Bak Revolver X4 (or X2) Cold Weather Performance?

[YoAdrian]

I have seen videos showing the Bak Revolver tonneau cover losing its pliability/flexibility in cold weather and thus losing its ability to roll up... defeating its purpose. Can anyone living in cold climates report on the Bak Revolver X4 or X2 performance below say 32F, 15F, and 0F (or the appropriate Canadian equivalents of below 0C, -10C, and -1000C ).

I think if it is covered in snow, or is iced over it would obviously be stuck... not a material problem, just needs to be de-iced. If on the other hand the vinyl itself gets rigid, preventing rolling... that’s a design and material problem and to me a deal breaker.

So does anyone have experience with these covers in the”real” cold?

(For a different Bak Revolver thread questioning its compatibility with bed utility rails go here: https://5thgenrams.com/community/threads/bak-revolver-with-bed-utility-group.1995/)

 

[YoAdrian]

I've had the BAK revolver on my last two trucks. Never had a problem with them, even in winter.

Hey RDZ418 just to save you a post I saw this comment on another thread, thanks for posting it. PA gets pretty darn cold, so did it stay flexible even well below freezing?

BTW this thread is in reaction to a YouTube vid showing cold weather X2 / X4 problems (and my recent order of the X4!), and I am trying to put the video into context and get more details. It appeared as if ice may have built up on the vinyl but I really couldn’t tell, and the poster said he cleaned it off.

 

[YoAdrian]

Well Bak responded, and they do not recommend using their Bak Revolver X4 tonneau in the cold. My order has therefore been cancelled. I guess this cover will be fine for warm climates though... buyers beware. Sounds like some owners have used them in the cold but for over a grand this guy’s not going to take the chance if they won’t stand behind it. Truxedo Sentry perhaps?

Here’s their message regarding cold weather use:
—-
“We recommend using caution when operating any style of tonneau cover during the winter, as moisture can get under the seals and freeze, and if a cover is opened when a seal is frozen, it can tear the seals. Also, if there is snow or ice on the cover, it must be completely cleared off the cover before opening the cover, as it can damage the cover. Personally, I live in Michigan, and I just don’t open my cover in the winter as to completely avoid potential damage to the cover.”
—-
Q: Independent of icing ... at what temperature will I not be able to roll it up normally? 32F? 20F? 0F? Your website and marketing materials do not clearly address cold weather capabilities, hence my question.
—-
“We do not have a specific temperature that the cover is rated to for operation.”

 

[YoAdrian]

Having a conversation with myself is fun, I’m learning so much! Found this on Truxedo’s website:

Will the Sentry CT work in the winter as well as in the summer?
Yes. The Sentry CT fabric is designed to work in temperatures ranging from -40 degrees to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

I think I have switched, off to YouTube for more research.

 

[KJRam]

I am liking the sentry ct as well. There is a company that will give a 12% discount. I think it is truck accessories? It’s listed on the truxedo authorized retailer website. You chat with them and ask for any discounts/best price. 930 down to like 815.

 

[YoAdrian]

I am liking the sentry ct as well. There is a company that will give a 12% discount. I think it is truck accessories? It’s listed on the truxedo authorized retailer website. You chat with them and ask for any discounts/best price. 930 down to like 815.

Thanks! Did you get a code? They’re not answering chat. Love the look.
Update realtruck offered it for 882.55 so not quite as good a deal as you found.

 

[KJRam]

Thanks! Did you get a code? They’re not answering chat. Love the look.

They auto apply it to your cart and it’s good for like two hours. I’m not ready to buy until my truck shows up but will return to them when the time comes. They have a 30 day return policy so I didn’t want to order to far in advance Incase I had an issue/defective etc

 

[dutchman187]

For what it's worth, two local places both recommended the revolver. We get plenty of cold and snow in Iowa and each said they had never heard a customer complain about it for that reason. I decided against the revolver based on similar concerns of it not rolling up. But I still ordered an mx4, (branded for LineX).

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

I had the revolver x2 on my last truck and would not recommend either the x2 or x4 if you have your truck in extreme temperatures hot or cold. The design in theory is fantastic but the physics behind it leads to failures. The vinyl shrinks and cracks in the extreme cold. And the glue that holds the vinyl to the aluminum slats fails in the heat and delaminates and unfortunately the vinyl holds the cover together so once it detaches from the aluminum the cover falls apart. This happened to me and a friend of mine, both covers failed at about 2.5 years, still warrantied but leads me to believe theres an issue with the materials in extreme temps. For my new ram I'm considering the paragon as I almost bought it for my last truck. Never heard of the sentry until reading this thread so I'm going to look into that as well.

 

[BostonBlueRam]

Thanks YoAdrian for starting this thread. I live in the northeast as well, and I was worried when I came across the revolver videos showing it sucked in cold weather.

I was also checking out the sentry, mostly because I like how the aluminum slats are blacked out. Maybe they might be better in the cold? Anyone have any real world experience with them? Also where can I get the best deal?

 

[BostonBlueRam]

Having a conversation with myself is fun, I’m learning so much! Found this on Truxedo’s website:

Will the Sentry CT work in the winter as well as in the summer?
Yes. The Sentry CT fabric is designed to work in temperatures ranging from -40 degrees to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

I think I have switched, off to YouTube for more research.

Is it just the Sentry CT and not the regular Sentry? Is that why they have that material on the CT? I can't figure out the pros and cons of the CT vs non CT.

 

[YoAdrian]

Is it just the Sentry CT and not the regular Sentry? Is that why they have that material on the CT? I can't figure out the pros and cons of the CT vs non CT.

I’m trying to nail that down too.

The CT seems to have an extra security feature (latching points at end AND midway so you can’t just rip up the velcro) and a different (better?) material, matte black canvas, for the cover.
Updated: Sentry and Sentry CT (CT=Canvas Top?) both claim to have an extra latch for security but I haven’t seen where it is or how it works. “...secures automatically when latched at the rear, with an additional security latch in the middle to provide added security.“
Update to my update: Here’s a pic of the elusive Sentry midpoint latch in its natural habitat; it exists! I still don’t understand how it works, with the cable coming in at perpendicular angle... pulley and spring in there?


I like the idea of canvas for weather concerns, hot and cold, and I’ll bet it looks fantastic. Not sure about stain and “bird” resistance. My VW cabrio convertible has a 14 year old canvas top and it looks great.

Here’s the Truxedo comparison tool, it doesn’t tell you much:
https://www.truxedo.com/p-36130-truxedo-compare-covers.html

 

[YoAdrian]

FYI if you aren’t tracking it there’s a general tonneau thread going on over here where I asked for more details on the Sentry.

 

[DeanKing]

I was debating both the sentry and BAK for a while. The thing that steered me to the BAK: it is more established. More reviews. Stuff like that. But this thread has me second guessing the entire category. I just don’t know what to make of the Truxedo Velcro. Will it help with water? Do I want to deal with Velcro. Does Velcro wear out?
One consideration. I just read the Truxedo manual. In the very beginning it says don’t try and operate in prolonged cold. So there you go: neither manufacturer says to use it in the cold. They state to move it into the sun first to warm up. And ice and snow is also in the manual as not allowed. I just don’t see how one product would be better than the other in the cold. Except the Velcro they are the same thing. So the Velcro may reduce the chance of tearing if ice glued the sides down. There are only so many ways to mix strips of aluminum and vinyl.

Can anyone invent a remote controlled bed heater

 

[YoAdrian]

I was debating both the sentry and BAK for a while. The thing that steered me to the BAK: it is more established. More reviews. Stuff like that. But this thread has me second guessing the entire category. I just don’t know what to make of the Truxedo Velcro. Will it help with water? Do I want to deal with Velcro. Does Velcro wear out?
One consideration. I just read the Truxedo manual. In the very beginning it says don’t try and operate in prolonged cold. So there you go: neither manufacturer says to use it in the cold. They state to move it into the sun first to warm up. And ice and snow is also in the manual as not allowed. I just don’t see how one product would be better than the other in the cold. Except the Velcro they are the same thing. So the Velcro may reduce the chance of tearing if ice glued the sides down. There are only so many ways to mix strips of aluminum and vinyl.

Can anyone invent a remote controlled bed heater

Absolutely great points, good debate we have going.

Security: I initially vastly preferred the Bak Revolver as the mechanical rail latch provides a lot more security... unless of course bad guys figure out a little hook to slip in and grab that cable, then the top is popped either way. Are either Revolver or Sentry cable pulls blocked from the rear horizontal direction? I’ll ask that in the other thread too. Hook and loop is not as secure on the sides, but the midpoint latch makes up for this security concern to some extent. No matter what tonneaus won’t prevent all theft, it’s just a matter of degrees and of delay for the thief. Revolver wins here.

Cold: All bets are off if the cover is iced up regardless of design... simply gotta de-ice for normal operation. Regarding just dry cold temperatures though I speculate the thicker vinyl of the Bak might be less flexible in the cold than the woven canvas of the Sentry CT. The Sentry non-CT uses textured vinyl like the Revolver, so no apparent cold advantage there. I have no empirical data on any of these specific units other than the few comments from our good members and the referenced youtube video... but plenty of general familiarity with the material classes points me to a Sentry CT win here.

Install and design: I also preferred the Revolver’s ability to use existing rail systems... I understand (with a bit of lubrication, aluminum on aluminum) it slides into the bed rails. No additional clamps hanging down... I like that. On the other hand if you need every inch of bed space sometimes like when loading a bike or something, the Sentry pops off with two slider brackets; the Revolver does not have a quick way to remove it. I’m calling this a tie, your application should guide your decision here.

Ultimately I think I’m going canvas. I’m a fan of how that material is performing in other vehicle applications, I expect it will be both great looking and performing as a tonneau. Secure enough for me with the midpoint latch, and I’ll get over the clamps that I can’t see anyways.

 

[YoAdrian]

I am liking the sentry ct as well. There is a company that will give a 12% discount. I think it is truck accessories? It’s listed on the truxedo authorized retailer website. You chat with them and ask for any discounts/best price. 930 down to like 815.

Got a 12% military discount w/ http://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/... not sure if they offer the same discount to anyone who reaches out via chat or email but it is worth a try if you like to save the moolah. Ordered the Sentry CT, will let you all know how it goes after a few weeks of testing.

 

[BostonBlueRam]

Got a 12% military discount w/ http://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/... not sure if they offer the same discount to anyone who reaches out via chat or email but it is worth a try if you like to save the moolah. Ordered the Sentry CT, will let you all know how it goes after a few weeks of testing.

Congrats on making a decision! I am still up in the air but would be helpful if you can install and report with pictures/videos whatever you can supply

I saw a video somewhere showing a customer's Bak Revolver getting easily broken into, somehow the thief popped the latch on the back with a crow bar or something and was able to unroll it pretty quickly. Not sure if this is something that is native to just the Revolver or what, but figured I would mention it.

Here is the video:

I also heard customers complaining about how cheap the plastic lock is on the Sentry Covers, that it didn't inspire confidence about it's security. Dunno at this point which one is better.

Anyhow thanks again for everyone's input, awaiting more info before I purchase !

 

[John813]

So, I've had a Sentry cover for over a month now.
Opened it all the way multiple times, kept in the open position when using the bed etc.

Initial thoughts:
1. Straight forward install. At first was a pain getting the tracks into the rails by myself. Getting the cover locked into place required some flexing of the rails, and some tough love but wasn't difficult.
2. Use of the rollup system is easy. One thing I've noticed though is that some times you need to pat the Velcro down after opeing the cover or you may see it flap in the air on the highway.
3. Very snug for the 5' bed. Makes the bed closing a smidge harder. Could shave some of the foam/padding at the rear, but so far it hasn't allowed water in the bed, so not touching anything.
4. Not going to be seeing snow in Florida, so, can't help anyone there.
5. Pics will be up soon, biggest holdup in this review. I'll post more/if anyone has questions I'll follow up
6. The latch to release the bed cover is something I'll watch over the years. So far, nothing to make me think it could be a fail point, but wish it was a button over a cord.

 

[BostonBlueRam]

So, I've had a Sentry cover for over a month now.
Opened it all the way multiple times, kept in the open position when using the bed etc.

Initial thoughts:
1. Straight forward install. At first was a pain getting the tracks into the rails by myself. Getting the cover locked into place required some flexing of the rails, and some tough love but wasn't difficult.
2. Use of the rollup system is easy. One thing I've noticed though is that some times you need to pat the Velcro down after opeing the cover or you may see it flap in the air on the highway.
3. Very snug for the 5' bed. Makes the bed closing a smidge harder. Could shave some of the foam/padding at the rear, but so far it hasn't allowed water in the bed, so not touching anything.
4. Not going to be seeing snow in Florida, so, can't help anyone there.
5. Pics will be up soon, biggest holdup in this review. I'll post more/if anyone has questions I'll follow up
6. The latch to release the bed cover is something I'll watch over the years. So far, nothing to make me think it could be a fail point, but wish it was a button over a cord.

Thanks for the review. I ordered the Sentry over the CT version. Hoping to get mine in a week just in time for my truck to arrive hopefully...

 

[YoAdrian]

So, I've had a Sentry cover for over a month now.
Opened it all the way multiple times, kept in the open position when using the bed etc.

Initial thoughts:
1. Straight forward install. At first was a pain getting the tracks into the rails by myself. Getting the cover locked into place required some flexing of the rails, and some tough love but wasn't difficult.
2. Use of the rollup system is easy. One thing I've noticed though is that some times you need to pat the Velcro down after opeing the cover or you may see it flap in the air on the highway.
3. Very snug for the 5' bed. Makes the bed closing a smidge harder. Could shave some of the foam/padding at the rear, but so far it hasn't allowed water in the bed, so not touching anything.
4. Not going to be seeing snow in Florida, so, can't help anyone there.
5. Pics will be up soon, biggest holdup in this review. I'll post more/if anyone has questions I'll follow up
6. The latch to release the bed cover is something I'll watch over the years. So far, nothing to make me think it could be a fail point, but wish it was a button over a cord.

Thanks for the review, can you talk about how the midpoint latches work? Does one pull on the cord release all four latches (two rear + two midpoint?), and it rolls back all the way?