New Tacoma owner needs advice

Hey guys just got my new 2018 Tacoma TRD Sport last Friday. I need some advice on a tonneau covers. There are some many out there with various prices. Any input on ones to avoid and ones to get would be awesome.

 

Welcome to TW.

 

Mine came with the OEM cover and I’m very pleased with it.

 

Welcome.

Go a step further and get a Soft Topper.

Much more useful and so cool looking.

I love mine. People are always asking about mine.

 

Thanks guys. I know I will need a cover that can handle the weight of snow. I would defiantly like a tri fold for sure. Thanks for the input. Just so many options out there. Want to make the best decision.

 

Same here, OEM for me.

 

So figure out your needs.

Reasonable security?

Weather tight?

Easy to remove? IE light weight?

Partial opening to allow occasional carry of larger items w/o removal?

Once you call those out, certain units will be eliminated from the prospect list.

 

Me too. Mine came with it and I don't have any problems with it. It's sturdy, looks great and lets you lock valuables away.

 

Same here, very pleased.

 

Get one that does not leak water

 

https://youtu.be/lJbnaFETFxM

 

I am very happy with my tonneau cover. It is Lund Genesis Elite model, trifold soft cover. It's been on my 2017 AC Tacoma for several months. Very secure. Zero leaks. The "Elite" model uses a premium cover material manufactured by the Harrtz Co., which produces materials for OEM convertible tops. The Elite material has a woven appearance like you would see on a convertible top on a luxury car.

Many detailed YouTube videos on the product and its installation. It went on fairly easy. Also, simple to remove and reinstall. It attaches to the OEM rails in the bed utilizing a clamp system. No need to drill or otherwise modify the truck.

 

I had a gator trifold for a bit..... It was great for the price.

Got an ARE CX camper shell with windoors later.... Much better.

 

I had the Undercover Ultra Flex on my full size Chevy and as soon as I find $850 one will go on my new TRD off-road Tacoma. Great cover with a 5 year warranty.

 

There are so many choices, with prices from $189-$1,000 and minor differences in the way they work or attach, materials and warranties.

In my experience the brand names are usually over priced and the cheap versions
are usually too cheaply made...with that said, what falls in the middle? Tri Fold this time, my last hard cover tonneau was a p.i.t.a.

 

Hard covers are going to cost you about $500 more than soft covers if you want the security.
Hard Cover Tonneau:
I like the Extang Solid Fold 2.0 for a completely removeable trifold system.
The Extang Encore is good for a little extra money if you want to flip open the cab panel to get things that slide towards the front.
extang

The BAK BAKFlip is an excellent 4 fold system that you can flip the whole stack against the back of the cab for 90% bed access.
BAK

The Diamondback is a bifold tonneau system that you can stand on or carry an ATV, depending on the version.
DiamondbackCovers

Soft TriFold Tonneau:
The Extang Trifecta is a great canvas trifold. Pretty sure they invented the concept. They are definitely the first to solidly market it.

Canvas Camper Shells
The Softopper folds forward and down to get out of your way.
Softopper

The CanBack is expensive, but it looks great, gives you easy access thru the sides, and can support roof racks. (This is what is on my truck)
CanBack

 

I also bought the Extang Solid Fold 2.0

I got it at Linex for about $800 including tax and installation. I could have installed it myself but their price was lower than online and it included installation.

I really like this cover. A soft cover just wasn't secure enough for me.

 

Diamondback SE for the win!

Bought mine and absolutely love it, worth every penny. My GF and I put our camping chairs on the cover to watch the fireworks on the 4th of July. The tie-downs are awesome, and its easy enough to fold back on itself to open half the bed. Extremely waterproof - as in pressure washer to the side, directly where it sits on the bed, and still don't get any water in. Only place I've gotten water in is from the un-sealed portions of the bed itself. The rubberized coating is easy to fix with a rattle can of the stuff from Lowe's if you do what I did and load a crap load of scrap wood and pallets on top and ratchet strap the whole thing down. It's also super handy to stand on for loading stuff on the roof rack (or installing a roof rack), or as a giant step ladder to get on the roof of a house or shed.

Favorite two features have to be the weight it can support, and how secure it is. The bed of the truck is considerably more secure than the cab with a diamondback.

And while I don't run bars or a tent on it, you can mount support bars and Yakima/Thule stuff directly to the cover itself. A couple of guys run RTT off the cover directly, with no bed cage/bed bars at all.

Edited for spelling.

 

G4 Elite from Fold-A-Cover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BigurYVESQ