Gator SRX Vs. SR1 Pro: Soft Roll-Up Tonneau Cover Battle

Soft roll-up tonneau covers are a popular option for truck owners, offering superior weather resistance and theft deterrence, without the hefty price tags of hard folding and hard roll-up options. In the search for a tonneau cover for your truck, there’s a good chance you’ll come across RealTruck-brand Gator—a leading bed cover brand specializing in durable yet economical soft tonneau covers. Two such covers in Gator’s lineup include the SRX and SR1 Pro.

​While these covers may look similar on the surface—both are soft roll-ups manufactured by Gator—there are some small but important differences that set them apart. In this article, we’ll detail the differences between the Gator SRX and Gator SR1 truck bed covers to help you determine which is right for your truck.

Soft roll-up tonneau covers are one of the most popular bed cover options on the market—and for good reason. These affordable tonneau covers offer exceptional cargo protection against thieves and inclement weather without breaking the bank, making them a solid choice for truck owners who don’t need the vault-level security of pricier, more secure options, like the BAKFlip MX4.

​Learn more about all the benefits of this popular tonneau cover style:

While soft roll-up covers aren’t known for their knife- or theft-resistant construction, the marine-grade vinyl or durable canvas tops serve as an excellent theft deterrent by covering any valuables in the bed. If left unattended, it’s much better to have your cargo out of sight than out in the open.

No tonneau cover is 100 percent waterproof—instead, they specify weather resistance, preventing most moisture intrusion to keep your truck’s bed (and the cargo within) clean and dry. With one-piece, seam-free, weather-resistant fabric, soft roll-up truck bed covers offer some of the best weather protection of any bed cover style.

Soft roll-up tonneau covers are extremely slick, featuring one-piece construction and either a leather-grained satin or matte black finish. While soft roll-up tonneau covers have traditionally sat approximately 1.5 in. above the bed rails, modern designs, like the RealTruck Truxedo Pro X15, feature ultra-low-profile X15 side rails, which deliver a nearly flush fitment.

Soft roll-up tonneau covers are among the simplest to use thanks to their intuitive design. After dropping the tailgate and releasing the single or dual trigger latch at the rear of the cover, simply roll the cover (and support bows) up into a tidy package toward the bulkhead. Closure is the same process—only reversed.

One of the greatest draws of a soft roll-up tonneau cover is its comprehensive bed access, unlike several other styles—like soft folding and retractable —that feature bulky canisters or entire panels that can’t be easily removed, leaving up to ⅔ of the bed covered. By comparison, soft roll-up truck bed covers roll up nearly completely flush against the bulkhead, allowing truck owners full use of their pickup’s entire, uninhibited bed.

From a financial standpoint, soft roll-up bed covers are some of the most affordable. With primarily aluminum and fabric constructions, these bed covers come in well under the cost of comparable hard folding or hard roll-up bed covers ($200–$500 versus $800–$1,500), making them the obvious choice for conditional or seasonal users.

Yet another less-frequently cited benefit of soft tonneau covers is their fuel economy improvements. Most drivers see one to three percent mileage improvements after installation of a soft tonneau cover due to the reduced drag on the tailgate. 

Installation ease is another benefit, as most soft roll-up tonneau covers can be installed at home, in under an hour, with nothing but conventional hand tools. For an even quicker and simpler installation, consider soft folding bed covers, which often feature tool-free clamps and an effortless, assembly-free design.

In the past, Gator offered three similar soft roll-up tonneau covers—the SRX, SR1, and SR2. However, in recent years, Gator added the SR1 Pro to its lineup in lieu of the original SR1 and SR2, leaving the SRX and SR1 Pro as Gator’s only soft-folding bed cover options.

​However, that’s not to say there aren’t still SR1 and SR2 models for sale on the second-hand market. If you’re curious how these discontinued covers compare, consult the table below for a side-by-side overview.

Nowadays, only the SRX and a revised SR1 Pro are available directly on RealTruck.com. Check out the table below for a quick comparison between the two popular soft roll-up bed covers.

The SR1 Pro takes all the beloved features of the SR1 and boosts quality, adding an enhanced tension control system, thicker marine-grade vinyl, and an impressive 5-year warranty. Let’s take a closer look at the main differences between these two covers below.

Winner: SR1 Pro

​Both the Gator SRX and SR1 Pro share a similar construction, including leather-grained vinyl over aluminum side rails. However, the SR1 Pro has a slight edge with its extra-thick, marine-grade vinyl top, compared to the conventional vinyl used on the SRX.

Winner: SRX

​What constitutes a low-profile bed cover? While some may consider the SR1 Pro’s 1.5-in. height to be relatively flush, others may prefer the more sleek, streamlined appearance of the SRX. Sitting only ¾-in. above the bed rails, the SRX is one of the flushest soft tonneau covers on the market.

Winner: Draw

​One of the worst qualities of a budget-oriented soft-rolling tonneau cover is the constant manual adjustments required to achieve a sleek, taut fit. That’s where automatic tension control comes into play, utilizing spring-loaded mechanisms for constant self-adjustment. Both the SR1 Pro and SRX use similar systems that require no manual intervention.

Winner: SRX

​When it comes to latches, both the SRX and SR1 Pro feature easy-to-use designs. However, one comes out slightly on top. The Gator SRX utilizes a single trigger latch on the driver’s side of the bed, whereas the SR1 Pro utilizes dual latches—one on the driver’s side and one on the passenger side. Especially with full hands, the single latch is far more intuitive with its one-handed operation.

Winner: Draw

​Both the SRX and SR1 Pro feature hassle-free, at-home installation. No drilling or modifications are required—simply clamp the cover onto your truck’s bed rails with the included hardware.

Winner: SRX

​In the grand scheme of things, both Gator covers fall well within the budget-minded price category. That being said, one comes in at a higher value. The Gator SRX starts at just $219.99 compared to the SR1 Pro’s $349.99.

Winner: SR1 Pro

​While the upfront cost of the SR1 Pro may be higher than the SRX, it’s also backed by a better warranty. Gator covers the SR1 Pro for an astounding five years, whereas the SRX is only warrantied for two years.

If you’ve been keeping track, that brings our total to 5-4, with the SRX coming out on top. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the SRX is the right tonneau cover for everyone.

​The SRX is ultra-sleek, budget-minded, and offers moderate protection against the elements. If you care more about aesthetics than unrelenting durability, the SRX will likely be your preferred bed cover.

On the other hand, the SR1 Pro is rugged, professional-grade, and backed by a superior warranty. If you're looking for maximum protection and longevity from a soft roll-up truck bed cover and care less about an ultra-low-profile fit, the SR1 Pro is the better choice.

​As a RealTruck brand, Gator tonneau covers aren’t just sold by us––they're also designed and manufactured. Shop our extensive inventory of Gator truck bed covers to find the right fit for your truck.

Q: Is the Gator SR1 Discontinued?

A: Yes, the original SR1 is. However, this archival design has since been replaced by the SR1 Pro, which shares all the same features and offers material and mechanical improvements for superior strength and functionality.

Q: Is the Gator SR2 Discontinued?

A: Yes. The Gator SR2 was discontinued within the past year, leaving only the SR1 Pro and SRX in Gator’s soft roll-up tonneau cover lineup.

Q: Which Gator Cover Is Better for Weather Resistance?

A: The Gator SR1 Pro features several characteristics that lend it toward greater weather resistance, including the integration of a marine-grade vinyl top, robust weather seals, and a top-mount design that enables greater sealing surface.

Q: Does the Gator SRX or SR1 Pro Reduce Wind Noise?

A: Neither tonneau cover reduces wind noise—in fact, soft tonneau covers are known to increase wind noise on most applications. That said, Gator tonneau covers are engineered for quiet performance, including integrated tension control systems and rigid reinforcements for minimal deflection and movement.