RETRAX Bed Cover

[Mr & Mrs S]

So we are tossing the idea around of buying and installing a RETRAX retractable bed cover for our TV so that we can have added storage space for long hauls. Before we take the plunge and dish out about 1,000 dollars for this add on, Id like to hear some input from fellow forum members. Im sure someone has already used this cover. Is it the way to go? Does it leak? How does it handle the elements? (Rain/Snow/Hail)

Just throw out some comments on the pros and cons of having this cover.

If you've never heard of it view the attached video.

YouTube - ‪Retrax Retractable Cover‬‏

[DKB_SATX]

Oh geez, just what I need, another toy to want! That looks cool.

[tinbender]

I have a similar cover on my truck and to me it's the best thing since sliced bread. They allow you to retain use of the whole truck bed even though you will lose a little height up front due to the canister that the cover rolls up in. For me, that was important as my truck is my daily driver and I use it as a "truck" and not just a tow vehicle. My canister has 2 drain hoses to get rid of the water that lands on the top. My truck came with a bedliner so I stuck the hoses through a couple holes I cut in the liner corners and it drains under there and exits the truck at the end of the bed. Mine is another brand, Rollbak, but the same principle. Bak Rollbak Tonneau Covers | Bakflip Factory Outlet

I know other people who have them, different brands, and none of them are completely waterproof. Mine has a very small amount of leakage where the edge of the cover meets the tailgate but nothing I can't live with. It did come with a very nice D style gasket however.
Good luck,
TB

[Mr & Mrs S]

Originally Posted by tinbender

I have a similar cover on my truck and to me it's the best thing since sliced bread. They allow you to retain use of the whole truck bed even though you will lose a little height up front due to the canister that the cover rolls up in. For me, that was important as my truck is my daily driver and I use it as a "truck" and not just a tow vehicle. My canister has 2 drain hoses to get rid of the water that lands on the top. My truck came with a bedliner so I stuck the hoses through a couple holes I cut in the liner corners and it drains under there and exits the truck at the end of the bed. Mine is another brand, Rollbak, but the same principle. Bak Rollbak Tonneau Covers | Bakflip Factory Outlet

I know other people who have them, different brands, and none of them are completely waterproof. Mine has a very small amount of leakage where the edge of the cover meets the tailgate but nothing I can't live with. It did come with a very nice D style gasket however.
Good luck,
TB

Thanks for your feedback. We also will be using our truck for other things besides Airstreaming. We haul goosenecks and such so a hard cover wouldnt be good. But seems like with this type of cover we can just roll it back out the way and do whatever hauling is needed. Ive contacted Retrax and talked to them about there product and there very convincing, but still I like to have feedback from actual owners. Its hard spending that kinda of money and not being please with the product. Ill hold out and see if others will offer there feedback before I take the plunge!

[dekew]

We purchased the retrax brand for our tundra and absolutely love it. It's easy to roll, locks in any position, takes very little space, and just looks great.

As mentioned, ours let's a little water in, but never more than a cup or so after a hard rain. I'm sure we could get it closer to waterproof with extra seals and D tubes, but we bought rubbermaid bins that act as drawers / carrying cases / weather proofing for our things so I've never bothered.

Another nice thing is that it isn't permanent - you can remove and store the whole system if you want. Although doing so may be a little more difficult than they make it appear in the video. There are several bolts, and if you have a plastic bed liner like me, you may leave behind holes in the plastic.

Overall its a high quality cover, and the company provides great service. We chose retrax over rollnlock (which was more expensive for a very similar product, and have been extremely pleased. We highly recommend it!

[4RXLA]

I have a Pace Edwards motorized cover and love it. You have to learn to limit what stuff you take with you on long trips but I like it better than a cap. I also have a bedrug liner which I also would recommend.

[Mr & Mrs S]

Alright, I just got off the phone with Retrax bed cover company, I took the plunge and ordered the bed cover. Only took me about two weeks to make the decision to buy it. Mrs. S and I think it will be a good investment for our travels. I talked with the sales manager and informed him I had found the cover for a cheaper price and he gladly matched the price. I thought that was really good. So now I'll wait until it shows up and I can install it. I'll add pics of the installment. The sales manager assured me it's a simple process. We shall see! Thanks for everyone's input on helping us make this decision.

[wbrownrr]

What a timely thread. We've done the research and are about to pull the trigger on a RETRAX... for all the reasons listed. Thanks for confirming our decision!

[Florida 55]

Please let us know how it works out for you. I'm currently looking at several brands of rollup covers. My local Leonard dealer, who sells one of the rollup covers brands, recommends the Undercover instead of a rollup due to the water intrusion issue with rollups.

[Mr & Mrs S]

The bed cover is due for delivery on July 6th, Ill arrive back to the states on July 7th. So Ill install sometime between 8-10th, July. Ill be sure to document and give a report on do-it-yourself installation.

Ive researched bedcovers for many months now and anyone I talked to that owns a RETRAX had nothing bad to say about them. There were only a few who said they had water get into the bed of the truck and it was very minimal amounts. When they investigated they found it was around the tailgate and they cured the problem with a D type gasket. I quized the sales manager about this and he through in a gasket for free when I told him water control what very important to me. So after some use and I run through some rain storms Ill be sure to check and report what I find.
We hope we have made a good choice in covers. Time will tell.

[SilverGate]

The Retrax cover on our F-250 still works great going on 5 years now.

A small amount of water is seen on occasion after a rain near the rear bumper area, but presents no problem since it never accumulates higher than the ridges of our bed liner.

See AirForums thread: How do you cover the bed of your truck?

And additional information on how we use ours:

History Safari Express » Blog Archive » Tiki time in the mountains

[Florida 55]

Originally Posted by jsmith84

The bed cover is due for delivery on July 6th, Ill arrive back to the states on July 7th. So Ill install sometime between 8-10th, July. Ill be sure to document and give a report on do-it-yourself installation.

Ive researched bedcovers for many months now and anyone I talked to that owns a RETRAX had nothing bad to say about them. There were only a few who said they had water get into the bed of the truck and it was very minimal amounts. When they investigated they found it was around the tailgate and they cured the problem with a D type gasket. I quized the sales manager about this and he through in a gasket for free when I told him water control what very important to me. So after some use and I run through some rain storms Ill be sure to check and report what I find.
We hope we have made a good choice in covers. Time will tell.

Have you installed? How do you like it?

[Mr & Mrs S]

Originally Posted by Florida 55

Have you installed? How do you like it?

I did install the bed cover and we LOVE it! It's very easy to use and installed in about 40 minutes. 4 screws and four clamps and it's assembled and installed. Easy easy to install only very basic skills needed for install. Two people are needed to set over into the bed though, only because of the size not the weight. I have photos but having trouble uploading from phone and we are camping. I'll try and get photos up soon. It's rained twice and both times I checked for water and truck bed was completely dry.