I’ve put about 5,000 miles on my 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon since I installed my DiamondBack HD truck bed cover, so I figured it’s high time I sat down and wrote a review. That’s what I like to do with reviews – I want to get a good amount of real-world experience with a product before I recommend it to other people.
Besides, it gives me a chance to verify the claims that the manufacturer makes about their products. So, in today’s review, I’ll take a deep dive into the specs, features, build quality, and performance of DiamondBack truck cover. Let’s get to it!
DiamondBack HD Truck Bed Cover Specs
Let’s get the ball rolling with a quick overview of the specs and features of Diamondback truck cover:
- Made of .100″ 3003 alloy aluminium
- 50 lb. max panel weight
- 1,600 lb. haul capacity
- 7 structural studs
- 12 cleats around the perimeter for securing gear
- Fully weather-sealed with EPDM compression gasket around the perimeter, gutter-protected hinge points, and side-facing key cylinders
- Stainless steel exterior hardware, including die-cast zinc lock handles
- 3/8-inch deadbolt style rods that actuate under the bed rail of your truck
- Three finish options – rugged black, smooth black, and aluminium
- Limited lifetime warranty on the manufacture and parts of the cover
So, as you can see from these specs, DiamondBack comes to the yard ready to play. They aren’t messing around with sub-par materials or lazy designs. This truck bed cover is well put together, to say the least! Speaking of which, let’s shift gears and discuss the build quality of this thing.
DiamondBack Build Quality
It goes without saying that the truck cover is built like a tank. The aluminum alloy cover is both lightweight, yet strong, which is the ideal combination for having a long-lasting, durable bed cover but without bogging your rig down with a ton of weight. The stainless steel hardware is definitely a bonus, as it resists rust and corrosion for years and years of reliable service.
The locking mechanisms are worth noting as well – there’s two locking mechanisms and with the deadbolt rods that secure under the bed rails, you get the ultimate in security. And with trucks like my Jeep, when I lock the doors, the tailgate also locks, so this bed cover certainly gives me the security I need for my gear. 
No matter where you look – underneath at the support structure, on top at the finish, at the hardware, locking mechanisms, and cleats, this cover is beautifully made and shows an extreme attention to detail.
DiamondBack truck covers are able to accordion, so you can access the truck bed from the front or the back. Since I carry my Pelican hard shell case and Trek Remedy 9.9 bike on top of the cover, I can’t take advantage of the accordion feature. I don’t need it to accordion, but it’s worth mentioning for those of you that might need that added level of access.
It’s worth noting that you can order these covers for your specific vehicle, so they fit your rig perfectly. Because the cover is so well made to the particular specifications of your rig, installation is a breeze. In fact, it only took me about two hours to install the cover, and that includes taking several breaks to play with my son.
All told, it was closer to one-and-a-half hours of install time. The well-written and easy-to-follow installation instructions allow for a quick install as well. Even the shipping materials DiamondBack uses were well put together. The cover came in a large crate that protected the cover from any damage, which isn’t always the case when you order something online.
DiamondBack HD Truck Bed Cover Performance
One of the most impressive things about the build quality of this truck cover is its weather sealing. DiamondBack clearly took its time in developing this system. The thick neoprene compression gasket that lines the perimeter of the cover (shown below) does a superb job of keeping sand, rain, and snow out of my truck bed. 
Even at Glamis Sand Dunes – where there’s obviously a lot of sand (and wind) – the DiamondBack HD did its thing and kept all that dirt out of the bed of the truck. And just a few weeks ago up at Big Bear, the cover worked like a charm to keep a TON of snow and moisture from getting into the bed. 
Even when I’m washing the truck, this cover keeps out the high-pressure stream from the wash hose. Everything inside has remained completely dry. I’ve been highly impressed thus far! One of the handiest features of this cover is the system of cleats around the perimeter.
You can easily tie down your gear to secure it whether you’re headed out for an off-road adventure or making a quick trip home from the home improvement store. I’ve even used the cleats to secure one end of my hammock when only one tree was available. 
In terms of carrying weight, I haven’t tested out its 1,600 lb. capacity – I simply have no need. However, I often hop on top of it to set up my tripod for shooting photos and videos, and I feel completely secure standing on it. I opted for the Smooth Black version of the DiamondBack HD, mostly because I liked how it is reminiscent of a bed liner.
It looks absolutely killer, though I think the Rugged Black and Aluminum options also look great. As an aside, I was a little worried about the ease of cleaning the Smooth Black cover. It has a bit of a gritty texture to it, so my concern was that hard, caked-on mud would be hard to get off. I was wrong. This cover cleans up quickly and easily without any fuss.
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Why This Bed Cover and Not Something Else?
You might be wondering why I went with this particular bed cover… Well, the answer is that I did a ton of research, read a lot of reviews, and did my due diligence.
Through that process, I found DiamondBack HD, and they simply impressed the hell out of me. Seriously – just read the reviews of this cover and you’ll see that I’m not the only one singing its praises! Part of my research was thinking about what I needed for my type of adventuring.
I could have gotten a bed topper, but that would have meant that my bike and Pelican box would have to ride way up on top – where they aren’t nearly as easy to access. (Speaking of which, I carry my bike and Pelican case on a Front Runner rack system that is made exclusively for these truck covers. I’ll have a review of the rack system coming up in the next few weeks.) 
I also could have gone for a bed rack, but that would have left the bed of the truck exposed, so I wouldn’t be able to carry any gear in there, unless, of course, it was something that could get wet, muddy, or potentially be stolen. So, getting a bed cover was a logical option for me. It allows me to have my bike and Pelican case easily accessible while also allowing me to use the truck bed as a weather-sealed, secure area for storing my gear. It’s the best of both worlds. 
DiamondBack truck covers are more expensive than a typical bed cover. However, this is not a typical bed cover – it is much, much better. The old adage that “you get what you pay for” definitely applies here. The higher upfront cost will be well worth it over the years and years of service that this cover will provide. I have no doubt that it will give me the utmost of reliability and durability right up to the point that I decide to sell my Jeep. And you can bet that I will install a DiamondBack HD bed cover on whatever truck I get next!