Types of Truck Bed Covers

Easy-on, easy-off truck bed covers protect items in the bed of your truck from the weather and theft. 

Attached to a pickup truck's bed, you can safely store items in the bed and keep them from being damaged by UV light and moisture. You can prevent valuable cargo from being seen by potential thieves and vandals. Unlike camper shells and similar attachments, bed covers don’t provide additional vertical space for your cargo. Bed covers are best used when you want to maintain a low profile, protect items you’re transporting, and prefer the convenience of a cover you can easily put on and take off. A truck bed cover offers several advantages.

For one, it can help you save gas. As you drive, air flows over the front of your vehicle and moves into the hollow space of your truck bed. There it produces a force in opposition to your forward movement. Every time you drive your truck, this can easily eat up several miles from your gas mileage. A cover will reduce air drag and increase your gas mileage. With a good truck cover, you can save about 10 percent at the pump.

Bed covers range from strong, rigid canopy designs to soft covers. Some are detachable. All are easy to install and don’t obstruct your tailgate. Most models require no drilling in the truck bed. Some truck covers are designed with weather seals strategically placed to channel moisture away from the truck.

Truck covers, or truck bed covers, have evolved over the years from a number of different versions designed for different applications. No one person can claim to have invented the truck bed cover. Soft covers are popular for use on major speedways. Sport truck racers use soft truck covers to reduce drag and improve aerodynamics. Hard-top truck covers arose as an alternative to camper shells. Customized truck bed lids were developed to meet the specific needs of truck drivers.

Hard Covers

Durable, weatherproof hard covers are firmly attached and don’t blow off at high speeds. Secure and lockable, they are available in various hinge systems to allow them to be easily lifted to put cargo in or take it out. Hard covers weigh about 100 pounds. They’re more expensive than vinyl covers.

Soft Covers

Soft covers are easy to install and remove. Often, they just snap onto the truck rails. While they are not as durable as hard covers, they’re strong enough to provide your cargo with plenty of protection. If you have to haul large cargo, you can easily take the cover off to make space.

Truck Cover Applications

Most manufactures offer truck bed covers in standard black, but some offer covers in a variety of other colors. When purchasing a truck bed cover, you’ll first have to decide whether you want a hard cover or a soft cover. Your decision will depend on how you use your truck bed and your reasons for buying a cover. You may only want to protect your groceries or other items when shopping, in which case a soft cover would suffice.

On the other hand, you might want to protect expensive tools or items you transport back and forth regularly every day to work. A hard cover offers more security, especially if you leave expensive items in your truck bed overnight. If you move heavy furniture, an easily detachable soft cover might work better to accommodate different heights.

A truck bed cover will shield your cargo from view and from the weather. Even a simple cover can discourage theft and prevent damage from the elements. Regardless of the choice you make, when transporting items, you’ll have greater piece of mind with a truck cover.

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