Tonneau Cover Advice

[NPTR]

Hey guys - have owned many trucks, but never a tonneau cover. I never had use for it as I used the bed of the truck for bulky, work-related / off road / outdoor items, nothing I needed to protect. I also always had bed racks for my off road goodies and toys (bikes, etc.). Now I have two kids, and it would be nice to have a cover for when we're using my truck for road trips to keep all their "stuff" dry.

I know very little about these things, the various brands, and pros/cons. I don't like the retractable ones as I fear reliability issues down the road (I keep my truck outside all year, snow/ice, etc.). That said, I do want something sturdy/hard/lockable for protection, as I leave the truck at the train station 3x week. I also don't want to minimize my loss of bed space up by the cab when rolled up.

This BAK one stands out to me as a "check all the boxes" solution, especially as I can add a bed rack down the line for bikes / kayaks / etc. Given my "use case", what do you guys think? THANK YOU for your help!

https://realtruck.com/p/bak-revolver-x4ts-tonneau-cover/v/ford/ranger-raptor/2024/

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[yoopercharged]

I went with the Truxedo Pro X15 because I like the look and I lose zero bed space when rolled up. It sounds like the Revolver is the right product for you if security is also a concern. I don't typically leave anything of value in my bed so I was comfortable going with a soft cover. You might also consider a Diamondback depending on what your budget is.

 

[NPTR]

I went with the Truxedo Pro X15 because I like the look and I lose zero bed space when rolled up. It sounds like the Revolver is the right product for you if security is also a concern. I don't typically leave anything of value in my bed so I was comfortable going with a soft cover. You might also consider a Diamondback depending on what your budget is.

Thank you for feedback - would say security is mid-tier priority...it's less about what I keep in there, and more about the "ease of opportunity" of someone trying to find out. I had a jeep soft top that someone cut a hole in at the train station - nothing stolen from the car, just looking around to see if anything worth steeling. If someone feels the cover and see it's soft, they may cut it just to check. If it's hard / sturdy, prob not. I like the Diamondback but didn't want to lose that bed space.

Thanks again for feedback!

 

[yoopercharged]

Thank you for feedback - would say security is mid-tier priority...it's less about what I keep in there, and more about the "ease of opportunity" of someone trying to find out. I had a jeep soft top that someone cut a hole in at the train station - nothing stolen from the car, just looking around to see if anything worth steeling. If someone feels the cover and see it's soft, they may cut it just to check. If it's hard / sturdy, prob not. I like the Diamondback but didn't want to lose that bed space.

Thanks again for feedback!

That's a fair point. I am rarely parked in the city or anywhere "sketchy" so it's never been much of a consideration for me. Sometimes the truck will sit at the airport for a couple days but I believe that lot is monitored. We've never had an issue with the soft top on my girlfriend's Wrangler but I know there are definitely opportunists out there waiting for easy pickings.

 

[OH3Cobra]

i bought the higher end FORD accessory one using Ford points to lower the cost (1300?). dealer put it on. very nice, secure (bars) and rolls up giving more space to put things in. Low profile so you don't see in in a side profile pic.

 

[NPTR]

Looks great, and actually think that's essentially a rebranded version of the one I'm looking at...or at least same company making them "white label" for FORD...not certain though. Thank you!

 

[dmac72]

I'm also going to order the X4ts for my RR. I have had the BAK Revolver X4 on my Tacoma for like 4 years now and I love it. Happy to share my experience if it helps you make a decision.

Initially, I couldn't decide between the rolling vs the folding. Ultimately, based on my personal use case, I decided to go with the rolling one and I've never regretted it. I can't imagine going with anything else now. I love being able to see out the back window when the dog is riding back there, when I'm towing, and when I have some sketchy load back there on my way to the dump or moving stuff across town for people etc (sometimes you justify a tie-down scheme that isn't freeway worthy because you're just going down the street, and it's nice to be able to see back there).

With regard to the few inches of bed space you "give up," I've found it to be completely irrelevant and overplayed. I've had 3 dirtbikes in the bed at the same time (yes, it fits if you park the middle one backwards, lol), moved huge pieces of furniture, done dump runs with a full bed that's like 3 feet above the roof, etc. I've never once found the cover to be prohibitive in literally any situation when it's rolled up.

Sometimes I haul stuff and get lazy and don't even roll it up all the way, leaving it partially open, and it doesn't flap around or anything like that, even on the freeway.

Only maintenance I've done is re-glue the ends of the weather strip that lays across the tailgate when closed, and lube the rails and latches like once a year (I'm at the dunes every weekend, so there's ALWAYS sand in there and it doesn't inhibit the functionality of the cover at all).

I'm going with the -TS model this time because there have been times when I would love to have racks but I'm not willing to give up my cover for it. So the X4ts is perfect for that. I emailed them (Real Truck) recently and they told me they expect the Elevate rack system to be available for the '24 Rangers by year end.

 

[NPTR]

Awesome feedback, and many of the reasons why I'm leaning towards this model...thanks for the insight!

 

[Critical Habitat]

I bought the BAK X4tS last week and like it a lot. No racks ordered, yet, but I did just order the tie-down cleats for the track.
The X4tS is pretty secure, but someone that knows what they are doing could easily slip a hook under the back at the tailgate and release the latch release cable. There is no actual lock.

 

[1986YellowRanger]

Hey guys - have owned many trucks, but never a tonneau cover. I never had use for it as I used the bed of the truck for bulky, work-related / off road / outdoor items, nothing I needed to protect. I also always had bed racks for my off road goodies and toys (bikes, etc.). Now I have two kids, and it would be nice to have a cover for when we're using my truck for road trips to keep all their "stuff" dry.

I know very little about these things, the various brands, and pros/cons. I don't like the retractable ones as I fear reliability issues down the road (I keep my truck outside all year, snow/ice, etc.). That said, I do want something sturdy/hard/lockable for protection, as I leave the truck at the train station 3x week. I also don't want to minimize my loss of bed space up by the cab when rolled up.

This BAK one stands out to me as a "check all the boxes" solution, especially as I can add a bed rack down the line for bikes / kayaks / etc. Given my "use case", what do you guys think? THANK YOU for your help!

https://realtruck.com/p/bak-revolver-x4ts-tonneau-cover/v/ford/ranger-raptor/2024/

The BAK Revolver is $240 cheaper on Amazon. The price jumped on the RealTruck website, and I’m guessing they will increase the price on Amazon as soon as they can.

 

[Critical Habitat]

BAK X4tS (the one with the accessories track) on Amazon just went up by $200 to match the Realtruck site price. Bought mine last Thurs. Amazon.com: RealTruck BAK Revolver X4ts Hard Rolling Truck Bed Tonneau Cover | 80342RK | Fits 2024-2024 Ford Ranger 5' Bed (60") : Automotive

 

[NPTR]

Bummer, just missed it...but appreciate the feedback guys, thank you!

 

[Vel0ci]

I got the Lomax. It’s easy to take out if you need to, it’s low profile and fairly durable. I had before a diamondback hd, very strong, great for protecting against theft but very heavy and clunky to remove when you need the full bed open.

 

[telenerd]

I’m still having a hard time deciding between folding and rolling. I’m strongly considering the Lowmax Ford version so I can use my Ford points. I like how I don’t got to worry about cleaning any vinyl or canvas like the hard rolling ones.

 

[CACTUSGREYFX4]

I went with a Bison cover because if I need my bed it comes off in less than 2 minutes.

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