I was in the market for a retractable tonneau cover but had to go a different route due to the size of the canisters that would not have allowed me to fit my kayak's nose under which meant that I would've lost 1 foot of length, protruding the kayak further out (which I wanted to avoid given how short a Ranger's 5' bed is). I knew I wanted a hard cover but did not particularly like folding covers because of how much space they took when folded up, pretty much covering the entire rear view window. I disliked the idea of not being able to see behind me in order to keep an eye on my cargo or while reversing with the tailgate down. The Revolver X4S's design is pretty much the solve for my situation. Hard cover, gives me full bed access, will not block my view, and no large canister to worry about.Being that this was my first tonneau cover install ever, I made sure to watch as many install videos as possible. As prepared as I was though, there were definitely some hiccups along the way. There were vehicle specific brackets with no install directions that caused considerable confusion. I had to install it without them to then realize I definitely needed them in order to get the fitment correct. After uninstalling the cover and finally solving what position the brackets needed to be in, installation then became quite simple and certainly doable in a span of 30-40 mins. The bulk of the time was really spent on tightening the bed brackets onto the sidewall. Since Ford Rangers (or at least mine) have short smooth sidewalls, it was an aggravating process because of how easy it is for the brackets to slip off regardless of the teeth. After a total 2.5hrs with help, the fitment was where it needed to be.Now for the issues. As other reviews mention, there are quality control issues. Only after finishing the install did I notice these things. My cover is not completely flat. It has a large groove/bump towards the front (same as another review pictured). While the bulge does not interfere with the closing or create any side gap, it IS extremely noticeable visually. So if you're OCD about it, it may give you a problem. For me, I could live with it but I mean, at this price point given that I could have purchased a retractable aluminum for less- this shouldn't be acceptable. It also arrived with a broken corner cap which leads me to the next issue - this is NOT as secure as most other covers. I don't want to elaborate but revealing the closing mechanism is very simple if known. While most covers are not 100 theft-proof, they should act as a deterrent. So being that it would only take seconds for someone to open this cover if they were aware of this is concerning to say the least. Why couldn't this piece have been made of metal and be permanently fixed? I'm not sure. The ends of the rails are also VERY sharp so make sure to shave/file them down a bit.Overall, it looks and feels great despite the issues above. I've emailed the company for replacement corner caps. I don't expect to keep valuable items in the bed but it helps keep things out of view and the elements. Best part is I did not sacrifice much space for it. Time will tell how well this holds up.
Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]