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Tonneau Cover locking systems

Over the years there's been much debate on which tonneau cover locks the best, which tonno cover offers the best security, why some truck bed covers come with key locks while others don't seem to etc. Being somewhat of an expert on tonneau covers and the way they secure your cargo, I figured I'd drop my two cents into the hat and clear up some confusion:

If you cannot get into your truck bed when your tonneau cover is closed, it means that IT IS LOCKED! I once got emailed the definition of the word lock by a competitor of ours, insisting that our tonneau covers didn't lock, because we preferred to use the OEM tailgate lock as a means to secure our covers, rather than rely on an aftermarket set of keys. Not being one to argue over semantics, I responded merely by saying that by our measure, if a tonneau cover remains closed and cannot be opened unless you can open the tailgate, it is still locked. I never heard from them again. The reason I mention this episode is to clear up some misnomers that exist because some tonneau cover companies choose to confuse consumers by trying to justify an old school approach to a modern day solution.

The fact is this; Many years ago there was no such thing as a locking tailgate. If you wanted to lock your tonneau cover it would need to be equipped with a set of locks. One old school image that we can all relate to is the one piece tonneau cover that hangs over the tailgate and then locks from the top. These are pretty secure tonneau covers, but are nothing short of awful in terms of practicality, unless of course you want to turn your beautiful truck into a station wagon.

Back then, you could also find the first attempt at hard folding tonneau covers employ the use of large, clumsy looking locks that were so bulky they actually took up bed space and while you could lock the tonneau cover, you could actually still open the tailgate. Which genius came up with that idea? I mean come on folks! So now, companies like Fold-A-Cover could say that their tonneau covers locked, but fail to mention that you can still access the bed through the tailgate. So what exactly is the point of a lock on top of the cover that doesn't offer security, tends to break more often than not and is directly subject to the rain, snow, dust, dirt and thieves to try and pick? It must have been intriguing to some, because wouldn't you know it, retractable tonneau cover manufacturer Pace Edwards began employing the same useless system on their covers. I say give them all a raise!

A few years later, Roll-n-Lock, a company that makes retractable tonneau covers decided that drilling multiple holes into the tailgate by installing a bar to which their cover could lock would solve the problem. It worked, but I for one don't want to drill tons of holes into my brand new pickup truck.

Then came the avalanche of soft tonneau covers. Soft rolling tonneau's, soft folding tonneaus, tonneau covers, that no matter how you diced or sliced them, could frankly speaking, still be diced and sliced. I don't care how secure your truck or tailgate is, a soft vinyl tonneau cover cannot be deemed lockable if security is at the heart of the matter.

The reality is that we are living in an age where truck tailgates lock. Whether you drive a Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Toyota or Nissan truck, the tailgate is lockable. If it's not, companies like , Bully or Dynolock all produce very good tailgate locks that will turn your non lockable tailgate into one that locks for very little money. So, BAK Industries, being the most progressive tonneau cover manufacturer in the world, has totally revolutionized the way a tonneau cover locks, but employing the use of slam latches to the underside of its tonneau covers. SImply put, this patented technology allows the tonneau cover to automatically engage the rails on which it sits, merely by being closed. Close a BakFlip panel and the panel is locked down. Retract a RollBak tonneau cover and the tonneau cover automatically latches shut. No more need for redundant aftermarket keys, no exposure of keyholes to the elements. Just lock your tailgate and your tonneau cover is locked.

If you're like me, then you want the key you drive with to be the same key you lock your tonneau cover with. It's a matter keeping up with the times.