Retractable Tonneau Cover Options

If you are just beginning your research of truck bed covers, the number of options can be overwhelming! You’ve put time and money into finding the right truck and finding the right accessories is just as important. A tonneau cover can dramatically enhance the utility of your truck bed but it can also be a constant source of frustration if you don’t choose the right one for your needs.

There are a few basic style options including roll-up tonneau covers, folding or tri-fold covers, one-piece solid bed covers, and retractable truck bed covers.  A retractable pickup bed cover offers the most flexibility of the truck bed cover styles. As with anything, there are pros and cons so let’s break it down.

Retractable Bed Cover Pros

Enhanced Security

It used to be that you had to choose between the convenience of a roll-up soft cover and the security of a solid one-piece hard cover but by choosing to make your tonneau cover retractable you can have the best of both worlds. Most retractable bed covers are constructed with an aluminum frame and have either a solid aluminum, vinyl or polycarbonate shell. A retractable hard tonneau cover will not just keep your valuables protected and out of view, it will easily pass any knife test!

Cargo under a locked cover with the tailgate locked is, surprisingly, often more secure than it would be in the cab of your truck (think broken windows and slim jim lockout tools)!

Full Bed Access

Retractable, or sliding bed covers can quickly and easily give you access to your entire truck bed. Since sliding truck bed covers retract into-the-bed you can have them fully open without blocking your rear window view. This is especially convenient when you’re frequently backing up to a fifth wheel trailer.

• 

• 

• 

Easy to Use

It doesn’t get any easier than a retractable tonneau cover! With no heavy panels to lift or fold or individual snaps to mess with, sliding truck bed covers provide the easiest access to your truck bed. The designs will vary between models, from fully electric to gas strut aided, canister or no-canister, and should offer smooth, easy operation.

Opening the Peragon retractable tonneau cover is as simple as applying downward pressure on the two panels behind the cab of the truck and guiding the panels forward into the back six inches of your truck bed.

Unbeatable Aesthetics

We’re stating the obvious by telling you how great a retractable tonneau cover will make your truck look, right? The construction of a sliding tonneau cover allows for a low profile and a sleek look that will enhance the aesthetics of any truck.

Retractable Bed Cover Cons 

Weather-resistant, not weatherproof

No retractable tonneau cover is 100% weatherproof. Depending on the style of the cover, the storage canisters can be vulnerable to water and debris buildup. Certain styles can become locked up in freezing temperatures and require some regular maintenance and cleaning to keep tracks clear and functional. 

Measures can be taken (proper installation, weather stripping, etc) to increase water resistance but common sense should be used when packing your truck bed. Learn more about the Peragon cover’s protection from the elements here.

Lost Bed Space

With the benefit of the low profile and an unblocked rear window view, comes the con of lost bed space. Sliding truck bed covers are stored in the bed as opposed to on top of the bed, typically in some sort of canister. This of course eats up some of your usable bed space. 

On the occasion that you need every last square inch of your bed, most canisters can be removed with the use of tools and a little time. Our patented Peragon retractable tonneau cover design does not use a canister and features a quick-release function that allows you to completely remove the cover panels with no tools in about 30 seconds!

Installation

Installation of a hard retractable tonneau cover can be tricky, sometimes requiring two people and certainly taking longer than a simple soft cover installation. Improper installation can lead to issues like excessive leaking and difficulty opening or closing the cover. Make sure to follow your manufacturer’s installation instructions carefully to get the most out of your cover. 

Most manufacturers offer written manuals as well as video tutorials to guide you through installation. Peragon has make and model specific product manuals as well as a full playlist of video tutorials to walk you through the process step by step.

Higher Cost

As the saying goes, you get what you pay for! The many benefits of a retractable cover come with additional costs. In general sliding truck bed covers will cost more than folding covers of comparable quality. Models start in the $900 range and premium electric models running as high as $2,600. 

An important consideration when looking at cost is the expected service life of the cover. Obviously with a solid aluminum construction you can expect to get a longer life from the cover than, say, a vinyl roll-up cover where you can expect to see the quality of the vinyl degrade in just a few short years.

Check with the manufacturer of the cover to see if individual panels or mechanisms can be replaced in case of an accident or something breaking. For example, on the Peragon cover every piece down to the individual panel seals can be replaced. Some models may require you to replace the entire cover if a certain panel or mechanism becomes damaged.

Is a retractable tonneau cover right for you?

Your truck is an extension of your life and its accessories should enable you to utilize it to its full potential. The perfect tonneau cover is different for everyone and only you can decide what will be the right fit for your needs.

Whether your priority is security, bed access, or aesthetics, a retractable cover checks the boxes giving you significant flexibility. 

Take it for a test drive

Here at Peragon we are passionate about our high-quality hard retractable tonneau cover. Our company has been an independent, family-owned, all-American company since 1999. We adopt a direct-to-consumer model, which means there’s no middleman to jack up the price or muddle the value you’ll get. This also allows us to deliver exceptional service support to our buyers.

Peragon truck covers are made with 100% high-quality aluminum in our state-of-the-art facility. We use no vinyl, plastic, foam, or cost-cutting shortcuts. You get a durable cover that stands the test of time.

We are committed to making sure our cover is the right fit for you. We stand behind our product with an unprecedented 60-Day Test Drive and a straightforward, easy return policy.

Check out  how the Peragon truck bed cover works and some of its features and then head to our website and configure a cover made to order just for your truck!

• 

•