Overview:
Even though some users prefer luxury trucks and use them as family vehicles, most hardcore pickup guys still earn their living with their cars. This being said, those buyers are always on the lookout for useful and practical truck accessories, which can make their lives a lot easier, do their jobs faster, and protect their tools or products.
That being said, we will present to you one of the most popular truck accessories ever – a hard folding tonneau cover. This easy-to-install and extremely versatile component are one of the must-have things on your truck. We have already covered the Best Tri Fold Bed Cover, and now it is time to show you which of the products on our list is the Best Hard Folding Tonneau Cover.
Quick Summary:
Best Overall: Gator EFX Hard Tri-Fold Truck Bed Tonneau Cover – Without a doubt, Gator managed to come on top. With rugged aluminium plating covered in durable plastic, it combined the form and function and set the segment’s standard.
Runner-up: BAK BAK Flip MX4 Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover – Although a good buy, BAK BAK placed second because of its less than ideal clamps and components and also for its problematic packaging.
Best Budget Pick: Tyger Auto T5 Alloy Hardtop Truck Bed Tonneau Cover – If you are looking for the cheapest product but still want some durability, then the Tyger T5 is the one for you. It has its flaws, but for the price, it represents a sound purchase.
Who should get this?
- People who carry a lot of stuff in their trucks are talking about people who use their trucks as mobile garages with lots of valuable things.
- People who use their vehicles for work – The majority of truck owners are working people who use their trucks as tools or carry tools. Those people don’t want their stuff missing from the truck bed since it could ruin their business.
- Owners who want to protect their valuables – If you have an active hobby or like to camp outdoors, then the hard folding tonneau cover is the must-have.
How we picked the Best Hard Folding Tonneau Cover?
Although there are many similar products on the market, it is tough to pick the best since you have to consider several vital aspects. This is our method of finding the best product for you, and we took a lot of time and thought of all of the following elements.
- Construction – The most crucial aspect of this product is construction, which needs to be durable, well-engineered, and proven in everyday use. The Best Folding Tonneau Cover needs to be tough as well as simple to operate.
- Versatility – Apart from just covering the truck bed, modern folding tonneau covers need versatility. Most products in this segment offer hinges and options to mount something on top. This is a big plus with commercial users.
- Easy Installation – To score high on our list, the product needs to be easy to install and require no or just a few special tools—bonus points for products that can be set up by just about any truck owner.
- Quality Materials – Apart from durable construction and engineering, quality materials are also an essential aspect. You cannot have a good product without investment in materials.
- Price – Of course, price is a big concern when choosing the Best Hard Folding Tonneau Cover. For buyers in this segment, price is often a determining factor.
- Availability – Since there are many pickup trucks on the market, the product needs to be available for all of them or the majority of models on sale.
Best Hard Folding Tonneau Cover for 2020:
Gator EFX Hard Tri-Fold Truck Bed Tonneau Cover
The well-known Gator Company comes on top with its EFX Hard Tri-Fold Tonneau Cover, an amazingly engineered product. After long consideration, this one came on top thanks to quality materials, easy installation process, and affordable price. We feel that Gator EFX deserved to be the Best Hard Folding Tonneau Cover currently on the market.
This bed cover is constructed from aluminium plates that are wrapped in durable plastic. It means that Gator EFX has the best construction, and it can endure the most weight and heat, cold, and moisture. Although it isn’t the cheapest, it is well worth the investment.
At a glance:
– Only available colour is black
– Sizes to fit 5.7, 6.4, and 8 ft truck bed
– 3-Year Warranty (check with the manufacturer)
– Weatherstrip included
Pros:
- Construction – Aluminum plates wrapped in durable plastic is robust as it sounds
- Affordable price – Well-worth the investment, and users haven’t reported any major issues with this product.
- Easy install – no power tools, and you are ready to go in 30 minutes.
Cons:
- The clamp design could be better – Some buyers reported problems with clamps, especially those in the truck bed’s rear.
- There is some issue with fitment on older models – Since Gator makes so many variants of this product, some earlier models could have a slight problem with fitment.
BAK BAK Flip MX4 Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover
In the close second place, we have Bak Bak’s Flip MX4, their name for tri-fold hard truck bed cover. Like the Gator cover bed, the MX4 is made of thick aluminium plating covered in plastic, forming a sturdy and robust truck bed tonneau.
This product also comes with a cool-looking matte finish, which is easy to clean and scratch-resistant. Bak Bak states that their MX4 tonneau cover can withstand up to 400 lbs, but it has to be evenly distributed to avoid damage. It also comes with durable weather stripping to keep the rain and moisture out of your truck bed.
At a glance:
– Only available colour is matte black
– Sizes to fit 5.8, 6.8, and 8 ft truck bed
– 5-Year Warranty (check with the manufacturer)
– Weatherstrip included
Pros:
- Durable construction – There is no better solution than aluminium plates and sturdy plastic. Not only does this ensures durability, but it also can endure additional weight on top of it.
- Price – Not the cheapest one but still relatively affordable, especially if you consider the technology and materials
- Easy Install – In just half an hour, you can install this tonneau cover, and there is no need for drilling or using any special tools.
Cons:
- Some components were cheaply made – Customers reported that accessories, clamps, and weatherstripping were substandard in terms of quality.
- Problems with the packaging – We hope the manufacturer had addressed these issues, but there were problems with packaging, which resulted in damaged products being delivered to the customers.
Tyger Auto T5 Alloy Hardtop Truck Bed Tonneau Cover
The Tyger T5 good product in the segment since it offers durable protection. This product consists of heavy-duty aluminium cross members combined with durable and sturdy PC plastic. This makes it different from the first two on our list, which uses aluminium panels. There is even a honey-comb structure inside the cover to add strength to the lid but still keep the weight to a reasonable amount.
Thanks to this, T5 is a really quality product; however, it is also expensive and, therefore, above some buyers’ reach. Yes, it will withstand more than tonneau covers made of vinyl, but we don’t know if it is worth the premium.
At a glance:
– Only available colour is black
– Sizes to fit 5.5, 6.6, and 8 ft truck bed
– 5-year, no-hassle Warranty
– Weatherstrip included
Pros:
- Decent protection – Durable construction, heavy-duty materials offer satisfying results.
- Can carry up to 500 pounds – If you need to mount something on top of your cover, the Tyger T5 can carry up to 500 pounds of weight.
- Easy to install – The installation process is a bit more complicated than the Tyger T3 model but still easy enough for most customers and requires no drilling.
Cons:
- Price – It is somewhat expensive, and it doesn’t offer much in terms of construction to justify the cost.
- Potential leaking – Some users reported problems with weatherstrips, which caused the product to leak.
Undercover Ultra Flex Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover
Even though the Undercover’s hard folding truck bed tonneau is made of aluminium plates covered in plastic, as the first two products on our list, it didn’t make it to the top three. The reason is simple. Fit and finish leave a lot to be desired, and the offer is limited to many newer truck models.
This product comes with a cool feature, though, and it is LED light mounted beneath the cover, which helps you when you are opening it in the dark. Although this is a convenient feature, it doesn’t help a lot in overall scoring, and this Ultra Flex is still No4 on our list.
At a glance:
– Only available colour is black
– Sizes to fit 5.7, 6.4 ft truck bed
– 5-year, no-hassle Warranty
– Weatherstrip included
Pros:
- Solid Construction – Aluminum panels and durable plastic makes this dependable and well-engineered product.
- Innovative Features – LED light beneath the tonneau cover is very usable.
- Easy Install – Like the rest of the products, this one takes about half an hour and requires no special tools or skills.
Cons:
- Quality – The materials used, as well as clamps, are not up to standards, and some users reported them being of poor quality.
- Inadequate Weatherstripping – Many people tend to forget, but weather stripping rubber is an essential part of the package. Unfortunately, there are some complaints about the rubber used in this product.
Extang Solid Fold 2.0 Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover
The last item on our list is the hard folding tonneau cover from a company called Extang. Although it performed decently, it scored last since its construction is by far the cheapest. The Solid Fold 2.0 Tonneau cover from Extang is made from plastic with no aluminium cross members or plates. This approach results in the bunch’s lightest product but not as good or durable as the rest.
The good thing about Extang’s hard folding truck bed tonneau cover is the fact it comes pre-assembled, and users only need to mount it to the truck. This makes it a good proposition for novice users or people who don’t have high expectations from the tonneau cover. However, it may be affordable, but it is not the Best Hard Folding Tonneau Cover out there.
At a glance:
– Only available colour is black
– Sizes to fit 5.6, 6.5, and 8 ft truck bed
– Arrives assembled
– Weatherstrip included
Pros:
- Easiest Installation of all similar products – The Extang’s sold tonneau cover comes pre-assembled, and yours is to mount it on the truck bed, bolt it on and make sure that the weatherstripping is set upright. This makes installation a breeze, which is good to know.
- Lightweight construction – Since this product is made entirely of plastic, it is lighter than the competitors. Although the weight difference will not affect the fuel economy in any measurable way, less weight in the back of your truck is excellent.
- Competitive price – Yes, this is an affordable product, but we feel that low price isn’t necessarily an advantage.
Cons:
- Plastic construction – Yes, it is light, but it is far from durable like the product made with the aluminium’s use either as cross members or metal plates.
- Weak clamps – The clamps, too, are made of plastic, which means that they are not up to the task.
- Inadequate weatherstripping – Since the product is made of plastic, it lacks torsion rigidity, and it is prone to leaking.
Conclusion – Best Hard Folding Tonneau Cover
Picking up the Best Hard Folding Tonneau Cover wasn’t easy, but we managed to find a clear winner – Gator EFX. Its combination of sturdy construction, durable plastic, and tough weatherstripping proved to be a winning ticket. Also, not to forget that this hard tri-fold bed cover is affordable, covered by a solid Warranty, and offered for a wide range of modern trucks.
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