Retrax truck bed cover question

[TAArrowood]

Hey fellows, I’m looking at various truck bed covers for my truck (2008 Ford F250 6.4 diesel in excellent condition). I’ve looked at several makes/models, but keep coming back to the Real Truck Retrax XR model. I was just wonder if anyone has personal experience with this cover and can comment on it. I’m looking for security, weather/water protection, quality of build, etc. thanks in advance for any input ( positive or negative). Thanks.

 

[HingleMcCringleberry]

My pickup had a three piece folding tonneau cover when I bought it. It now has a mid rise a.r.e. topper.

In my opinion a topper is the way to go. Unless you load an atv or something regularly and don't want to use a trailer.

 

[IDShane]

I bought a used Retrax for my Raptor and so far I really like it. I also have Bakflip on my work truck and it serves the purpose too.

 

[grfox92]

My wife's 2008 f150 has the Retrax. Not sure how old it is as it was on the truck when we got it. It is a sweet cover, keeps everything dry, locks rolls out of the way.

However, wind driven rain will allow water into the bed right by the tail gait. This is windy Wyolimg however so that may have something to do with that. It's also cracking in some spots where it creases to roll up, but doest leak and could have to do with kids walking on it, (when they've been told a million times not to.) Last, where you mount the box that the cover rolls back into in the front of the bed is kind of bulky, she has a 5.5 foot bed and it takes up quite a bit of real-estate in there. You can still go underneath it with a shoot of ply wood or smaller items. But in a 6 foot or under bed it is bug. I bet in an 8 foot bed you would hardly notice it.

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[schmalzy]

I’ve had one on two trucks. It was decent, but I did get really tired of the canister and losing that bed space.

I have since switched the bakflip and like it quite a bit more. Much more low profile as well.


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[TAArrowood]

I like the Retrax primarily because I could attach track mounted carriers, a tent, etc and still get into the bed with no interference I’ve heard that they are probably not the most waterproof, but other than that folks seem to be fairly positive. Thanks for the comments and keep them coming. I’m hoping to buy something during the Black Friday sales.

 

[Jkr61]

I have one with Thule racks for paddle board and other items. Works great for me. It is garaged though. A buddy of mine has similar setup but outside and we get a lot of snow then sun so at times the melt during the day freezes at night making it a pain to open.

 

[Article 4]

Have had them both. Had the Retrax on the diesel and have a hard folding 3 piece on my Tundra. Retrax takes up some bed space so not optimal on a short bed, also in the winter, it can freeze open.
Prefer the 3 piece for those reasons and it holds up to 300lbs so snow can stack up on it without an issue.

 

[HuntHarder]

Bakflip MX4 here. The retrax cannister taking up bed space was a deal breaker with my short bed.

 

[schmalzy]

Too add, I think you can get the bakflip with the t slot rail like the retrax has.


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[RadialJett]

Running a retrax on my ‘21 Ranger. Some water leaks by tailgate, but nothing substantial. Canister does take up space, I have a couple gear bags under it because there’s nowhere else to store gear in the truck. Bed space is limited, not that it was generous to begin with.

Ran a bakflip on my previous F-150, saved a lot of space in the bed, but I did not like covering the rear window anytime I put bulky stuff in the bed.

 

[mtnbound]

Hey fellows, I’m looking at various truck bed covers for my truck (2008 Ford F250 6.4 diesel in excellent condition). I’ve looked at several makes/models, but keep coming back to the Real Truck Retrax XR model. I was just wonder if anyone has personal experience with this cover and can comment on it. I’m looking for security, weather/water protection, quality of build, etc. thanks in advance for any input ( positive or negative). Thanks.

I have one on my truck, and some water leakage comes in around the tailgate. Security is great, and quality is good. I bought it because it is integrated with my Yakima stuff, and I will buy it again.

 

[TxLite]

Had a retrax 10 years ago when I was pipelining and liked it for keeping my stuff safe but had a couple issues with it. Some may be addressed in newer models.

-my model had gloss aluminum panels. It was miserable with a setting/rising sun when driving the opposite direction. It would reflect into the cab and was blinding.

-the aluminum slats would get hot as hell in the summer and burn the shit out of you if you touched it

-canister took up a ton of bed space

Ps- Plan on adding weather stripping around your tailgate or all your gear will get covered in dust. It gets sucked in around the gaps in the tailgate and has no airflow to blow it out

 

[tim tarras]

I had one and won't have one again. I live in Wisconsin and the melting snow and refreezing really played havoc on the plastic internal rails in the canister to the point they broke and had to be replaced. I went back to a topper and have never looked back.

 

[goodgrouper]

I have the retrax pro xr on my 22 f350. Three years old now. I love the security of the metal cover, functions well, and looks great. It’s not 100% water proof though. It leaks at the tailgate and the sides too.

 

[Seth]

As others have said, not 100% waterproof, but very secure. I have Yakima racks where I can take the bikes along and still have secure storage for other gear and equipment. I won’t have a truck without one.

 

[wapitibob]

Bakflip MX4 here. The retrax cannister taking up bed space was a deal breaker with my short bed.

yep, no way I'm losing a foot of bed space

 

[ddd-shooter]

Love mine, way better than the trifold on my work truck.
I don’t live where we get much snow, and my bed is 6’7” and I store tools under the canister. Perfect for us!

 

[TXHunt]

I have the Retrax on my F350 long bed and the Backflip on my F150 short bed. The Retrax takes up less than a foot of space and on my long bed I don't mind. I absolutely love the Retrax 1000% better than the backflip. Its much faster and easier to get to something up in the bed and when rolled all the way up it doesn't block the back window. The Backflip on the other hand every time you need to get something further up in the bed you have to keep folding the thing and it gets heavier with each fold. And if you need it all the way up, to use a goose neck trailer, the stupid thing blocks your entire rear view.

 

[jhoff04]

Not a huge fan of them. Takes up too much bed space, they can bind up with grit/ dust or icy conditions, and they are flat out expensive. There are much better rollup options for half the cost in my opinion.