Finally pulled the trigger on bed cover & rack combo

So after having spent what seemed like forever doing research and weighing the pros and cons of bed rack systems and tonneau covers that can be used together, I got the Revolver x4ts cover and the Elevate rack from Realtruck. There were a few options that looked really good, but the primary reason for going this route was that it didn't take up bed space with a canister of any kind and did not require changing the location of the bed rails at all (which was important since I wanted to be able to keep the Molle panels in the bed as useable as they had been before installation). When the cover is closed, it's almost flush (hardly above bed level) and when open doesn't block rear view. The rack system seems very solid and the integration between cover and rack is good. Since posts I found here were such an excellent resource for me, thought sharing this post may be helpful to others.

Pics below are full side view, tighter shot of the Elevate rack (there are three height setting to choose from and mine is at the middle setting----it can be raised a little more than another 4 inches from there if need be), pic of Revolver cover in closed position, and pic of bed w/ cover open.

 

This is a perfect setup! I've had questions about how well Molle panels would fit in the bed with the tonneau cover installed- from the looks of your layout, it's all good! Thank you for sharing these pictures and your thoughts on the Revolver X4ts and Elevate rack combo! I'm looking forward to seeing more of it around the forum!

 

Nice setup! One that I also considered during my lengthy search. I went a different route for my needs, but concur with the pros that you cite for this option.

 

Thanks----so far it's been great. What did you end up with (and what factors made it a better setup for your purposes)?

 

My top priority is security of my gear.
Everything is a compromise. I weighed the trade offs and opted for a Diamondback cover. I had the SE in my shopping cart and then saw an HD in their Outlet for about the same price so purchased that one. It has some minor scratches on the underside that I haven’t seen since I installed it. The security weak link now was the tailgate. I complimented the cover with some custom tailgate security features that I won’t post. I’m sure a pro could pick the locks but would set off the alarms in the process.
Less than once a week I use the back part of the bed for hauling taller items so I just flip the rear panel over.
I can also haul on top of the cover utilizing the many cleats to strap things down.
I don’t need heavy duty racks so went with the OEM roof rack (on sale) to occasionally haul a 40 lb kayak. Sometimes two of them. Even less often a 16 foot 59 pound canoe. With the DC, I prefer the canoe centered over the cab as opposed to hanging too far off the bed. I like that the crossbars stow to sides when not in use. The roof rack doesn’t weigh much and meets my needs for a low cost.