Not that I wanted to, but recently I sold my 2012 Ford F150 and bought a 2024 Ford F150. My 2012 was having so many problems. When I considered the amount I would have to invest back into it to make it road-worthy, I decided it wasn’t worth it. I never had a bed cover on that truck because I always had a toolbox. Which was nice but there were more times I needed a cover than not. So on my new truck, I knew I was going to get a bed cover but which one was the question. After looking around, I went with the RealTruck RetraxPRO MX Tonneau Cover.
RealTruck RetraxPRO MX Tonneau Cover – Overview
So why did I go with the RealTruck RetraxPRO MX Tonneau Cover? For a couple of reasons.
First, I have purchased items in the past from RealTruck and the experience has always been great. They have an easy-to-navigate website. And I like the fact that when I enter my vehicle info for product searches, it keeps my truck model in my profile. So I am not putting it in every time I go to a new page or even when I come back at a later date. It’s just intuitive and easy to use. I also like the communication. When I place an order, I get order confirmation, and email updates with shipping and tracking information.
Second is the customer experience. I have an aftermarket exhaust for my truck, the Corsa. I had questions about the system. When I called, I spoke to someone in the States who took the time to answer all my questions.
Third, every time I received a product from them, the packaging was great. I know when things get shipped, these shipping companies beat the heck out of their packages. The last thing I want to get is a broken part because of shipping. So that is yet another reason I am a huge fan of RealTruck.
Now I could go into some other reasons I went with RealTruck, but let’s just jump into the RealTruck RetraxPRO MX Tonneau Cover.
RealTruck RetraxPRO MX Tonneau Cover – Features
As I said, there are a lot of truck bed covers in the marketplace and it wasn’t easy picking one that would fit my needs. I will go over the features of this cover but the reasons I went with this cover are:
- Hard Cover – I wanted a hardcover that rolls up. Soft covers are nice, but I like the hard cover for durability
- Locking in any Position – I like the idea that I can lock this cover in any position so it’s not just open or closed. If I am hauling something around, I can push the cover right to the object and lock it in place.
- Smooth Operation – I wanted a cover that is easy to open and close. The last thing I want is something I need to fight every time I use it. This has ball-bearing wheels for a smooth and easy-to-use operation.
With that said, here are some other cool features that were just added bonuses for me.
- Aluminum Built and Matte Finish – Strong and looks great with any truck. Can hold up to 500 lbs on top
- Spiral Canister Design – The canister features an anti-rub spiral design that prevents the cover from rubbing against itself while retracting or resting in the canister.
- Water Drainage System – Drainage tubes allow the collected runoff water in the canister to exit without getting into your bed.
- Security – Total truck bed security is ensured with the lock system on the cover combined with the tailgate lock.
- Low Profile Design – Doesn’t protrude above the truck bed.
- American Made – Huge plus. It’s nice to support local jobs.
- Limited Lifetime Warranty – Backs up and protects the user.
RealTruck RetraxPRO MX Tonneau Cover – My Experience
So this is my first experience with a truck cover and I wasn’t sure what to expect with the installation, the noise, using the cover, etc.
Installation
I have to admit, I was a little worried about installing the cover but when it came down to it, it was incredibly simple. Dan and I installed it in about 20 minutes. You put the side rails on, lift it into the truck, align the rails, lock the rails to the bed and you’re pretty much done.
The Cover
As you can see the cover looks great and it is pretty even with the top of the bed so it’s not sticking over as I have seen with other covers.
Lock
The cover comes with two keys. I haven’t seen the mechanics of the lock but you can tell when you lock and unlock the cover, it feels like a quality lock, not cheap. I also like the fact that it has a cover on top because I live in Chicago where the weather can play havoc on locks. This way it’s protected and I can still use it even on those days of freezing rain.
Final Thoughts
As I said, I never had a cover before so this is my first experience. I have to say I can’t believe I didn’t have a cover on my other truck. The installation was simple and the quality is way more than what I expected. While the quality is great, the two things that surprised me most were that when I am driving, the cover is quiet, and it’s not banging up and down and rattling all over. Second, how smooth the operations are and how easy it is to use.
I drove from Chicago to Omaha and this cover was awesome. I didn’t have to worry about rain, things flying out of my bed, or people stealing anything from my truck. When I needed to get in the back and get something, it was easy to open and it would stay in place.
Best of all, when the truck was sitting overnight and it rained, nothing in the bed was wet, in fact, there was no water in the bed at all.
Overall if you are looking for a bed cover, the RealTruck RetraxPRO MX Tonneau Cover is what I would recommend. I would buy it again and recommend it to anyone. The cover is built tough, high quality, easy to use, and protects against the weather and unwanted visitors. A perfect solution to add more storage and protection to your truck.
