Retractable covers feature a barrier that’s made up of panels of aluminum that are interlocked together. When used, they roll neatly up into a storage canister, which is then placed inside the front end of the bed. Retractable tonneau covers are designed so that you can open them up and fully access the truck bed, but you won’t need to remove the cover to do so. As a result, they’re convenient to use if you need to access your cargo on a frequent basis. They are differentiated from soft roll-up covers in that they are rigid, and from other covers, in that they can be opened up without you having to take the cover off. Retractable covers are more convenient than hinging covers in that they’re easier to remove, but they don’t offer as much security because they don’t have powerful hinges.

Reviews of the Best Retractable Truck Tonneau Covers

**Below, you’ll find our more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.

Depending on how the cover will be used, it could be that you’ll often have to take it off—if, for example, weather conditions make it so that take the cover off at a certain time every year, or if you often need to transport larger items that take up the whole of the truck bed. If you’re often removing and re-installing the cover, then you’ll want to get a cover that’s easier to set up. If not, you’ll spend a lot of time installing the product.

• If you need to take the cover off often, you’ll want a cover that’s easy to install
• If you keep it on most of the time, it’s not as much of a problem if the installation is difficult

Does Your Truck Have a Bed Liner?

Whether or not your pickup has a liner in its bed can affect your need for a retractable cover. More specifically, trucks can have a liner either under the rail or above the rail. If your liner is under the rail, then you can easily install a tonneau cover. If, however, the liner is over the rail, then you’ll have a lot of trouble installing it, and even then it’s not guaranteed that it’ll fit snugly onto the truck. Thus, you’ll certainly need to check out the measurements before purchasing anything in that scenario. However, buying online might not still be a great option, as you’ll probably prefer seeing the cover in person, if you’re not sure of the measurements. Thus, if your pickup has an over-the-rail liner, then you should purchase a tonneau cover in a bricks-and-mortar store, rather than an online retailer.

• Tonneau covers can easily fit into trucks with an under-the-rail liner
• If you have an over-the-rail liner, then the fit won’t be as good; you’ll need the measurements beforehand, and should probably purchase it from a bricks-and-mortar store

Are You Willing to Do a Lot of Maintenance?

All truck bed covers need to be cleaned. However, with a hard retractable cover, cleaning is more frequent. The rails and canister of a retractable cover must be cleaned on a regular basis. In addition, because these covers retract to open and close, they can easily gather up dirt, grime, and other debris. Thus, you might have to clean this kind of cover more regularly than with other covers.

• You’ll need to clean your tonneau cover often in general
• Hard, retractable covers need to have their rails and canister cleaned regularly
• Retractable covers pick up dirt more easily because of the way they open, so cleaning is more frequent

Do You Often Need to Access Your Truck Bed?

Hard, retractable tonneau covers are ideal if you need to open up your truck bed without removing it. However, this might not be preferable for every pickup owner; many people hardly ever open their truck beds up. If you carry a lot of larger cargo, for example—furniture and the like—then you might not often use a truck bed, which means that you wouldn’t need to open it up often, either. One thing to keep in mind is that retractable covers can pose more of a problem where potential thieves are considered, since—especially if the cover doesn’t have a locking mechanism—then they would be able to retract the cover and drive off with your cargo in tow.

• Retractable covers are good if you often need to open your truck bed up
• If you often don’t use a cover, you might not need a retractable cover
• Retractable covers are easier for thieves to access and open up

Other Considerations

• You should also consider the following:
  • What you need to use it for, since soft covers tend to be more versatile;
  • Whether or not you’ll use the rails in the truck bed; and
  • How much you’re willing to spend.

Top Retractable Truck Tonneau Covers

1.   BAK Industries R15309 RollBak G2 Aluminum Hard Retractable Tonneau Bed Cover

If you’re searching for a new cover for your truck bed, then you should think about getting a BAK Industries R15309 RollBak G2 Aluminum Hard Retractable Tonneau Bed Cover. This cover has several advantages over its counterparts. The first advantage is that it is well-adapted to a variety of purposes. This is because it has good water-resistance, and it can easily be used in different environments. It’s strong and durable enough to take on such environments, but, furthermore, it will also easily resist the buildup of snow, rain and hail thanks to its water-tight capacities. Further, this cover looks stylish and sleek. It will look great with your pickup, and even features a professional textured finish. Another advantage of this model particularly is that it will keep your stuff safe and secure via its intermittent locking system. This automatic system works by locking your bed down at intervals of 12 inches, so your stuff will be safe in case you forget to double-check. Finally, it’s a good choice in terms of the environment; its low-profile design will allow you to save up to 11% in gas savings. Ultimately, this is a great choice of truck bed cover, so you should look into it.

Feature Highlights

• Intermittent, automatic locking mechanism will keep your cargo secure
• Durable and solid;
• Well-suited to different weather conditions
• Professional-grade finish

2.   Roll-N-Lock LG111M M-Series Manual Retractable Truck Bed Cover for F150 XSB 09

Are you tired of being worried about your cargo falling out of your pickup when you’re on the road? Are you tired of water getting inside your truck bed, even if you’re not storing anything inside it? Are you tired of people looking into your truck bed as they pass by—and even more tired of your friends who engage in the same behavior? If these behaviors apply to you, then you probably need a cover for the bed of your pickup truck. In that case, you should look into purchasing a Roll-N-Lock LG111M M-Series Manual Retractable Truck Bed Cover for F150 XSB 09. This cover has a number of advantages. Not only is it nice and durable, but it’s also got a solid, strong design that will prevent it from coming loose from your bed because it’s too light. This is further complemented by its snug fit; the fit is tight enough so that it will fit on your pickup and not fall off, but loose enough so that you can easily take it off when you need to. Moreover, the cover has a stylish design, a convenient roll-up design, and comprehensive instructions.

Feature Highlights

• Solid aluminum construction
• Cover rolls up for efficient usage
• Fits tightly on top of your truck
• Stylish design that will always look good
• Straightforward instructions that tell you everything you need to know for installation

Final Verdict 

There are several advantages to using a retractable truck cover—in particular, that they allow you to access all your cargo without removing the cover; they are more solid and durable than their soft, roll-up counterparts; and that they are versatile, and as such can be used for different purposes. However, such covers aren’t suitable for every purpose: many covers don’t have a locking mechanism, which makes them a potential target for opportunistic thieves. Moreover, they can be overly expensive, but the higher price doesn’t always entail an increase in quality. If you’d like a retractable cover, give some careful consideration to online reviews. They’ll help you figure out whether a retractable cover is the way to go—and, if so, which model will fit your needs.

Related Article:

• 10 Best Retractable Truck Bed Tonneau Covers For F150