| u've got a truck, adding a tonneau cover to your bed is | | | | bite from your spending money. A tonneau cover |
| an absolute must. Not only are tonneaus useful in any | | | | helps you even the score in one of the only ways you |
| situation, they provide loads of essential benefits, | | | | can - by prolonging your next trip to the service station. |
| including: | | | | Open truck beds can be a huge drag on your gas |
| • Organized storage for whatever you're | | | | mileage. As air flows over the aerodynamic front end |
| hauling in your truck bed, plus the bonus of keeping a lid | | | | of your vehicle, it can swirl into your bed and catch on |
| on loose items | | | | your tailgate — stealing several miles off your |
| • Coverage from potentially damaging weather | | | | latest tank. |
| conditions, like rain, snow and extreme sun | | | | Covering your truck bed with a tight tonneau cover |
| • Complete coverage of your payload that | | | | — even a soft model — stops the tailgate |
| keeps your cargo out of sight from potential theft | | | | drag. Air hits the taut surface of a hard or soft |
| • An immediate improvement in gas mileage | | | | tonneau cover and continues past your vehicle with |
| with tight, aerodynamic materials covering your | | | | nothing to catch. And, it saves you mileage without |
| otherwise drag-prone open bed | | | | crazy tailgate removal or potentially damaging |
| • Sleek looks that range from smooth leather | | | | open-gate driving. |
| grain patterns to ultra-custom color matched style | | | | How much savings? A 5% improvement in fuel |
| Tonneau Cover Storage Basics | | | | economy is the industry-wide accepted number, |
| You haul everything from hardware to the occasional | | | | though up to 10% is possible. Your vehicle could see |
| load of groceries in the back of your truck. A tonneau | | | | bigger or smaller effects. Still, the idea is simple: a |
| cover helps keep a lid on all of it, shielding your cargo | | | | tonneau cover will save gas and eventually pay for |
| from the blowing winds of freeway driving and all kinds | | | | itself. |
| of pounding wet weather. It's an easy way to make | | | | Great tonneau cover looks: a quick guide |
| sure nothing disappears from your bed while you're | | | | A smooth tonneau cover adds custom truck style to |
| driving or parked. | | | | bland uncovered truck beds. Each tonneau cover we |
| A guide to protecting your gear from the weather with | | | | offer sports a custom fit to the dimensions of your |
| a tonneau cover | | | | specific year, make and model. The result is a special |
| Even simple cover over your gear can help prevent | | | | fit and exact appearance that was made for your |
| weather damage. Tonneau covers take protection a | | | | truck. |
| few steps further though, with some ingenious design | | | | Tonneau covers can add any level of extra smart |
| features. For instance, most tonneau covers employ | | | | appearance to your truck. Soft tonneau covers |
| strategically-placed weather seals that channel water | | | | stretch tight, not just for improved mileage but also for |
| away from your cargo. And, many models use raised | | | | style. With a variety of lid materials, retractable |
| and arched support bows to encourage moisture | | | | tonneau covers are the kings of the low-profile |
| runoff. While no bed cover is completely water-tight, | | | | smooth factor. Hard top tonneau covers are the |
| most will do an outstanding job of keeping your gear | | | | ultimate in custom looks: molded-over edges, seamless |
| high and dry in nasty weather. | | | | fitting and optional paint matching. |
| Tonneau Security: A Quick Reference | | | | A Guide to the History of Tonneau Covers |
| When your cargo is out of sight, it's out of a would-be | | | | Tonneau covers (also known as truck bed covers, |
| thief's mind. Tonneau covers make the contents of | | | | bed lids or truck lids) have evolved from a number of |
| your truck bed a mystery, giving you confidence that | | | | versions designed for a variety of uses. Because |
| your belongings will be right where you left them. | | | | many crude bed cover designs existed over the |
| Beyond simple coverage, tonneau covers offer higher | | | | years, no one person or company can lay claim as the |
| levels of security, depending on the model. Most hinged | | | | originator of the tonneau cover. |
| (lift-up) tonneau covers can be fully-secured using a | | | | Soft covers gained prominence while playing an |
| locking tailgate. Hard top and retractable tonneaus | | | | important roll on major speedways. Top-class sport |
| generally have secure key locking systems that latch | | | | truck racers used these flexible bed covers as a |
| closed at the tailgate. | | | | lightweight way to improve their aerodynamics and |
| With a variety of security measures, a good tonneau | | | | reduce drag. These racetrack tonneau covers sat |
| cover makes your truck bed far more versatile than | | | | flush with the top of the bed and employed the same |
| ever before — ideal for use as a hauler or hiding | | | | heavy-duty materials used in today's soft covers. |
| spot. | | | | Hard top tonneau covers grew in popularity as an |
| Gas Mileage and Tonneau Covers: The Basics | | | | alternative to full-size camper shells. These |
| Trucks are getting taller, engines are bigger, payloads | | | | highly-customized truck bed lids, most commonly made |
| are getting deeper and the traffic is thicker than ever. | | | | from fiberglass, have evolved into tonneaus using a |
| You can probably hear big oil companies laughing with | | | | variety of materials and opening mechanisms. |
| their fistfuls of cash every time the pump takes a big | | | | |