Tonneaus dates back to the days of horse-drawn freight cars where a tarp or tarp was used to protect cargo from dust and weather. Today, there are two main varieties, the hardtop and the softtop, each of which offers unique benefits that make them suitable for a variety of different needs. So which one is best for you? Decide by asking yourself the following questions:
Is appearance important to you?
Fiberglass or hard plastic covers are popular for this very reason. Bottom line: they look great. They are painted or ready to paint to match your truck, unlike soft covers that are generally only available in black. The hard bed covers are of much stronger construction and lockable, allowing you to easily secure your cargo when you walk away. Hard covers are also much heavier than the soft top variety and often require gas struts to help open and close, similar to the hood of your vehicle. If you’re building a show truck or aren’t hauling large loads, a hardtop barrel is the perfect finishing touch for your exterior.
Not to be outdone, soft bed covers have come a long way in recent decades, incorporating technology that allows them to open and close with the push of a button. They are constructed of materials that provide a smooth, sleek appearance and easily adapt to most truck bed liners.
What are you using your truck bed for?
If you are transporting fragile cargo or materials that are easily damaged by the elements (drywall, raw wood, etc.), a barrel can provide security for both your materials and your tools.
If you’re hauling loads that rarely exceed the truck bed or carts with expensive tools from job to job, a hardtop tonnage is definitely the way to go. Provides impenetrable protection against the weather and potential thieves by blocking your gear out of sight. In this sense, it is safer than storing things in the cabin. If the thieves cannot see anything of value, they will likely move to another vehicle.
But if you’re just hauling gravel, bark, or the occasional contents of a friend’s apartment, a soft top barrel will work just fine. Soft bed covers provide reliable protection against rain, snow, UV rays, and dust, and even come with optional locking devices. They also prevent your cargo from being blown away by the wind. Like their hardtop counterparts, soft covers streamline your deck making it aerodynamically efficient, allowing air to slide off the deck rather than being trapped in the bed and creating drag.
How easy is it to install and remove the barrel?
Most tonneau bed covers install via clamping hardware, with just a handful of tools required and no drilling of most mounts in as little as half an hour. A major difference for those who routinely haul oversized loads: Rigid canvas covers can be difficult to remove. Unlike their soft top cousins, like rolled canvas covers, you must remove a hard top cover to safely transport large loads.