Hard Tonneau Covers vs Soft Tonneau Covers

Deciding between a soft or hard cover is the first step in finding the right tonneau cover. The type of cover that is best for you depends on a couple of factors, such as if you want your tonneau cover to lock and how easy it is to access your truck bed. The basic function of any tonneau cover is to protect the truck bed and any cargo inside, keeping your belongings out of the elements and away from prying eyes. To help make your decision between a hard or soft tonneau cover, we'll explore more differences and benefits of each style cover.

We'll consider the following questions as we break down hard and soft tonneau covers:

How can I lock a tonneau cover?
What will the cover look like on my truck?
Can I still use my whole truck bed?
Is there a big cost difference?
What about other bed accessories?

How Can I Lock a Tonneau Cover?

If the most important factor in purchasing a tonneau cover is security, then a hard tonneau cover is the way to go. Both hard and soft tonneau covers will keep your belongings out of view, but hard covers take security a step further.

Soft tonneau covers work to protect your truck bed cargo by keeping it out of sight and away from the elements. A soft cover will keep honest people honest and discourage those looking for an easy pick. However, if someone really wants to access your truck bed, a soft cover doesn't offer much resistance.

Hard tonneau covers are made from materials such as aluminum, polypropylene, and fiberglass that cannot be easily cut or pried from the side rails. These materials work best to stand up against would-be thieves. Paired with a locked tailgate, a hard tonneau cover keeps all of your belonging secure since the cover must be released from the underside.

Some hard tonneau covers include a built-in lock to keep the cover in place even if the tailgate is down. These covers, such as Retrax's retractable hard covers and the Extang EnCore tonneau cover, offer an extra level of security even when you need your tailgate down. This is great when carrying long cargo, such as ladders, lumber, canoes, or kayaks.

What Will a Tonneau Cover Look Like On My Truck?

Hard and soft covers both offer very different looks for your truck. Soft covers provide a smooth, uniform look for the truck bed cover. Soft covers are made from materials such as canvas, polyester, or vinyl and are traditionally all black. Most hard covers feature panels that are much more textured, though some are covered with a vinyl layer to offer a look similar to a soft cover, such as BAK's BAKFlip VP or Revolver X2. Hard tonneau covers are great for making your truck look more rugged and durable. Some hard tonneau covers are even available in different finishes, such as Retrax covers that are available in either matte or glossy finishes, to provide you with the exact look you want to achieve.

The profile of the cover can also differ between hard and soft covers. Typically soft tonneau covers sit an inch to 2 inches above the truck bed side rails, falling in the standard profile category. Most hard folding and rolling tonneau covers offer a flush profile or a low profile, sitting only slightly above the truck bed side rails. For a more streamlined look, hard tonneau covers are a better fit.

Standard Profile Cover

Low Profile Cover

Flush Profile Cover

Can I Still Use My Whole Truck Bed with a Tonneau Cover?

Certain latching styles make it easier for you to access your truck bed than other latching styles. Soft covers with snaps require a good amount of work in order for the bed to be free of the cover and available for use. Folding covers that secure by latching to the tonneau cover side rails are much easier to use when trying to free the truck bed for cargo. For easiest access to the entire truck bed, tonneau covers that are hard, but roll-up or retract stand out as the easiest to use, such as those made by Retrax, BAK, or TruXedo. They can be rolled back with one hand and only require a single latch to be undone in order to start rolling the cover. Retractable covers can also be operated with a single hand, and some are even controlled with a handheld remote.

Other tonneau cover styles that allow for easy truck bed access are hard folding covers that allow you to fold the cover all the way up from the back and also allow the section behind the cab to be folded back for easy access to the front of the truck bed. Extang offers their EnCore hard cover that allows the front section to be folded back. Some soft covers, such as TruXedo's Deuce 2 soft, roll-up cover, also will allow the front section of the cover to be folded back for access. Soft, roll-up covers offer a great solution for an economical tonneau that will offer a nearly totally free truck bed when the cover is rolled up.

If you want to remove the entire cover to have total bed access, a cover that clamps directly to the truck bed sides without needing rails is a great option. These covers install and remove quickly and easily for truck bed access.

Is There A Big Cost Difference Between Hard and Soft Tonneau Covers?

If you're looking for an economic way to help protect your truck bed, a soft tonneau cover is the best solution. Soft covers typically fall in a price range from $300 to $800, while hard covers typically start around $500 and can cost more than $2,500 when fully loaded. Hard tonneau covers offer a lot of bang for your buck, but if you don't need that extra layer of protection, on a budget, a soft tonneau cover fits the bill.

While the high-end soft covers and low-end hard covers are comparible in price, they don't match up as well when it comes to the covers' features. While these entry-level hard tonneau covers are offered at an economic price, they don't offer full bed access when the cover is folded up, sit higher off the truck bed side rail, and don't offer the same caliber warranty. Premium soft tonneau covers, like the Truxedo Deuce 2 for example, offer full bed access when the cover is rolled up, sit closer to the truck bed side rail, and allow for easy, one-hand opperation. The Deuce 2 is made in America, features a folding section to easily access the front of your truck bed, and boasts a lifetime warranty.

If the higher level of security offered by the hard cover is not a main factor, a soft cover can offer more features at a lower price point. Balancing the features and the cost of the cover is necessary when choosing a tonneau cover for your truck.

What About Other Bed Accessories with Tonneau Covers?

When it comes to tonneau covers, popular concerns relate to a tonneau cover's compatibility with other truck bed accessories. These accessories, such as toolboxes, ladder racks, or headache racks, can sometimes install in the same location as the tonneau cover, making them incompatible. Most tonneau covers will clamp to the inside edge of the truck bed side rail. This is the same place that many ladder racks and headache racks clamp to the truck. However, if the ladder rack installs using the stake mount pockets or drills directly into the top of the bed side rail, then there is a better chance the tonneau cover and accessory will be compatible.

The best solution when knowing that you'll want to use accessories like a ladder rack and toolbox with your tonneau cover is to use a system designed for compatibility. Many tonneau cover brands, such as BAK and TruXedo, offer toolboxes designed to fit with certain styles of their tonneau covers. TruXedo and DeeZee also offer a ladder rack and tonneau cover setup that are compatible together, the whole system using the same installation rails.

How to Choose the Best Tonneau Cover for You

Written by: Victoria B

Updated by: Jacob J

Last updated: 12/21/2023

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