Best Waterproof Tonneau Cover

It can be very difficult to haul or load things in a truck if it is raining or snowing.  If your truck bed is open, it won’t be protected from the rain or the mud that gets kicked up after rain.

This is why you will need to find the best waterproof tonneau cover that will protect your truck from the rain and allow you to load and haul whatever you need.

Tonneau covers offer protection from rain and snow, which is one of the main reasons truck owners purchase them. Add a cover and you’ll save whatever you’re carrying from getting ruined in a downpour.

To prevent water damage from damaging your load, there are some fantastic options available. Your vehicle can be protected and secured with a wide variety of waterproof truck bed covers available on the market.

Weather can affect the load of your truck. The good news is that there are covers that can ensure the load is protected from water damage. It’s just a matter of making sure your bed covers are compatible with the bed of your truck.

With a tonneau cover, you will not only keep your gear dry and protected from the elements, but you will also prevent prying eyes from seeing your stuff.

Best Waterproof Tonneau Cover Reviews

Some of the best tonneau covers that will ensure that your expensive items are protected from weather elements and arrive dry and clean at their destination are listed below.

1. UnderCover Elite LX One-Piece Truck Bed Tonneau Cover

These are the best waterproof tonneau covers money can buy. Tonneau covers on hinges tend to provide the best weather resistance, so when that’s what you’re looking for, that’s exactly what you’ll get. Due to the clamshell-like design of these covers, they tend to provide excellent weather protection.

Most of the options in this class offer just one function, but the Elite has a ton of features. It’s cool that you can use your factory ignition key to open the cover, which I’m surprised that more companies haven’t done yet.

Thus, there is only one key to deal with for the whole truck. In addition to factory-matched paint, you get this delivered directly to your truck, making it a top choice for a top-of-the-line look. Traditional tonneau covers are made from fiberglass but can now be made from a wide range of other materials.

You can choose from fiberglass, canvas, or vinyl covers (shown), or aluminum covers with a heavy-duty hauling capacity. Your truck bed cover choice is based on your needs. Consider this one if it is within your budget. You will not be disappointed.

Key Features

• Paint and structure are guaranteed for life
• Opens and closes easily
• Carpet headliner in premium quality
• Axalta waterborne paint

2. BAK BAKFlip MX4 Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover

This is where we get into the real meat of the industry. While the BAK MX4 truck bed cover is by no means the cheapest option on the market, it is one of the most popular hard folding covers. And for good reasons. You get amazing weather protection at a decent price point. 

Its aluminum panels, heavy foam core, and durable aluminum construction get the job done, and it looks fantastic as well. You can fold up the bed rails flush against them so that they don’t get in the way of your truck bed. The MX4 is surprisingly secure when you need it to be. Easily moves out of the way if more space is needed.

There are a lot more chances for water to leak through the seals because there are so many hinges and surfaces to seal. The engineers at BAK designed drains along the rails with drain tubes to allow the water to run off and drain away from your precious cargo. 

While BAK is certainly not the only one to offer this capability, they are perhaps the best at it. Do I need to mention that the cover can take 400 lbs of weight distributed over it? That’s certainly awesome. 

Key Features

• Durable construction
• Sandwich panels made of aircraft-grade aluminum
• Weather protection that is unparalleled
• Clamps on easily without drilling

3. American Tonneau Company Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover

Hard trifold tonneau American Tonneau represents the more affordable side of the folding tonneau category. In contrast to other classic vinyl tonneau covers, this is unique in that, from the outside, it looks like any other.

But a protective ABS composite core sits underneath that tough, marine-grade vinyl for added puncture/cut resistance. This vinyl top of the cover makes it easier to prevent moisture and dust from getting in through the exposed hinges along the top.

This is a good option for those looking for weather resistance and security on a budget. When it comes to security, what makes hard folding tonneau covers so secure is the fact that their locks are integrated into the tailgate.

With this, thieves will be unable to gain entry without using power tools or learning to pick locks. If that were the case, I wouldn’t bet on them winning.

Key Features

• A proudly designed and manufactured product in the U.S.
• A simple latching mechanism
• A complete cover is included with this product
• A weather seal surrounds the entire perimeter

4. extang Trifecta 2.0 Soft Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover

The best choice for keeping the weather out is generally a vinyl cover. It is highly affordable and very effective. An excellent soft vinyl tonneau cover made of marine-grade, UV-treated tarp will outlast even a Jeep or convertible top.

Extang’s Trifecta 2.0 Tonneau Cover is one of the most popular soft folding covers on the market. It boasts three aluminum folding frames sections that make it easy to store and access your tools, camping gear, or whatever else you haul around in the bed of your truck.

You can install it in five minutes or less, and it is custom-crafted for your specific year/make/model. If it were up to me, I think you would spend more time unpacking the thing than putting it on the truck. 

Simply pop the latch for the cover and open the tailgate to fold it back when you need your stuff. It couldn’t be simpler.

Key Features

• This cover comes fully assembled
• This material is marine grade
• Water-repellent leather grain fabric
• A pair of EZ-Lock clamps

5. TruXedo TruXport Soft Roll Up Truck Bed Tonneau Cover

TruXedo’s TruXport roll-up tonneau cover is your best bet if you are looking to save some money. It’s not the cheapest tonneau cover in the world, but it’s still better than the competition.

You can make full use of your bed with these roll-up tonneau covers because they don’t interfere with it in any way. A tailgate seal will help you weatherproof your truck bed and prevent water from entering.

The TruXport requires only that you roll it up and peel up the velcro as you go, so you can install it in a truck cab. You can then pull whatever you need while it buckles into place, and it can be rolled back into place in 30 seconds.  

Furthermore, although some of these covers will do an admirable job at keeping water out, others may require a little tweaking and finesse to function properly.

Key Features

• Fabric made from high-quality black leather
• The interface is extremely user friendly
• The tension of the tarp is pre-set
• Leather-embossed vinyl of the highest quality

Best Waterproof Tonneau Cover Buying Guide

It can be pretty difficult, at times, to narrow down which options are the best for your time and money due to the wide range of options available today. Let’s focus on the things that matter.

What Kind Of Tonneau Cover Do I Need To Keep Water Out?

A truck bed cover can be made for many different purposes and be of different types. Find the one that suits your needs the best. Make sure your tonneau cover meets your needs rather than settling for one that’s cheap!  There’s a reason tonneau covers are so cheap, right? (Common sense, right?). 

It is because they are either cheaper because they lack certain important or desirable features, they use lighter weight components, which may not be able to withstand time (like the seals), or both!  Identify your needs, and then find a cover that meets those needs. 

Soft tonneaus are popular among campers who are looking for a strong, water-resistant way to lock their beds and keep their gear dry. In contrast, if you’re only storing firewood around your house and want to keep the sun off, don’t bother with the pricey hard lock tops.

Some soft tonneau covers are hinged to open in one piece, while others roll, fold, snap, peel, or Velcro close. Hardcovers are often more expensive while soft covers are more affordable and easier to remove.

You can open most of these by dropping your tailgate, so if you have a lock on your tailgate, you are reasonably secure.

Hardcovers keep thieves and water out better than softcovers. Most hardcovers are hinged or foldable. This type of cover looks more luxurious than soft covers because it can match the color of your truck.

Some of them are lightweight and can be installed quickly, while others are more permanent, and require more tools and time. You should adjust and install the hard tonneau covers correctly to prevent them from rubbing against your paint once they have been installed.

Waterproof Vs. Water-Resistant

A waterproof surface does not allow water to penetrate it. In water-resistant material, water is not completely blocked but is resisted. You will need a large metal plate that will seal the bed and tailgate if you want a fully waterproof bed.

That prevents water from getting in, but the downside is that you can’t get in. To choose a tonneau cover, it is best to first decide how you will use your bed, and then choose a cover that will fit your needs.

Are Tonneau Covers Waterproof?

Tonneau covers don’t work miracles. If you frequently transport cargo that must be kept safe, this is a great addition to your truck. The gear is protected from the weather, is locked up, and can be kept out of sight. 

No matter what anyone tells you, a tonneau cover does not completely seal off your truck bed. This is absurd. Water creeps in through places you never realized.

Across the front of the bed, for example. The corner where the front and sides of the bed meet in the corners has a small space in it if you have never noticed it before. Water is going to get through this tiny little crack, including behind your tonneau cover, even if it seems completely level to your naked eye.

Another place where water is abundant but not good for you is around the tailgate. Considering that water and dust can pass through the seams along the sides of the tailgate, they are pretty wide. Access, Extang, and TruXedo manufacture tailgate seal kits, which is a great feature.

The kits act as a gasket around your tailgate, sealing it up well and keeping water and dust out.  Furthermore, there is usually some leftover material you can use to fill in other spaces.

Will A Tonneau Cover Keep Water Out Of My Truck Bed?

In normal circumstances, in 98-99 percent of cases. Life isn’t perfect, though, is it? You are more likely to be satisfied with your tonneau cover if it is tailored to suit your needs.

To put it simply, if you are hauling old lumber around and aren’t worried about getting it damp on occasion, then get whichever truck bed cover you want.

It might be a good idea to look into a hard tonneau that wraps over the edge and tailgate of your truck bed if you have cargo that will melt, explode, or otherwise be ruined if it gets wet. It’s not for everyone, though.

Generally, you’ll keep your cargo dry when you use a tonneau cover. Most water, even rain, will be deflected from entering your truck bed by good covers that seal along the edge. 

Heavy torrential rains, washing your truck in the rain, and driving down the highway will all put your cargo at risk.

Realizing that even with your truck bed covered with a tonneau, it’s full of water is the ultimate feeling. Then you realize you just washed it at the carwash and held a 150-psi pressure washer as close as possible to the bed of the truck.

Any foam or rubber seal won’t hold up against the pressure of water behind it. If that happens, water will be forced through the cracks, as the wind would through a screen door.

The covers were however designed to handle rain falling vertically, not seawater coming at a few inches per second from under 150psi. 

You can live without worrying much about the tiny amount that may seep into your truck bed cover if you use it as it was intended. Don’t expect miracles when you’re saving a couple of hundred dollars.

Benefits of Waterproof Truck Covers

These covers provide more benefits than just waterproofing. Getting top-of-the-line protection, storage, and loading is what you should expect when you purchase the best.

In addition to being able to load things safely into your cover, you can also load some things on top of the cover. It may not be recommended to exceed the weight limit, but many items will benefit from its flexibility.

The following are some benefits of installing a tonneau cover over your truck bed even if it does not perfectly waterproof it:

• Protect your cargo from snow and wind
• Keep your gear out of the sun’s harmful rays
• Protect your truck bed from dust and dirt
• Put a stop to a potential thief or discourage prying eyes

The gear will still be in much better condition with your tonneau cover on, even if some drops of rain get in under it during a storm.

There is one thing that many drivers find disappointing in Tonneaus: most of those benefits are only available for cargo below the bed rails.

Choosing The Right Tonneau Cover Brand

You want to keep your stuff safe and dry. Considering we have a variety of options at our disposal that can help you achieve that goal; you might assume it would be fairly simple.

It can be difficult to choose the right brand, materials, opening styles, and other features because there are so many available. Not to worry, though! It’s what we do.

You should begin by determining what type of truck bed covers you would need the most. Does the cover need to provide a lot of security? What are the chances of you having to strap a payload to it at some point?

Is it important that it be as light as possible? Are you just looking for something that won’t break the bank? Then read this article from top to bottom and you will get your answer. 

You should also investigate which brands you can trust, as well as who are the big players. Some companies in the tonneau cover industry that have made a name for themselves are TruXedo, Extang, BAK, and Truck Covers USA.

Can I Use A Non-Waterproof Tonneau Cover?

You’ll still be protected from bad stuff other than rain. There are still dangerous UV rays from the sun, ice, snow, and dust that can beat up your cargo every chance they get.

You can use glass covers, hardcovers, and even roll-up covers as long as that’s the only concern you have. Additionally, there are seal kits available for the tailgate and bed ends of the tonneau cover to keep water and dust out.

This helps keep a lot of junk out of your home without you worrying about it. This tailgate seal kit is made by tonneau cover manufacturers like Access, TruXedo, and Extang, so they understand exactly how they work.

How To Waterproof A Tonneau Cover?

Would it be possible to make your tonneau more waterproof? You have several options depending on the model of your tonneau. Ensure that the tonneau cover is properly measured as well.

• Make Use Of The Tonneau Parts

Do not leave any parts out when assembling your tonneau cover. You may find that some models come with a water-resistant component:

Seals that stick to the sides of the tonneau to prevent water from getting in. In some cases, tonneau covers include these to fill in any gaps left by the tonneau, so make sure you install them properly.

Water drains away from covers and rails of the beds via drain tubes. When it comes to using your tonneau, follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and don’t skip any steps. Keep water out of your truck bed with seals and drain tubes.

• DIY Waterproofing Options

You can add additional seals to your truck bed if you are still concerned about water getting into it. We mentioned earlier that the truck bed and tailgate of a truck can have large gaps.

For cars with this problem, many aftermarket tailgate seal options are available. The tailgate seals that work best for your make and model of the truck may vary depending on the make.

Taking these steps may not prevent water from leaking into your truck bed. If that happens, you might need a new tonneau. Does it look old and worn out? Have you picked a cheap model that never keeps water out? Possibly you’d be better off upgrading.

Final Words

Get the best waterproof tonneau cover for your pickup truck if you are tired of letting the rain dictate when you can load or haul. Tonneau covers can protect your truck from the weather if you choose one from the wide range offered in this article.

Because your tailgate, which is designed to let rain drain, has gaps built into it from the factory, you can’t completely seal it off with a tonneau cover.