Recommend a soft tonneau bed cover

Considering a soft tonneau cover for a 6' bed. It's been six years since I've last searched and it appears the products have changed a lot since then.

I've owned the old school snap covers with bows and a hinged cover that was removable in one piece. It was great for easy loading but on removal for a total open bed on a windy day it could turn into a sail, no bueno. It wasn't as rain proof as I'd like. 

The soft folding tonneau's I've seen in search and videos only appear to fold open 2/3rds of the bed but can easily be removed with no tools for a full open bed. Stow in bed or cab I suppose. I could probably install it now working outside in NE winter vs waiting for spring for a hard tonneau install.

Never been interested much in the soft roll ups as I wonder about weather sealing.

My last tonneau was a 5' BAKFlip MX4 hard folding cover which was great, 95% rain and snow proof, offered more security (nothing is 100% secure), and could close the tailgate without lifting the tonneau. Supported a lot of snow. Easy to fold open fully but rested on the cab back blocking rear view. Required more time to install than a soft tonneau. It's around $1K now.

Primary concern is sealing the bed from rain, snow, dirt and debris. Also supporting snow and folding open in freezing weather. I'm not so much concerned about security since being retired.

I'll be doing a lot of hauling in the coming months so an easy fold to full open is best. 

Best brands and models or what to stay away from? Not afraid to spend money if the product is that good.

TIA

I bought the $500 trifold vinyl official GM cover from Clist for $125 used.  It's nice - works well but doesn't store inside the truck.   

Not a soft cover, but I really liked the Gator Trax cover I had on my Silverado. Fully open it took up about 10". Fully closed and the bed was secure and stayed very dry. Super easy to open and close. 

My father installed this one and a rack on his 2021 Ram. 

RHR Swag
 

Rolls up for full bed access and the bows roll up in the cover when opened so no storage concern. The other thing I like about it is that it has nylon straps with plastic buckles instead of Velcro for securing it when rolled up. 

It also has gasketing front and rear to keep out the weather. Not as secure as the one Toyman posted, but so far it seems to keep the bed of his dry in Florida  

Edit: There customer service was helpful when he was shopping with info on options and combinations without trying to upsell. 

Ill edit soon, but im using a soft roll up from Ebay on my Silverado. No problems getting water under it, easier to woll up and work with than the snap and bow design i had before. This one has a one handed lock at tbe tailgate, and velcro on the sides. The bows are sewn in and roll up with the cover. I really like it.

Edit: north mountain branded 

I have no doubt that the best roll-up cover on the market is the Access roll up cover. 

https://www.accesscover.com/

I had one on the Dooley for about 15 years and it held up phenomenally well.  The rails and the front and rear bits of the cover are impressively heavy aluminum extrusions.  The vinyl itself is heavy gauge and lasts forever, or nearly so.  Weather sealing is excellent. 

As it started wearing out, my wife bought me a cover by a well-known national brand, and honestly, it isn't half the cover the Access cover is.  A+.  Recommended.

Dusterbd13-michael said:

Ill edit soon, but im using a soft roll up from Ebay on my Silverado. No problems getting water under it, easier to woll up and work with than the snap and bow design i had before. This one has a one handed lock at tbe tailgate, and velcro on the sides. The bows are sewn in and roll up with the cover. I really like it.

Edit: north mountain branded 

I have this same one on my Titan, and I have to say that I'm 100% pleased with it, considering it's HUNDREDS less than a Truxedo or tri fold.  I've had it two years now and haven't had any issues with it, knock on wood. 

I've had 2 different trucks with the truxedo. Both trucks came to me with the top in place. They do a great job, are easy to use, and truxedo even offered to replace one vinyl cover after like 15 years of use when the sticthing was coming apart.

I mean, that's pretty solid.

1988RedT2 said:

I have no doubt that the best roll-up cover on the market is the Access roll up cover. 

https://www.accesscover.com/

I had one on the Dooley for about 15 years and it held up phenomenally well.  The rails and the front and rear bits of the cover are impressively heavy aluminum extrusions.  The vinyl itself is heavy gauge and lasts forever, or nearly so.  Weather sealing is excellent. 

As it started wearing out, my wife bought me a cover by a well-known national brand, and honestly, it isn't half the cover the Access cover is.  A+.  Recommended.

 

I'll second the Access cover.  I had one on the first work truck that was in great shape when it was time to upgrade the truck so it was swapped onto the second work truck.   Very easy to seal up water tight, supported a good load of snow many times without issue.   It was still in decent shape after 10 years of use when they pried me out of the truck and into an Escape.

Truxedo. I've been using them for at least 15 years. Roll up completely out of the way, almost completely waterproof, easy to install, difficult to open with a locked tailgate and they stay in place. The only time I've had trouble was when I was driving through a side wind that was literally capsizing semis, it was lifting on one side. That's when the cover was already 5 years old.

Mine got a little haggard after a decade, and they sent me all new parts to make it as good as new. I was ready to buy a new one - so my math says that it's the same value than one that's half the price :)

1988RedT2 said:

I have no doubt that the best roll-up cover on the market is the Access roll up cover. 

https://www.accesscover.com/

I had one on the Dooley for about 15 years and it held up phenomenally well.  The rails and the front and rear bits of the cover are impressively heavy aluminum extrusions.  The vinyl itself is heavy gauge and lasts forever, or nearly so.  Weather sealing is excellent. 

As it started wearing out, my wife bought me a cover by a well-known national brand, and honestly, it isn't half the cover the Access cover is.  A+.  Recommended.

 

I bought an Access for my truck in 2005 during my first deployment. 

She's still on the truck, and while I probably need to replace the soft cover part mainly due to the past decade in the Florida sun, the rest of it functions beautifully. 

I've had tonneau covers on my trucks since the days when you had to drill holes in the bed sides to attach the snaps.  Of all the ones I've owned the Truxedo x15 on my RAM is my favorite.  It just works.  It's only a little under four years old so I don't know how it's going to hold up long term but so far it's been great.  There's no fading or material breakdown despite the fact that it's outside in the New Mexico sun all the time.  It doesn't see a lot of cold temps and I don't think it's ever been below 0F but it works fine in below freezing temperatures.

I went with a low buck Amazon (OEDRO) quad fold on the latest truck.  Folds up a little tighter than the tri folds and if I need to remove it entirely its under 5 minutes to pop the clamps and pull it off.  Fits well, works well.  Time will tell how it holds up.

Thanks guys.

I've been looking closer at the roll ups.

So far, I like the lower profile and the surface finish of the Truxedo ProX15. Should be an easy install even in winter while working outside. 

Also the Access Vanish. Still looking, lotta stuff out there. 

I usually buy from RealTruck or through CARiD. Looking for a sale but not holding my breath.

Here's an addendum to my recommendation above.  My Truxedo x15 failed spectacularly on Friday.  I was towing the enclosed trailer at about 75 MPH in high winds, gusting to 40 MPH when it separated at the rear bulkhead and started flapping violently.  I IMd them through their website, told them what happened and they're shipping me a new one.  While I obviously would have preferred that it didn't fail their response was excellent and I still recommend them.  I don't know that any other brand would have held up any better.

In reply to APEowner :

Yikes.

Glad they are standing behind it.

Received my X15 over a month ago, yet to install it. Been waiting on nicer weather.