Last Updated on May 24, 2022
Ever felt the necessity of carrying something over your tonneau cover? For that, your tonneau cover should be capable enough to carry some weight over that. Not every tonneau cover is capable of carrying something on top of that. This is why you should know about the weight capacity of a tonneau cover.
There are various tonneau covers and their weight capacity differs from each other. The weight capacity depends on their build quality and material. In this article, we will talk about the maximum weight capacity of tonneau covers sorted by their types. Hope it helps you in your quest of finding the best tonneau cover.
Hard Tonneau Covers
Hard tonneau covers are made out of various hard (hence the name hard tonneau covers) materials like aluminum, ABS polymer, etc. Hard tonneau covers are popular for their endurance. Hard tonneau covers usually have a weight capacity of 100-450lbs. Let’s talk about a few hard tonneau covers and the maximum weight they can hold.
- Hard one-piece tonneau cover:
You might have guessed from the name of this type of cover. These covers come in one piece and they aren’t foldable or rollable. You’ll have to lift the cover upward to open it. Most one-piece tonneau covers can carry about 350-400lbs of weight. Some one-piece tonneau covers are even capable of carrying 500 pounds over them.
- Hard folding (tri-fold) tonneau cover:
This tonneau cover comes in various material choices like plastic, aluminum or polymer, etc. You’ll need to fold or unfold to open or close the cover. Usually, a good hard tri-fold can hold 300-400 lbs. of weight.
- Hard roll-up tonneau cover:
The average weight a roll-up tonneau cover can hold is between 50-400 pounds. Most hard roll-up tonneau covers aren’t capable of holding more than 150lbs. Tonneau covers like the Truxedo Sentry and the BAKFlip Revolver X2, and X4 can hold up to 400 lbs. of evenly distributed weight.
Soft Tonneau Covers
Soft tonneau covers are made from different kinds of vinyl. Soft tonneau covers are popular as they are quite good in weather protection and security while being lightweight as well. Soft tonneau covers can bear 15-30 pounds of weight.
- Soft tri-fold:
Just like a hard tri-fold cover, a soft tonneau covers folds or unfolds to open and close the cover. Soft tri-fold covers aren’t as strong as hard ones. A good soft tri-fold cover can carry about 30lbs of weight over that.
- Soft roll-up:
Soft roll-up covers are the most lightweight tonneau cover. They usually have a plastic or metal frame with just a tarp on the top. A soft roll-up tonneau cover can carry about 15-20 pounds over the tarp. But, it’s better to not carry anything over them as they aren’t made for that job.
Some Popular Tonneau Covers and Their Weight Capacity
Gator ETX:
Gator ETX is a soft roll-up tonneau cover. It can carry weight about 24 Ibs
Truxedo Truxport:
This soft roll-up tonneau cover can hold about 15 pounds of weight over it.
Retraxpro MX:
Retraxpro MX is a retractable truck bed cover. This tonneau cover can carry a weight between 80-90 Ibs.
Rugged liner E-series:
This tonneau cover can hold a weight of between 50-70 Ibs.
Undercover SE:
This tonneau cover can bear weight between 80-110 Ibs.
Bakflip MX4:
Bakflip MX4 can hold a weight up to 400 pounds.
Retraxpro XR:
This tonneau cover from Retrax can hold up to 500lbs of weight over it. This is one of the few tonneau covers capable of carrying this much weight.
Conclusion
It is better to know all the details about the tonneau cover before you purchase it. If you are planning to carry something over the tonneau cover, it is safe to buy a hard tonneau cover. Though some soft tonneau covers are capable of carrying quite a bit of weight, it’s not a good idea to do so. It can damage the vinyl tarp.
Read More:
List of top tonneau cover made for a fifth wheel hitch
Tacoma tonneau cover
Top truck bed cover under $300
