The Dodge Ram 1500 is a popular truck that can be found on roadways all over North America and around the world. If you’re in the market for tonneau covers, there are many different types to choose from, from soft-roll to hard tri-fold to retractable options.
The problem is that not every one of these options will work perfectly with your vehicle and its features (and your needs). This is where elements of indecisiveness can set in when making the all-important purchase decision.
To help you through this, we’ve pulled together reviews on a select list of bed covers which should make choosing a lot easier.
This list covers the tonneau covers that we feel are of a high standard and includes our opinion on soft-top designs through to rigid hardtops.
This guide will help get your decision down to a single option.
The Tyger Auto soft roll-up bed cover neatly slides over the tailgate and latches in place.
It is made from heavy-duty vinyl and framed with aluminum, and comes with three crossbars that can be installed to keep it securely in place.
As well as keeping the tonneau cover securely in place, the horizontal crossbars also help to reduce bouncing while driving. This helps to prevent flapping of the truck bed cover when traveling at certain speeds.
This is an issue that many soft-roll covers experience, and as such isn’t necessarily a manufacturer design flaw and does not cause any interference when opening or closing tailgate, although it can be a slight irritant.
If the potential of this is a deal-breaker for you then we suggest going for one of the hard tonneau covers on our list.
This Tonneau cover includes the necessary clamps and screws along with an installation manual, which makes installation reasonably straightforward, even for those that don’t like to do too much DIY.
Although soft roll-up tonneau covers aren’t usually the most low-profile in appearance, this one is quite sleek and doesn’t look bulky.
Pros
- Ease of installation, even if you aren’t DIY savvy
- Securely built and tight tarp
- Sleek profile for a soft roll bed cover
Cons
- A good option to consider for those on a budget
- Clamp placements may affect security slightly
Overall
The Tyger Auto T1 soft roll tonneau is available in several sizes, and so you should be able to find an option that fits your specific Ram 1500 which is great.
These are also light and easy to install, and most importantly, secure and weatherproof. A good option to consider at a lower price point.
The weather change can wreak havoc on your truck bed. But with a Gator Recoil Retractable Tonneau Cover for 2009-2020 Ram 1500 Classic you’ll know that your truck bed is always covered and protected from dust, dirt, rain, and snow.
With a no-drill installation process that doesn’t require any tools or advanced DIY while still providing a tight seal to provide security.
The aluminum slats are kept securely in place with the use of elastomer hinges. This helps to remove the risk of any water and debris from entering your Ram 1500 truck bed.
The three adjustable, intermittent locks create custom locking points along the rail paired with strong aluminum slats which let you be assured it won’t bend during use so you can comfortably lock up any load securely.
Being retractable, this tonneau cover has a very sleek and low profile appearance which is unrivaled by any of the soft and hard folding bed cover types.
So if looks are important then this is one of the best options you can go for.
Another thing to be aware of is that this is a manual retractable tonneau cover, and is therefore not electric or remote operated. A small but significant point, especially if you expect this feature.
For those that prefer the remote-controlled covers, the next option on our list might be of more interest to you.
These Gator retractable tonneau covers are backed with a two-year warranty that should give peace of mind.
Pros
- Very durable hard aluminium slats
- Low profile design provided only by retractable tonneau covers
- Rolls smoothly into a small canister
- Comes with a two year guarantee
- Provides excellent protection against extreme weather
Cons
- Does not come with a remote operated option
- Pricier than the Soft and Hard folding options on our list
Overall
A durable low-profile stylish retractable bed cover that is easily opened and closed with auto-lock points that allow you to use partially opened if needed.
The material is finished in a quality-looking mat sheen which adds a very nice touch. Although not exactly cheap, you might struggle to find a retractable tonneau cover at this price point.
Worth serious consideration especially if you don’t mind manually operating it.
This Roll-N-Lock remote-powered retractable tonneau cover is created with durability in mind. With the powder-coated, all-aluminum construction, this electric power bed cover will help keep your bed clean and secure.
The low-profile design should complement your Ram 1500’s lines in eye-catching fashion and will be considered a stylish upgrade to any pickup truck.
Its canister which houses the electric motor and the retracted tonneau cover is surprisingly compact and frees up a lot of space.
During retraction, the cover coils up the aluminum cover seamlessly without any risk of scratching or getting caught in the canister. This is no doubt helped by the exquisite design.
The remote key fob allows you to open and close the bed cover from several feet away.
But if preferred it can still be closed manually allowing for both options.
It also has an intuitive stopping mechanism if there are any obstructions sensed when opening or closing for extra protection.
It must be said that this is an expensive tonneau cover. However, this can be mainly attributable to it being retractable, which are the priciest types of tonneau cover, and electric powered remote controlled which seems to add an extra mark up in value.
For extra peace of mind, the Rock-N-Lock retractable tonneau cover comes with a 5-year manufacturer’s guarantee which, by our research, is one of the most generous guarantees for a retractable tonneau cover we could find.
Pros
- Electric motor operated via a remote control fob
- Smoothly coils into the canister with no chance of catching
- Attractive low profile design which fits the Ram 1500 nicely
- Options available for both classic and new Ram 1500 styles
- 5 year manufacturers guarantee
Cons
- A pricey option
Overall
If you want a tonneau cover with all the bells and whistles for your Ram 1500, then this is an excellent option.
The retractable cover is extremely low-profile which fits so well with the Ram 1500 lines that it will be turning heads. It is also electrically powered via a remote control which makes this the easiest tonneau cover to operate on our list.
There aren’t many other tonneau covers that offer more features than this one. Sure, some might offer the same level of features, but more?
A very good option if your budget can accommodate.
Tyger Auto has designed this specific hard tri-fold tonneau cover to seamlessly suit your 2009-2020 Ram 1500 as long as it isn’t the classic model.
The panels are made of the highest quality materials, including aircraft-grade alloy aluminum panels which are reinforced with thick PC polymers between them.
This contributes to providing an even weight distribution capacity of up to 500lb. On top of that, the structure of the bed cover is supported by heavy-duty aluminum frames to fortify durability.
The main parts of the bed cover are made out of tough glass-filled nylon structures and stainless steel that really helps to increase the product’s longevity. This is reflected by the manufacturer offering a 5-year guarantee with this purchase.
You’ll also notice an irregular patterned texture on the surface which gives attention to detail from an aesthetical perspective.
Although installation is relatively hassle-free, it must be noted that some holes will need to be cut into the bedliner for Ram 1500 trucks equipped with over-the-bedrail bed liners.
This, according to the manufacturer, is needed so that the clamps that come with the kit can be properly secured in place to allow for complete protection of the cargo. This small adjustment is not needed with under-the-bedrail bedliners.
Pros
- Excellent quality and workmanship
- Provides very good protection against extreme weather
- Secure
Cons
- Adjustments are needed for Ram 1500 trucks that have over-the-bedrail bed liners
Overall
A well-designed, good-looking hard tri-fold tonneau cover that is extremely strong and durable.
Easily installed, although additional cuts into your bedliner will be needed if you have over-the-bedrail bed liners (not needed for trucks with under-the-bedrail bedliners).
Understandably this could be a deal-breaker for those that don’t want to damage their original surfaces.
Overall though this is a very solid high-quality tonneau cover that will last the distance and adequately protect against the elements.
This tonneau cover is specially made to fit new and classic 2009-2021 Dodge Ram 1500s that don’t have the Ram Box.
The double PVC material makes the product feel very durable and the pre-assembled rails make installation simple. Some customers have said that 30 minutes is ample time to install.
The soft tri-fold tonneau cover also comes with a weather strip which is advised to be attached to the tailgate. This is encouraging attention to detail and will provide further longer-lasting protection against the seepage of any rain and snow.
Pros
- Very easy to install
- Comes with weather strips to provide even more protection against the elements
- Good attention to details design-wise
Cons
- Doesn’t fit Ram 1500 that come with Ram Box
Overall
oEdRo Soft Tonneau Cover provides its customers value for their dollar with high-quality materials, versatile use-cases (limited only by imagination) sleek design, and easy installation which is hassle-free.
Conclusion
Adding a tonneau over to your Ram 1500 is one of the best and most practical upgrades you can make to your truck. As described in this post, they serve a multitude of purposes and will certainly add some style.
