Soft-Folding Tonneau Cover: Is It Right For You?

While it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when someone says “soft tonneau,” the soft-folding bed cover is an affordable and reliable option for truck bed protection – and it’s quickly rising in popularity.

These days, you’d be hard-pressed to find a truck owner who regrets purchasing a tonneau cover. Sure, they might regret the brand they chose or the style, but with current vehicle prices sitting somewhere up in the stratosphere, any form of truck bed protection is generally considered a worthwhile investment.

And tonneau covers have come a long way from their snap-on, tarp-based forefathers.

Rolling, hinging, folding, retracting. Some don’t even require actual, manual effort. Simply press a button on your key fob and voilà: easy truck bed access.

On the totem pole of truck bed covers, soft vinyl options often sit near the bottom. Flexible, affordable, and incredibly easy-to-use, they bring a lot to the table – but tend to fall short where heavy-duty use and security are concerned.

However, we’re here to tell you that this little corner of the bed cover market has seen its own progress and innovation…

Meet the soft-folding tonneau cover.

Offering more durability and security than its traditional rolling-style sibling, the soft-folding tonneau cover features many of the same great features provided by top-selling hard options on the market – at a fraction of the cost.

And as Steve Kelley, Vice President of Sales at Extang – makers of the popular Trifecta Series of soft-folding covers – explained to us, this style is quickly finding a solid foothold in the crowded tonneau space.

What is a soft-folding tonneau cover?

Much like hard-folding covers, soft-folding tonneaus feature multiple panels (usually three) that fold back and down on top of one another to provide partial or full bed access. Rather than using a tough FRP or aluminum top skin though, these tonneaus will employ premium canvas, vinyl or fabric stretched over an aluminum frame.

According to Kelley, the features and benefits that really sell a soft-folding tonneau cover are its lower cost, convenient bed and cargo access, and superior water resistance.

It’s true — “A soft folding cover is typically going to be more water resistant due to the single sheet of vinyl covering the entire bed,” Kelley explains. “While the hard-folding covers we’re producing today are very water resistant, the possibility for some water entry due to the construction of many pieces of material is slightly higher versus soft-folding covers.”

Hard-folding covers remain a very popular option with consumers, Kelley says, largely thanks to their overall security benefit and, on some models, flush appearance. Some options also open to the back window, thereby offering a near-full open bed without removing the cover.

“Soft folding covers, however, have been on a rise from our overall customer demand as various price points and competition have come into the mix,” he explains. “Our knowledge with full one-piece hinged options has actually declined over the past few years, but still represents a popular option for some truck owners.”

Is a soft-folding tonneau cover secure?

“While any bed cover will provide ‘out of sight, out of mind’ peace of mind, many people don’t want the risk of someone knifing through the vinyl to gain access to their contents,” Kelley says. “But the reality is that we receive very few complaints or requests for tarp replacements due to this occurrence.”

So, yes, soft-folding tonneau covers are quite secure. Besides, most options on the market today use pretty durable components like aluminum frames and thick, heavy top material. Cutting or slicing through that construction would take time, and likely draw some attention – two things the average thief would prefer to avoid.

As for Extang, Kelley is eager to point out that the brand’s soft-folding tonneau cover line – the Trifecta Series – features the strongest engineered frames, a patented clamping system, serviceable heavy-duty tarps, and the industry’s only snap-on perimeter sealing for superior water and dust management. Plus, Extang’s soft-folding tonneau covers come backed by a Maximum Strength Lifetime Warranty (with the exception of the Trifecta e-Series, which has a 5-year warranty).

Extang employs some high-quality construction materials in its Trifecta Series, including:

• Locally procured, aircraft grade aluminum extrusions that are powder coated for great performance and looks that will last the life of the product
• Steel reinforcements and bracing with stainless fasteners
• Hinges and corners molded with an OE-approved material for superior strength, of which Extang controls the quality at one of its sister companies.

“Manufacturing-wise, it’s a lot of labor,” Kelley says. “But it’s a sight to see, as we have a fine-tuned, lean manufacturing plant in Ann Arbor, Michigan producing all of Extang’s covers.”

Which tonneau cover is right for me?

Determining the right tonneau cover for your truck largely comes down to vehicle use and budget.

A hard-folding or hard one-piece cover will provide great security, not to mention a sturdy surface with high weight capacity. That’s particularly useful if you live in an area that sees really heavy snowfall, or your truck sees frequent hard work. But these covers can easily crest $1,000 – sometimes $2,000. That’s a lot to pay for something that might be more than you need.

Meanwhile, for the price of an entry-level hard cover ($500-$700), you could pick up a top-of-the-line soft-folding tonneau cover with similar design and operation – and have money left over for more aftermarket goodies.

If that sounds promising to you, Kelley suggests checking out Extang’s Trifecta Series.

“The Trifecta 2.0 is still our volume product,” he says. “It’s been around the longest and is the go-to cover for most of our dealers where a customer is looking for a soft folding tonneau. It literally installs on a truck in about the same amount of time that it takes to unpack and remove it from the box.”

Removal is equally quick and easy, which Kelley says is ideal for those customers who may wish to occasionally drive their truck with an open bed. If accommodating in-bed accessories is a concern, he points out the Trifecta 2.0 Toolbox. Designed for full-size trucks with 6.5′ and 8′ bed lengths, it will mate behind most 18-20″ standard toolboxes.

Aiming to provide a cover for any need, Extang has expanded the lineup as of late. In addition to the new entry-level Trifecta e-Series, Kelley says the company added the Signature Series, “for those that desire the ultimate in appearance with a unique rich black fabric,” and the latest Trifecta ALX which has “our exclusive Secure Rotary Release and auto-latching mechanisms, making the cover even easier to operate.”

Why Extang?

Extang has always showcased a determined focus on putting superior engineering and quality components into its products. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, every product the company makes — including accessories — gets a Made-in-the-USA stamp of approval.

“We’re also a 40-year company that only makes truck bed covers, and we hold a lot of patents due to our focus on strength, convenience of use, and ingenuity,” Kelley explains. “Our slogan since the beginning has been Extang Engineered because we feel that we represent the best in class in every product we’ve designed and released.”

To learn more about Extang tonneau covers, and the Trifecta Series specifically, visit https://extang.com/