The market for tonneau covers became more saturated over the years. Now, there are so many different tonneau covers – with some offering way more than the others.
Some newcomers in the review roundup have fantastic specs for a decent price. Having a roll-up tonneau is useful and convenient since you don’t have to remove it to use the trunk.
All you have to do is roll it up! So, there are soft covers nowadays, as well. They are more convenient but they are useless when it comes to theft protection. That’s just one of the reasons why the BAKFlip MX4 caught my attention.
Ever since the late nineties, BAK Industries introduced many great tonneau covers to the US market. However, is the BAKFlip MX4 all that good?
Well, we’re here to determine if this high-end tonneau cover’s quality is worth the investment. It costs quite a bit, so it’s important to know that you’re getting your money’s worth.
So, let’s get on it and see what the BAKFlip MX4 is all about!
BAKFlip MX4 Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover, 448329, Fits 15-20 Ford F150, 5’7” Bed (67.1”)
- Hard rolling cover
- Fits 15-20 Ford F150, 5’7” bed (67.1”)
- Premium matte finish
- Dual-action seal
- Corner caps for a flush finish
- Durable aluminum panels
- 100% bed access
- Made in the USA
Highlights Reviews of BAKFlip MX4 Tonneau Cover
1. The Build Quality And Materials
I was pleased to see that this tonneau cover is high-quality, and is truly worth the money. The panels are made from robust aluminum, so it’s guaranteed to last a long time.
The panels are pre-molded and die-cut for the best appearance and quality. The prod rods are securely and carefully designed for maximum durability, which I liked a lot. All these details gave this product enhanced durability, further justifying the price.
Durability aside, the tonneau cover does a great job of protecting your cargo. Even during the snow or rainstorm, your cargo will stay dry and intact – which is the most important part of the deal. If it doesn’t do that, it’s not a very good tarp.
The matte finish is great and it enables the cover to disappear into the car’s design. However, some scratches are to be expected after a while, which is not great. It will begin to look used up after a while.
Buying a tonneau cover shouldn’t be a yearly thing in my opinion. You should invest in one good rolling cover and that’s it – everything else seems like a waste of money.
What we didn’t like is the fact that the hard covers are supposed to be better for theft protection. The MX4 despite having a latch that locks, doesn’t offer great protection against thieves.
I’d like to point out the quality of the rails, which wasn’t satisfying. The rails will get scratches over time due to a poor-quality finish, but they will do a good job nevertheless. The polish should be better for the price of this cover.
2. The Design
The first thing you can notice about this hard rolling tonneau cover is how nice it is – and how well it fits in with your car. It’s completely flush with your car and it disappears into the design.
BAK Industries was well aware of this when they were making this tonneau cover. The corner caps have a matte finish so the eye for detail is notable, as well. Do note that this tarp isn’t suitable for all car models, so you should measure it up before you buy.
What I want to point out about the design is the flawless matte finish. Like most people, I prefer the matte finish over the polished look. The matte finish is more durable and looks neat for longer, while the polished finish doesn’t.
When you have a polished tonneau, it gets more scratches over time, and it just looks used up after a few months. The matte finish on this tonneau cover does get scratches over time, unfortunately. It won’t be as bad as a polished cover, but it will get damaged nevertheless.
The low profile of this tonneau cover is great as well – since it falls perfectly onto the truck bed. The protection of your cargo is guaranteed, even during extreme weather conditions.
3. Ease Of Use
When we’re talking about the ease of use, we’re talking about how much it takes to roll the tarp up and to secure it over the cargo. For this tonneau cover, ease of use is a non-issue.
It’s super easy to roll it up and to move it back, thanks to the dual rails. The rails help the tarp glide over, and there is a latch you only need one finger to clasp or unclasp.
As for the installation, the story is the same, more or less. If this is your first time installing a hard rolling tonneau cover, it might be a little time-consuming.
Luckily, the instruction manual is very well written, so it poses no problem to figure out the knicks and knacks of this tarp. At most, the whole installation should take about 45 minutes.
No drilling is required for the installation, which is yet another thing I liked about this tonneau cover. If the car is new, nobody likes to drill holes inside of it, especially if the tonneau cover is something you use occasionally.
All in all, this tonneau cover is pretty easy to figure out installation and use-wise. Complicated tarps have no place in the tonneau market in my opinion – it should be a simple tool to make your life easier.
4. Performance
The overall performance is the section where we discuss how the product performed in real-time. With the MX4, I was pleased to see that it behaved well even during demanding weather conditions.
A rainstorm for some tonneau covers means that it will leak a little. That’s not a good sign, but it can happen. This cover was completely waterproof, even when I poured a bucket of water on top. A dual-action seal works like a charm to protect even against tons of snow.
It’s easy to install, easy to roll up and it gives you 100% access to the cargo. The clasps are easy to figure out, and the ‘no drilling’ installation is great as well. The tarp is prone to scratches, despite the matte polish, which is truly a flaw of this tarp.
What is a con of this product is that it doesn’t offer good protection against thieves like other hardcovers. It’s fairly easy to break in, so keep this in mind if you want to store valuable cargo inside.
Rails are easy to install and the tarp glides perfectly over the rails for the ultimate experience. Do keep in mind that the rails have a poor quality polish, so you will get scratches from daily, regular use.
5. What we liked
- 100% waterproof – dual action seal
- No drilling needed for installation
- Easy to use
- 100% cargo access
- Matte finish
- Durable aluminum build
- Quick rollup and roll-out
- Low-profile design
6. What we didn’t like
- The tarp isn’t scratch-proof
- Rails get scratches from regular use
- No theft protection
- Isn’t suitable for all cars
Conclusion for BAKFlip MX4 Tonneau Cover
So, to finish, we thoroughly reviewed the BAKFlip MX4 made by BAK Industries. The MX4 is one of the best-selling tonneau hard covers on the US market, but we had to test it out to make sure it’s truly worth the price.
I was pleased to see how it behaved in real life, and how well it protects cargo from the elements. Even if you live in a somewhat colder climate, you will be fine as the tarp is completely snow-proof.
All in all, the quality of this tonneau cover is worth the higher price. I highly recommend investing your money in the BAKFlip MX4 hard cover!
I am Dave McCurdy I am the content developer on the ecodrivingusa.com website. I have 6 years of experience in marketing as an automotive major.