When researching different covers, I often read about how much weight the aluminum covers can support and saw pictures of people standing on the covers, four wheelers on the covers, etc. Personally, I never plan to put anything on top of my cover - that's not what I bought it for. So why did I pay extra money for the aluminum cover as opposed to the Lexan? I believed (and still believe) that the aluminum cover looks better, will rattle FAR less, and will hold up better over the years (rain, snow, ice, etc)

 

Congrats Hubster! That looks sweet! I missed you posting this until right now so glad you finally came to a decision. Now if I can do the same. How was the installation? Does it fit well and install easy?

 

Hi Gators,

Sometimes you make a decision and then aren't sure if you made the right one or not - while I like the BedTred I bought and installed, I'm still not sure I shouldn't have gotten the Bed Rug instead. But then again, I'm not sure I shouldn't have gotten the BedTred. I'm just undecided.

This is not the case with the Retrax Pro. After doing a tons of research and after buying it, I am totally happy with the decision and can't think back to any cover I researched as possibly being better for me and my needs.

As far as the installation goes, the written instructions and an online Youtube video I found made the instruction look VERY easy. Having said that, there are no drain holes in the bed of the 2011 F150 Platinum so two holes had to be drilled for the drain tubes. The two holes have to be drilled through your bedliner and through the two plastic caps just above your bed floor. The good news is that if you screw up the holes the plastic caps are replaceable at a very low cost.

Having said all that, I just didn't trust myself to drill the holes. My fear was that I would end up drilling holes that were too large and that the drain tubes would be too loose. So I broke-down and had it professionally installed by my local shop. I figured it was worth the $200 to make sure the holes were drilled correctly and the tubes fit tight. The guys at the shop did a great job. By the way, this particular shop only sales the RollNlock series so I had to buy the Retrax Pro and take it to them to install. The owner/operator of the shop was so impressed with the Retrax Pro that he told me he had gone online and completed the application process to become a Retrax dealer. He said it was a better cover and easier to install. He said that if I had gotten the RollNlock he would have had to trim the BedTred on my tailgate because it was slightly thicker than 1/8 inch. When I asked him why that mattered he said the RollNlock will only latch if you have a perfect 1/8 inch gap between the cover and the tailgate, whereas the Retrax Pro will latch in any position so the the thickness of your bed liner doesn't matter.

Only time will tell, but thus far I really, really like it. At the end of the day, it's only a truck cover, so I guess I shouldn't have stressed about the buying decision. But I really love my F150 and I think this cover is perfect for my particular truck and my particular needs.

 

Thanks! It looks great! I had called the place you purchased it from when they had their 15% off sale and they said the retrax was not eligible but did offer me the 10% off with free shipping.

 

Hi Hubster,

Do you still like your BedTred? Have a very similar setup to yourself with the RetraxPRO (INCREDIBLE product btw), and trying to decide between the BedTred and BedRug. Any thoughts or experience would be VERY appreciated. Thanks!

 

Wait, were you asking about my bed cover or the one that broke down on my dad's truck?

 

Ahren,

I still very much like my BedTred, but I think I would have been just as happy, if not happier, with a BedRug. I think it really comes down to how dirty you plan to get the bed of your truck. The BedTred cleans up easier, but the BedRug is softer and thicker. I would take either over a drop-in or spray-in liner.

 

Thanks Hubster. I ended up going with the BedTred and have been quite pleased. After touching both products I personally didn't feel like I needed the extra cushioning, and the bedtred felt more grippy. (and is it!) Also I could see myself grumbling about the carpet in the bed of my truck ever getting dirty.

 

Hubster - How is the Retrax Pro working for you a year later?

 

I have a question about the Retrax too - how much of the front of the bed do you lose to the canister with this cover versus a Roll-N-Lock or other cover?

 

I don't have exact measurements, but they are all about 1 foot.

 

Thanks TruckGasm. The bed on my Tacoma was 73.5 inches, and when I put the motorcycles in I had to keep the tailgate down. I was excited to have a truck with a 81.8 inch bed, so I could actually close the tailgate. But I also want to keep my cargo secure, so if I get a locking tonneau cover, I'll end up with 70 inches of usable space. So I guess I'll be back to leaving the tailgate down when I load the bikes. Or I stick with a soft tonneau cover that leave plenty of room in the front of the bed.

The other factor is the height of the bed. If the front is high enough, (I'm pretty sure the F250 bed is deeper than the Taco bed) then the front tires of the bikes might fit under the canister...