

No matter what season you’re heading into, there is always a need to keep the back of your truck covered so that whatever you store there is kept safe. Water is essential for your health, but your tools and all your gear in the back of your truck? Eh, not so much. If you need to keep your stuff out of the elements, then a well sealing truck bed cover is just what the doctor ordered. Not only will a good tonneau cover keep your gear dry and out of the weather, but it will keep your stuff away from prying eyes as well. For water protection, look for the best tonneau cover for wet weather conditions. Here are a few things you should know about choosing a good cover for keeping water out.
Are Tonneau Covers Waterproof?
Soft tonneau covers aren’t technically waterproof, though they can be water-resistant. For this reason, it’s generally best to go with hard covers if you need things in the back of your truck to stay completely dry. Hard waterproof tonneau covers physically block the water out instead of repelling it the way soft covers do. But if you can’t afford a hard cover, you should know that soft covers are pretty reliable as well. They just may not be completely waterproof.
Hard vs. Soft Tonneau Covers
We already talked about how hard tonneau covers tend to be better at blocking out water. But that’s not the only way soft and hard covers differ from each other. Soft covers such as those made from vinyl do have their benefits. They are very lightweight and they’re generally easier to open than hard covers, which tend to be much heavier. Soft covers are also more affordable than hard weatherproof tonneau covers.
Top Tonneau Covers for Extreme Weather
Some of the best tonneau covers for extreme weather include tri-fold tonneau covers (which include drains and rails to divert water away from your gear), and hinged covers (which are exceptionally good at keeping water out of the bed).
How To Choose the Best Tonneau Cover for You
When choosing the right tonneau cover for your needs, keep a few things in mind. First, how much water protection do you really need? Second, how much can you afford to spend? Third, do you like the convenience of soft covers or the durability and reliability of hard covers? Now it’s time to choose a tonneau cover based on how you answer these questions.
It’s also good to establish who the big players are here, and who are the brands you can trust. TruXedo, Extang, BAK, and Truck Covers USA are a few notable examples that have all made a solid name for themselves in the tonneau cover industry. I’ll give you a little hint, though. At AutoAnything, we don’t do business with brands that put out sub-par products, and we have hundreds of thousands of product specific reviews to back that up.
Weatherproofing your truck bed:
One thing we need to tackle before we get into this list. No tonneau cover can completely seal off your bed, because your tailgate has gaps built into it from the factory in order to drain rain water. To fully weatherproof your truck bed, you’re going to need to invest in a tailgate seal in order to prevent water from getting in. Also, while the truck bed covers on this list will do an admirable job in keeping water out, some might require a little tweaking and finesse to get a reliable seal. Manufacturers such as BAK will include tips on how to get this done with the installation instructions. Such is the nature of the beast.
Vinyl Tonneau Covers:
I figured this was as good as any place to start, given that vinyl covers tend to be some of the most affordable options, and can be very effective at keeping the weather out (that title goes to hard shell hinged covers, check those out below). These are also usually the lightest weight covers, and are offered in folding, roll-up, or even hinged configurations depending on your needs. Using tough, marine grade, and UV treated tarp, a good soft vinyl tonneau cover will last at least as long as say, a Jeep or convertible top would.
If you really need to save a buck, though, you can’t go wrong with the TruXedo TruXport roll-up tonneau cover. Coming in at under $300 for most applications, this isn’t the cheapest tonneau cover in the world, but it is one the most well liked with 4,300 reviews averaging 4.5 stars. Hard to argue with those numbers, huh?
The handy thing with these roll-up tonneau covers is that you get full, uncompromised use of your bed when you need it. With the TruXport, all you need to do is roll it up towards the cab of the truck, peeling up the velcro as you go, and then it buckles into place, allowing you to haul whatever you need, and then rolls back into place in 30 seconds once you’re done.
Hard folding Tonneau Covers:
Here’s where we get into the real bread and butter of the industry. For instance, even though it’s no where near the cheapest truck bed cover we sell, the BAK MX4 is our best selling hard folding cover, and one of the top selling tonneau covers period. With tough aluminum panels, and a dense foam core, the MX4 gets the job done, and looks damn good in the process. Sitting flush with your bed rails, and folding up completely out of the way of the truck bed, the MX4 is inconspicuously secure when you need it to be, and out of the way when you need the extra room.
Representing the cheaper side of the hard folding tonneau category is the American Tonneau Hard Tri-Fold. This one is unique in the fact that from the outside, it looks like any other classic style vinyl tonneau cover, but underneath that tough, marine grade vinyl is a hard ABS composite core for added security and puncture/cutting resistance. Besides the good looks, the added advantage of that vinyl top of the cover is that there are no exposed hinges along the top for moisture and dust to work its way through. This is a solid pick for someone who needs security and solid weather resistance on a budget.
Speaking of security, what allows hard folding tonneau covers to be so secure is that they lock with the tailgate, giving thieves no easy way in that doesn’t involve cutting with some serious power tools, or learning how to pick a lock. I wouldn’t be placing my money on the thieves in either case.
Hinged Tonneau Covers:
Ah, yes. If the name of the game is weather resistance, then a hinged tonneau cover is about as good as you’re going to get short of welding the damn thing shut. That’s a little impractical for my taste, which is why I would recommend something like the Undercover Elite LX instead. Due to the way these covers clamshell over the entire bed, they tend to provide the best weather protection around.
While traditionally constructed of fiberglass, hinged tonneau covers now come in a variety of new materials. Whether you want the classy look of fiberglass, the lightweight maneuverability of canvas and vinyl (shown) or the heavy-duty hauling capacity of aluminum, hinged truck bed covers have something for everyone.
Retractable Tonneau Covers:
When protecting your gear is equally as important as hauling flexibility, retractable tonneaus offer the ideal solution. They secure in multiple positions along your bed rails to make room for large cargo while still keeping smaller gear under cover. From completely closed to open, you can retract your cover in seconds to suit any situation.
Oh, and about that weather resistance. Covers like the Pace Edwards JackRabbit and the ProZ UltraTrack feature integrated channels and drain tubes to clear runoff and get that water away from your gear
Getting Maximum Protection
Lund tonneau covers are also among the most popular truck bed covers on the market. They boast a number of soft and hard tonneau covers that keep your gear safe and secure. Choose from popular Lund tonneau covers, like the Lund Tri Fold Tonneau Cover. The Tri Fold Tonneau Cover rolls up and back quickly for quick access to your cargo. Plus, its clean, low-profile design improves your rig’s fuel economy.
Find out which tonneau covers are the favorites among our consumers by checking out the helpful tonneau cover reviews on our website. Find hundreds of reviews on all the popular styles and brands, making it easy to do comparison shopping. Plus, we have vehicle-specific reviews, so you can find out which F150 tonneau cover or which Tacoma tonneau cover looks and fits the best.
Staying Completely Dry
To achieve maximum dryness it’s best to go with hard tonneau covers, which actually block out and/or drain water rather than simply repelling it. While vinyl covers are water resistant, they’re not completely water proof. Hard pickup bed covers are made of solid fiberglass and block out any possible leakage. Don’t go wrong, go hard and stay dry with hard covers for trucks.
Product Comparison
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Sale Price | From $279.95 | From $302.40 | From $395.10 | From $274.75 /each |
Shipping |
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Current Offers | FREE GIFT | SAME DAY SHIPPING | SAME DAY SHIPPING | |
Customer Rating
Price/Value Ease of Installation Quality Appearance |
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Average Install Time | 5 to 10 minutes | 20 to 30 Minutes | 5 to 10 minutes | |
Frame Material | Aluminum | |||
Lock Type | Non-Locking | Non-Locking | Non-Locking | |
Material | Soft Vinyl | Soft Vinyl | Soft Vinyl | Soft Vinyl |
Opening Style | Folding | Roll-Up | Folding | Folding |
Sealing Design | Velcro | Clamp | Clamp | |
Tension Control System | Manual dial adjustment | |||
Warranty | Lifetime Warranty | 5-year warranty | 10-year tarp/lifetime frame warranty | Limited Lifetime Warranty |
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I’ve read all the reviews but none give a percentage of being water tight. I understand they will not be completely water tight but which one does the best job. Also the hard covers, how easily removable are they?
Hey Christopher,
So the most watertight covers will always be the hinged fiberglass covers, as they close like clamshells over the top of the bed and tailgate. That being said, many hard folding and retractable covers will feature rain channels that will drain water away from your gear. For added water resistance, you’ll need a tailgate seal in order to prevent water from coming in through the sides and bottom of the tailgate.
I recommend checking out the Undercover Elite for a hinged cover, the Bak MX4 for a folding cover, and Retrax for a retractable cover. The folding and retractable covers can be removed with one person, but a hinged cover will require two people to remove.
Bak Mx4: https://www.autoanything.com/tonneau-covers/bak-bakflip-mx4-folding-tonneau-cover
Retrax covers: https://www.autoanything.com/brands/102A24744.aspx
Undercover hinged covers: https://www.autoanything.com/brands/104A374.aspx?itemsPerPage=32&n=4294957037
Cheers!
Garrett
You made a good point that aside from being waterproof, ample protection should also be considered when it comes to getting truck bed covers. I’d like to know more about getting a new one because there are times when I think about traveling to the woods for some stargazing. Maybe I should start buying equipment in preparation for such a trip.