TV Bed Covers yes or no?

[RMNummi]

New to me Tundra TV…. Are you folks using bed covers? Which kind folding or sliding? YouTube says they all allow various amounts of water intrusion. Brands and/or recommendations?

[Synnshack1]

I opted for fiberglass cap (the old man cap), with side windows that open. It is mid rise style and I have the bed rug so I'm able to comfortably move around inside. I've had trucks with vinyl roll up covers before and though I liked that I could pickup mulch and dirt by the ton, I didn't like the process of closing in the winter time. I now just get the mulch and dirt in open trailer. I've never had a trifold, but my friend does and it's difficult for her to get to items that are in front of bed.
ARE brand and some water intrusion around tailgate/liftgate seal.

[Bill M.]

I use a low hard fiberglass clamshell type cover. One that is color matched to the truck. Stays dry. I can see over the bed.

[Hans627]

I like the roll up type of cover. This is what I use:
https://realtruck.com/p/bak-revolver-x2-tonneau-cover/

It does not 100% prevent water intrusion but the little I get has not been a problem. I keep my grill and Honda generator in plastic tubs on the back of the TV. Everything else can get wet.

[StuartsDad]

I've had two Extang vinyl roll up covers. Each were 10 yrs old when I sold the trucks and both still in good shape. Lower purchase price, easy to roll up for full bed use on tall items, some water will suck in when driving in rain.
Current truck went with Lomax hard tri-fold cover. Love it so far. Added the rubber seal around the tailgate and have not seen any water. I chose Lomax for looks and easy removal when needed, but many good choices. I also have the Bedrug mat, a knee saver. RealTruck is a good source for viewing options.

[Daquenzer]

Definitely. I use a hard roll up. You want to get something more secure than a soft roll up. I have had a flip one as well. The roll up is easier for my wife since she is shorter than me. Everyone has their preferences. Also you want to get a cover that you can open and close the tail gate without having to release the cover. Easier for getting things in and out of the back.

Shop around as well. Lots of different prices. And you can install yourself with a few tools. Takes about 30 minutes to an hour depending upon how handy you are.

[nelsonh]

Although when camping/towing a cap or topper might be preferable, for the other 99% time using the truck for Life Stuff, I prefer a folding rigid bed cover for quicker and easier access to stuff in the bed, so I've gone that route with this truck and my previous one.

I've been pleased with the BAKFlip MX4 which I've now had on 2 different trucks. Install is pretty easy and I consider it very good quality, although it's the only brand I've used so can't offer any direct comparisons. It also does a surprisingly good job of keeping water out of the bed, I never worry about things getting soaked in the rain, melting ice & snow, car wash, etc. The panels are rigid and the folding & latching mechanisms work well. I just find it generally very convenient to have a reachable flat, solid surface to set things on when doing campsite business or household related chores and hauling, and even temporarily parking things on the bed cover when the truck is parked in the garage.

This season I'm planning to drill some holes in one of the panels to attach a (removable) mount for the Starlink dish for occasional in-motion use (that's the plan anyhow, fingers crossed).

(Side note... with the payload specs of my particular truck, a cap/topper was pretty much out of the question anyway, but I'd still us the folding cover even if that wasn't the case.)

This is the BAKFlip model I have:
https://realtruck.com/p/bakflip-mx4-tonneau-cover/

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[GSED]

Got our BakFlip hard folding tonneau cover about a year ago. No issues so far, versatile, holds water (touch less car wash) pretty well, barely getting wet by the tailgate, but not during driving just car wash.
For those dealing with snow and ice, if you keep it clean, no issues or concerns. I would not attempt folding it with snow on top. It will probably ruin the rubber.
It includes drain hoses for any water that may make it in the railings holding it in place.
Can be folded back or lifted against the cab rear window.
Some care is required when loading heavy stuff or dirt, as the railings and attachments are all aluminum to save weight. No vibrations, no movement on the road We load all sorts of stuff in the bed - so far, it works like new.

[nelsonh]

Originally Posted by nelsonh

Although when camping/towing a cap or topper might be preferable, for the other 99% time using the truck for Life Stuff, I prefer a folding rigid bed cover for quicker and easier access to stuff in the bed, so I've gone that route with this truck and my previous one.

I've been pleased with the BAKFlip MX4 which I've now had on 2 different trucks. Install is pretty easy and I consider it very good quality, although it's the only brand I've used so can't offer any direct comparisons. It also does a surprisingly good job of keeping water out of the bed, I never worry about things getting soaked in the rain, melting ice & snow, car wash, etc. The panels are rigid and the folding & latching mechanisms work well. I just find it generally very convenient to have a reachable flat, solid surface to set things on when doing campsite business or household related chores and hauling, and even temporarily parking things on the bed cover when the truck is parked in the garage.

This season I'm planning to drill some holes in one of the panels to attach a (removable) mount for the Starlink dish for occasional in-motion use (that's the plan anyhow, fingers crossed).

(Side note... with the payload specs of my particular truck, a cap/topper was pretty much out of the question anyway, but I'd still us the folding cover even if that wasn't the case.)

This is the BAKFlip model I have:
https://realtruck.com/p/bakflip-mx4-tonneau-cover/

.

Meant to add...

I would say the main 2 disadvantages to this cover and it's ilk are that you obviously can't fully close & secure the cover panels if you have stuff piled higher than the bed rails, and (like most other types of bed covers) when folded all the way up you lose about 8" of bed "length" if you're hauling something that's taller than the bed rail. The latter of these is the one that I tend to run up against the most, and generally handle it by leaving the tailgate down and using straps if needed for cargo containment.

[Mollysdad]

My main goal was security. I was leaving my Honda generator in the bed and wanted it dry and secure. I opted for a tonneau by Leer, the 700. Looked great, worked great, even though I needed a boathook to retrieve containers from the front. (Boat hooks are a must)
But then I got the urge to add an e-bike (actually trike) to the traveling circus and needed more room. I removed the tonneau and added a Leer cap, the QR model (Best looking SUV look.) That gave me more headroom and I love it.
An unexpected downside of the cap is the back window is dark tinted (good) but makes it virtually impossible to see out with the rear view mirror (Bad). I considered adding a rear camera license plate mount by Halo-View since I already have the monitor.

Funny thing about the hard covers is I almost never lock them. Admittedly, I live in a safe neighborhood, but it seems to be "out of sight out of mind" to passers-by.

[GTL48]

Look at SoftTopper.com. Over the years I have had canister type roll up, Bak Flip, Tri-Fold, and an ARE hard top. All of them leaked a bit and the hard top installers could never get the rear hatch to seal correctly. We have had a Soft Topper for 5 years and love it. Pros are; less cost, easy to remove if needed(my wife can do it alone), can be folded forward and secured if needed, no drilling required, light weight, comes with a cover for storage. Ours stays on 24/7 and looks as good as when we purchased. Others say the downside is that it can't be secured (locked) but I think security is a non-issue. If someone wants to get to the stuff inside they will. We had locks on the hard top and I could spread the side and pop the latch with no problem. If someone wants in I prefer that they cut the canvas vs. damaging the TV prying open a top. I like the additional height for storage with the hard top but I get the same advantage with the Soft Topper at a third of the cost and an eight of the weight.

[bigfoot390]

no.

[inthralled]

My first TV had a cap. Worked well but older I have gotten the harder it was to get at anything past arms length and remove it if I need a full open bed.
My current TV is also a Tundra and I went with a rollup. I like the rollup best. I did add a little foam in gaps and have had very little problem with water. We do live in the Washington State, and rain is very common.

[dshiffman]

I have a Diamondback on my F250. Easy to install, mostly weatherproof. Needed to strap a 400 lb load on top (too tall to fit under it) a few weeks ago, and it was a non-issue (other than me and my two other old-ass friends having to get it up and down!).

Highly recommended.

[ttrout]

Yes. Backflip. Love it. Biggest problem is traveling dirt roads accumulates dust. Can be alleviated by folding up

[rodsterinfl]

I never owned a pickup until October 2012 when I got one to go shopping for an Airstream. I went to Cap City in Fort Myers and had a great discussion with the owner who really gave me the run down on bed covers. He carried just about everything/every kind. We looked at Caps, rollers, hard tops, etc. and he gave me the pros and cons. I left with a cover that he highly recommended for general purpose- a TruXedo cover. It is a soft roll up cover. The benefit is that the bed access is not hindered. Also, there is nothing to load off to use the bed. It has worked out on all four of my trucks. The rollers (hard style) eat up about 1/3 of the bed and caps and hard tops require lift outs. The larger caps are nice but they too can be cumbersome if you want to use the bed for tall items. Sometimes I have water in the bed. It depends on the wind and rain. One point the owner brought up is security. He said that any cover can be gotten into easily. It is a matter of out of sight out of mind rather than hard or soft. He also had a knife for me to try and slice the sample cover- it was very difficult to cut.

[LBelle]

Annother vote for a DiamondBack - I've had it on my F-150 for ten years and it has been great! It is a haradback (I can put 400# on it...another model allows something like 1300). Mine (the SE model) has a front lift and a rear lift so most items are easily accessible. I live in the PNW and know a bit about rain - and there has been no real leakage. I like the fact it was built in Pennylvania (though Ontario would be just as good!) Did I say I love it...and yes it comes in a black covreed aluminum or real aluminum to match the AS.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

I think I've had one of just about every type of cover you can put on a truck. They all have issues. With the cap's I had you still got dust and dirt in the back of the truck. The soft ones all seemed to let in more dirt and water than the others.

Right now, I'm using a hard fold up. It flips fully upright "at the front" (I you want it that way) so you could put a full length item in the bed. Is it heavy? Yup. Is it secure? Yup. Can you see over it? Yup. You can also put heavy stuff on it as you pack and unpack. I've never done it, but folks claim to strap big stuff on top of them and head down the road.

Bob

[Mikebrady62]

I am currently using a Diamondback Switchback. It's a 3-fold very heavy-duty cover. I can walk around the top of it with no issues. It will hold over 1000 pounds and it's very weatherproof. Carwash proof as well. I have not noticed dust being a problem either and I drive dirt roads quite often. I have the GM Multipro tailgate, and I can step to that to the bed to the cover in 3 easy steps with my bikes in hand. Makes loading and unloading a breeze.
I like this one because I mounted my Yakama bike rack directly to it. It is also very secure.
I do keep a pole with a hook on it to grab stuff up towards the cab.

[G8trwood]

Got a cap and a drawer. Im old. I like it. Always had covers before, but at this stage, caps rule.