What is a Retractable Tonneau Cover and Why Do You Need One?

Tonneau covers – or truck bed covers – come in all shapes and sizes: soft-rolling, hard-folding, one-piece lifting, and retractable. Stylish and user-friendly, retractable tonneau covers quickly roll up into a compact storage container to provide full bed access. Advanced functionality comes at a higher cost, though. And while many of us will eye up a retractable cover and dream about it for a minute, we often end up settling for something less expensive that leaves room in the budget for other gadgets and gizmos.

But there’s a reason the old adage says, You get what you pay for. Retractable tonneau covers may come with a higher price tag, but they also bring higher strength, greater utility, and lower maintenance. We won’t tell you how to spend your money, but we can help you weigh your options.

Using Truck Hero brand Retrax as a prime example of the retractable segment, we unpack why this tonneau style is worth your consideration.

Meet the Tonneau Contenders

Soft covers have their place, but if you want exceptional durability, they simply won’t cut it. So, those truck owners seeking more security than simply shrouding the contents of their bed, are likely already dipping their toe into the realm of hard-surface covers. One-piece, lifting tonneaus will keep contents safe, and ensure a simple operation — but they lack the aesthetically appealing look of a cover that sits nice and flush with the truck bed. Similarly, hard-rolling covers are a great option for many folks, but they can be cumbersome to operate.

From soft-rolling (top left) and one-piece (top right) to hard-folding (bottom left) and retractable (bottom right), aftermarket titan Truck Hero carries several high-quality tonneau brands, representing all styles. | Truck Hero

That pretty much narrows down the selection to retractable covers and hard folding covers. With strength, style, and easy operation, both are great options. So, why should you choose the option that’s two or even three times as expensive?

Construction

First, let’s talk construction. Hard-folding tonneau covers feature a rigid frame (often aluminum, sometimes plastic) and a robust outer finish (usually, a tough vinyl fabric material). Together, they create a durable and stylish cover. Plus, thanks to that strong frame, hard-folding covers can usually support several hundred pounds of distributed weight up top.

Retractable covers offer a similar durability, but generally sport better impact resistance and weathering. “Retrax covers, in particular, are manufactured from reinforced polycarbonate, or heavy-duty aluminum slats,” explains Kristina Coburn, Marketing Manager for Truck Hero Truck Bed Covers. “These slats connect via durable and flexible hinges to create a strong seal against dust, wear, and weather elements for the life of your truck.” (Picture a super strong garage door for your truck bed.)

Retrax covers also sport an incredibly resilient and scratch-resistant matte finish that adds extra style points to a truck, adds Coburn.

Security

With a hard exterior, both folding and retractable covers offer ample security (i.e., they can’t be sliced open). Plus, both options work in tandem with the locking tailgate. Ambitious thieves would have quite a bit of work to do, in order to get into the truck bed.

“Retrax retractable covers also can be manually or electronically locked in any position along the rail,” says Coburn. More importantly, “they are secured with their own keys, or a remote keyfob. This, combined with their heavy-duty design, makes them extremely secure and reliable.”

While folding covers provide partial access as well, a retractable cover offers much more specific positioning. Imagine you’re hauling large or bulky cargo. With a retractable cover, you could lock the tonneau in the ideal partially-open position. This way, any other items in the bed are snugly tucked in under the canopy, dry or just out-of-sight.

This feature leads us into arguably the most import difference between hard-folding and retractable covers…

Operation

As the name implies, hard-folding covers fold up on themselves to create bed access. Retractable covers, by comparison, retract. Both operations are straightforward, but you can probably guess which one is a little more user-friendly.

“Thanks to sealed ball-bearing rollers mounted onto the ends of the aluminum slats, Retrax covers retract or close effortlessly — without the use of springs or any kind of mechanism,” explains Coburn. “That means there are no moving parts to jam, freeze, or fail.”

Additionally, retractable covers offer complete bed access — as the cover itself rolls into a canister sitting under the rear window. With a folding cover, the last panel flips up and rests against the cabin window. This can block visibility and sometimes even vibrate against the window while driving.

Watch Retrax in action:

Retrax – The Premium Truck Bed Cover

Knowing the value proposition of retractable tonneau covers, you might be tempted to think each is as good as the other. Spoiler alert: they’re not. There’s a good reason we chose to highlight Retrax in this comparison and simply put — it’s because they offer a top-tier product.

“We really take pride in our company’s reputation for providing the most innovative and highest quality products, backed by superior customer service and prompt product availability,” says Coburn. “We’ve spent more than 20 years focused on nothing else, so we take great satisfaction in striving for excellence in the retractable pickup bed cover market.”

So, why spend extra on experience? Well, that gives a company more than enough time to identify the weak points in a system, address the issue, and provide an enduring product. (In other words, “heavy-duty” means more than just packing the big parts with a little extra meat.)

Here are a few other reasons to consider Retrax when eyeing up a retractable tonneau cover:

• A patented low-profile design streamlines the overall appearance and provides a firm, dependable seal to help to keep the truck bed dry.
• The unique spiral track storage canister prevents the cover from rubbing on itself as it retracts and closes.
• Adding on a Retrax Trax Rail system allows you to easily customize your truck bed cover with compatible accessories like bike racks and kayak carriers.
• Some Retrax covers operate via wireless key fob, meaning the cover literally opens and closes with the touch of a button.
• Retrax offers a full warranty period followed by a limited lifetime warranty.
• Installation is a no-drilling affair and the product is virtually maintenance free!

“The number one issue we hear with retractable covers is that they can freeze or lock up in harsh climates,” says Coburn. “Retrax covers were engineered in North Dakota with that in mind. Retrax covers are the only retractable covers that operate without a spring and will not require the use of a spring to open the cover that can freeze up.”

Maintenance-Free

Many retractable covers require more maintenance than rolling, lifting, and folding covers. Parts must be cleaned and lubricated or the system is liable to lock up. This isn’t the case with Retrax. Really — other than some common sense cleaning, these retractable tonneau covers largely take care of themselves. In fact, the company advises customers to treat the cover just like they would treat the hood of the truck. That means, Retrax covers can be washed and waxed just like the rest of the pickup. (However, ONE MX or PRO MX matte covers should not be waxed.)

Because Retrax uses high-quality sealed ball bearings, truck owners do not need to spray any lubricant or cleaner in the rails. In fact, doing so will actually void the warranty. If rails do feel a little ‘sticky’, the company says you may rub some Paraffin (candle) wax along them until they wear in. Additionally, it is advisable to wipe down the inside of the rails from time to time to keep the weather-stripping from absorbing any soapy residue after a cleaning.

We know these covers won’t lock up under normal conditions, but what if there’s an accident or damage? Thankfully, Retrax covers are completely serviceable — and the parts are readily available directly through the company. “If an issue should arise, all replacements and/or fixes can be handled by the consumer with the help of Retrax customer service,” says Coburn.

Retractable Tonneau Covers for the Win

If nothing else, retractable covers are simply cool. They look great, they offer a trick, modern function, and they’re built to last. Not all are created equally, but they do carry a heavier price tag. That’s why it pays to know what you’re looking for: heavy-duty construction, protection from thieves and bad weather, simple operation and easy maintenance. In our opinion, that pretty much narrows your selection right down to a Retrax!