Combination tool box and tonneau cover on a pickup truck - Stowe Cargo SystemsWho says you can't have your cake and eat it, too? Not us pickup truck drivers. Why yes, we'll take the four-wheel-drive, the fancy folding tailgate, and the gooseneck hitch, thank you very much. Do we need any of that? What's "need" got to do with anything? If "needs" were relevant, luxury trim pickups like the Dodge RAM 1500 Tungsten wouldn't exist. So, don't tell us we can't have both a bed tool box and tonneau cover. There are, in fact, several options for having both at the same time.For example, there are roll-up tonneau covers that have a roller that starts where the tool box ends. There are also folding tonneau covers that run right up to the tool box. They also make those snazzy sliding drawer tool boxes that fit under the tonneau. Of course, the simplest solution is probably using of those smaller tool boxes that sit on the bed floor instead of on the rails. And finally, you have the combination tool boxes and tonneau covers.But, even for pickup drivers, there are trade-offs for everything. You'll likely let more rain into your bed with a couple of these solutions. You might have to give up some bed space to accommodate both. Some of the solutions will make your tools a little harder to access or give you less room to store your tools. And then there's the added expense of having both. But hey, having a tonneau cover might save you just a little on gas.AdvertisementAdvertisementRead more: The Evolution Of The Ram Pickup (And How It Saved Dodge)Ways to have a tool box and a tonneau coverCombination tool box and tonneau cover on a gray pickup truck - Stowe Cargo SystemsOne example of a roll-up tonneau cover that works with a tool box is the Access Toolbox Roll-up Cover. Installing it involves laying down some weather stripping and adding some rails for the cover, not too much different than installing a roll-up cover without a tool box. The end result is a cover that rolls up to the tool box. Extang makes both soft and hard folding covers that work with tool boxes. Both Extang covers utilize a proprietary "L-Channel" design as a sealed connection to the tool box.Truxedo makes a neat tool box that is suspended from the bed rails yet fits under the tonneau cover. There are also tool boxes that fit along the wall of the bed and around the wheel well, like the one from RealTruck, that can swing out toward the tailgate for easier access. RealTruck also makes a box that is suspended above the wheel well, as well as sliding drawers that fit under the tonneau cover and can handle tool storage. And, of course, there are tool chests, like those made by Craftsman, that sits on the floor of the bed.Not to be overlooked are the combination tool boxes/tonneau covers. One example is the 2-in-1 Tonneau & Toolbox Combo by Stowe Cargo Systems. When everything is closed, it looks like a tonneau cover with two lids or compartments, except the smaller one is actually a toolbox.The downsides of having a tool box and a tonneau coverA pickup bed tool box and folding tonneau cover - Access CoverDo we really need to add a tonneau cover with our tool box? We've had this conversation about "needing" things already. Besides, how else are we supposed to protect the Bed Rug we installed for no apparent reason? There are downsides to having both, however, and they need to be taken into consideration. The typical full-size pickup tool box that hangs on the rails at least leaves some space on the floor underneath. But tool boxes that fit under the tonneau, particularly the ones that sit on the floor, don't leave even that much space for other things. Some of the sliding drawer tool boxes take up the whole bed.AdvertisementAdvertisementThose tool chests that sit on the floor are often harder to secure to the bed, too. You don't want a big box of tools sliding around back there. And the main reason for having a truck bed tool box is to have easy access to your tools. That access isn't quite as easy if you also have to open the tonneau before you even open the box.No tonneaus are completely waterproof, of course. But imagine how much rain can get in around a tonneau that butts up against a metal tool box with that diamond pattern on it. So, you can have your cake and eat it, but the cake might be soggy.Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox, and add us as a preferred search source on Google.Read the original article on Jalopnik.