BAK 26601 BakFlip G2 Truck Bed Cover Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Honda Ridgeline pickup truck is not generic: the styling is unusual, it lacks (by design) some of the convenient bolts and holes and extrusions found on more conventional pickups, and the bed is of course short. While there is no lack of tonneau cover models available, it is not the vast selection available for mainstream trucks.

The BakFlip G2 was my choice because it offered full use of the limited space available in the bed, and it is custom-designed for the idiosyncrasies of the Ridgeline. It was my first purchase for my 2010 RTL, and I considered it a necessity for making the truck useful.

The cover arrived in one box (models for longer beds ship the cover and its rails separately). The package included the pre-assembled cover, two rails, a small package of hardware, two plastic sealing panels, and an illustrated tri-fold installation brochure. The parts were protected by an expanding-foam insert that kept everything safe and separated.

Installation requires two Torx sockets (T40 and T50), a No. 2 Phillips screwdriver, a large flat-blade screwdriver or similar tool, and a utility knife. The two mid-bed upper screws are removed with the T40 bit, and the four forward upper screws that attach the upper tiedown cleats are removed with the T50 bit. You will lose use of those two tiedowns, as the upper rail attaches at those points. The BakFlip siderails are then attached using replacement bolts provided in the kit--these have Phillips heads and are longer than the original bolts.

Two large vinyl drain hoses are provided. These are attached to a nipple at the forward end, and routed through the lower tiedown, then "draped over the drain holes on the floor." You use the flat-bladed screwdriver to remove a plug in the floor, then cut the hose to length so it will catch against the bolt. I'm not yet convinced that these are actually drains, and plan to ask the manufacturer about them.

The two sealing panels are attached with double-sided tape above the forward ends of the rails. This appears to be one of two retrofits done by the manufacturer to seal out water. The cover is then laid on the rails and opened to check positioning. The cover presses against the forward bulkhead of the bed, and can be slid in its latching channel. Once positioned, it is attached to the rails at the forward end with four bolts and star knobs. You are on your own to figure out how to configure the two large flat washers (one metal, one rubber) and lock washer, as there is no mention of their intended use in the instructions. I stacked them all underneath, rubber-sheet-lock from top to bottom.

The second retrofit is a pair of self-tapping screws that are mentioned in the parts list but not shown in the installation steps. A call to Bak's tech support revealed that these are to be installed at the aft end of the railings (in two pre-drilled holes). The CSR said that it was "to increase security," and when I asked him what that meant he thought it was to keep the railings in place. The screws do provide an end attachment point for the rails, as otherwise all the load is on the forward and mid bolts.

The entire installation took less than 30 minutes.

The good news is that the cover is tight and closes with both precision and a satisfying, positive latching sound. Two latching rods can hold it in the full-open position, which does indeed give you the entire bed to work with (and protects the rear window of the cab when you have a full load). The cover is water-resistant but not water-proof (and Bak does not claim that it is). We've already had two torrential rainstorms in the week since I've installed this, and each time I found some trickles of water in the truck bed afterwards. Returning to those "drains," it seems like water is channeled down to them, but it doesn't drain out and thus may be the source of the water I found in the bed. That would be Honda's problem, I believe.

There is a huge reduction in wind noise, as air is no longer being dammed up in front of the tailgate. I so far have noticed a modest increase in fuel mileage (nothing like the 10 percent savings I've seen mentioned, but also nothing to sneeze at).

The cover opens and closes easily, and does not require a lot of jockeying to get things right. One quirk is that the tailgate must be closed before the final panel is closed. This will take some getting used to for my spouse, who loves the "trunk" feature of the Ridgeline and will have to get in the habit of opening one panel when she opens the trunk. Doing things in the other order pinches the aft rubber gasket of the Bak into the tailgate, which could damage it.

Overall this is a well-built product, and I would recommend it to other Ridgeline owners who are seeking a fuss-free experience with a bed cover. I would like to see Bak improve their instructions (which are well-printed on glossy stock) to account for changes in their products.

Click Here to see more reviews about: BAK 26601 BakFlip G2 Truck Bed Cover

Product Description:
The BAKFlip G2 (Generation 2) Tonneau Cover / Truck Bed Cover is the newest generation (G2 = "GENERATION 2") of the original hard, folding multi-panel tonneau covers. This cover has Black Scratch and UV Resistant ABS panels so you have all the security of a locking hard tonneau cover and have instant access to your entire truck bed. The innovative BAKFlip G2 cover folds all the way forward and up against the truck's rear cab (rear window) giving you access to all of your truck bed without removing the cover. The BAKFlip is also easily removable with 2 fastening knobs and weighs only 40 lbs! PLUS - The BAKFlip DOES NOT INTERFERE with stakehole pockets on your truck, so it works perfectly with side rails, headache racks, tie downs, overhead truck racks, etc

Want to read more honest consumer review about BAK 26601 BakFlip G2 Truck Bed Cover now ?