Gator Tonneau Cover Reviews | In-depth Analysis

If you are looking for a retractable cover for the bed of your truck, then you have landed in just the right spot. A tonneau cover does not only provide a covering for your bed, but it also provides good protection to your cargo. So, if you own, 2009-2018 19/20 Classic Dodge Ram 6’4” bed, then this cover is a great option for you. 

In this segment, I will take you over to the in-depth analysis of the gator tonneau cover. I will try to demystify everything to help you purchase better.

Gator Tonneau Cover Features

Before moving forward, it is better to know about the features of this product in detail. So, here they are!

1. The first thingthat this tonneau cover offers precise protection. The material is very strong, and the design is pretty robust. Thus, you get proper protection.
2. Secondly, the cargo hauling is pretty versatile with this tonneau cover. You can carry cargo of various sizes with ease and facility.
3. Next, the installation is very convenient with this cover. You do not need any drilling, rather, you can do the clamping with no drilling required, and it’s done.
4. The enhanced functionality of this cover allows you to have custom locking. It is quite a convenient feature to elevate the experience.
5. Moreover, the finish is also pretty good. It is UV and Scratch resistantto make it long-lasting.

So, you have pretty exciting features from Gator Recoil Retractable Truck Bed Tonneau Cover. Let’s go forward!

Gator Recoil Retractable Tonneau Cover Advantages

Below are the main advantages that you will be having after buying this tonneau cover.

• Its precise covering protects the bed and stuff placed on a bed from rain.
• You have a robust and functional product at a good price.
• The installation process saves a lot of your time.
• The locking mechanism is pretty impressive, and it does the securing quite well.
• The finishing is pretty amazing to make it UV and scratch-resistant.
• This cover offers full bed access, unlike other options.

Gator Recoil Retractable Tonneau Cover Disadvantages

It is better to have a look at some disadvantages as well. 

• The rear clamp screw is not of good quality and can be improved.
• Although the installation is easy, there are better options as well, which provide even better installation time.
• The corners can be improved.
• In some articles, latch comes in a superficial quality and should be improved.

But keep in mind that these disadvantages are not very dominant in all the products. Rather some of them randomly occur.

My Opinion About Gator Recoil Tonneau Cover

I think that it is time for my opinion on this product. Gator Retractable Truck Bed Tonneau Cover has very good customer reviews on it. Other than that, the rating is also pretty good.

What I like about this product is the precise protection, first of all. The dimensioning, latching, and covering are spot on to give your cargo nice and precise protection.

If you are planning to go to a place where there is a chance for your bed to get wet, then you should go for this tonneau cover because its amazing protection against moisture is what you need to keep the bed dry.

Moreover, you get versatility in this cover. Now, what does that mean? I am relating this to cargo. Because you can put various sizes of cargo in it quite easily, also, this cover is retractable, and you get great functionality in it.

Next up, it is time to talk about the installation. Mostly, I have seen that the installation processes of covers vary from using drilling to no-drill installation. No-drill installation is pretty cool. It takes very little time.

There are covers that claim an installation time of 5 minutes. But well, it is not like that. Although, you don’t need drilling in it. But it will take 30 minutes from the box to installation. And, it seems good enough. What do you think?

To top it off, there is a custom locking mechanism in it that seems quite intriguing to me. I mean, you can lock it up anywhere you want. Thus, it enhances the functionality.

I always add a point of material and construction as well, in my opinion, because I believe in the supremacy of robustness. Now, for strength and lightweight, aluminum plays its role perfectly. But the matte black finish over it is phenomenal. It keeps the cover from scratches as well as makes it UV resistant.

You can retract it anytime to a compact cab canister and cherish your moments with its features.

There are some downsides as well, but they are not very dominating. Like in some products, the rear screw clamps, latches, and corners were observed in superficial quality. But overall, the results are great.

Summary of My Opinion

I totally recommend this tonneau cover because it covers the basic necessities so well. It provides good security along with easy installation. It also keeps the bed from moisture. Therefore, it is quite an incredible cover. There are a few downsides, but they are not very dominant in the decision-making. 

Gator Retractable Tonneau Cover Review in Details

Gator tonneau cover security

When you buy some product, you keep in mind some of its specialties. We buy products due to their specialties. Let me tell you that better security is one of this product’s main specialties. The latching system is pretty good. That means you don’t have to worry about that kind of security. Moreover, when it comes to environmental security, the good grip of this cover protects the bed from moisture and keeps it secure.

Gator tonneau cover installation

Talking about the aspects separately, first, let’s talk about the installation. The installation process of the gator tonneau retractable cover is not a big deal. You do not need any drilling for this process. Rather, you can follow the straightforward procedure. It just takes you around 30 minutes from the box to installation. Hence, do not worry at all when you are installing this amazing bed cover.

Gator tonneau cover water test

So, if we mainly talk about the water test, as I mentioned earlier, this cover is great for areas where it rains a lot. Because it effectively protects the bed from moisture. The main element behind this protection is usually the sealing and dimensioning. If dimensions are proper and there is a good seal in the contact area, then the cover works amazingly well against the moisture.

How to stop gator tonneau cover leaks

It is mainly about the seals. You can use silicone seals or similar material to cover the area where there is no sealing, or the sealing is bad. Just put a good amount of seal and close it again. This time, there will be no leaks. If you don’t understand, let me give you the example of gaskets. These seals work like that. You can explore more about it if you don’t understand it properly.

Gator tonneau cover warranty

It does not matter what you are carrying inside; golf clubs, dirt bikes, construction equipment, or whatever. You will get a 2-year guarantee on this product. Although, I am pretty much sure that this cover will last longer than that. But in case there is any uncertainty, your back is covered by the guarantee.

Gator recoil tonneau cover problems

The problems are not quite dominating. But some customers faced some issues, and I think that you should know about them. First of all, the rear screw clamp is of superficial quality sometimes. The quality of latches is also seen as superficial sometimes. Moreover, I feel that there are covers that provide better installation time than this one. Other than that, in the price, this is a great option to go for.

Tonneau Cover Troubleshooting Tips

When it comes to troubleshooting tech products, you have some instructions available on the manual that you get along with the product. Other than that, you have the assistance of the company available all the time. Thus, if something bad comes up, you should go for these two facilities first. You can also search on google for anything that you do not understand because I believe that you will not face any serious trouble with this product. You can also read the following guide repair tonneau covers.

Gator tonneau cover best price

The price of the gator retractable tonneau cover is pretty good. I mean that you get all those amazing features with good reliability at a good price. When you go out on buying something in the market, you give a big priority to price as well. But sometimes, when you like the features a lot, you don’t care about the price. But for this product, you don’t only have the good features, but the price is also quite promising. Thus, it offers the true value of money.

Gator tonneau cover alternative

Well, you can have alternatives for a gator tonneau cover. BAKFlip offers you pretty good alternatives to gator covers. There is only a difference in price. Otherwise, people say that gator and BAKFlip are the same. Though I have seen the variants of BAKFlip with slightly different features, yes, you have them as alternatives. Tyger Auto is also another good brand and has good quality tonneau covers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Now, I will add some frequently asked questions to answer your general queries.

1. Are Gator tonneau covers good?

A big yes! Gator tonneau covers offer great material, high functionality, and easy installation. Thus, combing all the features and the price, they are great to go for.

2. How do I stop my tonneau cover from flapping?

There is a tension adjuster that allows you to adjust the tension. Hence, you can stop your cover from flapping. 

3. Is it OK to go through the car wash with a tonneau cover?

Yes, if you are using a good tonneau cover like a gator that provides protection against moisture and pouring, then you can go through the car wash with a tonneau cover.

4. Can you drive with a tri-fold tonneau cover open?

Yes, it is both possible and legal. Therefore, if you want to drive with the trifold tonneau cover open, then you can.

5. Do tonneau covers keep water out?

Yes, tonneau covers have good sealing and dimensioning. Therefore, whether it is raining or you are flowing water on your truck, tonneau covers protect the bed. But it also depends on the quality of the cover. Gator tonneau covers effectively keep the water out.

6. Does tonneau cover help mpg?

Yes, great tonneau covers improve the mpg by 10 to 14% usually. This is probably because of the reduction in drag and improvement in aerodynamics.

7. How much weight can a tonneau cover hold?

It usually depends on the type and quality of the tonneau cover. But the range of the load-bearing capacity varies from 400 to 2000 pounds. Also, the uniform distribution over the cover is around 400 to 500 pounds.

8. Can you sit on a tonneau cover?

It is better that you avoid this because folding covers are not made to bear someone’s load. So, to protect your bed from wear, you should avoid sitting on it.

9. Which tonneau cover is robust?

A tonneau cover that is made of good material and well-constructed is a robust one. So, how is it possible? Well, if you have aluminum inside and on the outside, some good finishing to protect it from scratches and UV rays, then your cover is robust. But wait, good weight distribution is also important here.

Read Also: How to Make your Tonneau Cover Look New

Wrapping Up

I have equipped you with all the necessary information that you should have in mind before buying a gator retractable tonneau cover. It would help if you kept in mind that your necessities are important. If they match with what the product is offering, then that product is good to go with. You can also go for a product that exceeds the limits. Now, this product has huge upsides with a few downsides. Therefore, I very much recommend it.

If you liked it and have something to say, then you should mention that in the comment section below. Have a wonderful day!