folding tonneaus - gator/bakflip/extang ???

crushNchowda · August 10, 2015

Picking up my '15 All Terrain this week and I opted to not get a GM tonneau cover this time #1 to save $$$ on the overall price - it is nice weather this time of the year and I have an undercover swingcase box I'm swapping from my last truck that will give me a little covered storage in the bed in the meantime. #2 because I wanted to go w/ something non-OEM that is a little better built and/or more unique.

I've had GM soft folding tonneau w/ the ribs and their hard tri-fold. I want to get a folding cover, but this time around want one that allows full bed access.

Anyone have experience w/ any of these covers and could comment would be appreciated, looking @ Gator FX3 http://tonneaucoversworld.com/gator-fx3-tonneau-cover.aspx?utm_source=Google%20Feed&utm_medium=Prod%20Cat&utm_campaign=Feed%20One&gclid=Cj0KEQjwl6GuBRD8x4G646HX7ZYBEiQADGnzushGFv2QW1ICCFzS6hquegI4R2bcxwjY1FGkQ1xHGE8aAsqZ8P8HAQ

Bakflip G2 or VP - http://www.realtruck.com/bakflip-g2-tonneau-cover/?utm_campaign=product_ads&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=465918&productid=465918&gclid=Cj0KEQjwl6GuBRD8x4G646HX7ZYBEiQADGnzugpI8lArOTKXAMuuvaYw6hP2VLqgFVykTRbXdnOjmc8aAvu48P8HAQ

And Extang trifecta (no link) - not sure this even allows for full bed access.

Really concerned w/ durability, ease of use, and water tightness through carwashes/heavy rains etc

Silverado Steve · August 10, 2015

Plenty of threads on this already. No folding cover is 100% waterproof but will beep your bed mostly dry in rain storms and car washes. I have the Undercover Flex; its starting to show signs of wear at almost 2 years old. The finish is chipping on the top and some of the hardware is falling off the underside of the cover. I had a Bakflip G2 on my previous Tacoma and it started warping and falling apart too, but at 3 years old. The Gator looks like the same cover as the Bak. Bak was bought out by the same parent company that owns Undercover so maybe the former owner of Bak, Julian started Gator, he holds a patent for the fold against the cover cab design which the Gator is as well, so unless they are violating a patent, it looks like the sme design as Bak.

It all comes down to what you want, a cover thats flush with the bed or one that sits above the bed like the Extang you listed, which by the way doesn't fold up against the cab to completely expose the bed. You'll have to remove the cover completely. Personally having owned both the Undercover and Bak, ive found theyre both similiar in build and quality, and unless something has changed the past 2 years, the customer service sucks at both. Expect both covers to only last 5 years without serious maintenance to keep them together. My 2 cents.

Stonewall11 · August 10, 2015

I have an Extang Trifecta tonneau cover. Could not be anymore happy with the quality and the cover itself. Keeps everything dry. I bought mine a month ago and we have had very heavy rain storms and I always check for water. There's never any. It keeps all my hockey goalie equipment nice and dry. There's a reason Extang is the best in business and there's a reason they have the #1 selling trifold as well. You pay out the ass for annextang. But it's worth it so far to me.

crushNchowda · August 10, 2015

Plenty of threads on this already. No folding cover is 100% waterproof but will beep your bed mostly dry in rain storms and car washes. I have the Undercover Flex; its starting to show signs of wear at almost 2 years old. The finish is chipping on the top and some of the hardware is falling off the underside of the cover. I had a Bakflip G2 on my previous Tacoma and it started warping and falling apart too, but at 3 years old. The Gator looks like the same cover as the Bak. Bak was bought out by the same parent company that owns Undercover so maybe the former owner of Bak, Julian started Gator, he holds a patent for the fold against the cover cab design which the Gator is as well, so unless they are violating a patent, it looks like the sme design as Bak.

It all comes down to what you want, a cover thats flush with the bed or one that sits above the bed like the Extang you listed, which by the way doesn't fold up against the cab to completely expose the bed. You'll have to remove the cover completely. Personally having owned both the Undercover and Bak, ive found theyre both similiar in build and quality, and unless something has changed the past 2 years, the customer service sucks at both. Expect both covers to only last 5 years without serious maintenance to keep them together. My 2 cents.

Crap that doesn't sound good, some of those bakflip/gator/undercover folding tonneaus show ability to hold 400 lbs on them if evenly distributed, you think even the heavier duty ones will fall apart as you say? I'd be PISSED if I bought a cover nearly $1000 and it didn't last at least 5 years minimum if not 10.

The GM tri-fold I had on my '14 I would've swapped out but the new truck is a short bed and my previous was standard length, the GM tri-fold was good decent quality from what I could tell in terms of the vinyl and panels and frame, the fasteners/clips or whatever seemed a little cheap though...but that cover I had 2 years and there was no reason for me to believe it wouldn't last another 5.

Also - the GM tri-fold was absolutely "100% waterproof" - were you stating no low profile type would be waterproof?

red70judge · August 10, 2015

I would recommend the Extang Tri-Fold. This is from my personal experience and mounted it on 3 Chevys, bought it for my new 2010, switched it to the new 2012, then

switched it to my new 2015. AND IT STILL LOOKS LIKE NEW! Easy to install, 5-10 minutes. Made from strong thick aircraft aluminum, you can stand on it and place

a 4-wheel ATV on it. Easy to fold and easy to remove if needed. Lock your tailgate and all contents are safe, no problem with car washes or rain. This is the way

to go for a bed cover IMHO. It was a new item in 2010 and I paid $950 for it, now on line I would think $700 range and possible free shipping with no tax.

Silverado Steve · August 10, 2015

On my previous Tacoma Forums, there were complaints of the BAK HD falling apart too. While the panels are made from aluminum, the interior core is made of a styrofoam core which will warp. Also the rubber seals and prone to failure as the cover is folded and unfolded, the rubber seals rub together wearing them out. I don't think it matters which of these style of folding covers you buy, they are all designed to fail and fall apart in a few years, hence the 2-3 year max warranty on them. I've heard great things about the Extang but for the sheer fact it doesn't sit flush with the bed and that the cover panels done fold completely out of the way to expose the whole bed without removing the cover was a deal breaker for me.

Crap that doesn't sound good, some of those bakflip/gator/undercover folding tonneaus show ability to hold 400 lbs on them if evenly distributed, you think even the heavier duty ones will fall apart as you say? I'd be PISSED if I bought a cover nearly $1000 and it didn't last at least 5 years minimum if not 10.

The GM tri-fold I had on my '14 I would've swapped out but the new truck is a short bed and my previous was standard length, the GM tri-fold was good decent quality from what I could tell in terms of the vinyl and panels and frame, the fasteners/clips or whatever seemed a little cheap though...but that cover I had 2 years and there was no reason for me to believe it wouldn't last another 5.

Also - the GM tri-fold was absolutely "100% waterproof" - were you stating no low profile type would be waterproof?

jvanwinkle2 · August 10, 2015

I have the bakflip vp. I love it. first test was when I drove to Florida in a rain storm. None of our luggage was wet at all when we got there. They come with a set of drain hoses for the front and the back channels the water into the tailgate

Redray · August 10, 2015

The Extang Tri--fold works great for me. 99.9% water proof, I have never seen more than a drop or two in the bed. Easy to use. Locks securely with the tailgate locked. As others have stated, it does sit on top of the bed rails but it is a pretty clean look. A bit pricey but so far so good, I recommend.

crushNchowda · August 10, 2015

On my previous Tacoma Forums, there were complaints of the BAK HD falling apart too. While the panels are made from aluminum, the interior core is made of a styrofoam core which will warp. Also the rubber seals and prone to failure as the cover is folded and unfolded, the rubber seals rub together wearing them out. I don't think it matters which of these style of folding covers you buy, they are all designed to fail and fall apart in a few years, hence the 2-3 year max warranty on them. I've heard great things about the Extang but for the sheer fact it doesn't sit flush with the bed and that the cover panels done fold completely out of the way to expose the whole bed without removing the cover was a deal breaker for me.

Yeah that's my problem - I want the type that can fold up against the cab to provide full access, a roll-up type is too fragile/insecure IMO, if I was going to get a tri-fold that didn't fold up against the cab I'd probably look at the GM type again as it seemed to be good quality to me.

So out of all the hard folding covers that go up against the cab, any consensus on which is the "best"?

irish4life8911 · August 10, 2015

I have the gator fx3 and love it! Not 100% water proof. Does have some drops on the inside after car wash or really hard rain. And I mean only a few drops. I would feel safe putting a card board box in there during a rain storm. 99.8% water proof is good to me.

My friend has the bak and be said if he had to do it again, he would get the gator. And he is an engineer.

Silverado Steve · August 10, 2015

To me in regards to the fold against the cab models, It really doesn't matter which one you buy as both the BAK and Undercover are both now made by the same parent company. If I had to do it all over again, I would go with the BAK. The reason I didn't go with BAK this time was I had so many issues with 2 different models on my previous Tacoma and their customer service is horrendous, but that was before they were bought out; maybe things have got better. The one advantage of the BAK style cover is it is easier to prop up, where with the Undercover you have to balance the cover while attaching the prop rods to ensure the cover doesn't do crashing against the cab which could cause damage. Another thing is to keep up with the maintenance of these covers, I put protectant on mine every 6 months which apparently was not enough as my covers finish is starting to fade/chip. I don't know enough about the Gator to give an opinion other than it looks an awfully lot like the BAK which as I mentioned earlier holds a patent for that style of cover. If so, I would probably stay away from them that if they are indeed a start up by the former owner as his customer service is attrocious and he puts his product out on the market without testing it thoroughly. I'm not paying $900 to be a beta tested for an inferior product.

Yeah that's my problem - I want the type that can fold up against the cab to provide full access, a roll-up type is too fragile/insecure IMO, if I was going to get a tri-fold that didn't fold up against the cab I'd probably look at the GM type again as it seemed to be good quality to me.

So out of all the hard folding covers that go up against the cab, any consensus on which is the "best"?

DanY · August 10, 2015

Maybe out of your budget, but I went with the Extang Encore tri-fold hardcover on my truck. I like that you can access the bed behind the cab by folding the front cover section. Also the entire cover can be folded and lifted off of the bed with no brackets to undo. The side rails are gutter channels that are drained to the front upper tie-down plugs. I have only seen water in the channels after a very heavy thunderstorm or after washing the truck. I've never seen any water in the bed.

Downsides: It is pretty heavy to completely lift off, maybe 45-50 pounds and a bit bulky to handle by yourself. Also the hefty price tag.

67ChevyRedneck · August 10, 2015

I bought this:

44450 Extang Trifecta Tonneau Cover Silverado / Sierra 6.5' Bed 2014-2015

from fleabay... $439 shipped to my door.

If I need the entire bed it literally takes less than 2 minutes to completely remove it. It's also very light.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6TncpifA0M

fondupot · August 10, 2015

I have an Extang Trifect Signature Series. It installs super easy, no drilling or anything. And comes off just as easy. When folded up it takes up about 1/3 of the bed.

I like it because its easy to remove and is easy enough to store.

67ChevyRedneck · August 10, 2015

I have an Extang Trifect Signature Series. It installs super easy, no drilling or anything. And comes off just as easy. When folded up it takes up about 1/3 of the bed.

I like it because its easy to remove and is easy enough to store.

Not sure what the difference is between the signature and trifecta, but that's what I like, two spring loaded pull clamps at the back, fold it up, clip it to drive, or unscrew the two simple clamps at the front and it's off.