Tonneau cover gurus...BAKFlip MX4 vs. OEM

Have had several Tacos, but never one with a Tonneau and about to take the plunge. I see that both the BAKFlip MX4 and OEM are popular...as well as several others that really don't meet my needs for relatively quick removal and ability to expose bed when needed.

So, for those of you that have either or have had both, what are some of the pros/cons or things to be aware of that may not be apparent? I like how both fold/flip to expose bed, but don't know of both expect bike racks/rails and additions easily. Both seem to be similarly priced, so reaching out to those with real world experience.

BTW: Will be installing on 2021 (whenever the damn thing arrived). Thanks gents.

 

Just got the bakflip on my 2021. Fits nice. Looks good. Functional.

According to Bakflip if you live in the desert like I do - their material will last longer...
Registered my 5-year-warranty on it right away.

 

Howzit. I have a lomax and I think it's fantastic, you might wish to include it in your list. They have a stance model now which can open the full bed without removal, or it's a pretty quick takeoff (60s or so for me to stash in the garage).

Downside to OEM is you have to cut your rail caps and then it's a big ask to find them for less than MSRP later on. Also OEM is rather thick by comparison, at least an extra inch on top of the rails vs very flush options from lomax and backflip.

There are vendors who sell at good prices here and I'm 99% sure can ship even to da rock.

 

Great input! Exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. Tks.

 

I had the F1 for a little over 5 years. When I sold the truck. That thing still looked like new. I think the only difference between the F1 and the MX4 is the F1 is a mix of fiberglass and aluminum. And the MX4 is all aluminum.
Very easy to remove and not too heavy. But I never need it to.
Never owned the OEM but personally I think it looks like it doesn’t belong on the truck. The backflip looks elegant.
I’m actually waiting for my revolver X4S. Supposed to arrive by end of this month. This time I decided to try the rolling one. The thing looks nice.

 

I am going to add another option Undercover UltraFlex Extreme.

Pros
- sits flushed on the bed, looks slick
- smooth surface
- carpet lined inside
- came with led light on the driver side
- 5 year warranty
- somewhat waterproof for me but this is subjective
- provide secure storage, not easy to break

Cons
- using the bed rails so you can't use the inner rails anymore
- limited space due to height limitations, this is for all tonneau cover
- can't install bed rack

I am getting a camper shell though because of bed space limitations so sadly I will be selling this cover


Hope that helps

 

I have the Backflip Mx4 and love it. The rail system is lowered and is still used.

 

I ended up settling with the backflip revolver x2 that I found on FB marketplace for $300. Its a roll-up aluminum tonneau with a vinyl overlay.

It has a few features I really wanted:

• It locks along the entire bed rail so you couldn't peek into the bed without breaking it open.
• Its vinyl overlay over the aluminum will keep you from seeing hail damage if it gets caught in a storm.
• Its hard so it could hold a good amount of snow on it.
• It provides pretty good bed access when rolled all the way up. Probly still lose like 6 inches of bed room for tall items though.
• If I installed wingnuts on the front four bolt points it could be removed by hand.

 

Camelback Toyota (sells the most Taco's in AZ) has a Bak-Flip MX4 on display in their showroom (not the OEM)....LMAO

I have the MX4 and love it (except it gets hot AF to the touch in the summer).

MX4 is better fitting and better looking. Will also fold all the way up so you can use the whole bed, OEM will not. I also believe the OEM is more $$$

No brainer imho.....

 

Yeah, the general consensus I've seen here is that OEM isn't the best in class pick, though there are several aftermarket options which are similarly excellent. I'll try to get a photo of the OEM tonneu, there's one on a barcelona red Tacoma which parks around the corner from me.

The OEM bed mat, floor mats, tailgate lock, and of course LED headlights etc are all excellent and receive praise but the tonneau doesn't quite measure up. OEM roof racks are somewhere in between, I've had my eye on them, they serve a purpose and stow nicely but load carrying is pathetic and with so many excellent aftermarket roof rack options it's tough to bite on OEM.

@Taco_Latte19 like you I have a shell on order. Did one road trip to Mammoth packed as tight as I could (and then some) and it just wasn't enough space. I do love how my truck looks with tonneau right now though and will be a little sad to cap it.

 

I’ll be different. I have the MX4 on my F150 and hate it after three years. Mine has scratched easily and has several dents underneath it. All the weather stripping has came off and the middle flap seal has started to peal. BakFlip hasn’t done a thing to address these issues.

 

Did you register for the 5-year-warranty. I'd try to figure out what that warranty covers ( good idea for me too ). If it should be covered
contact the credit card company you used to pay for it ( if you did ) and see if their people will intervene. If you can get somebody like
that to go to bat for you then you may get some action.

 

Interesting option, but really want to be able to use the rails for bikes as well as surf boards, SUPs, etc. BTW, beautiful Taco!

 

Great comments all...thanks! Based on just the few comments above, I've decided to pass on the OEM cover and dig deeper into your suggestions. Keep the ideas and pics coming.

 

At least for the lomax, the rails are accessible/usable, just you can't easily slide stuff in/out as the mounts block spots. So you have to pre-mount the cleat or whatever you intend to use before the side rails are in place.

Photos in this post.

 

I dont know your location but if your going to sell this i may be interested. I have the 2021 tacoma Pro (5ft)

 

If your open to soft covers, truxedo lo pro qt is really nice. Lifetime warranty full use of bed or can be removed in a minute.

 

I looked at the Lomax Stance a d it looks like you mount clips on the roof to hold it open. That turned me off from getting it.

 

Yeah, the model I have is the original which doesn’t flip up and allow full access to the entire bed.

 

I Have a Bak Flip MX4 on a 2017 only issue it that it scratches easily. Everything else is good. Don't care about the scratches I use it to shoot off of. Other issues were an oversized misaligned hole causing connector to fall off. Easy fix larger screw. Locktite your prop rods and your good to go.