Best Hard Retractable Bed Cover

[CaptainMax]

Hey Everyone,

I have a 2023 Ram 1500 arriving in a couple of months, and starting to think about all the accessories I will need to get.

One of the bigger purchases I have been looking into is a bed cover. I have looked at all the different types, and for me, I like the retractable the best (I know it takes up bed room). The companies I have been looking at are Gatortrax, RetraxPro, Roll-n-Lock, and Leer.

If anyone has any insight on which cover they like best or which ones to look at, that would be greatly appreciated.

2023 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab 5'7" W/O Rambox & Multi-Fuction Tailgate

 

[gofishn]

I have the Truxedo Sentry Gt and like the fact it can be competley removed in just a couple of minutes.

 

[CanRebel]

I have Mopar tri folding one. It was fine, until the plastic straps broke after 6 months.

 

[Elvira]

I had a Leer roll up tarp at one point, very nice cover. The downside for myself was living in a colder climate, the roll up design froze on different days and made it a chore to operate. Perhaps not all are like that, but if you live where it gets wet cold weather in the winter, be prepared. The folding covers might be a better choice. I did go to that type afterwards, regained box space and the cover was easy install and to use without any aggravation of freezing or leaking. Being an expensive investment, look hard and long and get what you want.

 

[Badger 13]

I had a Roll-n-Lock on my 95 with a 8' bed. Yes, they do use up some bed space, but it was kind of nice to have a covered bed. Some things to consider with a cover like this, is how much crap can get into the container itself, leaves for an example. This will plug up the drain tubes, and once in a while you have to pull the top cover and clean out the debris. Another issue, as mention by "Elvira", is if you live in a cold and snowy climate, the slats will freeze and you will have a heck of time getting it to move. On that same note, when it sits in the sun, being black, it can get really hot to the point you can almost burn your fingers while opening it. They are a great concept, and secure, but pricey. Maybe they have improved them over the years. I have a roll up tonneau cover now, not as secure as a hard cover, but it works for me. Just my thoughts and observations. I wish you well with whatever you get, and please keep us posted on what you end up with.

 

[haleme]

I had a Gotor roll up cover and switched to a Gator Recoil. I park on a town street and wanted the extra security the hard cover afforded. I am generally happy with the cover, even with the reduction in bed space. Two things I don't like about the design are the drain tubes and the sealing at the front of the bed. The two drain tubes are just asking to be broken by stuff sliding around in the bed. The front of the 6.4 bed is apparently wider than the rear and needs two additional support braces to install. The means the standard rubber seal on the canister is too short to reach left to right on the bed, leaving gaps for water to get in.

I installed the Gator Recoil on my 2018 2500 before Christmas. The installation is simple, but time consuming to get everything aligned correctly. The original bed rails in the Recoil box were bent, so calling Gator to get replacements was needed. Gator's customer service is outstanding and I had a new set of rails by the end of the week.
Not entirely happy with the fit of the driver side rail and no amount of fiddling has been able to correct it.

The Recoil was on sale at Amazon a few months ago for less than $800 and jumped on that deal. Think it is close to $1k now thou.

I'll post some pics this afternoon of the cover.

 

[stevenP]

Roll n lock was on the truck when I bought it. Its very nice, works great, easy to use, looks good too. I just looked at the cost of these units, yikes!

 

[RamDiver]

I've had/have a Roll N Lock on my last 2 trucks over about 15 years and wouldn't choose anything else.

As mentioned, living in a cold region does add extra challenges and I've had it freeze closed a few times (years ago). Where I live, once it's frozen, forget about opening it until warmer weather or you can park inside a heated garage to thaw. I've experimented with different spray substances to drive moisture out and keep the tracks sliding. Nothing outstanding to report yet.

The smart thing to do would be to clean and lube the tracks every fall, I'll get to that someday.
They used to include a cleaning & wax kit, I'm not sure if I got one last year or not.

One excellent improvement of the newer design as used on my Ram, you can always open the tailgate even if the cover is frozen. The older one on my Tundra (that didn't have an electronically lockable tailgate) had a system that mechanically held the tailgate closed. Once it's frozen, forget about getting into the box until thawed.

They're not great for water ingress or are good for it. I used to use car washes and only in the summer because it leaked a little around the tracks. I prefer to avoid car wash machines and use a self-clean power wash service or spray down at home. If you like using an automated car wash and don't mind a bit of water, maybe this could work for you.

I use mine to secure lots of scuba equipment and feel comfortable that it will take significant determination to get inside, most thieves are lazy opportunists and can't be bothered with a huge effort.

I also like the multiple latching points that allow partial closing when moving larger objects. I also move firewood in my truck and like that I don't sacrifice too much space for the in-bed canister.

As mentioned, I'd buy another one in a heartbeat if the one I have wouldn't fit. I'll try to post some pics in the near future.

Good luck with your research.
.

 

[Mb7640]

I have a peragon it folds and can be removed if you need to use the entire bed. It can be locked and does not leak.

 

[KoboldTaco]

I have the retrax pro - love it.

 

[haleme]

Here are the pics of my Gator Recoil. I think it looks really sleek and clean.

You can see where the front seals are just too short to reach side to side and the left rail that I can't get completely adjusted correctly. I may need to bend/adjust the sheet metal on the bed to get it to lay flat.

Otherwise, it is a great product.

 

[Left-lane]

I provide this info for anyone trying to choose among roll-up hardcovers even though this thread seems to have come to an end. I had a Roll-n-Lock on my Toyota Tacoma which worked well and provided nice security and dry bed. The downsides are the sapping of bed space because they are not easy to remove and intrude into the bed when trying to carry a long piece. As mentioned above you'll need to clean them out as well as the drain tubes. I had to drill on both sides of the bed floor for those drain tubes which I hated. I used a Truxedo Rollup in my 2018 Big Horn and now have a new version of the Truxedo roll-up on my 2023 Rebel. Both Truxedo's have worked well w/o drilling. They are secure and look good.. I prefer the look of the newer one which is more of a canvas material compared to the previous vinyl top.

 

[CraigS41]

Has anyone used the powered one? I saw it advertised, but never looked any further into it.

Craig

 

[RamDiver]

Has anyone used the powered one? I saw it advertised, but never looked any further into it.

Craig

Are you referring to an electric-powered Roll-N-Lock or just any powered cover?

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[oe542bob]

I have had a Retrax Power Pro on my ‘15 Ram 1500 with the 6.5’ Rambox. It was switched over to 3 other trucks till I bought my 5th Gen 2022. I had to get a new Retrax for that truck because I had to get the 5.5’ Rambox.
No issues with the first one, so I opted for another Power Pro from Retrax.

 

[CraigS41]

Yes, not that particular brand. The one I saw added a button on the side of the bed to retract/extend

 

[Tulecreeper]

I put a Retrax on mine. A bit pricey, but I'm very happy with it.

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[turkeybird56]

I know U R looking for a roll n lock type of cover. Just showing mine as a comparison: 2019 DT Truck, no boxes, Full Mopar Tonneau Cover, painted to match body color.

 

[Nick@GotExhaust]

Retrax and Roll N Lock are both awesome options. Very durable and their functionality is great. I would use either on my personal truck with out a doubt.

If interested in these send me a message for a quote. We carry both of these brands and usually have stock on them

 

[DOUGZ4M]

hi send me info for a 2023 Laramie w/Rambox