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The Gator SFX tri-fold tonneau cover is the kind of cover that many truck owners will buy with little concern for most of the details. The ultra-competitive pricing makes it too easy to buy impulsively when you’re shopping for a soft trifold cover. Even if you’re a skeptic because of the low price, you’re probably still going to end up grabbing it anyway.
I’m all for affordable tonneau covers. Any time I’m asked what cover someone should buy for their truck, TrailFX is the first name to leave my lips. That’s not because I’m particularly frugal. I just know it’s a product that delivers top-tier quality despite a lower price point than most. After taking the Gator SFX for a test drive, however, I might have a new name to blurt out by default.
The Gator SFX tri-fold tonneau cover is a solid win for the price. It’s not perfect, but my gripes with it don’t break it. And though it’s not the absolute cheapest cover on the market, it’s probably the lowest in price you can go before quality really starts to go out the window.
The Bottom Line:
| Gator SFX Tri-Fold Tonneau Cover | |
|---|---|
| Quality | 8/10 |
| Value | 9/10 |
| Fit and Finish | 7/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7/10 |
| Overall | 7.75/10 |
The Rundown on the Gator SFX Tri-Fold
Before we get into the review of the Gator SFX cover, let’s go over the basic specs. For starters, it’s a soft tri-fold tonneau cover that’s available for a wide range of popular pickup trucks. Normal pricing starts at $289.99, making it one of the more affordable options on the market.
The cover itself is a marine-grade tear-resistant vinyl that stretches over a lightweight aluminum frame. It keeps the elements out with rubber seals all around, most of which you don’t need to install. Speaking of which, Gator keeps installation extremely simple. This cover requires just one Torx wrench that comes with it. There is a catch for some applications, but I’ll come back to that in a minute.
Gator sweetens the pot by offering a lifetime warranty to the structural components of this cover, along with a 10-year warranty for the vinyl. It also backs it with the “love it or swap it” Gator Guarantee.
Hands-On WIth the Gator SFX Tri-Fold Tonneau Cover
I installed the Gator SFX tonneau cover on my sister’s Toyota Tacoma. Honestly, I almost expected it to be an overpriced dud instead of the other way around. I was pleasantly surprised to see the quality is on par with what I’d expect from covers slightly above its price range when I opened the packaging. It’s definitely not a premier quality piece of equipment, but it’s more than good enough for the purpose it intends to serve.
One of the big things this cover has going for it, aside from pricing, is the super simple installation. It works by hooking onto this truck’s existing cargo management rails with the help of some brackets. Installing those brackets requires just a Torx wrench. Once they’re in place, simple latches with knobs for tightening secure the cover in place. That allows you to remove the cover in seconds if you need to.
That said, the Tacoma also requires some additional seals to be added to the bulkhead to keep the elements out, which adds a little more to the process than you might initially expect. I can’t necessarily fault the cover for this, though, as that has more to do with the Tacoma’s design quirk.
All in all, I had the cover on the truck in about a half-hour, which included making adjustments to get the fit right. Once it is on the truck, you get a much better feel for the overall quality. Again, the materials used seem great for the money. The final fit and finish aren’t exactly the best, however.
For the most part, the cover fits the truck very well. It just kicks up a bit toward the tailgate, which looks a bit awkward. This also creates a bit of an imperfect seal. It’ll definitely keep most water and debris out, but I’d still be mindful of washing the truck with contents in the bed. This isn’t exactly a deal-breaker, though. These covers aren’t meant to be watertight anyway, and the visual aspect is something many will find acceptable for the price range. It’s also one of those things you won’t notice unless you’re looking for it.
As for operation, it’s very easy to use. The cover has a pull latch at either side that allows you to quickly lock it in place. As fresh as it is, the springs in the latches are a bit stiff, but they’re easy enough to work quickly once you get the rhythm. It also has simple buckles to keep the cover in place to provide access to two-thirds of the bed.
Yes. This only offers access to a portion of the bed. It won’t fold up to the rear window to open the bed entirely. I don’t see that as an issue, though, as the cover comes right off without any tools required.
The Verdict: A Solid Buy for Under $300
Is the Gator SFX the absolute best soft folding tonneau cover on the market? No. It’s not really trying to be either. It’s meant to be a really good tonneau cover at a really low price point, and it absolutely delivers on that front.
The only mark this cover really has going against it is the slight fitment weirdness at the rear portion of the truck. It’s not great, but I think most on the market for a cover in this price range can easily live with it. It’s still made with quality materials that’ll do the job it’s intended to and actually looks pretty good on the truck when all is said and done. I also really like to see that Gator stands behind this product with a solid warranty. It’s really hard to go wrong for the money this tonneau cover commands.
