What Tonneau Cover Would Be Best For Me?

Tklei14 · January 17, 2010

I have a 2009 Sierra 1500 crew cab, I have not had a cover on the back but I think I want to get one now to give me more protection and security. I do maintenance work and I'm constantly using the bed of the truck, I need a cover that can be opened and closed easily. I want to get a quality cover, I would like to get it right the first time and spend the money on something quality. I have really not had good luck with aftermarket parts, my aftermarket bedrail caps and grill were both expensive and poor quality. Does gm make an oem option? I went with an oem gm toolbox that mounts with the cargo manegment so I could later go with a tonneau.

I do not like the solid painted caps, they look strange to me, I would like black plastic or fabric. Bakflip looks like the best option for me but I read about leaks and the fact it just clips in makes me scared it would be flimsy.

What would you guys recomend? Please post pics of your covers and how they mount!

Tom

mato27 · January 17, 2010

Check out a Fold A Cover, I just installed mine a couple of weeks ago. I was also looking for something that can be opened easily and is very secure. Unlike the Bakflip, you do not have to open the tailgate to open the tonneau, the locking latch is on top of the cover. Also, it can be opened at the front of the tonneau to gain access to your toolbox without unfolding the whole thing. In the few weeks I have had it, I have not had any problems with water getting into the bed.

Overall, I am extremely satisfied!

Tklei14 · January 17, 2010

Check out a Fold A Cover, I just installed mine a couple of weeks ago. I was also looking for something that can be opened easily and is very secure. Unlike the Bakflip, you do not have to open the tailgate to open the tonneau, the locking latch is on top of the cover. Also, it can be opened at the front of the tonneau to gain access to your toolbox without unfolding the whole thing. In the few weeks I have had it, I have not had any problems with water getting into the bed.

Overall, I am extremely satisfied!

Those covers look like very good quality, the only thing I do not like it how high it sits and the fact I would have to remove my bed rail caps. I do really like the fact it can be opened without having to lower the tailgate though, I can see that being a problem with the bakflip.

yettavr6 · January 18, 2010

My truck came with a Truxedio cover and it is very nice. I really didn't want a cover since I bought the truck to haul my ATV, but the cover is so easily to remove that I'm glad i have it. It cannot be opened with the tailgate closed and locked which is nice (although since its just vinyl or whatever i'm sure its not hard to get through it if someone really wanted to). To remove it all you do is unlatch it at the back, fold it up, wrap the straps around it, and unlatch it at the front.

white07gmc · January 18, 2010

Pace Edwards Jack Rabbit Tonneau cover. I love mine!!!!

Jack Rabbit

Matt_ · January 18, 2010

Hey Tom,

I currently have the Bakflip HD and it's a great cover, not cheap or flimsy by any means!! opens/closes easily. I definitely would consider it if I were you.

I had the Pace Edwards on my last truck and it was a quality cover, but it takes some more space. Ironically enough, I'm shopping around for another Pace Edwards now... I have bike racks mounted above my bed and its a pain having to take them off to open/close my bakflip. It didn't bother me at first... but its been taking its toll lately

jdubya · January 18, 2010

+1 on the Fold-A-Cover. I had one on the last two trucks I have had and I wouldn't get anything else. I would recommend the G4 Elite from Fold-A-Cover as well, the latching/locking mechanism is much better than the original design....

GPSilverado · January 18, 2010

+1 on the Fold-A-Cover. I had one on the last two trucks I have had and I wouldn't get anything else. I would recommend the G4 Elite from Fold-A-Cover as well, the latching/locking mechanism is much better than the original design....

+2 on the G4 Elite Fold-a-Cover

I just installed mine the week between Christmas and New Year, and so far, I like it pretty well. I have seen some water inside the bed after an extremely hard driving rain, but very little. I think that is because I don't have the seals between the tailgate and the sidewall of the box. The rain was blowing at about 30mph, and it was a very heavy rain, directly at the back of the truck, for 3 - 4 hours.

Not as weather tight as the ARE fiberglass that I had on my Ford, but I wasn't expecting it to be.

Tklei14 · January 18, 2010

I'm not too too worried about the rain getting in the bed, as long as it's not flooding.

I don't think I could live with the foldacover only because I would loose my bedrail caps and it sits pretty high. Please post pics though, might change my mind!

jdubya · January 18, 2010

I'm not too too worried about the rain getting in the bed, as long as it's not flooding.

I don't think I could live with the foldacover only because I would loose my bedrail caps and it sits pretty high. Please post pics though, might change my mind!

I don't understand what you mean about sitting too high. The cover is about an inch thick on top of the bed.

Also, I have never had any water inside mine. GPS, your bed rail covers may need a little adjustment? IDK

Matt_ · January 18, 2010

I can see what he means..

here's the bakflip for comparison (sits almost flush):

Tklei14 · January 18, 2010

Thanks for posting pics Matt, that is exactly what I'm talking about. The bakflip sits almost 100% flush while the fold cover sits about an inch above the bed rails.

Stex · January 18, 2010

I went with Undercover, http://www.undercoverinfo.com/

It is water tight, can stand on it etc...weighs about 50 lbs and can be removed quickly and hung on the wall. I to do not like the painted covers. If you drive on dirt roads, there is a kit to seal the bed from dust. Worked well with mine. I would say this or some flip top?

jdubya · January 18, 2010

I see what you mean, but I would not consider the Fold-A-Cover "Pretty high". It's cool it's a matter of preference...

I liked the Fold-A-Cover a little better for a couple of reasons, first the first section near the cab flips open so that you can quickly grab items that are in the front of the bed and two it sits flat when it is completely open rather than blocking the back window.

The only downside is that when it is open the front 1/4 of the bed is covered but it can be easily removed if you need the whole bed.

texasblueline · January 18, 2010

I've been researching those hard folding covers too.

One of the big benefits I like about the BakFlip is that it can be opened up all the way (folded up against the back window and secured) to accomodate larger loads, whereas with the Fold-A-Cover that last panel closest to the cab stays down. Given the already shorter bed length of these 1500 crew cabs, I want to have as much of the full bed length easily available to me when I need it. A downside, as mentioned, with the BakFlip is you have to open the tailgate to open the cover. Maybe an inconvenience depending on how you look at it, but on the flip side you've got the added security of not having any external locks or latches on the BakFlip that can be tampered with and no need for an additional key for just the cover. Another benefit of the BakFlip is that you can still access your stake pockets and any tie-downs you have mounted in the stake pockets.

Regarding the BakFlip's quality, I was a little apprehensive too. But I read on here, and talked to a local installer who's carried the BakFlip since they've come out, and it looks like the original version was a little poor in quality, but that the revised version as well as the upgraded versions are higher quality. It looks like you may still get a few leaks in heavy rain, but nothing major and on par with similar covers.

When I get the money together I'm most likely going with the BakFlip F1. I considered a soft cover, but I like the extra security that a hard cover like these folding ones provide. And if you're a little confused on the differences between the BakFlip models (G2, HD, F1) like I was, BakFlip's website isn't the best, but this listing from RealTruck.com has a good rundown on the differences in weight capacity and construction: http://www.realtruck.com/bakflip_tonneau_c...41070P1C1T.html, although you'll want to shop around for prices some as I've seen them cheaper.