Hard v. Soft Tonneau Covers

In shopping for tonneau covers, everyone inevitably asks themselves: “Should I choose a hard tonneau cover or a soft one?” While it may not seem that way initially, there are some big differences between the two choices that can make a world of difference. Let’s a look at some of those differences to help you determine which tonneau cover is right for you:

• Load Capacity – Hard tonneau covers can definitely support more weight, anywhere from 200 to 300 pounds. Soft tonneau covers are only going to support around 200 pounds or less. If you live in an environment with very cold winters and you expect a lot of snow to be falling, it’s important that you choose the tonneau cover with the larger load capacity so that it can better support the weight of the snow, which can quickly add up. However, if you live in a temperate environment, this is not going to be as important and you’re probably fine with a soft tonneau cover.
• Weather Resistance – Both hard and soft tonneau covers are built to be weather resistant, keeping water, mud, and other elements out of your truck bed. It used to be that a hard tonneau cover was much more effective, but new technologies in tonneau covers have ensured that no matter which type you buy, you’ll receive a product that is virtually weather proof.
• Security – With concealed, heavy-duty locks, both soft and hard tonneau covers will keep your cargo safe from potential theft. Once again, it used to be that a soft tonneau cover, because of its more pliable material, was not as secure. However, times have changed and now you can feel equally safe in counting on a soft or hard tonneau cover to keep your belongings safe from theft.
• Selection – In this area, hard tonneau covers clearly dominate as their definition has broadened. A hard tonneau cover used to only refer to a tilting tonneau cover, but now it includes retractable and even folding tonneau covers. Soft tonneau covers really only offer the roll-up variety or, in some cases, the snap variety.
• Price – Although hard tonneau covers seem to have a lot more going for them, with a higher load capacity and more of a selection, it definitely costs more. Soft tonneau covers have the luxury of being much more affordable, so if you aren’t concerned with the extra features that hard tonneau covers have to offer, then you might as well save money and purchase a soft tonneau cover to do effectively the same thing.

As you can see, there isn’t one type of tonneau cover that is clearly better than the other; it really depends on the individual factors of your situation to determine which one you should purchase. Now that we’ve laid out the features of tonneau covers side by side, it should be easy to make your choice.