A tonneau cover, also known as a truck bed cover, is attached to the truck bed and protects your equipment from snow and rain. They can also offer exceptional security and alternatives for other accessories, according to the style. With this straightforward shopping guide, you can select the best truck bed cover for your Ford F-150 by understanding the differences between the numerous tonneau cover styles.

Soft Tonneau Covers

A soft truck bed cover's cost is undoubtedly its main advantage. Soft surfaces provide sufficient weather protection for your baggage at a reasonable cost, starting at around $200. A soft tonneau cover should be one of your initial upgrades if you're creating your F-150 on a tight budget. But not every soft cover is made equally. One needs to be aware of a few various designs.

Soft Rolling

Soft rolling tonneau covers, which may be the most popular type of tonneau cover currently on the road, combine several qualities into a helpful vehicle addition. The majority of styles use hook-and-loop fasteners to keep the tonneau shut. Your bed can be fully accessed after the cover is opened. If requested, soft surfaces frequently have a fastening method to keep them open while driving. Installation is a straightforward technique that can typically be completed in under an hour using simple hand tools. It entails clamping a pair of rails to your truck bed and connecting the cover to the fences.

A soft rolling tonneau cover is the best option if you want a cheap body that keeps your gear out of the way and dry while allowing full bed access when needed.

Soft Folding

This truck bed cover is a one-piece construction consisting of vinyl or canvas stretched over an aluminum frame. The clamps are part of the cover, which can typically be placed without equipment. These clamps secure the body to the bed of your truck. The simplicity of installation is the main benefit of a soft folding cover; all you have to do is position it on your bed, fasten the clamps by hand, and you're done. Simply unplug the back clamps, fold them toward your bed, allowing access to the bottom third of the cover, and reattach them. If you require complete bed access, the body may be quickly taken off and put back on.

Opt for a soft folding tonneau cover if you wish to secure your goods from the elements and spend little time installing them.

Hard Tonneau Covers

A hard tonneau cover drastically increases truck bed security by converting your truck bed into a safe that you can lock and keep out snow and rain. A truck bed with a hard tonneau cover and a tailgate lock is comparatively safer than your cab. Despite starting out more expensive than soft bed covers, hard truck bed covers are frequently justified by their added peace of mind. A few standard designs are:

Hard Folding

Hard folding tonneau coverings have become popularized by producers like BAK, Extang, and Advantage. They are adaptable, simple to use, and simple to install. The Advantage Hard Hat coverings and soft folding tonneau covers are two popular styles. The vinyl is supported by a composite foundation, which bolsters the security and weight rating. For a lower, more streamlined profile and the flexibility to fold the tonneau upright for nearly complete bed access, designs from BAK and UnderCover use independent rails with an aluminum folding cover.

Get a hard-folding tonneau cover if you require security, exceptional water resistance, and the capacity to tow massive objects when needed.

Hard Rolling

Although they are not well as some other categories, rigid rolling tonneau coverings have recently gained popularity as an alternative to folding models. The interconnecting aluminum slats that make up the tonneau are coated in heavy-duty vinyl or canvas cloth. This produces a truck bed cover without any visible hinges that offer sufficient protection for the objects in the bed. One of them is as simple to open as rolling it toward the bulkhead while pushing a latch, much like a soft rolling tonneau cover.

If you prefer the appearance of soft covers but require the protection of hardcovers, pick a hard-rolling tonneau cover.