Originally Posted by _Flea_

I'm considering a '13 Limited, and I'm trying to plan ahead for a tonneau cover for it if I get it. My question is, what would be the reasons to choose a Leer 700/550 or A.R.E. LSX/Ultra over an Undercover SE/LUX?

The size of the Leer and A.R.E. make them look more stout and solid, but I believe the Undercover is actually stronger. I'm not sure if the paint would hold up better on the fiberglass Leer and A.R.E. than the Undercover, so I guess that's another question I have. And I'm also not sure what the pricing is of each. I think a lighter cover would be better for fuel economy as well, over a heavier cover.

If quality is pretty much the same and the Undercover SE/LUX is a good bit lighter, I don't know what the reason would be to choose a heavier tonneau cover. So please, help me out. As with any thread, pictures are always welcome.

Thanks, guys!

Oh, and my intended use.... Most of the time the cover would stay on the truck. I'd use the bed for luggage on trips (I work out of state and travel back and forth every two weeks, and the truck would be used on vacations to visit relatives) and for Pelican cases for rifles when I go to the range. There would be other random things I'd stick back there as well. There would be a few occasions when I'd need to use the entire bed and I'd need to remove the cover. If I went with one of the Leer or A.R.E. covers, I'd probably wind up getting a small, cheap trailer so I wouldn't have to remove the cover and find a place a stick it. That's one thing that's a plus for the Undercover, since it can hang on a wall when not being utilized on the truck and it's light enough for one person to remove. But if the Leer or A.R.E. covers are really that much better, getting a trailer wouldn't really be a problem.

Originally Posted by SultanGris

I prefer the flat invisible roll up canister style to the paint to match leer cap style personally, but they both look good. I haul too much stuff to have to put up with the leer style, limits your bed usability too much in my opinion.

Originally Posted by rigrat2011

hey man....

i've read the whole thread. while i didn't get a cap, i did get a canopy. a leer to be upfront. why? simple... you look anywhere and go everywhere, you'll find a leer dealer faster than any other dealer. i had quality and customer service as priority above looks. the last canopy i had, was a leer legend(base model canopy) and it was on a 2002 dakota. i didn't buy that truck brand new, but i could tell the canopy was on since new. i lost the truck in an accident in nov 2010. the insurance agency i dealt with offered me 125 for the canopy. they tried to claim age etc on it. i said that i had a spray in, westin nerf bars, CAI, and poweraid... and that the canopy wasn't purchsed for 125 and if he says that to me again, i'd get a lawyer. anyways, he called back and gave me 1000 for it. i checked, it was 1700 new, and at the time of the crash, it was 9 years old. so, what ever you pick, the leer can hold the value in the long run.

and again, yea i know i'm talking about canopys, but i'm just saying that my next canopy, was a leer again. but this time since it's my money, i almost went all out on it.

so, i'm putting my vote for leer.

and also, i've seen a few truck, where the cap sits higher on the front with the hinges and sags pretty badly in the rear.

anyways remember, if you need to get it fixed or warranty, you'll find a leer dealer faster than any other. IMO.

but it's your pocket book... it's your decision.

Originally Posted by SultanGris

I prefer the flat invisible roll up canister style to the paint to match leer cap style personally, but they both look good. I haul too much stuff to have to put up with the leer style, limits your bed usability too much in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Horse Doctor

Flea,

Disconnect the hydraulic supports from the bed, loosen the ***** at the front and slide it off. I have done it myself easily in 5 minutes. It is even quicker with a helper.

Originally Posted by _Flea_

The dealer network is definitely something worth taking into consideration. I work out of state, and if there's ever an issue with the cover in the state I live or the state I work, it should be easy to get help. Thanks for bringing mentioning that point. I really only considered that with SnugTop, because the closest dealer is over 500 miles from me. But with Leer dealers all over, it would make things much easier if there was an issue.

I used to use my bed a lot more often than I do now. Now, it mostly just gets used for going to the shooting range, hauling the daughter's stroller, and other things that are lower than the bed rails. However, I do make occasional trips to the dump or purchase/haul large items. I don't do that very often, though. That's why I would probably just buy a cheapie trailer to use when I need to haul something higher than the bed rails. Mostly, the bed of my truck seems to just be a giant trunk. I don't mind that at all, though, because some of the stuff I stick back there is pretty dirty and I wouldn't want it inside an SUV. Plus, I'd still have the option to use it as a regular truck bed if I wanted. Personally, I like the looks of a nicely painted cover that matches the rest of the truck, although I can see the beauty in a cover that definitely puts function first.

Thanks. That sounds pretty easy.

Originally Posted by clpeller

Leer 550. Love the looks. Never had any water get in. Ask any questions you need, was too lazy to read everything. Lol.