2014+ Truck Bed / Tonneau Covers

Rolling Thunder · January 4, 2017

Installed my Diamondback se on my 2016 Silverado last week. I went with the Diamondback because it is a completely different look than anything else on the market. I live in northern Indiana somewhat close to a large GM truck assembly plant. I see tons of GM trucks every day and have yet to see another Diamondback cover. I like the fact that it makes my truck stand out. Several random people have stopped me and asked about the cover in the last week.

The cover came very nicely packed and in perfect condition. I basically installed it by myself in two hours. I would ask for help if I did it again. Two people would be much easier. Even by myself it was relatively easy but a little cumbersome when it comes to getting it tightened down correctly.

The look is even better than I anticipated. I really like the Linex black coating. It really makes the cover pop and really makes you feel like the cover will outlast the truck.

The only little issue I have is the alignment of the cover. The middle piece is a little wider than the outter pieces. You don't really notice it from afar but if you are looking closely you can see it. If you are a perfectionist this could definitely bother you.

I installed the cover with a block of ice in the back and it just melted so I can't really speak of the water proofing qualities at this point. I also have not yet installed the tailgate seal. I would think it would seal pretty well as it is a very basic design. Large rubber seals all the way around and 4 pieces of seal on the middle bracket. I think the key to any of these covers is to seal the tailgate. The tailgate on most of these GM trucks have gaps and you will always have issues with water unless you seal it up. Especially if you frequently use spray car washes.

I plan on getting some pictures and an update on the waterproofing soon.

DR,

I looked these folks up on their web site. Their "tonneau" covers are quite remarkable (and expensive). I had never heard of them before.

https://www.diamondbackcovers.com/se/

bndawgs · January 5, 2017

Installed my Diamondback se on my 2016 Silverado last week. I went with the Diamondback because it is a completely different look than anything else on the market. I live in northern Indiana somewhat close to a large GM truck assembly plant. I see tons of GM trucks every day and have yet to see another Diamondback cover. I like the fact that it makes my truck stand out. Several random people have stopped me and asked about the cover in the last week.

The cover came very nicely packed and in perfect condition. I basically installed it by myself in two hours. I would ask for help if I did it again. Two people would be much easier. Even by myself it was relatively easy but a little cumbersome when it comes to getting it tightened down correctly.

The look is even better than I anticipated. I really like the Linex black coating. It really makes the cover pop and really makes you feel like the cover will outlast the truck.

The only little issue I have is the alignment of the cover. The middle piece is a little wider than the outter pieces. You don't really notice it from afar but if you are looking closely you can see it. If you are a perfectionist this could definitely bother you.

I installed the cover with a block of ice in the back and it just melted so I can't really speak of the water proofing qualities at this point. I also have not yet installed the tailgate seal. I would think it would seal pretty well as it is a very basic design. Large rubber seals all the way around and 4 pieces of seal on the middle bracket. I think the key to any of these covers is to seal the tailgate. The tailgate on most of these GM trucks have gaps and you will always have issues with water unless you seal it up. Especially if you frequently use spray car washes.

I plan on getting some pictures and an update on the waterproofing soon.

Interested in seeing some pics and hearing some updates on this

Dusty Ransom · January 5, 2017

Sorry for the delay in posting pics of my Diamondback SE cover and for the dirty truck!

We have had both rain and snow in the past couple of weeks (gotta love Indiana) and the bed was dry after both. However, i did notice water getting in after a car wash but it was a small amount and I do plan on installing tailgate seal at some point. I am convinced that the water protection on this cover is very good.

One downside for areas that are exposed to cold weather. It rained a few days ago and then turned cold. The cover froze to the bed and was difficult to open. I still would buy this cover again but it was kind of a pain.

I also confirmed with my wife that she paid $1,420/including tax for the cover. If you live in a state with no tax on online orders you should be able to get it for around $1,340 by calling in the order instead of purchasing online.

Overall I am very satisfied with the cover. I was looking for a unique cover that would make my Chevy stand out in a large sea of Chevy trucks that would also protect any items (mostly golf clubs) that I store in the back. I made the decision early that I didn't mind spending some money on a premium cover. I didn't want to put an inexpensive product on my $40,000 truck. It basically came down to this cover and the Retrax Pro. My research which included this very extensive post, many other like it, and a few local dealers led me to the Diamondback. My concerns over the Retrax Pro'shop waterproofing, road noise, and higher price eventually lead me to my decision. Although I do believe the Retrax Pro would have been nice as well. I did realize one thing in my two months of research: There is no perfect cover.

bndawgs · January 5, 2017

Thanks for the response and updated review. I think I might have to save up for this cover. wonder if there would be anything you could treat the hinges with, to avoid the freezing up issues?

It does seem that most tailgate leaks are at the tailgate. curious if the diamondback would be better if it extended a little bit further onto the top of the tailgate?

and yes i agree, there is no perfect over out there yet.

Edited January 5, 2017 by bndawgs

15SilverSilverado · January 5, 2017

Those Diamondbacks do look cool. As for whether there's a "perfect" cover or not, is more a personal thing. Mine is a fiberglass hard top made by Century, called the CargoLid. Yes, because it completely covers the top and edges of the bed, it's 100% waterproof. But, most truck owners don't like these at all, because it limits what you can use the bed for. In my case, I don't really use the bed, other than for things that fit in it with the lid closed, so I wanted more of a "car trunk" type on mine, that could be closed and locked, etc. The bulk of my truck bed use, is for tailgating gear to take to Purdue and Green Bay for football games. The fiberglass lid is perfect for me, but can totally see why it's not ideal for most truck owners.

Roader · January 8, 2017

Put a deposit down on a fold-a-cover G4 elite. Came out to $980 installed after tax. Should arrive within the week and install soon after

laketboy · January 10, 2017

After reading a lot of posts here and elsewhere and narrowing choices down to function and budget for my first bed cover (I've owned a truck for the last 35-40 years), I decided on the Access Vanish to start with, figuring if I didn't like it I could sell it easily on craigslist here in Dallas metroplex area. The Vanish seems to have very good reviews overall everywhere, suits my needs and I liked the very low profile and ease of roll up to be able to use entire bed without removal. Install was very easy except for the 4 front/middle clamps on each side (rear clamp was easier). They were a little finicky IMO to keep straight and aligned. Use of a spring clamp would have helped but I did without and finally got them on securely and rails aligned. The rest was cake. I'm really happy with the quality for price, fit and finish. I put a good coat of Protect-All, a great product I've used for years on vinyl motorcycle seats and other vinyl products. BTW, best price I found was eBay seller Thoroughbred Trucks. Great folks, fast shipping. MSRP is over $400, many internet sellers about $300. I paid $270 shipped.

laketboy · January 10, 2017

Oh yes, and the inside the rail install on this style cover that doesn't prevent using the stake pockets. Downside: No real security if someone has a knife. Of course, IMO, like your home - if someone wants in, they are GOING to get into almost any cover with a crowbar...

bndawgs · January 11, 2017

Sorry for the delay in posting pics of my Diamondback SE cover and for the dirty truck!

We have had both rain and snow in the past couple of weeks (gotta love Indiana) and the bed was dry after both. However, i did notice water getting in after a car wash but it was a small amount and I do plan on installing tailgate seal at some point. I am convinced that the water protection on this cover is very good.

One downside for areas that are exposed to cold weather. It rained a few days ago and then turned cold. The cover froze to the bed and was difficult to open. I still would buy this cover again but it was kind of a pain.

I also confirmed with my wife that she paid $1,420/including tax for the cover. If you live in a state with no tax on online orders you should be able to get it for around $1,340 by calling in the order instead of purchasing online.

Overall I am very satisfied with the cover. I was looking for a unique cover that would make my Chevy stand out in a large sea of Chevy trucks that would also protect any items (mostly golf clubs) that I store in the back. I made the decision early that I didn't mind spending some money on a premium cover. I didn't want to put an inexpensive product on my $40,000 truck. It basically came down to this cover and the Retrax Pro. My research which included this very extensive post, many other like it, and a few local dealers led me to the Diamondback. My concerns over the Retrax Pro'shop waterproofing, road noise, and higher price eventually lead me to my decision. Although I do believe the Retrax Pro would have been nice as well. I did realize one thing in my two months of research: There is no perfect cover.

Did those cleats come with your SE or did you have to purchase them separately?

Penguin VII · January 14, 2017

Did those cleats come with your SE or did you have to purchase them separately?

The cleats come with the cover, at least according to the website.

bndawgs · January 14, 2017

Yeah, I thought so. But then saw that they sold them separately as well. I think my friend said he had to add them to his diamondback. But it's an older one.

jrfloh · January 15, 2017

Yeah, I thought so. But then saw that they sold them separately as well. I think my friend said he had to add them to his diamondback. But it's an older one.

I believe you can buy additional tie down points if you need more than the standard 4.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Dusty Ransom · January 17, 2017

Did those cleats come with your SE or did you have to purchase them separately?

Yes they did.

Ricks Munn · January 17, 2017

I purchased and installed the Tyger Auto Tri-Fold Tonneau Cover from Amazon and it has worked great so far. It was WAY cheaper than any of the other tonneau covers mentioned in this forum. I only paid $230 for the 6.5ft cover. The 5.8ft cover is only $197.65. It has 4.7 out of 5 stars. It was extremely easy to install and I didn't have to drill into the truck bed or make any kind of modification. I have loved it so far. It has been completely waterproof and stays tight even when driving really fast in strong wind storms. It also seems to hold the weigh of snow really well without collapsing.

bovineplane · January 23, 2017

Installed my Backflip VP today. Very easy to install. Went faster than my bedrug. Love that it is flat with the seems not really visible. Dont like that it needs to have the last segment lifted to close the tailgate. That will take getting used to coming from an AVY. Also when open it blocks the entire rear window. Picked it up from Amazon as new open box and it arrive looking brand new. $440 shipped.

Enjoy the pics!!

Edited January 23, 2017 by bovineplane