7 Useful Benefits of Tonneau Covers

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4 Minutes Read

Nothing deteriorates a truck bed faster than the burning sun and freezing snow of Northern Arizona. With each day driving with an open truck bed, you’re closer to a hefty repair bill. But thankfully, there’s something you can do to keep your truck bed safe. And not only from the elements but also from the criminal minds: Install a tonneau cover.

Why? Let’s look at the benefits of tonneau covers.

What Are Tonneau Covers?

Just like for all other words with unusual spelling in the English language, we have the French to blame for tonneau. It means wine cask or barrel. American car manufacturers adopted it in the 20th century to describe the newly introduced car models with open, rear passenger compartments in the shape of a barrel.

In the early days of the Bonneville Speedway races, drivers started using tonneau covers to wind-proof open areas of their vehicles to improve aerodynamics. Record-setting racers back then swore that records were broken thanks to tonneau covers.

In their first days, tonneau covers were made of leather, canvas, and even bedsheets. But two hundred years later, the industry has grown to offer hundreds of options, keeping pace with the fast evolution of the car industry.

Today, not only do tonneau covers for trucks come in more materials than you can imagine, but there are also a plethora of designs and styles to suit the different needs of truck drivers:

  • Retractable: Come in soft and hard variants, retracting in itself at the back of the truck bed
  • Folding: Bi-fold or tri-fold; soft or hard — hands down the most popular type due to being easy to use
  • Rolling: Available in soft and hard, with the latter being more expensive but also more secure
  • Hinged: Most aesthetically pleasing, a non-folding, non-retractable design that is ideal to carry a heavier load on top
  • Snap-on: The design allows to easily unclamp any area, making it perfect for loading objects in any form or size
  • Powered: Basically, a retractable tonneau cover with a mechanism for remote operation

The type of tonneau cover you buy depends on the climate and terrain where you drive your truck and what kind of cargo do you usually haul. So having in mind the rigid landscape and often extreme weather around Flagstaff and Northern Arizona, it’s best to choose a sturdy model that will survive it all.

LINE-X's Tonneau Covers

Speaking of sturdy and hard-wearing tonneau covers, the LINE-X Tonneau Covers are just that. Built with durability and convenience in mind, they are available in six different designs — some fully customizable — to avail all drivers and their specific needs.

The modern, aesthetically pleasing, yet heavy-duty design is common for all LINE-X Tonneau Covers, whether soft or heavy.

  • Retractable RS Tonneau Cover: With a rail system that can carry over 500lbs, and a water-sealed design, this is a perfect choice if you’re using your truck to transport heavy loads.
  • Swift Tonneau Cover: Budget-friendly and easy to use, this tonneau cover has a convenient latch design and is made of tear-resistant fabric to last you through sunny summers and snowy winters.
  • Eclipse Tonneau Cover: This heavy-duty roll-up cover comes with multiple rows of latches to keep ill-intended hands at bay, and premium matte-finish material that defies dust.
  • Deluxe Roll-up Tonneau Cover: Installed in a few minutes, this low-profile roll-up cover has a quick-release system that makes it highly practical. The good look is extra.
  • Stealth Hard Folding Tonneau Cover: This cover is made of lightweight aluminum panels that can persevere any dents and scratches, while the UV-resistant finish blocks out the hot Arizona sun.
  • Retractable Hard Tonneau Cover: Hands down one of the strongest designs on the market, able to carry more than 500 lbs.
  • Soft Tri-fold Tonneau Cover: If you need a custom-made tonneau cover, this is it. It comes with a clamp closure system and an essay-to-use design, making it perfect for versatile use.

Benefits of Tonneau Covers

Apart from the fact that tonneau covers are aesthetically pleasing and give your truck a more slick appearance, there are other, more practical benefits of truck bed covers.

Protection

Aren’t you tired of your truck bed always looking like it was just hit by a hurricane — dirt, leaves, branches, and an occasional small animal? Well, a tonneau cover will keep all that away, and you won’t have to spend your Sundays cleaning it. But most of all, it’ll protect your truck bed from small abrasions that can turn quite problematic over time.

Security And Privacy

It’s really inconvenient when you need to load, unload, and reload the truck time and again, because you can’t leave the items in plain sight for the thieves to take. A tonneau cover will save you time and trouble by hiding whatever is under. And if it has a locking system — like many tonneau covers do these days — it’ll not only keep curious eyes away but hands as well.

Reduces Aerodynamic Drag And Improves Gas Mileage

Remember the Bonneville Speedway racers? They were right. Tonneau covers reduce air drag making your truck more fuel-efficient by 5-10%, depending on the type of truck and cover you have. This is especially noticeable on highways when driving faster. So, in other words, installing a tonneau cover will save you fuel money in the long run.

Makes Truck Bed Easily Accessible When Desired

Modern tonneau covers are conveniently built to provide easy access to the truck bed when and however needed. Depending on the model, some can be unlatched at particular areas, others can be remotely controlled, or completely removed with a quick pull or push. So there’s no need for the bed to be entirely covered or uncovered all the time — you can adjust it to suit your needs.

Improves Truck's Appearance

Just because trucks are mostly used for cargo transport, it doesn’t mean they can’t be appealing to the eye. Install a tonneau cover you won’t ever have to care whether your truck bed is rusty, dirty or there’s a complete mess of tools and stuff. It works like a magic trick — it hides everything under and gives your truck a neat, attractive appearance — especially the hard tonneau covers.

Different Styles Available

No matter what make or model of truck you drive; no matter what you use it for; and no matter where you drive it — there’s a tonneau cover out there to fit perfectly on your truck bed frame, and serve you long and good. And if there isn’t, they will customize it just for you.

Increases Truck's Value

Driving your truck with an open bed will bring down the value of your vehicle faster than you’d like. The elements will slowly but surely take their toll, leaving the bed in poor condition. And the air drag will weigh down the engine, spending more fuel.

All this will cost you money in the long run. Especially if you decide to resell or trade it in for a new vehicle.

Installing a tonneau cover is the smartest and most inexpensive upgrade of your truck — it’ll keep its value higher for a longer period of time, and it’ll save you money on repairs, repaintings, and fuel.

We Sell Heavy-Duty LINE-X Tonneau Covers

Tonneau covers provide a wide range of benefits for your truck. If you’re still driving your truck with an open bed, it’s time to cover it up with one of LINE-X’s tonneau covers.  Don’t let it deteriorate anymore, and stop by Flagstaff Collision to find the perfect bed cover for your truck.

Michael Whittemore

Author