Best Roll Up Tonneau Cover for Ford F250 Super Duty Review

Buyer’s Guide

So, now that we discussed five premium-grade tonneau covers for the F250, what’s your #1 pick? If you have a favorite, you can just skip this part. On the other hand, Super Duty owners that like all the covers but aren’t “in love” with any of them will greatly benefit from this guide. Here, we’ll talk about the most important factors that determine whether the cover is worth it or not. Here they are:

Easy Fitment/Quick Installation

The biggest pro of roll-up covers over folding ones – they’re much easier to install and the process takes very little time. The same is true for removal, by the way. Still, you can’t just blindly go in and pick the first cover that looks great. You gotta make sure it’s compatible with the F250. Now, most modern-day covers from leading brands are designed with the entire Super Duty lineup in mind (250, 350, and 450).

So, don’t be confused by that. The #1 concern should be the bed size. If you get it wrong, no amount of cutting or drilling will fix that. The model year also matters, of course. Some engineers manage to make their tonneau covers compatible with multiple Ford generations while others only guarantee a direct fit for one single generation. Summing up, the cover needs to be compatible with your truck’s year, make, model, and bed.

Material Quality and Craftsmanship

With roll-up covers, you can choose between two different styles: soft and hard. Soft roll-up covers are cheaper, simply because they’re crafted from not-so-expensive materials. Vinyl is the most popular choice these days, with heavy-duty (24 oz.) marine-grade vinyl being the most reliable and long-lasting option. Hard covers, in turn, are made of vinyl or leather-grain fabric as well.

However, they also feature aluminum slats that make them harder to penetrate. Besides, they can easily handle extra weight (like tons of snow early in the morning). And what about engineering quality, you might ask? Well, this mostly has to do with the latches, clamps, and rails. If they’re crafted from stainless steel or aluminum, that’s great news. Plastic is less durable and tends to break.

Anti-Theft Security

When it comes to security, hardcovers are, once again, more preferable. Thanks to the brick-strong aluminum slats that I mentioned earlier, they are more reliable. Soft roll-ups are also decent, but not nearly as secure. Next, let’s talk about the locking mechanism. Now, there’s quite a long list of different systems available, but the good-old lock with a key is still the best the market has to offer.

Locking tailgates, rotary latches, and trigger latches are pretty decent; still, they’re not as great. With roll-up covers, you need to always remember that they won’t be as strong against thieves as folding covers. And if it’s a soft roll-up against a hard folding, the difference is going to be pretty dramatic.

Weather Resistance

This one’s pretty obvious: if the cover can’t protect the bed and the cargo against the weather, it won’t be worth the investment. Most F250 drivers believe that rain is the #1 enemy of any tonneau. However, that’s not really true. Dust, dirt, and debris are quite dangerous as well. Next, we have pollen that can slowly, but steadily wreak havoc. And if you live in a hot climate area, UV rays will be your biggest concern.

I’ve got good news: most best-selling and high-rated tonneau covers are protected against most, if not all of these natural elements. Check the specs for “weather-proof”. That means exactly that: the cover is resistant to weather in all of its forms. Some fabrics and slats will be less protected than others, of course – this comes down to material quality.

How to Stop Trifold Hard Tonneau Cover From Leaking

Anti-weather protection – that’s the #1 job of any truck bed cover. No matter how big and strong the Super Duty is, if the cover is leaking, that’s bad news. Some brands use the term “weather-tight” to claim their aluminum panels and vinyl fabric are 100% resistant to water. Others go with “leak-free”. But what if you already have a tonneau cover installed, and it is letting water through? What can you do to fix that?

Good news: there’s a quick, tried-and-true solution. Usually, most covers leak at the very top, right where the adhesive tape (weather stripping) goes). So, make sure it creates a tight seal with the bulkhead and the actual cover. Sometimes, the fix can be as simple as replacing the stripping. And if that doesn’t help, here’s what you can do:

You’ll need one product for this – a decent-quality sealer – and apply it on the cover. I’m talking about rubber coating products. These have proven to be extremely efficient against wear, tear, and tiny cracks. And, you won’t have to spend big bucks on such a formula: it will only cost $5-10 at a local store/online. Again, the most vulnerable spot is the “intersection” between the cover and the stripping.

Go ahead and apply some of that product on the cover. You should do that from the inside, of course, not the outside. It will be easier to do this if you take the bed cover off, but it will take more time. An alternative would be to just lie down in the bed and reach the problematic spot with the sealant in your hand. I recommend putting at least two coats to ensure proper results.

And if that doesn’t solve the issues right there and then, try applying another layer the next day. Oh, and before you do any of that, clean the cover with a couple of rags or a garden hose to make “room” for the rubber sealant. Otherwise, it won’t create a strong bond with the cover’s surface and you’ll be wasting your time and money.

How to Install A Roll Up Tonneau Cover

Regardless of the brand/manufacturer that you choose to trust, the roll-up bed cover installation routine will be roughly the same. The package includes three important pieces: the side rails, clamps, and, of course, the actual cover. The whole process will take less than an hour if you follow the instructions closely. The best thing about roll-up covers – they’re usually not very heavy and can be “handled” manually, without any help.

So, let’s see how we can get this done with a basic set of tools and little to no experience with aftermarket Ford accessories:

First things first, the F250 needs to be parked on even terrain. Even if you’re doing this in the garage, and not under the sky, I recommend using a couple of wheel blockers to ensure the truck won’t go anywhere.

Next, put on a pair of protective gloves and open the package. Set everything to the side and grab one of the rails. It doesn’t really matter which side you start from – the mounting process will be identical.

If the tonneau cover includes a set of spacers, go ahead and place them where the clamps are to be installed (right between the bed and the bed-rail caps).

With the rails, the most important thing is alignment: make sure it’s not too low or left/right from the cap. With that out of the way, use the provided installation hardware to secure the rail where it belongs.

Repeat the process with the other side rail, and let’s move on to the clamps. Just like the rails, they are held in place with a set of bolts. And don’t worry: you won’t have to look long and hard to find the mounting spots, as they’re already designated on the Ford truck’s bed. If you’ve got an electric drill, this can be done in minutes. A ratchet will also do, but will take more time.

Did you get weather-stripping with the package? It’s a pretty standard-looking piece of tape that protects against weather elements. Without it, you’ll have a leaky tonneau when it rains really hard. Just stick it to the bulkhead and cut it using a knife or scissors if it’s too long.

With the rails and clamps in place, carefully lift the roll-up cover and get back onto the bed. The idea here is to attach it to the rails (right where the bulkhead is) and, well, roll it up to the tailgate.

See the rail tracks? Align the cover and push it from the top so that it “sits” into the tracks. And we’re done! Roll the cover, give it some time to stretch out, and take it for a spin!

How to Open a Tonneau Cover

Well, this depends on two things: the cover type and the security mechanism. Most modern-day tonneau covers are very easy to operate (even with one hand). Engineers do their best to make the opening and closing process as simple as possible. And here’s a quick look at how to open different bed covers:

• Let’s start with the one cover design that takes the most effort to open. I’m talking about the so-called snap covers. They are very cheap but require the driver to do everything manually. You’ll have to go around the bed and unsnap dozens of “buttons” to open it. Furthermore, the plastic snaps/buttons aren’t at all reliable.

• Next, we’ve got roll-up covers. These are also (relatively) cheap but much easier to operate. Just like the name suggests, you roll the cover up or down to open or close it. Thanks to the side rails and tracks, this mechanism is quite durable and long-lasting.

• Folding covers, in turn, do exactly that – fold. Mostly crafted from aluminum panels, they fold three or four times. These are significantly heavier than roll-ups, but still quick to open. The biggest downside – some folding covers take precious tonneau space even when fully open. So, look for a unit that provides 100% bed access.

• If full tonneau access is the #1 priority for you, go with retractable covers. These come with a canister that sits right next to the bulkhead and “houses” the cover. Retractable covers are the most user-friendly option as they take even less effort and time to open. Plus, they give the truck bed a sleek, aerodynamic touch.

• Last, but not least, we’ve got the hinged bed covers. These look and work much like a hood. The worst thing about them – they never provide full access to the tonneau. Security-wise, hinged covers are quite reliable, but they’re rather expensive and will be a challenge for a single person to install. To reach for the goods, you’ll need to deal with the lock first, then lift the cover and open the tailgate.

Speaking of security, if it’s a latching mechanism, it will only take a second to release. The key + lock system, in turn, requires using a unique key to open the lock. Again, not much hassle, but more protection against thieves.