How snug does the cover fit and does it protect the bed from dirt and moisture?

Due to specific bed design features, absolute tightness is almost impossible – minor leaks, especially when washing under pressure, are quite acceptable. But the cover should protect your cargo from dirt and water at the highest possible level.

Can the cover be installed in the bed along with a plastic insert, and what type of it should you choose for compatibility?

Keep in mind that not every design allows that.

Does a closed truck bed cover block your tailgate?

Many trucks do not have locks in their tailgates. Thus, if the cover is closed and does not obstruct your tailgate opening, your cargo is not protected from trespassing.

Can you ride with a fully-closed truck bed cover and open tailgate?

When hauling long loads, a tailgate is open. Thus, if the cover has to be attached to the tailgate to be fully-closed, then it can’t be secured with the open tailgate.

How complicated is the locking mechanism of the cover?

The simpler and the fewer parts, the less probability that something will fail.

Are spare parts for the cover (locks, shock absorbers, seals, etc.) available on the market? Any alternatives?

No matter how hard the manufacturers try, sh**… defects happen. If you have to make a particular order and spend a large amount of money to get your bed cover replacement parts after six months or so, you may find yourself in an unpleasant situation. Imagine when due to the failure of a simple part costing $15, all the construction (that costs more than $1000) becomes unsuitable for use for a long time.

How secure is the cover on a truck’s bed?

In most cases, the cover is attached to the bed with clamps, which have to be checked every 1000-2000 miles. This is exhausting and not practical. Besides, over time the clamps fail – the threads deteriorate or the clamp cracks. Find out how secure is your cover when closed and how often you need to check the clamps.

How durable is the cover, and is it resistant to aggressive impacts like shocks, vibrations, etc.?

Fiberglass covers crack over time when used on bad roads. Covers made of HDPE plastic are more resilient, but they do not like frost and substantial impacts. Repairs are a messy and unpromising business. An aluminum bed cover is hard to “kill.” And it can be repaired by yourself in the field.

How much cargo can you put on the cover?

Relevant for hunters, fishers, adventurers, and those who use their trucks for professional tasks. Aluminum covers can haul hundreds of pounds – nothing more massive than road dust can be carried on plastic bed covers.

Is it possible to modify a bed cover to suit your particular needs?

You can do that with aluminum because metal can be drilled, welded, and processed by any means available. The plastic lid often can only be painted.

How easy is it to remove a bed cover if necessary?

You need to be able to do it alone, in a short time, without any special tools. Fiberglass products weigh dozens of lbs. The weight of the aluminum lid depends on the construction. Developing their quality lids, manufacturers are fighting for each pound. As a result, even those who only saw a barbell on TV can cope with the cover within a minute.

How snug does the cover fit and does it protect the bed from dirt and moisture?

Due to specific bed design features, absolute tightness is almost impossible – minor leaks, especially when washing under pressure, are quite acceptable. But the cover should protect your cargo from dirt and water at the highest possible level.

Can the cover be installed in the bed along with a plastic insert, and what type of it should you choose for compatibility?

Keep in mind that not every design allows that.

Does a closed truck bed cover block your tailgate?

Many trucks do not have locks in their tailgates. Thus, if the cover is closed and does not obstruct your tailgate opening, your cargo is not protected from trespassing.

Can you ride with a fully-closed truck bed cover and open tailgate?

When hauling long loads, a tailgate is open. Thus, if the cover has to be attached to the tailgate to be fully-closed, then it can’t be secured with the open tailgate.

How complicated is the locking mechanism of the cover?

The simpler and the fewer parts, the less probability that something will fail.

Are spare parts for the cover (locks, shock absorbers, seals, etc.) available on the market? Any alternatives?

No matter how hard the manufacturers try, sh**… defects happen. If you have to make a particular order and spend a large amount of money to get your bed cover replacement parts after six months or so, you may find yourself in an unpleasant situation. Imagine when due to the failure of a simple part costing $15, all the construction (that costs more than $1000) becomes unsuitable for use for a long time.

How secure is the cover on a truck’s bed?

In most cases, the cover is attached to the bed with clamps, which have to be checked every 1000-2000 miles. This is exhausting and not practical. Besides, over time the clamps fail – the threads deteriorate or the clamp cracks. Find out how secure is your cover when closed and how often you need to check the clamps.

How durable is the cover, and is it resistant to aggressive impacts like shocks, vibrations, etc.?

Fiberglass covers crack over time when used on bad roads. Covers made of HDPE plastic are more resilient, but they do not like frost and substantial impacts. Repairs are a messy and unpromising business. An aluminum bed cover is hard to “kill.” And it can be repaired by yourself in the field.

How much cargo can you put on the cover?

Relevant for hunters, fishers, adventurers, and those who use their trucks for professional tasks. Aluminum covers can haul hundreds of pounds – nothing more massive than road dust can be carried on plastic bed covers.

Is it possible to modify a bed cover to suit your particular needs?

You can do that with aluminum because metal can be drilled, welded, and processed by any means available. The plastic lid often can only be painted.

How easy is it to remove a bed cover if necessary?

You need to be able to do it alone, in a short time, without any special tools. Fiberglass products weigh dozens of lbs. The weight of the aluminum lid depends on the construction. Developing their quality lids, manufacturers are fighting for each pound. As a result, even those who only saw a barbell on TV can cope with the cover within a minute.

How snug does the cover fit and does it protect the bed from dirt and moisture?

Due to specific bed design features, absolute tightness is almost impossible – minor leaks, especially when washing under pressure, are quite acceptable. But the cover should protect your cargo from dirt and water at the highest possible level.

Can the cover be installed in the bed along with a plastic insert, and what type of it should you choose for compatibility?

Keep in mind that not every design allows that.

Does a closed truck bed cover block your tailgate?

Many trucks do not have locks in their tailgates. Thus, if the cover is closed and does not obstruct your tailgate opening, your cargo is not protected from trespassing.

Can you ride with a fully-closed truck bed cover and open tailgate?

When hauling long loads, a tailgate is open. Thus, if the cover has to be attached to the tailgate to be fully-closed, then it can’t be secured with the open tailgate.

How complicated is the locking mechanism of the cover?

The simpler and the fewer parts, the less probability that something will fail.

Are spare parts for the cover (locks, shock absorbers, seals, etc.) available on the market? Any alternatives?

No matter how hard the manufacturers try, sh**… defects happen. If you have to make a particular order and spend a large amount of money to get your bed cover replacement parts after six months or so, you may find yourself in an unpleasant situation. Imagine when due to the failure of a simple part costing $15, all the construction (that costs more than $1000) becomes unsuitable for use for a long time.

How secure is the cover on a truck’s bed?

In most cases, the cover is attached to the bed with clamps, which have to be checked every 1000-2000 miles. This is exhausting and not practical. Besides, over time the clamps fail – the threads deteriorate or the clamp cracks. Find out how secure is your cover when closed and how often you need to check the clamps.

How durable is the cover, and is it resistant to aggressive impacts like shocks, vibrations, etc.?

Fiberglass covers crack over time when used on bad roads. Covers made of HDPE plastic are more resilient, but they do not like frost and substantial impacts. Repairs are a messy and unpromising business. An aluminum bed cover is hard to “kill.” And it can be repaired by yourself in the field.

How much cargo can you put on the cover?

Relevant for hunters, fishers, adventurers, and those who use their trucks for professional tasks. Aluminum covers can haul hundreds of pounds – nothing more massive than road dust can be carried on plastic bed covers.

Is it possible to modify a bed cover to suit your particular needs?

You can do that with aluminum because metal can be drilled, welded, and processed by any means available. The plastic lid often can only be painted.

How easy is it to remove a bed cover if necessary?

You need to be able to do it alone, in a short time, without any special tools. Fiberglass products weigh dozens of lbs. The weight of the aluminum lid depends on the construction. Developing their quality lids, manufacturers are fighting for each pound. As a result, even those who only saw a barbell on TV can cope with the cover within a minute.

How snug does the cover fit and does it protect the bed from dirt and moisture?

Due to specific bed design features, absolute tightness is almost impossible – minor leaks, especially when washing under pressure, are quite acceptable. But the cover should protect your cargo from dirt and water at the highest possible level.

Can the cover be installed in the bed along with a plastic insert, and what type of it should you choose for compatibility?

Keep in mind that not every design allows that.

Does a closed truck bed cover block your tailgate?

Many trucks do not have locks in their tailgates. Thus, if the cover is closed and does not obstruct your tailgate opening, your cargo is not protected from trespassing.

Can you ride with a fully-closed truck bed cover and open tailgate?

When hauling long loads, a tailgate is open. Thus, if the cover has to be attached to the tailgate to be fully-closed, then it can’t be secured with the open tailgate.

How complicated is the locking mechanism of the cover?

The simpler and the fewer parts, the less probability that something will fail.

Are spare parts for the cover (locks, shock absorbers, seals, etc.) available on the market? Any alternatives?

No matter how hard the manufacturers try, sh**… defects happen. If you have to make a particular order and spend a large amount of money to get your bed cover replacement parts after six months or so, you may find yourself in an unpleasant situation. Imagine when due to the failure of a simple part costing $15, all the construction (that costs more than $1000) becomes unsuitable for use for a long time.

How secure is the cover on a truck’s bed?

In most cases, the cover is attached to the bed with clamps, which have to be checked every 1000-2000 miles. This is exhausting and not practical. Besides, over time the clamps fail – the threads deteriorate or the clamp cracks. Find out how secure is your cover when closed and how often you need to check the clamps.

How durable is the cover, and is it resistant to aggressive impacts like shocks, vibrations, etc.?

Fiberglass covers crack over time when used on bad roads. Covers made of HDPE plastic are more resilient, but they do not like frost and substantial impacts. Repairs are a messy and unpromising business. An aluminum bed cover is hard to “kill.” And it can be repaired by yourself in the field.

How much cargo can you put on the cover?

Relevant for hunters, fishers, adventurers, and those who use their trucks for professional tasks. Aluminum covers can haul hundreds of pounds – nothing more massive than road dust can be carried on plastic bed covers.

Is it possible to modify a bed cover to suit your particular needs?

You can do that with aluminum because metal can be drilled, welded, and processed by any means available. The plastic lid often can only be painted.

How easy is it to remove a bed cover if necessary?

You need to be able to do it alone, in a short time, without any special tools. Fiberglass products weigh dozens of lbs. The weight of the aluminum lid depends on the construction. Developing their quality lids, manufacturers are fighting for each pound. As a result, even those who only saw a barbell on TV can cope with the cover within a minute.

How snug does the cover fit and does it protect the bed from dirt and moisture?

Due to specific bed design features, absolute tightness is almost impossible – minor leaks, especially when washing under pressure, are quite acceptable. But the cover should protect your cargo from dirt and water at the highest possible level.

Can the cover be installed in the bed along with a plastic insert, and what type of it should you choose for compatibility?

Keep in mind that not every design allows that.

Does a closed truck bed cover block your tailgate?

Many trucks do not have locks in their tailgates. Thus, if the cover is closed and does not obstruct your tailgate opening, your cargo is not protected from trespassing.

Can you ride with a fully-closed truck bed cover and open tailgate?

When hauling long loads, a tailgate is open. Thus, if the cover has to be attached to the tailgate to be fully-closed, then it can’t be secured with the open tailgate.

How complicated is the locking mechanism of the cover?

The simpler and the fewer parts, the less probability that something will fail.

Are spare parts for the cover (locks, shock absorbers, seals, etc.) available on the market? Any alternatives?

No matter how hard the manufacturers try, sh**… defects happen. If you have to make a particular order and spend a large amount of money to get your bed cover replacement parts after six months or so, you may find yourself in an unpleasant situation. Imagine when due to the failure of a simple part costing $15, all the construction (that costs more than $1000) becomes unsuitable for use for a long time.

How secure is the cover on a truck’s bed?

In most cases, the cover is attached to the bed with clamps, which have to be checked every 1000-2000 miles. This is exhausting and not practical. Besides, over time the clamps fail – the threads deteriorate or the clamp cracks. Find out how secure is your cover when closed and how often you need to check the clamps.