Alum Roll-away Covers...
 

I searched for "tonneau" and I searched for "box cover". And yes - a few threads came up, but I found zero references to the type of cover I'm looking at. (And I'm not interested in the Peragon. IMO it is a bizarre design. Plus I believe it will be especially troublesome in snowy weather...which characterizes half the friggin' year here)

I like the Roll 'n' Lock [BT102A], the Pace Edwards Full Meatal JackRabbit [FMFA06A29] & the Retrax ProMX [80374]. Matte black and non-electric in each case.

Does anyone have any first-hand experience, please?

RollNLock - If you can install the tailgate hardware piece, it will be the most secure cover of the group because it has four locking points (two into the hardware piece and two into the side rails). If your truck has the internal tailgate step or the auto tailgate down feature, you can't install the tailgate piece. The model number that you're showing is the A-Series which is better than the M-Series. The cover retracts further into the canister than Retrax and Pace Edward covers which gives you more room when the cover is opened up all the way. On a slightly down side, the RNL covers are a bit picky on position. If the cover gets out of position, it will not close properly. You need to keep an eye on it.

RetraxPro MX - This cover is not spring loaded like the others. You can move the cover into any position and lock it into place. It has two locking points. If you are a short person, this cover will be the easiest to operate. The canister is larger than the canisters of the other two covers so less stuff will fit underneath the canister. There are several companies that offer rebadged RetraxPro MX's including LINE-X. You might be able to get the same exact cover at a lower price and a better warranty.

PE Full Metal Jack Rabbit - My least favorite. I've always questioned the long term durability of this cover. I suggest you should find some owners that have had the cover for at least one year and see what they have to say.

Another option to look into, I have the Truck Covers USA , American roll series. I have had zero issues with mine. Once I had everything shimmed up properly it has been virtually waterproof. Only a few drops on the tailgate after hours of interstate driving in the rain.

i looked into the rolling covers when i was hunting and i found lots of reviews that said they all had problems, in one fashion or another, when winter/snow came. living in ohio that killed it for me. i ended up with the bak mx4 and i am very happy. install was a breeze, works like a charm, looks great on the truck and can double as a headache rack if need be.

190429:
* UPDATE *
I still don't have the truck (although for several reasons I have opted not to wait for the MY2020's to become available) but I have had each of the five aluminum retractable covers in my shopping cart for several weeks. They all fluctuate in price on an almost daily basis, and today one of my top picks (LG102M) dropped sixty bucks - which is the biggest reduction I've seen - so I grabbed it.

I immediately called the nice man @ Roll 'n' Lock to clarify the tailgate lock bar question, and he told me:

1) since the tailgate houses the hide-away folding step...the tailgate lock bar cannot be utilized
2) they are phasing out the tailgate lock bar in a couple of months anyway
3) since my truck has power locks from the factory, the entire rear end is as secure as can be without the tailgate lock bar

I also learned that I had misunderstood the primary purpose of the tailgate lock bar all along. I thought it was to provide additional security for the rolling cover...but in fact it was to provide additional security for the tailgate! Evidently the tailgate had no lock of its own(??) so the cover was holding onto the tailgate. Who knew? Anyway - he says the tailgate lock bar and the two additional latches will very likely appear in the installation docs as optional add-ons..but that I should ignore that.

I also asked him about snow/ice. Obviously I would sweep off the regular accumulations of snow prior to opening the cover - that goes without saying. But here in Ontario Canada, when there are accumulations of snow...the temp is typically well below freezing. And it remains well below freezing for days & days & days. It's inevitable that a certain amount of snow/ice will get past the sweeper bar on top of the canister. And if it subsequently melted it would just dribble out the drain tubes as water. But in reality it will sit in there for weeks without melting. Hmmm. And perhaps have more added to it now & then. Hmmm. But he says not to worry - as long as I maintain it (by ensuring that the drain tubes are clear of debris now & then) it should be fine.

I'm not worried. I had my Ranger for four or five winters, and I rarely needed to open the cover (I was able to do 90% of what I needed to do by opening just the tailgate) And for those occasions where there's no choice...I will just sweep/blow it completely clean before I open it. Since it's black, it won't take long to warm up if the sun is shining!

I will follow up in a few months.

So, you decided on the M-Series instead of the better A-Series?

Yes. And I hear you. It’s one of the three thousand items that exist for every vehicle that are offered in two or more quality/function levels. And I thought about it alot before deciding, particularly recalling my usage & impressions of the cover I had on my Ranger for four years. And I chose the less expensive option ($390 less) because I feel that it is the optimal choice for me.

It's nice to have choices!

Lots of good choices out there, and that is a good thing. I've owned several covers in the past...mostly of the trim-fold type design. With my 2017 standard bed supercrew I ultimately decided on the Retrax Pro XR. I like the solid metal design, the rollers work well and smooth, the ability to lock in any position, and then the T-mount tracks are what sold me. There are frequently promotions from Retrax and when purchased mine it was for a Yakima rack system. It took a while to get due to backorder situation from Yakima, but I have it now and look forward to a lot o great usage.

For install, I did it with the help of my son in probably 90 minutes. We had to do some adjustments and measurements to get things aligned, but once it was dialed in it was great. A little stiff to open and close until it settled in and broke in a bit, but now there is just enough tension (in my opinion) for open/close operations. I like a little friction so it doesn't move around too much.

I found a great deal on mine through Tonneau Covers World (a Realtruck company who is a great board sponsor) and I'm sure they will serve you well.

Here are a couple pictures on my truck

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...fc3cacc095.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...9ceecb8fab.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...f1d481be26.jpg

I am desperately trying to decide between this RetraxPro XR and the TCUSA American Roll on my 2019 Platinum shortbed. Loved my previous RetraxOne but uncertain about how the XR lays on top of the bed rails. Still feel cargo is secure?

I would have to say yes. I do feel it's as secure as this type of solution can be. It does sit on that rails, but most do to one degree or another. I think it is significantly better than my last trim-fold (Bakflip). All of these covers can be breached. One could shove a pry-bar or something under the cover and force it open but for me I am good with the balance between functionality, security and durability. I have no experience with the American Roll but it lookalike a good design. It seems to lay on top if the rails like the Retrax but I see the tailgate section has a cover to the edge of the cover, but it's not clear to me without spending more time looking what's needed to set that up.

In the end, I am happy with the Retrax and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it it aligns with your priorities. The balance could swing one way or another, from one solution to another.

Thanks, I appreciate it. Just trying to decide whether to jump on the free rails by the end of the day!

YIKES! Today is the last day to get a FREE set of Yakima Jetstream load bars with the purchase of a RetraxPro XR!

I didn't realize the Yakima promotion was back. That was a tipping point for me. The solution is a really useful (for me) addition proving tons of options. I found it to be a very easy install and it looks "right" vs just something added later.

Thanks guys, I jumped on the RetraxPro XR. Just got to go find some cool stuff to haul on the Yakima rails now.......

* Update *
So - here’s the finished cover. I like it very much. The track alignment is a bit fussy - and I found it very stiff - but I remain confident that it may loosen up after 20 or 30 open/close cycles. The techsupp gentleman is VERY helpful, and has sent me instructions on adding some tension to the spring...which I did on 190721. Oh - and sure enough the tailgate lock pieces *were* in the box...but are not needed.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...abe545ff0.jpeg

another vote for the RetraxPRO here. Had the standard PRO MX on my 2016 Silverado and recenty added the RetraxPRO XR for the 2019. Execellent fit and finish on this one. I wasn't going to purchase a new one right away but I got a smoking deal from my local Line-X dealer that I simply could not pass up.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...0f4498c88a.jpg
full body shot of the RetraxPRO XR