Has anyone had experience with a tonneau cover or cap for the bed? I used to have a tonneau cover on my Ranger, and it seemed to help with gas mileage when dealing with Wyoming’s interstate winds. I’m considering getting one for my F-150 do you think it’s worth it?
Another option is a cap. I would love to set it up for my dogs to hang out in, and with the power rear window, they could poke their heads through. My concern is how the extra weight might impact range since caps seem heavy, and I would want a matching hardcover. Plus, the cost might be a bit high. They do look great, though!
I got the Retrax One XR and I really like it. It offers a small boost in efficiency and keeps the bed mostly dry, protecting items from the worst of the rain. I installed it myself, though the cassette does take up some bed space.
However, it doesn’t get in the way of using a forklift to load a pallet. It’s perfect for camping, and I’m planning to add crossbars for a gear box since the t-slots make that possible.
I have a BakFlip folding tonneau, and it works well, but it doesn’t fit perfectly with the tailgate cap, so the power close function occasionally fails. On my previous F-150, I had a Leer folding tonneau, which I really liked.
However, I didn’t purchase it again because their support was unresponsive when I needed a few replacement parts. In the end, I believe folding tonneaus are the best option, but I can’t really recommend a specific brand.
A Ford Lariat ER was tested in a wind tunnel you can find the video online. The results showed that having a cover on the truck bed is slightly better for fuel efficiency than not having one.
However, the worst option is to have the tailgate open. So, next time you see someone driving with their tailgate up or using a cargo net, you know they’re probably not helping their gas mileage.
