Truck bed covers pertain to any type of hood that wraps a pickup's cargo box. Truck bed covers can be soft or stiff. The use of a truck bed cover is to provide a sleeker looking truck while draping a storage corner in the truck. A truck bed cover can protect materials such as heavy furniture and groceries from theft, damage, and weather conditions like rain.
Aside from aesthetic purposes, truck bed covers can help in saving gas. Usually, air careens into the empty space of the truck bed, producing an opposite force to the truck. This can result to several miles lost since the engine has to work harder. With a truck bed cover, it is estimated that a truck can save up to 10% on gas.
There are three major kinds of truck bed covers- hard, soft, and retractable. Each type has its pros and cons, and truck owners have to consider these before buying the most appropriate type for their truck bed.
The hard type is manufactured from hard plastic, fiberglass or aluminum. Most of the time, a hard type is smooth and has the same color as the truck. To access the inside of the tray, one just needs to lift an end of the hard type truck bed cover. This is considered as the most durable type of truck bed covers, and it can resist all types of weather conditions.
But, you should be aware that there are some downsides to this style. First, it is very difficult to take off, so it is not recommended that truck owners who frequently haul vertical loads that protrude higher than the sides of the truck use this style. It's also one of the more expensive styles available.
The soft type is made from a durable fabric. It has bows to maintain its shape under tough weather conditions like rain or snow. They can be attached to the truck using snaps, a groove and tongue set-up, or Velcro. There are some models that can be rolled up, while some have hinged lids.
A soft type of truck bed cover is designed to withstand the weight of two people standing on it, and some are even manufactured to include a built-in tent. One disadvantage of this type, though, is that it simply isn't as secure as a hard style truck bed cover.
A retractable style truck bed cover is widely considered the most popular among truck owners, owing to its convenience. It lets truck owners haul large items without the need to take off the cover. But, this type of truck bed cover may cut down on the available space and can also be vulnerable to leaks.
Truck bed covers are available in a range of prices. Retractable ones are often as inexpensive as $500, while the hard kind may sell for as little as $600. A soft cover is typically the least expensive with pricing starting around $200. For the best deals, truck owners should compare prices online, since there are a number of websites that offer truck bed covers at discounted prices. In addition, shopping online is more convenient than shopping in person.
Truck bed covers serve a number of purposes. They make a truck look great, protect a load, and save on fuel costs. Truck owners should thoroughly research the features of each kind of truck bed cover before buying online and making a final decision about which cover has the most to offer for their particular needs.