As long as you ensure that the cover is sealed right along the bed rails, you’ll find that the bed will stay dry. Just pop, roll, and go.Īnother advantage that comes with the Gator covers is protection from the weather. All five of these Gator models give you this with veritable ease. If you are looking for a cover that gives you the use of your entire bed, any time you want it, a soft, roll-up tonneau cover is almost always a sure bet. The HR1 functions the same, but with buckles instead of hooks. With the hooks secured, you are able to drive safely.
#GATOR SRX ROLL UP TONNEAU COVER FULL#
Once the cover is rolled up it is secured at the front of the bed by a pair of hook straps that allow full access to the bed. These are only accessible when the tailgate is open, otherwise the cover cannot be opened. The HR1 instead has a cable latch under the rear lip that offers a similar function. This trigger pops open the cover with a simple pull. But there a couple features that do bear mentioning.Īll models except the HR1 are equipped with trigger latches at the cover’s rear. It’s all about the design and the simplicity of it. But that doesn’t appear to be their selling point. While there are several options to chose from in the Gator tonneau cover family, there isn’t much in the way of features in any of the models. Instead of crossbars, it has rows of aluminum slats that are bonded to the industrial vinyl surface. Unlike the others, the HR1 is more like a hybrid of both a soft and hard tonneau cover.
Like the SR1, it has a five-year warranty.įinally, we have the Gator HR1. It also includes an integrated tension adjuster bolt at the front of the cab to help ensure a perfect fit. The cover itself is fashioned of double-coasted heavy-duty vinyl which attaches to the bed on the inside of the bed rails. The only other difference is that it is backed by a five-year warranty. It comes with a one-year warranty.īuilding on the SRX design, the Gator SR1 is made of a thicker, marine-grade vinyl with the same textured finish. Three crossbars provide both tension and support to the cover so that it stays flat. The vinyl surface has a slightly textured grain finish. It sits approximately ¾ of an inch above the bed and seals above the bed rails. The Gator SRX is made of commercial grade vinyl. The differences are broken down below, but for the most part, these covers all fit snuggly over the bed via strips of industrial grade hook and loop to form a watertight seal. In 2013, however, Consumer Reports tested a Dodge Ram V8 pickup with a tonneau while driving at a constant 65 mph, and they measured a slight drop of almost one mpg, which on a vehicle rated at 19-21 mpg in highway is about a 5% change.Īccording to the truck accessory retailer, RealTruck, soft roll-up and folding covers are the best choice if fuel economy is a concern because the higher weight of hard tonneaus can offset any reductions in aerodynamic drag.The Gator line of soft tonneau covers are all constructed with heavy duty vinyl, with a varying thickness and makeup between the four models covered in this review. But don’t buy a tonneau if your main reason is better mpg any real improvement will take many years to offset the price of the cover.Īccording to Sawtooth, a tonneau cover manufacturer, a 2007 wind tunnel test by the trade group SEMA (the Specialty Equipment Market Association) showed that tonneau covers reduced aerodynamic drag by an average of 5.7%, which resulted in a 1.8% improvement in fuel economy. And any effect on fuel economy will depend on the cover, the truck, and the speed that you’re driving. This is a hotly debated topic, with advocates on both sides. Another benefit of soft tonneau covers is their relative ease of installation, many of which can be done in about an hour or less with common tools and without drilling or making alterations to your truck bed.īecause of the vast variety of makes, models and bed lengths, the prices can vary but we’ve provided a consistent baseline of pricing to get you started. We’re evaluating soft covers here, which are generally the least expensive, but we’ve got a full rundown on hard tonneau covers too. All strive to provide quick and easy access to the bed, but some are better than others, so you’ll want to review your choices carefully. Tonneau covers range from simple roll-up and folding models made of canvas or vinyl to higher-end retractable and one-piece designs, with an equally wide range of prices. And that’s where a tonneau cover comes in.
Protecting that cargo from inclement weather and potential theft is another story altogether (see FAQs). When it comes to raw cargo-hauling versatility, it’s hard to beat the bed of a pickup truck.
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