Both of these hard folding covers not only protect your cargo, but they also pay for themselves with their aerodynamic design, as there’s no air resistance anymore, and save a ton on fuel money. But which of these covers is for you?
Both of these covers are premium-built out of aluminum panels of aircraft grade material so they are light in weight and can endure a great deal of pressure.
Let’s check out both of these guys in detail.
Table of Contents
Side By Side Comparison
- Gator FX3 is all the way aluminum, it a composite, though it has FRP and can bear 300 lbs.
- BAKFlip MX4 on the other side, is a more premium option, with better sealing, heaving weight bearing capability of 400 lbs (100 lbs more).
The Gator FX3 where it costs you a little lesser, does not compromise on the quality of its cover. So why it’s lower in price?
Well, that’s because the panels are not exclusively aluminum and they are made out of composite material which is then covered with aluminum sheets.
But the cover is still very durable and has FRP coating to it as well, which make things even better.
Its hinges and end caps are also coated with the same color and they also enhance the covers looks further.
The cover comes with a draining system, with seals and 2 drain tubes, where the seals are just made of rubber and not EPDM.
And for drain tubes, you may have to drill in to your truck.
Side Note: As the cover also does not provide any proper sealing along with the tailgate (and this area is always very prone to water leakage), you can fix it up with weatherstripping.
Other than this, each panel has a rubber bumpers (which rest on other panels), so the panels/plates don’t rub against each other and remain protected.
But note that these rubber feet are prone to damage (after a while), but you can always replace them.
The cover can be secured to 2/3rd position and and all they way with the “propping” rods which hold the pilled panels in place.
They also don’t block the 3rd brake light as well, just like the MX4.
Talking about BAKflip MX4, the cover seems very similar, but if you look close enough it gives you more of a matte look rather than glossy, like in Gator FX3.
The cover is made out of exclusive aluminum and has black powdered coating on top of its panels which give it a semi glossy looking texture in comparison.
Other than this, you get dual tail gate sealing here, where on Gator FX3, you don’t, as that cover has flap sealing that overlaps the tailgate.
This means on Gator FX3, you can not close the cover over the closed tail gate, so in order to properly close the cover you have the close the cover first and then close the tail gate on it afterwards.
Other than this, rest is pretty much the same, you get EPDM rubber seals, and drain tubes which show slightly better quality in comparison (and you may have to install drain tubes by drilling however).
Side Note: I highly recommend that you watch the following video, it’s really helping.
Protection Comparison – Which Is Better?
In terms of durability, the BAKflip MX4, provides you with better one. It features stronger aluminum panels that can bear weight capacity of 400 lbs where the Gator FX3 can only endure 300 lbs.
But the FX3 does provide you with FRP coating which resists against UV in a much better way.
So besides making the cover good insulators to heat, the cover would also have more life as it would encounter less fading (which occurs because of the sun).
Both covers provide you with almost identical draining system with drain tubes and rails…
But with better EPDM seals, the MX4 is more water tight in comparison.
The Gator FX3 is a little more prone to water leakage as its lateral seals that sits between its panels are a little weaker in comparison.
The cover also is more prone to leakage along the side of tailgate.
But the difference is still very low, and you can always fix them up with weatherstripping.
And also note that no cover is totally waterproof, and they are all water resistant, that’s why they are marketed that way.
But sure, MX4 provides better resistance to water leakage, overall.
Also in MX4, the cover offers you with very low profiled hinges between each plate of the panel, so the cover would not bow in the middle (which creates a water pool in wet conditions).
Side Note: Though, the cover is great and all, you also check it out side by side with Rough Country Low Profile, to get better hold of things.
Working of these covers?
Working of these covers is very similar.
Both covers take almost the same time to get installed.
But Gator FX3 lacks the dual tail gate sealing here, which would make MX4’s ease of use better.
And although both covers have automatic locking latches, the ones on the MX4, seems a little better in a way.
On Gator FX3, there’s also one issue, where the cables on the latches really like to hide themselves under there, and you have to fish for them (happens sometimes).
But I fixed it with tie bars.
So What’s the Verdict?
Coming in at about a grand, MX4 is a little bit expensive here but the cover does justify its design. But they should have included the FRP coating on this cover, as the Gator FX3 with lesser price tag has it.
And since this coating is better on the Gator FX3, the cover is able to endure more UV damage and would also last a long time before you’d start thinking of a new one.
But the biggest selling point, in case of BAKflip for me, has always been their awesome customer service. They really don’t disappoint.
