Top 10 Best Hard Folding Tonneau Cover in [year]

With a truck that stays mostly outdoors or when you are always transporting precious cargo with your truck, the hard folding tonneau cover isn’t just an extravagance. Rather, it is extremely important that you invest in the right tonneau cover to protect your truck bed from dust, dirt, harsh weather or harm.

There are a lot of options for tonneau covers for truck beds and outdoor trucks, but it is crucial that you find the tonneau cover that’s right for you. A Hard folding tonneau cover will not only protect your truck bed, but also be easy to manage and use. It will help you to quickly and effortlessly cover and uncover your truck bed, and make it easy to get in and out of your truck whenever you want to.

First of all, however, you need to find the best hard folding tonneau cover for your truck bed, depending on the model of the truck you use.

What is a Hard Folding Tonneau Cover? 

There are mostly two types of tonneau covers available in the market: soft truck bed covers and hard folding tonneau covers. 

While soft tonneau covers are mostly made from vinyl stretched over an aluminum foil, hard folding tonneau covers are completely different. They are made mostly and entirely from harder materials like ABS, aluminum or fiberglass.

When tonneau covers are made from harder materials like the ones mentioned above, they cannot be rolled up or retracted into a bundle. Hence, the name “hard folding” tonneau covers because these kinds of covers need to be folded into small sections to retract them.

With hard folding tonneau covers, it is much easier to fold them up by yourself and keep the truck bed partially or fully open when needed. Hard folding tonneau covers are actually much easier to handle than soft ones, and they are also easier to manage.

Best Hard Folding Tonneau Cover Reviews

These are the best hard tonneau covers available in the market at the moment.

BAK BAKFlip MX4 Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover

This hard folding tonneau cover has been made for trucks that belong to the 2015-2020 Ford F-150 models, and has a truck bed that’s 5’7” in size. Smaller in size than most other regular tonneau bed covers, you can clamp on this tonneau cover to your truck very easily without needing to drill any holes into your truck.

This tonneau cover from BAK BAKFlipcan provide excellent protection and coverage to your truck bed and cargo not just from snow and rain, but also from dirt, dust and the harmful UV rays of the sun. Not just that, this tonneau cover makes it almost impossible for any kind of theft against your cargo.

Relatively and surprisingly lightweight, this tonneau cover is black in color and can be folded into three folds, leaving your truck bed completely covered or partially covered. The exterior is painted and polished, completely waterproof and resistant to harm.

Gator EFX Hard Tri-Fold Truck Bed Tonneau Cover

This is the best hard tri fold tonneau cover that can be neatly locked with the tailgate of your truck. It perfectly fits most 2015-2020 Ford 150 truck beds that are small and only 5’7” in size.

It has been constructed with heavy-duty aluminum panels that can withstand any kind of harm or harsh weather and keep your cargo and your truck bed covered and protected.

Finished with a black powder coat, the panels are resistant to both the sun’s harmful UV rays and scratch. It is easy to install and takes less than 30 minutes the first time, and not more than a few seconds after that.

You won’t need any special tools or even a drill machine to install this tonneau cover; in fact, there’s no need to drill any holes into your truck for installation.

Waterproof with advanced weather protection, this tonneau cover from Gator EFX provides your truck bed with an integrated water management system. It will keep water, rain, snow, dust and dirt out of your truck bed and your precious cargo inside.

BAK BAKFlip MX4 Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover 

Slightly larger in size, this tonneau cover from BAK BAKFlipperfectly fits most trucks that belong to the 2016-2021 Toyota Tacoma range, with a truck bed exactly the size of 6’2”. 

Made from durable aluminum panels, this tonneau cover can fully or partially cover your truck bed and your cargo, and it is easy to maintain and use. Once the tailgate is closed and locked, the aluminum tonneau cover is completely locked above the truck bed, keeping your cargo protected inside.

This tonneau truck bed cover comes with a stylish black matte finish that can protect your cargo from rain water, snow, storms and hail, UV ray damage, scratches and from falling off due to speed.

Installing the tonneau cover doesn’t require any drilling or special tools, and takes only minutes to do so. Within a few seconds each time, your truck will be partially or wholly covered, with three folds.

DNA Motoring TTC-Hard-015 Hard Tonneau Cover

Compatible with most 2015-2020 Ford 150 trucks, this tonneau cover from DNA Motoring is also compatible with any truck beds that are 5.5’ to 5.6’ in size.

It comes ready to install with clamps that easily fits all truck sides without the need to drill holes into your vehicle. Besides, this tonneau cover comes with adjustable tension that fits most truck beds better, without any gaps or holes anywhere.

This is a lightweight tonneau cover, weighing not more than 70 lbs in total. Installation is easy and takes only a few minutes, and can be completed by anyone. It comes with straps to keep the tonneau cover secure when they are folded back.

Made from durable aluminum plating with powerful frames, this is a double layer PVC hard folding tonneau cover that can withstand up to 350 lbs of weight.

Waterproof stripes are included into the tonneau cover to protect the cargo underneath from rain water, snow or hail, dust or dirt, as well as the sun’s harmful UV rays. The rubberized edges of the tonneau cover helps to seal it better along the truck sides so that nothing is leaked.

oEdRo Hard Folding Tonneau Cover 

The oEDRoHard folding tonneau cover is perfectly compatible with most 2020-2021 Jeep Gladiators, ideally the ones which have a 5’ truck bed. A tri-fold tonneau cover, it is very easy to install, use and maintain this tonneau cover from oEdRo, even for a first timer.

Absolutely no cutting or drilling is necessary to install this tonneau cover to your truck; it comes ready to be installed and with all the necessary parts and tools needed for the installation.

Made from durable aluminum honeycomb panels, the tonneau cover is sturdy and long lasting. The top layer has been tested for the sun’s harmful UV rays and scratches, and the tonneau cover can also withstand up to 350 lbs of weight. The top panel comes with powerful aluminum frames and strong clamps so that any cargo inside the truck bed is safe and protected.

This tonneau cover can be locked with the tailgate of the truck, without bothering with any extra lock or clamp. It will secure your truck bed and your cargo completely from all kinds of dirt and dust, rain water, snow or hail. With two front and rear waterproof strips, no kind of water or dust will be able to enter the truck bed.

An unique feature of this tonneau cover is the LED light strip at the rear of the cover, easily visible to all the vehicles behind your truck. The LED light strip isn’t just decorative, but it corresponds to the lighting signals and working modes of your vehicle, making it easier to indicate your direction.

UnderCover Flex Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover

Compatible with the classic 2014-2018 19 Limited/Legacy model Chevvy, GMC Silverado and Sierra 1500, as well as the 2015-2019 2500/3500HD trucks, this tonneau cover basically fits most truck beds that are 6’7” in length. This tonneau cover is also a tri-fold cover that can give you complete, zero or partial coverage and protection, depending on the kind of cargo you are carrying.

With dual prop rods, the tonneau cover can be folded into an upright position keeping the truck bed completely uncovered. With this feature, you won’t have to remove or uninstall the tonneau cover every time you need to keep the truck bed uncovered.

With a glossy black finish, this is a stylish tonneau cover that actually enhances the look of your truck and makes it more fuel efficient. The full perimeter coverage of the tonneau cover also prevents any kind of rainwater, snow, dirt or dust from getting into the truck bed.

The durable aluminum panels are automatic-latching, which means that the tonneau cover will be locked automatically when you lock your tailgate, and can be released with the pull-cables on the sides. 

RDJ Trucks 65-Series Hard Folding Tonneau Cover

This particular hard folding tonneau cover is mostly compatible with 2019-2021 Chevrolet silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 truck models, but also with trucks with a bed size of 5’8” in length. With a textured exterior, a black powder finish and a stylish look, this tonneau cover can protect your truck bed and your cargo from almost everything, from rainwater and snow, to dirt and dust, hail or scratches.

With a 3-year warranty, this is a premium quality marine grade aluminum tonneau cover that is guaranteed to protect your truck bed from the sun’s harmful UV rays. The aluminum tubing and the honeycomb textured panels are polished with a black powder finish that doesn’t fade away with time or exposure to the sun.

Because of the rubber Q-seal at the end of the cover, it stays secure and tight along the tailgate of your truck. Simply by tightly securing the tailgate of your truck, you will also be able to seal off your truck bed from any external factors, even a drop of water.

Because of the easy-on/easy-off feature of this tonneau cover, it takes less than 5 minutes to install this cover for the first time, and just seconds for every time after that.

Xcover Low Profile Hard Folding Truck Tonneau Cover 

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Compatible with 2015-2021 F150 pickups, this is a tri-fold tonneau cover from Xcover that will fit most truck beds that are 5.6’ in length. This tonneau cover has been manufactured from waterproof and durable solid core panels that will protect your truck bed and your cargo from everything.

The tonneau cover has been tested against the sun’s harmful UV rays, as well as other forms of harsh weather conditions. Thanks to the airtight seal created by the tonneau cover against your truck sides, no rain water or snow, hail, dirt or dust can enter your truck bed.

With a 5-year warranty, this tonneau cover from Xcover Low Profile is easy to install and use, without the need for any drilling or holes on your truck. Installation takes only a few minutes at the most, even when you are completely new at it. The top exterior is scratch proof and will last a very long time, and will give you years of use. The tonneau cover can even withstand up to 500 lbs of weight with even distribution.

The extremely easy-to-use latch system of the tonneau cover makes it possible to release the cover with one hand, and automatically locks the cover when the tailgate of the truck is closed.

UnderCover Ultra Flex Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover 

This is the best hard folding truck bed cover from the UnderCover Store that is compatible with 2017-2021 Ford F-250/350 Super Duty vehicles that come with an elongated 6’10” truck bed. This tonneau cover is a tri-fold one, with a carpeted paneling under the cover to keep your cargo protected and safe. Besides, an added feature of the UnderCover Ultra Flex Tonneau Bed Cover is the bed of integrated LED lights along the bottom of the cover, for added visibility while on the road.

The full perimeter seal of the tonneau cover prevents even a single drop of water from entering your truck bed when the tonneau cover is attached to it.

Because this is a tri-fold tonneau cover, the UnderCover Ultra flex can give you three kinds of access to your truck bed: full access, no access and partial access. Because the tonneau cover can be folded back into an upright position with dual prop rods as support, you can get complete access to your whole truck cover at any time.

With a 5-year guarantee, this is a USA-manufactured product that will improve the appearance of your truck manifold.

Tonno Pro Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover 

Finally, a tonneau cover from Tonno Pro that is compatible with most 2015 – 2020 Ford F-150 trucks that come with a 5’7” truck bed. Made from an ultra-sleek matte-black finish, this is a tonneau cover that lies on a flush mount and gives maximum protection to your truck bed and your cargo underneath.

Instead of a tri-fold or a dual-fold tonneau cover, this is a single piece of cover that is 5’7” in length. Lightweight but extremely durable, this cover can actually withstand up to 350 lbs of weight, making it suitable for seating on or even mounting additional cargo on. When the tailgate of the truck is locked, thanks to the simple mounting and locking system of this tonneau cover, it will automatically seal the cover and lock it in place.

Installing this tonneau cover is extremely easy, without the need for any drilling, cutting, glueing or making holes. There are only two options for coverage with this tonneau cover from Tonno Pro: full coverage or zero coverage. When the tonneau cover and the tailgate are closed, it’s not possible for anyone to enter the truck bed without unlocking the tailgate first!

These 10 tonneau covers above are the best ways to provide ultimate protection and security to your truck bed and the contents of your truck bed, while on the road or when resting.

Things to Consider While Buying Hard Folding Tonneau Cover

Although most of the best hard folding tonneau covers in the market come with the same specifications, there are some that would be more suitable for your vehicle than others. When buying a tonneau cover, it is, therefore, very important to know exactly what your vehicle need, and where you can get it.

Compatibility 

When it comes to tonneau covers, there’s nothing more important than checking its compatibility with the vehicle you own. Since tonneau covers are designed keeping specific vehicles in mind, it is the most important factor to consider when investing in one.

Every single tonneau cover is designed specifically for a few truck models, and they should be only purchased if you own that particular truck model. If your tonneau cover isn’t compatible with the vehicle you own, it wouldn’t be able to give your truck bed the coverage you need, or even be installed on your truck.

The specific truck models a tonneau cover is compatible with will always be mentioned in the packaging or the description of the products. For example, BAK BAKFlip MX4 Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover will only be compatible with 2015-2020 Ford F-150 trucks that come with a 5’7” long truck bed. This also means that this particular tonneau cover might also be compatible with other models that has a similarly-sized truck bed, but it might not be a perfect fit overall.

In the same way, the BAK BAKFlip MX4 Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover is most compatible with trucks belonging to the 2016-2021 Toyota Tacoma truck range.

Material

How sturdy or how durable the tonneau cover is going to depend on what material it is made from. Most hard folding tonneau covers are made from aluminum panels, like the DNA Motoring TTC-Hard-015 Hard Tonneau Cover and the oEdRo Hard Folding Tonneau Cover. This makes the tonneau cover hard, long lasting and capable of withstanding an impressive amount of weight.

Besides, aluminum panels aren’t very heavy. It makes it easy for just a single person to fold the tonneau cover without a lot of effort.

Protection

Of course, the most important requirement of tonneau covers is the amount of protection it can give to your truck bed and your cargo. Protection and coverage is the first priority of almost all tonneau truck bed covers, which can be achieved when the cover you’ve chosen perfectly fits your truck bed.

All tonneau covers that perfectly fit your truck bed will keep all forms of water, liquid spill, rainwater, snow or hail, as well as the harmful UV rays of the sun. With the tonneau cover locked tightly, your cargo will be safe from everything.

Exterior 

The exterior of these tonneau covers usually come with a matte finish or a black-powder finish, which makes them prone to scratches or cuts. The Tonno Pro Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover, for example, comes with an ultra-sleek matte-black finish that gives the cover an attractive appearance and extra protection.

The UnderCover Flex Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover, also comes with a glossy balck finish, and will make your truck fuel efficient as well as attractive.

Folding Technique

With hard folding tonneau covers, these covers mostly come with a tri-fold design. This means that the tonneau cover can be folded into three parts, based on the design.

This is actually the most advantageous design for any hard folding tonneau cover. This is because it will give the user the option to fold their tonneau cover in three different ways, leaving the truck bed completely closed, partially closed or completely open. In this way, the tonneau cover can be used to carry lots of different kinds of cargo that might or might not need air.

With tri-fold tonneau covers, you can get complete coverage because most of these covers can be propped up into an upright position with some backup or support. This makes it both easy to fold these tonneau covers and to unfold them, as well as less time to do so.

While most tonneau covers come with a tri-fold design, some don’t. The Tonno Pro Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover, for example, comes with a regular exterior that cannot be folded into three parts. With this particular tonneau cover, you can either get full or zero coverage. This tonneau cover needs to be folded into a roll instead of into three equal parts and will take more time.

Added Features 

An important and helpful feature of some hard folding tonneau covers are the added LED lights or indicators that come attached to the cover themselves. This feature can be found in the UnderCover Ultra Flex Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover and the oEdRo Hard Folding Tonneau Covertonneau covers.

With these two hard folding tonneau covers, the added LED lights attached to the cover coordinates with the indicator lights of your vehicle when on the road and signals the vehicles at the back.

These are the features required in a hard folding tonneau cover before you buy one for your truck.

How to Install a Hard Folding Tonneau Cover? 

Most hard folding tonneau covers are easy to install, even for a complete beginner. Installing a tonneau cover doesn’t doesn’t require any special tool; in most cases, installing doesn’t even require drilling or making holes in the truck.

Since most tonneau covers come with a trifold design, their installation procedure is similar. There are a few steps to follow for the installation process.

First of all, the truck bed needs to be properly washed and dried.

Second, the tonneau cover needs to be opened completely on top of the truck cover to ensure the perfect fit. Only when the tonneau cover is a perfect fit for your truck cover, it should be installed.

Next, fold the tri-fold tonneau cover back into its original shape and place it on the innermost side of the truck bed. Ideally, the tonneau cover should be placed on top of the two sides of the truck.

The clamp of the tonneau cover should be positioned right under the flange of the bed. Your hands should be enough to tighten the clamp until they are closely tightened, securing the tonneau cover to the truck sides.

When needed, simply unfold the tonneau cover to get full or zero coverage of your tonneau cover. It is much easier to install a hard folding tonneau cover than any other kind of cover for your truck.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): 

Are Hard Folding Tonneau Covers Waterproof? 

A: If your tonneau cover is a perfect fit for your truck bed, it will definitely be waterproof. Most tonneau covers become completely airtight when they are locked along with the tailgate of the truck, which means they become completely waterproof too.

The primary reason for attaching hard folding tonneau covers is to protect your cargo, especially from water and rain. With the right tonneau covers, your cargo will therefore be completely safe as the covers are waterproof.

Are Hard Folding Tonneau Covers Worth it? 

A: If you transport important cargo with your truck, then a hard folding tonneau cover is definitely worth the investment. It will keep your truck bed and your cargo completely safe from water, rain and snow, UV rays, dirt and dust.

Are Hard Folding Tonneau Covers Safe and Secure? 

A: Yes, hard folding tonneau covers are definitely secure. When the truck’s tailgate is locked, it automatically locks the tonneau cover in. Without unlocking the tailgate, it will not be possible for anyone to open the tonneau covers, which will keep your cargo completely safe.

Why are Hard Folding Tonneau Covers Convenient? 

A: Hard folding tonneau covers are the most convenient ones because they are the easiest to use. It takes very little time to fold and unfold these tonneau covers, and almost no effort. Besides, with hard folding tonneau covers, you can get zero, full or partial coverage of your truck cover, as needed.

Conclusion 

If you own a truck or if you take regular trips in your truck, or if you use your truck to transport cargo, you are definitely going to need a tonneau cover. Of all the different types of tonneau covers, it’s the hard folding tonneau covers that are the most convenient ones to install and use.