The Diamond Back HD Bed Cover

Posted by 141drew Posted onJul 11, 2018 at 2:25 PM and filed under Reviews & Features

So I few months back I bought my first late model vehicle in over a decade – a new (to me) 2017 GMC Sierra. Afterwards, I found myself needing a tonneau cover and I did what most people in the market do – I bought a Bakflip MX4. Once installed, I liked the look and functionality of the cover, but I was disappointed with the build quality of it.

After using the tonneau for a few months, I decided to try something different – a Diamondback HD cover. The Diamondback HD is a $1700 tonneau cover that’s built like a brick shit house right here in the United States. Anyway, the above video is my impressions of the thing…

To put it short, I love it. You can read more about the Diamondback or buy your own here.

Editor’s Note: This is NOT a paid endorsement of any kind. I just really liked this thing and thought it was relevant to guys like us with trucks  that support both professional and hobby shops/garages.

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Ryan

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Rewind97 said:
How hard is it to remove if you need full access to the bed to haul a large object?
Click to expand...

It's easy... takes ten minutes tops. Probably more like 5... But it's not very convenient to do so cuz then you got store the panels, etc... But each panel by themselves is very light.

Like I said, that center cross member is the make it or break it for most people. It breaks the deal because it cuts your bed in half. It makes the deal because it gives you easy access to both cab side and tailgate side of your bed. Plus, that center crossmember is one of the reasons the load capacity of the cover is so damned high.

For me, this thing is REALLY convenient. I don't haul a lot of tall things and to have access to both sides of the bed so easily is really, really nice...
 
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4xdog

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I have a Mountain Top tonneau on my old Tacoma. It's a terrific product, made from custom extrusions and checkerplate aluminum. Strong enough to stand on.

They made them in the US for a time for US model trucks, but now they're only made at the home factory in Denmark for European-spec trucks.

I'm with ya, Ryan, on the value of a heavy-duty metal tonneau!
i-GkvRQwT-X3.jpg
 
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neilc

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Very nice cover!

Tell us more about the trailer. It looks new from the quality of the exterior aluminum. But I think you said it was used. How old? Have you had to do any renos?

You've no doubt followed the Mid Century Makeover thread here with Gregor and his vintage aluminum trailer I'm sure!

Thanks for sharing!
 
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Ryan

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neilc said:
Very nice cover!

Tell us more about the trailer. It looks new from the quality of the exterior aluminum. But I think you said it was used. How old? Have you had to do any renos?

You've no doubt followed the Mid Century Makeover thread here with Gregor and his vintage aluminum trailer I'm sure!

Thanks for sharing!
Click to expand...

It’s a 1948 Silver Streak Clipper. It’s had a ton of work done to it and needs a ton more.... father/son project.
 
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LegacyIndustrial

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1st. Rad trailer! Recently went Rving with my own crew recently and it's a sweet treat, but leave mother-in-law and rover home. :) Hope you will detail this trailer in an upcoming video.

2nd. I am a huge fan of the tonneau cover concept. Having owned several over the years, it is like buying boots. Match the boot to the application. Mine is the $250-300 version and it's perfect for me. I can quickly remove it and stash in the back-cab or garage in case I have to get a pallet from the airport or deliver some sealer to a customer.

3rd & Last. Any tonneau keeps prying eyes off your gear. If they can't see it they don't know its there and less likely to take your goods. I have never lost any items over the years and I live in an area prone to thievery.

Great video.
 
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Vintage Veloce

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So, my understanding is that these covers are all about security right? (And then secondarily maybe some weather protection for stuff in the bed.)
It has always seemed obvious to me that they get in the way of just about all uses, and make it harder to load and unload stuff.
That said, I didn't know you get get them in versions that were strong enough to put stuff on top of it. I would have liked to see you jump up and down on it! ;-)
I use my truck for big stuff, not really anything small, so the cover would always be in the way. And if I needed covered secure storage, I might go for a Sprinter or some kind of van instead.
 
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Augus7us

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I've got a trifold on the tundra and I like it.

What I don't care for is removing it. I don't haul a ton of big stuff but do on occasion and removing it is a pita. Its not 300lbs or anything but I'm getting older and I threw my back out last time I took the damn thing off.

What I don't care of on the bi fold models is you lose so much bed space. With the trifold I can flip it twice and two thirds of the bed is available or I can take it off and lay it on its side in the bed and still get most things in there.

Ryan I am curious, can you flip up the back half and leave it open as you drive? I've done that with the tri fold a few times and so far its never blown shut.

-Clint
 
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Ryan

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Augus7us said:
I've got a trifold on the tundra and I like it.

What I don't care for is removing it. I don't haul a ton of big stuff but do on occasion and removing it is a pita. Its not 300lbs or anything but I'm getting older and I threw my back out last time I took the damn thing off.

What I don't care of on the bi fold models is you lose so much bed space. With the trifold I can flip it twice and two thirds of the bed is available or I can take it off and lay it on its side in the bed and still get most things in there.

Ryan I am curious, can you flip up the back half and leave it open as you drive? I've done that with the tri fold a few times and so far its never blown shut.

-Clint
Click to expand...

Yes, you can... I should have shown that... It's as easy as removing the business end of the gas shocks and flipping the half over. Both sides do it.

MacTexas said:
How long did it take you to get the cover from the time you ordered it? The web site says 26 days until it ships?
Click to expand...

I actually got mine in about 10 days.
 
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Ryan

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Falcon67 said:
$1700 for a bed cover - no.
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It doesn't make sense at all unless:

1. You regularly haul valuable stuff. For instance, I have a $3000 generator in the back of my truck quite often.

2. You need to haul REALLY heavy stuff that is wider than your truck bed. An example here for instance is an ATV, but I also find this tonneau to be really handy for hauling full sheets of plywood and the like.

Obviously, a $1700 tonneau cover isn't for everyone... But for those that need it, this is the best I've found.
 
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Bigblue&Goldie

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I have a BackFlip F1 and I really like it. I can definitely see your complaints about it though. I think it depends on your intended uses. The reason why we have a tonneau cover at all is for doing road trips with the family and a way to keep the stroller out of the weather. It's nice to trow luggage/camping gear in the back and hit the road and not worry about rain. A tonneau cover turns a crew cab pickup into a great road trip vehicle. The Backflip obviously doesn't prevent any kind of theft outside of the casual thief walking by.

The features of the Diamondback that make it great for you wouldn't work for me. I don't want to deal with that crossmember every time I need to haul something (such as an ATV), nor am I ever going to haul anything on top of my tonneau cover......I've never felt the need. I can see the benefit of the Diamondback for those who need those features, but that's not my family. It looks very well made, and in my opinion, priced fairly for what you get.
 
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ilovevocs

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Rewind97 said:
How would you get an ATV up there.......long ramps?
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I had a deck I built to haul two over the bed in the same fashion. I had a set of 8' ramps I made from 2x12. I would just find a small hill to unload onto. At least in my riding areas it was never an issue.
 
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isb cornbinder

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The word custom is used all too often in the "custom" truck box cover industries. When I needed/wanted a box cover for my 1953 R120 IHC truck, I discovered that a "custom" cover did not go beyond the standard sizes for new trucks.
So...…. I made my own box cover. It started out as a simple plan for a assisted ift, flat box cover and grew into a proper cab-height canopy. My material of choice was 22 gauge steel sheetmetal. The canopy was a little heavier than aluminium. The canopy stayed here for 225,000 miles. A scrap dealer was picking up a bunch of other scrap metal, at the shop, and accidentally took the canopy.
I will be building a canopy for each of our Old IHC trucks..
 

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fos373

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Nice comparison.

I have the bakflip, on my 2nd one with a different vehicle. It works like its supposed to, but it doesn't seem to have lasted as well as the 1st. Not sure if i have different version - but the attachment mount which holds the wire release has come undone from the tonneau cover on one side. I fixed it and it works, but.....

The diamond back would be a no go for me - using a 5th wheel, pretty self explanatory....
 
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Tre900

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Ryan said:
It doesn't make sense at all unless:

1. You regularly haul valuable stuff. For instance, I have a $3000 generator in the back of my truck quite often.

2. You need to haul REALLY heavy stuff that is wider than your truck bed. An example here for instance is an ATV, but I also find this tonneau to be really handy for hauling full sheets of plywood and the like.

Obviously, a $1700 tonneau cover isn't for everyone... But for those that need it, this is the best I've found.
Click to expand...

Great job on this video..well produced and It opened up my eyes to what's out there. In fairness to the old product however, you may want to at least mention the cost of the new product in future reviews.

If I added the cost difference to the initial product I bet you could get updates to the plastic parts you were not pleased with.

Personally, I choose to not afford your old backflip price tag of the $800...this Diamond Back is in the "that guy" cost level.

Hope it continues to work out for ya.
 
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Tre900 said:
Great job on this video..well produced and It opened up my eyes to what's out there. In fairness to the old product however, you may want to at least mention the cost of the new product in future reviews.

If I added the cost difference to the initial product I bet you could get updates to the plastic parts you were not pleased with.

Personally, I choose to not afford your old backflip price tag of the $800...this Diamond Back is in the "that guy" cost level.

Hope it continues to work out for ya.
Click to expand...

Both prices are listed in the feature... but the Bakflip was around $800 and the Diamondback was around $1700. Both are made in the USA... So the question becomes is the Diamondback worth the extra $900 given it's limitations and build quality? For me, the answer is yes... In fact, I think it's a better value than the Bakflip just on build quality alone. I use my bed a lot and the Bakflip's build quality shortcomings really annoyed me. Their design is really great actually... I just feel like they skimped out in that last mile with materials.

That being said, the Diamondback isn't perfect for me. I would love to see them make a "Diamondback Light". Something lower profile and made out of flat aluminum rather than diamondplate... Maybe it could support 3 or 400 pounds... but still be a little sleeker and sit lower over the bed rails.

I've actually grown to love the design of the thing. Having access to both sides of the bed is really, really nice. I'm sure I'll cuss it when I need full access and have to remove it though.
 
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bas157

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I'll vouch for the Diamondback cover. I've owned 2. First was a used SE model. Found a guy with it on his truck that was on Craigslist. He sold me the cover and lowered the price of his truck (I think). It was great but came across a deal on a new HD cover that I couldn't really resist so ending up selling the SE for more then I paid for it.

Before these, I had a fiberglass one. Was a total ***** to take on and off, so heavy and awkward it really was a 3 person job. What I liked about the Diamondback when I first saw them at a truck show was that I can install and reinstall by myself, which I do a few times a year. Like Ryan said, about 5 to 10 minutes to put on and off by yourself. If you've got 2 people and an air ratchet, it literally could be done in 2 or 3 minutes.
Gotta remove mine whenever I go to pick up a ton of wood pellets 4 or 5 times each winter. When I picked up a new kitchen stove, I just folded the back part forward, strapped it down and loaded the stove into the back half.

My brother has an undercover for his Chevy but we are both keeping an eye out for a used one for his truck (new is too pricey for him)

BTW, my great deal on my current cover was $500. I won an SE cover from a Facebook contest Diamondback was running for Christmas a few years ago but paid an extra $500 to upgrade to the black bedlined HD model. Sold the used one for $200 more than I paid for it so in the end, it was about $300 for my cover. The cost doesn't influence my opinion of the cover, loved it even when I had my SE cover. And no, have not needed the extra weight bearing capacity of the HD, not yet anyway.

I'm noticing more and more of these covers around now. Before I would rarely see them, but see them more often now so I guess others I liking them too.
 
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speed bump

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Just saw this on the front page, having spent some time looking at them for my sister figured I would throw in the Peragon cover. If you are looking and don't mind giving up some space when it is folded and on the truck (it removes easily as well). It is heavy duty and it seals well in nasty weather.


https://www.peragon.com/
 
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Ryan

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So I've been using this thing about 8 months now and figured I'd do an update. Often times with things like this, you love it... and then the novelty dulls and the inconveniences pop up.

Thus far, I can saw that this cover continues to deliver. I love just about everything about it... and I've been using the hell out of it. There are three main likes here:

1. I love the easy access to both the front and rear of the bed. With what I do and how I use my truck, this is something I utilize just about every day.

2. It's dry... We've had a ton of rain recently and being able to use the bed without worrying about **** getting wet AT ALL is really nice.

3. I haul around a lot of sheet goods... and I've actually been stacking it on top of the cover... It makes my short bed infinitely more usable.

Anyway, this isn't a paid endorsement or anything... just an update.
 
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slowTA

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Any comments on hauling stuff 'just' too tall to close the cover? Lets say a box sticks up an inch above the bed rail, would you feel comfortable closing the cover on the box then ratchet strapping the cover in place?

Any worries about stuff sliding around in the bed and getting caught up in the locking mechanism?
 
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bas157

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slowTA said:
Any comments on hauling stuff 'just' too tall to close the cover? Lets say a box sticks up an inch above the bed rail, would you feel comfortable closing the cover on the box then ratchet strapping the cover in place?

Any worries about stuff sliding around in the bed and getting caught up in the locking mechanism?
Click to expand...

I've never giving it a second thought to having it open a bit. I usually just run a strap though the loop on the cover and pull it down as far as I can. The loop is the nylon strap that is designed for you to grab to help close the cover. Its attached to the locking mechanism.

I've never had an issue with anything getting caught in the locking mechanism. There really isn't too much movement in the locking mechanism so I think it would be pretty tough to actually have that situation happen. If so, you just open your tailgate and move it. Another nice thing is, you do NOT need to open the cover to open your tailgate. My previous fiberglass tonneau cover and my brother's Undercover tonneau, you need to over the cover to open your tailgate.
 
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MacTexas

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I bought one based on your recommendation. I really like it for all the reasons you listed. It's like having a 5 1/2 ft trunk.
The person asking about hauling bigger items. There are two piston lifts that are easy to unhook that will allow the lid of the cover to fold over. Release the lifts, fold the lid back and carry the big item. When you unload it just put the lifts back and lock the lid.
 
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PhantomEB

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I dunno. I don’t care too much for unloading my quad out of my old jacked up Cummins. Sure wouldn’t want to do it from a sled deck or similar style box cover. I prefer the bakflip for when I get my next truck to keep **** out of the box. Plans are a light small toy hauler so I more likely to drag that out for day trips. Who says I got to come home when out in my happy place and can build a fire for the night?

I am sure when I start doin this, my brother will follow suit and either drag his trailer out or just crash in mine.
 
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fang123

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Diamondback is a 40 minute trip from where I live. I see a lot of them around here. They are very impressive. Very well built. If I didn't constantly remove my tri fold cover for hauling, I would have one.
 
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