Truck Bed Cover: Retrax vs. Roll N Lock

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The best truck bed cover options

I decided not to go with a truck shell. Sometimes I need to haul taller objects that don’t fit under the shell. For the same reason, I didn’t want a hard tonneau cover (although they look really nice when matched to the same color as the vehicle.

The remaining options are to get a bed cover. So many different choices. But I choose to not let the cost be the determining factor this time. I didn’t feel a fold up cover would be secure because there are so many break-ins around boat ramps anymore.

Thieves figure our unattended trucks are an easy target. Even with an alarm, you’re out of earshot once you leave the dock area. So, I like the retractable bed covers.

My previous truck was a GMC Sierra 1500

On my previous truck I had the Roll N Lock. It worked well. I choose that one because it looked like the best option that was displayed in the local truck accessory shop.

Roll N Lock Truck Bed Cover

The Roll N lock served me well and I didn't have many issues. 

However, on an uneven surface, it was hard to open. 

And several times, when I wasn't careful to make sure the cover was connected to the tail gate, it slid open. I had some gear fly out. It was my fault, but make sure the cover is securely closed.

Also, the Roll N Lock is covered with a fabric so I was worried about it fading in the hot Texas sun.

My new Ford F150 bed cover

RetraxProMX in Matte Black

This time I did some searching online for all the options. I found the Retrax. It looked nice in the matte black finish and seemed more durable than the soft vinyl-like fabric covering of the Roll N Lock.

The RetraxPro MX retractable cover offers some great options:

It is durable.

The aluminum matte finish is sturdy, which for me was was preferable to the RetraxONE polycarbonate finish.

Unlike the Roll N Lock, you can lock down the cover anywhere along the running track. (The Roll N Lock has set positions where the cover will stop.)

Unlike the Roll N Lock, the cover doesn’t require pulling it all the way to the tailgate to lock it.

I bought the cover online through eBay. I made sure to get the correct model without cutouts for the top rail tie down holes because my truck had a protection cap over the top of the bed side.

The matte black looks great with my black truck

One thing I discovered when I began to install it was that nowhere did I read before hand that if you have a drop-in bed liner like I do, that you have to notch out the liner for the canister to fit. I didn’t discover that until I opened the box and began looking at the installation instructions. By this time I had the cover out of the box and was really anxious to get it installed. I had to stop and run and get a tool to cut a notch in the bed liner. That made what would have been an easy one hour or less job turn into nearly two hours by the time I went to the Home Depot store and back.

After cutting out a little triangle in the bed liner, installation went without a hitch.

One note: the Retrax canister is a little larger than the Roll N Lock so you lose some bed space.

I really like the Retrax over the Roll N Lock but I was not unhappy with the Roll N Lock because I didn’t know any better on the previous truck.

I found the best price on eBay and installed it myself. It was easy if you have any ability. But it's nice to have someone help you lift it in place.

I searched for a listing that says "make offer," so I sent in an offer for a little less than the listed price and was able to save a little more money too.

Make Your Tow Vehicle Shine

When I was shopping for new truck, I found a model with everything I wanted at a good price.

Only it was black. Not my first choice.

Black looks great when it is clean and shiny. But it's not easy.

The first thing I did when I got the truck is go to a hand car wash. I had it washed and waxed. It looked great—for a few days.

Then the water spots from a recent rain looked terrible. I was looking for a way to keep it shiny. My cousin recommended a product called F11.

I ordered two bottles (I wasn't sure how much to get, and if it worked, I was going to do both vehicles and the boat.

I followed the simple instructions and the truck looked good. Then a few days later I put on a second coat. And about a week later the third coat.

I ended up using a bottle and a half of the 16 oz size. That is probably more than I needed to do, but I was anxious to have something easy to maintain. And, I kept the application cloth soaked in the product so I wouldn't scratch the paint.

One day I was in a store parking lot (cleaning off bird splatter) and a couple guys walked by and commented on the shine. I knew I was onto something.

At work, people comment about the shine of my truck. I purposely park next to other dark vehicles so they can see the difference.

Sometimes the truck get dusty from daily use. I bought a fine cleaning brush called a California Carduster at Walmart. Just dust off the vehicle with a light touch.

But no matter what, you're going to get water spots from rain or in my case, the lawn sprinkler. It leaves little spots. Sometimes it gets dirty from road grime. But rather than re-apply F11, I rinse off the vehicle at the car wash. (I have hard water at my house so I don't like to use my hose.)

No need to use the soap. If it's really dusty/dirty I use the rinse cycle, wipe everything off but leave it wet. (I use the same soft cloth I used to apply F11.)

Next, I rinse with the spot free cycle. I wipe down with a dry micro fiber towel (it may take more than one towel.) and then buff lightly with another dry towel. I follow the same basic steps as when I applied the F11. That final wipe down brings out the shine. Don't rub too hard so you don't scratch the surface. It's been about 6 months since the first F11 application and I don't plan to reapply F11 for another month or two.

There may be better tips. How do you keep your tow vehicle shiny?