How To: Cover your truck bed

One problem that every truck owner inevitably runs into is “Great! I’ve got so much space to put things in my bed, but what do I do if I need to go to a friend’s house, drive a long distance, or run some errands?” There is very limited space in the cab, which is the only secure enclosure on a truck when you buy it. How do you best utilize the bed of your truck while retaining security?

Let’s Jump In!

Generally, there are two options:

1: A Tonneau Cover. Tonneau covers are basically flat lids that cover the truck bed. They range in material from fabric, to aluminum, to steel. Some roll up on themselves, but compromise security, some aren’t designed to stow away while using your truck bed at all, adding security at the cost of functionality, and some are so heavy duty that you can attach dirt bikes and other heavy things on top of them. They are often secured to the bed rails in the truck, if it comes with those from the factory, or are fastened with clamps to the underside of the bed rail. I’ve included a side-by-side comparison of fabric vs. metal tonneau cover in the photo below. Some popular sellers include RealTruck, Diamondback, and Retrax.

2. A Truck Cap. Sometimes referred to as toppers or shells, these contraptions similarly enclose the bed of your truck but offer significantly more height than a tonneau cover which flatly covers the bed. Truck caps are usually as tall as the cab of the truck, which essentially creates an enclosed, lockable trunk in your truck.

The three primary materials that caps are made from are fiberglass, aluminum, or steel. Occasionally you’ll see wood and fabric added for function or features too.

The sections below will highlight the differences between cap types – there’s much more variability in truck caps than there is in tonneau covers.

Light and Sturdy!

Fiberglass caps have been standard for the last few decades – they provide a lightweight (comparatively) option that fits easily, keeps your bed contents safe, and adds functionality to the bed that you may not have otherwise had. Fiberglass caps are often unibody, which means that the cap frame is just one piece of material that the windows and door are then added to. They are a great lightweight option that fit the needs of most people that primarily want to use the truck bed itself for storage and want their possessions to be safer. Some popular brands include Leer, ARE, SnugTop.

Maximally secure?

Aluminum and steel caps have similar functions to fiberglass caps, the primary difference is that they have a significantly heavier load bearing capacity on top. Metal caps are heavier, more difficult to take on and off regularly, and are generally composed of different panels that are bolted together and sealed against the elements. These caps are generally more secure, more expensive, and are popular among off roading communities. Some popular brands include RSI Smartcap, RLD Design, and Alu-Cab.

Let’s go camping!

The last option is a camper cap. These are generally a combination of the previous two caps, the only difference is that this cap has a pop-up tent function in addition to the regular cap function. These caps have become widely popular in the last few years as the overlanding crowd has grown, though there were many true slide-in campers before these camper caps grew in popularity. The primary difference between a slide-in camper and a camper cap is that the camper cap pops up like a tent or an old VW Westfalia. This makes it a more modular design that can be stowed away when driving. Generally, these caps are upwards of $10,000 and are more of a lifestyle brag than something that provides the value for the cost. Some popular brands include GFC (Go Fast Campers), Alu-Cab, and Oru Designs.

There are benefits and shortcomings to both caps and tonneau covers. With both, the bed space is often inhibited, and it becomes more difficult to use the truck for hauling, construction, or farm use. The positive is that your belongings are more secure, you can road trip across the country, and you can run errands for big items that wouldn’t fit so well in the cab.

My Experience

I initially bought a tonneau cover and bed rack for my truck. I got the TonnoSport Roll Up Cover in conjunction with a bed rack from RCI Metal Works in Loveland, Colorado. What I loved about RCI is that it was a local company, and they created these kick ass adaptors that allow you to simultaneously have a tonneau cover as well as a bed rack. Usually, it’s one or the other, but RCI created a great solution that worked well for me locally.

I loved how it functioned close to home, and it was a super easy way to mount my tent, ski racks, and bike rack. It could pretty much do everything that I needed it to do, and the tonneau adaptors (pictured near the bed rails in the C shape) actually made it incredibly easy to take the bed rail on and off. As I started going further afield, however, I realized that for the cost of the items in my truck bed, I wanted something more secure that could still support the weight on top of the rails. So, I sold this setup, helped the new owner install it, and moved into the realm of bed caps.

I purchased the RSI Smartcap about a year ago now. The Smartcap is a stainless-steel cap that was developed for safari use. I got the Adventure model, which features a glass rear door but two metal side panels. It has great load bearing capacity on top of the cap, 330lbs dynamic and 770lbs static. I also found appeal in the metal doors, which have made my cross-country road trips significantly safer and easier. The added security with the side panels is great, and the tint that I installed on the rear window makes it so that there’s no way to see what’s inside without breaking the window first. Considering that most car thefts are due to high value items being visible, the Adventure model is a massive win. I have used this cap for about a year and have enjoyed it the majority of the time. 

What I don’t like about the cap is that it’s incredibly heavy, it inhibits my use of the bed for construction and farm tasks, and it makes the visibility absolutely awful compared to having no cap on. Unfortunately, that’s just a tradeoff for enclosure and security. There have been many reports of leaking seams on the Smartcaps, which I have experienced myself, and RSI has not been very accommodating considering the price of the units and their promise of quality. They charge for replacement components at a staggering markup when compared to the cost that you can buy the components directly, which is quite easy. I wish that I knew how simple it is to find the part that you need for a repair, and then look elsewhere to avoid the massive markup that RSI features with their replacement parts.

Where do you start?

So, in short, I would divide your starting point into four primary categories.

1: Price – There’s no way to avoid the truth. Buying vehicle components, especially new, is expensive. If you’re comfortable spending a few thousand dollars for storage in your truck, then you’ll have a wide array of options. If you’re looking to spend under $1,000, then you’ll likely be limited to a tonneau cover or a well-used cap. The larger your budget, the more security and function you’ll be able to have.

2: Function – Figuring out what constraints you need is important. There’s a big difference between the enclosed space in a tonneau cover vs. a truck cap. I tend to enjoy more space in the bed and have seriously enjoyed having a truck cap after starting with a tonneau cover. A great way to compromise with a truck cap without spending upwards of $3,000 is to find one used. Keeping an eye out for deals on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace can yield fantastic deals. The downside of that is you’ll need to have some ability to a) determine whether it’s a good price for the quality of the cap, and b) you’ll likely need to be competent with DIY repairs as you won’t be getting perfection. You also need to confirm that it will fit your truck and navigate the painful world of marketplace conversations. If that seems do-able, I would absolutely recommend that you start with a solid used cap and learn how to take it on and off, repair it, and modify it to meet your needs.

3: Removability – Something that I see often overlooked when it comes to aftermarket modifications is the ability to use the truck as it was designed to be used. A cover for your truck is fantastic when the situation calls for it, but what happens when you need to haul something, take a bike in the back of your truck, or someone inevitably asks if you can help them move something bulky. A metal truck cap is great if you have people around to help you take it on and off, or if you’re able to set up a hoist for it. If you live by yourself and don’t have friends close-by, a tonneau may be a better option simply based off the fact that it’s easier to manipulate by yourself. It’s exciting when you’re in the beginning stages of upgrades for your truck, but I promise that once you have it, you’ll be wishing that you factored in maneuverability with the resources you have at hand.

4: Security – There’s a massive range of security when it comes to bed covers. A fabric tonneau will not provide anywhere near as much protection as a metal cap or a steel tonneau. If you are looking into a cover so that you can keep everything out of sight while tooling around town and running errands, you’d be totally fine with a fabric cover. If you’re planning on road-tripping, camping, and staying overnight at hotels here and there, you’ll really want to look into a more secure option unless you want to schlep your possessions in and out of wherever you are for the night.

Jump in!

So, depending on your needs, I would start with deciding whether you need any sort of cover at all, and if you do, what suits your lifestyle the best? I initially had a tonneau cover, which I loved because I could roll it up and use my bed freely, but once I started going on more road trips I realized that I needed more security. There are many great resources on narrowing down the models, features, brands, and more, but none of that is worth anything if you aren’t sure what you need out of the product to begin with.

So, check out some of the brands and photos that I’ve included, do your research with some of the questions presented in the article, and if you have any questions feel free to leave them below as I’d be happy to help you in your search!