[jclark2]

I hate to admit it, but I am one of those truck guys who seldom carries anything in the bed of the truck. I typically have a soft tonneau installed, but when I order my next truck [probably a 2023 Colorado], I’m wondering whether I should pay for a bed liner when the bed never sees the light of day. What am I missing here? I own a truck because it’s the most efficient and cost-friendly way to tow my boat. It’s nice to be able to haul a lawn mower once in a while, or a chair when my daughter buys one at a garage sale, but realistically my “hauling” could be done with either of our other two vehicles. Bed liner or no?

 

[gherbert]

If you are puuting something into the bed... Any Bedliner protects it.
All depends on what you do with your truck and what you want it to look like at the end

 

[char1982]

I have both. Softtop for when I’m not hauling stuff, Bedliner for when I am.

 

[CaryBosse]

I went with a tonneau and a rubber bed mat on my current truck. My plan was to have a spray in bedliner after it git scratched up, but so far it looks pretty good.

I do use a lot of moving blankets and so forth when hauling certain loads, so maybe I will never need to have it sprayed.

 

[gherbert]

I have a Tri Fold Hard Cover and a Bed Rug myself: (Older Pic)

 

[Tndriver]

I purchased a 21 four mos ago that came with a soft tri fold but the bed was scratched up, looked like crap. I have since coated it ans it looks great, All it takes is once... helping someone move, carrying something that can damage the paint. Also it does help with resale down the road. So I say yes...

 

[FireNative2]

I have both a Beg Rug liner, a hard tri folding tonneau cover, and a raised edge liner in my bed and in my cab. The Beg Rug has padding on the bottom for impact protection, the liner with raised edges contains dry and wet stuff from my rug and makes it super easy to use a battery leaf blower to blow out all the dry dirt out of my bed and if there is liquids all I have to do is either blow it out of the liner out the bed or pull the liner out and empty it in my yard. The tonneau cover is great for securing my tool box and other tools in my bed and mostly making it rain proof.

 

[leaky]

Biggest benefit of the bed liner is indeed to protect the bed but often the most heavily worked trucks lack any sort of liner and its of no consequence - the beds get beat up but still outlast the rest of the truck. And a liner isn't a magical layer to protect against say hunks of sharp steel or dents from dropping rocks. Mostly they are for cosmetics, although it is much tougher than paint and is somewhat impact dampening and non-skid - although a rubber mat beats a bed liner in both of those aspects.

With that said - they look a lot better and in Gen2 were like $375 from the factory which is a bargain compared to the $600 a quality aftermarket job costs. I wouldn't skip it. Even if it's purely for a slight chance of potential resale, or to prevent a few scratches, I think it's well worth the factory option if it's still priced similarly.

 

[Whiteec1]

Buy both. Resale value will pay for it.

 

[hyperv6]

Bed liner, with no cover or bed liner, bed rug or rubber mat if you have a cover.

The paint takes a beating and with sone protection it will remain looking good.

The cover is good if you live in snow or weather where you want a dry bed.

I have a hard Tri fold and love it. A good soft cover is good too if you buy a good one.

 

[littleblazer]

I've got a regular old roll up soft cover with a bedliner. Well... what's left of a bedliner. It took a beating. The cover looks great. I never liked the trifold... If I needed the whole bed now I have to move it or take it off... I just roll mine up and forget about it. Call me lazy.

 

[leaky]

I guess one thing I didn't read in here is why you want the cover?

I'd say unless you actually have a need, I'd skip the cover - they are really only good if you gotta somewhat secure stuff or keep it dry.

Outside of that they are a headache, in the way all the time, and those do not add value as many truck buyers have no use for them. My friends used truck dealership typically removes them as they go through the vehicle, are seen as a negative to have installed on the lot.

 

[david.mclean.008]

I hate to admit it, but I am one of those truck guys who seldom carries anything in the bed of the truck. I typically have a soft tonneau installed, but when I order my next truck [probably a 2023 Colorado], I’m wondering whether I should pay for a bed liner when the bed never sees the light of day. What am I missing here? I own a truck because it’s the most efficient and cost-friendly way to tow my boat. It’s nice to be able to haul a lawn mower once in a while, or a chair when my daughter buys one at a garage sale, but realistically my “hauling” could be done with either of our other two vehicles. Bed liner or no?

I prefer a rubber bed mat to a bed liner. Cargo is more inclined to stay put. I also have a roll-up soft tonneau.

 

[jclark2]

I had forgotten about rubber bed mats: good idea. I like to have a cover just in case I’m hauling loose stuff. I never carry rocks, dirt, firewood etc. I also like the looks of a covered bed.

 

[Hunter62]

I have a piece of carpet in the back, if I put something on it, it does not slide like with a bedliner
I can pick it up and shake it out, or hose it down
when hauling rock I lay a tarp over it and just pull the rock off with the tarp

right now I have my air compressor back there, I opened the tailgate and it has not moved from where I set it(in the middle)

I think a tonneau cover makes the truck over all look better and my Truxedo rolls up and I can remove it n 2 to 3 minutes

 

[CaryBosse]

I guess one thing I didn't read in here is why you want the cover?

I'd say unless you actually have a need, I'd skip the cover - they are really only good if you gotta somewhat secure stuff or keep it dry.

Outside of that they are a headache, in the way all the time, and those do not add value as many truck buyers have no use for them. My friends used truck dealership typically removes them as they go through the vehicle, are seen as a negative to have installed on the lot.

I find a cover is great for my needs. And the soft roll up is never in my way if I need full bed access.

 

[leaky]

I find a cover is great for my needs. And the soft roll up is never in my way if I need full bed access.

Depends on your use case. My dad always has a cover of some sort because he's putting skis back there - security and so they aren't full of snow. Makes sense.

But even the roll up ones you have those rails on the inside of the bed, they get in the way or are a thing you gotta avoid damaging, just stuff that gets in the way. You put up with it since you need it.

If you have a use case it can make sense but for most people it doesn't, they bought a pickup and they want the bed open.

 

[HED]

I’ve had either an insert or spray-in on every truck I’ve owned, for rust and damage prevention. You ride will also be much more comfortable at high speeds by eliminating the turbulence created by wind hitting the tailgate, by covering or lowering the tailgate.

 

[leaky]

I have a piece of carpet in the back, if I put something on it, it does not slide like with a bedliner
I can pick it up and shake it out, or hose it down
when hauling rock I lay a tarp over it and just pull the rock off with the tarp

right now I have my air compressor back there, I opened the tailgate and it has not moved from where I set it(in the middle)

I think a tonneau cover makes the truck over all look better and my Truxedo rolls up and I can remove it n 2 to 3 minutes

I dunno, I don't personally like the look - to me it would be good on a lowered truck sorta thing.

As far as the bed liner, yeah a lot of stuff slides around still. I have a rubber mat over my spray in liner. Best of both worlds.

 

[snowwy66]

A liner is good to protect the bed.
Scrape the paint and now your likely to rust out.

My cover was only used for weeds and what not. The rest of the time it stayed rolled up.