Which is a Better Buy, Roll Up Truck Bed Covers or Folding Truck Bed Covers?

Tonneau covers seem to be all the rage these days, especially out here in Southern California. A lot of guys buy them because they make their trucks look better not because they really need them. Of course, I like the way they make my truck look too but mainly I like tonneau covers because they keep people from stealing my stuff while protecting my possessions from the elements.

I like the lightweight roll-up tonneau covers. They are simple to install and they open up the truck bed completely as opposed to the hard top covers which tend to offer more limited access. There are different types of roll up tonneau covers: there are the vinyl fabric types and the hinged, hard type that roll up on a spool. On my last truck I had the Lund Genesis seal and peel tonneau. It had velcro side and could roll up like a sheet of heavy-duty vinyl.

Lately, I have noticed some trucks that use the folding-type covers that seem more substantial then the roll up type. So I thought I would do a little comparison shopping. My main criteria was a lightweight but tough tonneau that gives easy and full access to my truck bed. I did a search online for both types of truck bed covers and read the descriptions as well as the customer reviews. One thing I noticed is that there seems to be a smaller selection of folding tonneau covers then roll up tonneaus. The roll up covers were made by manufacturers like Extang, Truxedo, and Lund with price ranges from $200 - 400.

The folding type truck bed covers were more expensive with price ranges from $500 – 800. One of the brands that caught my attention was BAK, they make the Bakflip folding tonneau cover and it was on the low-end of the price spectrum. It comes in four foldable sections that can be locked in various positions including one that allows you to protect your rear window when you are hauling freight. You can fold it up completely or in sections.

After some searching a reading product description, I narrowed it down to the Bakflip folding tonneau cover and the Truxedo Truxport roll up tonneau. Both have cool, innovative features and can be locked for security. In the end , I went with the Bakflip even though it was nearly twice the price. I really wanted a tonneau that was strong enough to stand on and that locked securely. And, I really like the fact that you can open it in sections and even lock it down in different configurations. Very cool.