I certainly agree with you and I am willing to pony up for good stuff, I just don't see the point in a tonneau though unless you're always carrying extremely high valued items in the bed. I just need one to keep random stuff dry lol
Mine is a TonneauPro trifold vinyl cover. I have the same brand on my '85 C10 and it's been fantastic. It's 3 years old and still looks new other than the stitched on logo fading a tad. They're completely water tight and come on and off quickly when needed. My only gripe with the one on my Ram is that the vinyl is not as tightly stretched on the frame as the one on my C10. But for $280 (it was $160 when I bought the one for the C10 3 years ago), it's hard to beat. I am watching Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for a Retrax or similar aluminum roll-up though. I'd be willing to spend $6-800 for one but not a grand+
I think you nailed it.
If you're not carrying anything of value, who cares. Before I started scuba diving, I had a cheap tonneau cover and it got the job done for much less expense. I have gambled the odd time when I have loaded expensive bicycles or camping gear and had to park somewhere without visibility.
Then again, if you do carry items of value, a secure rolling cover is a valuable feature that many of us appreciate hearing about.
I use my truck for scuba diving in open water and underground cave systems. At any given time the value of the gear in the box varies depending on the dive plan and if I'm carrying a buddy's gear.
A conservative estimate would be 5 to 10 times the cost of the expensive cover that Goose55 has highlighted. I'm confident there are others who also carry items of value and would prefer a more secure cover.
When I finally retire from diving, maybe I'll consider a less expensive solution or maybe not.
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