that the first cover you find online is going to fit the bed of your truck. As you know, not all truck beds are the same size, therefore not all covers are the same. You have to properly pay attention to the dimensions of the cover or otherwise, you will end up with a cover that you won’t be able to use as it won’t fit your truck at all.
Installation process
If you are not willing to keep the cover-mounted forever, then you should try to look for a tonneau cover that does not require any drilling, otherwise, when you are going to dismount the cover, the truck’s aspect will be compromised as the holes caused by drilling will be visible. on the other hand, it does not matter the type, it is just up to you how much time are you willing to spend on the installation process.
Consider the price
Usually, tonneau covers price ranges from 100$ to 1000$, some covers can exceed this price range. The price is highly dependant on the length of the cover and on the materials used. If you are looking for a cover that will ensure you better protection then you are looking for a hard cover and as you may already expect, hard covers are way more expensive than soft ones. However, not all times is essential to have a hard cover.
If you usually park your truck in a garage or a closed yard, you can opt for a soft cover. Doing so you will save a couple hundreds of dollars; however, it is not recommended to use soft covers if you are not keeping your truck in safe places as this type of cover can be easily broken with a knife.
If you are not looking for a particular type of tonneau cover and you just want a budget friendly cover, then the perfect choice for you would be soft covers.
Final Thoughts
Tonneau covers are essential for every truck as it has a high impact on the truck security by keeping your belongings safe from thieves, but as well it keeps them safe from water, snow and dirt. Also, the cover protects your truck bed from getting damaged by the environment. The cover will also grant you a slightly better fuel consumption as it improves the truck’s aerodynamics. As well, the tonneau cover has a high impact on the truck aspect, making it look better as you won’t be able to see what’s inside the truck bed.
To avoid any inconveniences, it is recommended to check your truck bed size properly and not to buy a cover with a certain length just because you think it may fit. The cover needs to be specially designed for the type of truck you are driving, otherwise, not only you will not benefit from all its features, but you may not even be able to mount it.
Tonneau covers tend to be quite expensive, however, it is not about the price. Most of the times, cheaper covers are less durable, and their quality is inferior as well.
Even if hard covers are more expensive, it is worth the price as these types of covers are superior to soft ones in terms of security and durability. Even if hard covers take more space from the bed of your truck, you will be granted with better anti-theft protection and also better looks. It is recommended to opt for hard covers if you are not keeping your truck in a safe garage.
