Retrax retractable tonneau covers

Most owners are well served by the PRO MX. Step up to the PRO XR if you plan to carry anything above the bed, and to the PowertraxPRO if you open the cover often enough that a button is worth the price.

The canister sits at the front of the bed, behind the cab. RealTruck puts it at roughly 8 to 11 inches of bed length depending on the cover and truck. For most owners that is a fair trade for a cover that disappears. If you use every inch of the bed, haul long items against the bulkhead or run a 5th wheel or gooseneck hitch, a BAKFlip MX4 or BAK Revolver X4s keeps the whole floor, which is why we carry both styles.

Because the Retrax locks at any point, you can open just enough to reach a bag or clear a tall load.

RealTruck says the PRO MX is tested from -40°F to 180°F and at 0 to 95 percent humidity, with components designed to avoid freezing or binding. Water that gets past the seals drains out through tubes at the front corners. Two habits still matter: clear snow and ice off the cover before you open it, and never force it open after an ice storm or a car wash. Tap around the edges to break the ice rather than pulling on the handle.

The care rule owners miss: do not lubricate the rails or the sealed ball bearings. Retrax says lubrication voids the warranty, and it rules out strong chemicals and cleaners too. Keep the tracks clean of dirt and grit instead. Like every cover it is weather-resistant, not waterproof, and Retrax's warranty excludes water intrusion. In normal Front Range use, major winter problems are not typical, though extreme snow, ice or cold can affect any cover with moving parts. For track, drain and seal care, follow Retrax's current guidance.

The PRO XR is the PRO MX with the Trax Rail system along the sides, which takes T-slot accessories such as crossbars, bike and kayak carriers and cargo holders, so the cover still retracts underneath. It is the Retrax to pick if a rack is anywhere in your plans. Tell us what you plan to carry, because not every rack works on every truck.

The PowertraxPRO opens and closes from either of its two key fobs. Electromagnetic brakes stop it and lock it at any point along the bed, so you can open exactly as much as you need. A button on the fob runs an LED cargo light in the canister, which shuts itself off, and the cover stores in an anti-rub spiral canister on sealed, maintenance-free ball-bearing rollers. It clamps on with no drilling on most trucks, but it needs power at the bed, which is the part most owners would rather leave to a shop. We wire it the way Retrax specifies, normally straight to the battery through the required fuse. The whole install takes about 2.5 hours, against about 90 minutes for a PRO MX.

The warranty differs from the PRO MX: Retrax's warranty policy gives the PowertraxPRO a limited lifetime warranty with replacement costs prorated after three years, where the PRO MX and PRO XR get no-cost replacements for the life of the cover. If you rarely open the cover, the manual PRO MX gives you the same slats, rating and lock-anywhere use for about $650 less.

The complaints you will find online are leaks at the front corners, a cover that binds in its tracks, and tall cargo catching when the cover closes over it. Most come back to setup and habit: drain tubes routed and clear, rails set square, tracks kept clean, and a look before closing the cover over a full bed. We don't see major recurring problems on the Retrax covers we install, though a Retrax can need an adjustment from time to time.

Retrax covers are made for most full-size and mid-size pickups. Exact fit depends on the model year, bed length and factory options, so send us your year, make, model and bed length and we will confirm the right cover.