DECKED vs. Diamondback Covers - The Truck Bed Storage Showdown

DECKED DRAWERS VS DIAMONDBACK COVERS

Trucks have beds so you can load them up with literally whatever you want. Doesn't matter if it's wood, hunting/fishing/skiing gear or even the infamous "redneck hot tub". Truck beds have limitless usage potential. The only downfall to truck beds is their exposure to the world, unless you have a truck cap on there, all your gear is ripe for theft or at the mercy of Mother Nature. Of course, there are solutions to both issues if you don’t want to put a topper on your truck bed.

Today we’re going to talk through two great options for truck bed gear protection. We could call it a competition, but both options can work well on their own or paired together. However, in most scenarios, you’re probably going with one or the other. The choice is yours.

Welcome to the DECKED vs. Diamondback Covers showdown….

Meet Diamondback:

Diamondback Truck Covers come from good ol’ fashioned entrepreneurial roots. The founders met each other at Penn State and the idea of Diamondback Covers was born in an entrepreneurial engineering class. Their heavy-duty truck bed covers are made in Philipsburg, PA. Diamondback manufactures some of the strongest tonneau covers on the market. Select models have a patented alloy aluminum truck bed cover that can hold up to 1600lbs.

Meet DECKED:

Like Diamondback, DECKED is built on a gritty, entrepreneurial drive to make your truck work better for you. Talk about cliché, the concept of DECKED was penned up on a napkin in a local diner. After that fateful diner meal, a few years of intense research and design commenced, with the goal of making the DECKED Drawer system. It is the ultimate tool for truck bed storage, security, organization, and accessibility. Made in Defiance, Ohio out of 100% American sourced parts, DECKED Drawers are as tough as nails. The DECKED Truck Bed Tool Box is also a great option for truck storage, but is not compatible at all with Diamondback Covers.

Alright, enough about the history, you came here to decide whether DECKED or Diamondback is the right choice for you.

We’ll start off by looking at the general facts of the DECKED Drawer System and Diamondback Truck Bed Covers and then move into how Diamondback’s specific tonneau covers compare to DECKED’s Storage system.

Let’s Compare	Diamondback	DECKED	Winner
Order Process Time:	- 10-13 days or 3 business days for an extra $250.	3-7 days	DECKED
Shipping Time:	- 2-8 days in the Lower 48 and 10-12 for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico.	- 7-14 days, doesn’t ship to Puerto Rico, Hawaii, or Alaska. But has dealers in all of those locations.	Diamondback
Return Policy:	- You can return within 30 days of receipt if the item has no damage. No refund for return shipping fees.	- Returns of DECKED Drawer Systems must be made within 30 days of receiving the shipment. All product returns are subject to a 20% restocking fee and return freight expenses.	TIE
Compatibility:	- Toyota, Ford, Jeep, - Chevy, Nissan, Ram, - Honda, GMC	- Toyota, Ford, Jeep, - Chevy, Nissan, Ram, - GMC, Mercedes Benz	TIE
Materials:	- Heavy duty diamond plate aluminum coated with spray on bedliner that is environmentally friendly.	- High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), American Steel (both the HDPE and steel are sourced from recycled materials)	TIE, different materials, but both get the job done in the way they’re intended.
Weather protection:	- EPDM Compression Gaskets along perimeter of cover - Gutter-protected hinge points - Stainless Exterior Hardware	- HDPE is a common material that, when formed with DECKED’s proprietary tools and process, results in an unusually durable, rigid and weatherproof system. We add a UV enhancer to the material to protect it from the sun’s harmful rays.	TIE, both are weatherproof, meaning they’ll protect from almost anything mother nature has to throw at it. If you got creative with a hose and angled it in a certain way, you could get some water in both.
Security:	- Deadbolt style lock system that slides steel rods underneath bedrails	- DECKED offers optional locks that can be placed on both drawers and on top of that most tailgates today lock, so count it, double protection for your most valuable gear right there. In this instance, double bagging is a good thing.	DECKED, you can lock DECKED Drawers even if your tailgate doesn’t lock, where as if your truck tailgate doesn’t lock, you can open it with the Diamondback tonneau cover on top.

Both options serve their purpose well, DECKED Drawers eek out Diamondback barely here due to their greater level of security.

Let’s take a closer look at the DECKED Drawer System in comparison to Diamondback’s heavy duty hard truck bed cover systems.

DIAMONDBACK HD VS DECKED DRAWERS

Let’s Compare	Diamondback HD	DECKED Drawer System	WINNER
Price:	- $2099 + taxes	- $1449 + taxes	DECKED
Shipping	- Free in Lower 48	- Free in Lower 48 or $25 if you want to add more accessories than the already included ones with every DECKED order.	DECKED, free accessories with every system order.
Colors:	- Rugged Black, Smooth Black, Aluminum	- Black	Diamondback
Payload:	- 1600lbs	- 2000lbs	DECKED
System Weight:	- 115lbs	- 200lbs	Diamondback
Installation Time:	- 90 min	- 120 min	Diamondback
Ease of Use and Accessibility	- Easy turn handles and gas spring assisted opening feature - Two options for a box that spans the width of the bed to create shallower access to tools and gear - Pay extra for a light that you can install to see your gear in the bed	- Easy slide out drawers on sealed bearing wheels - Grab-and-go toolboxes designed to fit perfectly into the drawer - No reaching over bed rails to grab gear, all your gear remains in the “power zone” of body movement - Covers the wheel well to create full bed use and maintain a 2000lb payload	DECKED

DIAMONDBACK SE VS DECKED DRAWERS

Let’s Compare	Diamondback SE	DECKED Drawer System	WINNER
Price:	- $1699 + taxes	- $1449 + taxes	DECKED
Shipping	- Free in Lower 48	- Free in Lower 48 or $25 if you want to add more accessories than the already included ones with every DECKED order.	DECKED, free accessories with every system order.
Colors:	- Rugged Black, Smooth Black, Aluminum	- Black	Diamondback
Payload:	- 400lbs	- 2000lbs	DECKED
System Weight:	- 80lbs	- 200lbs	Diamondback
Installation Time:	- 45min	- 120 min	Diamondback
Ease of Use and Accessibility	- Easy turn handles and gas spring assisted opening feature - Two options for a box that spans the width of the bed to create shallower access to tools and gear - Pay extra for a light that you can install to see your gear in the bed	- Easy slide out drawers on sealed bearing wheels - Grab-and-go tool boxes designed to fit perfectly into the drawer - No reaching over bed rails to grab gear, all your gear remains in the “power zone” of body movement - Covers the wheel well to create full bed use and maintain a 2000lb payload	DECKED

DIAMONDBACK 270 VS DECKED DRAWERS

Let’s Compare	Diamondback 270	DECKED Drawer System	WINNER
Price:	- $2199 + taxes	- $1449 + taxes	DECKED
Shipping	- Free in Lower 48	- Free in Lower 48 or $25 if you want to add more accessories than the already included ones with every DECKED order.	DECKED, free accessories with every system order.
Colors:	- Rugged Black, Smooth Black, Aluminum	- Black	Diamondback
Payload:	- 400lbs	- 2000lbs	DECKED
System Weight:	- 90lbs	- 200lbs	Diamondback
Installation Time:	- 75min	- 120 min	Diamondback
Ease of Use and Accessibility	- Easy turn handles and gas spring assisted opening feature - Two options for a box that spans the width of the bed to create shallower access to tools and gear - Pay extra for a light that you can install to see your gear in the bed - Gullwing panels + one standard panel that create three separate access points to gear vs. two on the other models of Diamondback Covers -	- Easy slide out drawers on sealed bearing wheels - Grab-and-go toolboxes designed to fit perfectly into the drawer - No reaching over bed rails to grab gear, all your gear remains in the “power zone” of body movement - Covers the wheel well to create full bed use and maintain a 2000lb payload	TIE

DIAMONDBACK 180 VS DECKED DRAWERS

Let’s Compare	Diamondback 180	DECKED Drawer System	WINNER
Price:	- $1899 + taxes	- $1449 + taxes	DECKED
Shipping	- Free in Lower 48	- Free in Lower 48 or $25 if you want to add more accessories than the already included ones with every DECKED order.	DECKED, free accessories with every system order.
Colors:	- Rugged Black, Smooth Black, Aluminum	- Black	Diamondback
Payload:	- 400lbs	- 2000lbs	DECKED
System Weight:	- 90lbs	- 200lbs	Diamondback
Installation Time:	- 60min	- 120 min	Diamondback
Ease of Use and Accessibility	- Easy turn handles and gas spring assisted opening feature - Two options for a box that spans the width of the bed to create shallower access to tools and gear - Pay extra for a light that you can install to see your gear in the bed - Gullwing panels that open to allow access to your gear via the side of the bed.	- Easy slide out drawers on sealed bearing wheels - Grab-and-go toolboxes designed to fit perfectly into the drawer - No reaching over bed rails to grab gear, all your gear remains in the “power zone” of body movement - Covers the wheel well to create full bed use and maintain a 2000lb payload	TIE

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations, this comparison is exhaustive, but important if you really want to get into the nitty gritty of DECKED and Diamondback. Now, we know that many of you like to upgrade your upgrades, so here is a list of Diamondback and DECKED accessories.

Diamondback Accessories:

Cross Bin 13: 13-Inch-Deep Bin that fits the width of truck bed and allows easier access to frequently used tools and gear. $299

Cross Bin 8: 8-Inch-Deep Bin that fits the width of truck bed and allows easier access to frequently used tools and gear. $279

Ratchet Tie Down Straps. $49

Front Runner X Diamondback Rack System: Made by Front Runner, designed for DiamondBack. Heavy-duty build quality and minimalist design, this rack belongs on your DiamondBack HD or DiamondBack SE. It makes easy mounting of rooftop tents as well as bike and kayak carrying accessories (made by Front Runner). $499

Diamondback Light: Lighting system for the underside of Diamondback tonneau covers. $59

Diamondback Tool Bar: Carrying system mounted to underside of Diamondback tonneau covers. $109

DECKED Accessories:

DECKED D-Box : The DECKED D-Box (hand held toolbox) maximizes drawer storage efficiency and organization, nesting within the DECKED drawers.

DECKED Crossbox: The Crossbox (hand held toolbox) maximizes drawer storage efficiency and organization, nesting within the DECKED drawers. Fits all DECKED drawers crosswise in all full-size drawers and midsize wide drawers. Lengthwise in midsize narrow drawers.

DECKED D-RITO Tool Roll: Our Tool Roll is a compact bundle of git-r-dun. Provides versatile, weather-resistant storage and organization for the tools you need most frequently. Compatible with the D-Bag.

DECKED D-BAG: Meet the only D-Bag you'll ever like. Introducing the hybrid hard shell, soft sided tool and gear bag designed for DECKED drawers.

Drawerganizer™: An open, deep tool tray that sits at the beginning of the drawer for the smaller gear you always need to access.

DECKED Piecekeeper: A great way to transport firearms safely and securely in your DECKED Drawer System to keep them upright and away from each other to avoid any damages.

This is not the full list of accessories from either company, but you can get the general idea of what you’d be working with. DECKED’s offerings are definitely more focused on in-system organization whereas Diamondback has a wider variety of accessories in different categories. The accessories are too different to do a 1:1 comparison, each line up has its own advantages and disadvantages.

So many accessories, so many truck bed cover systems, so much modular storage, so many tool boxes, how are you even supposed to choose DECKED or Diamondback. Well, here’s the kicker, you don’t have to decide, you can get BOTH... if you so desire. That’s right, all four of the Diamondback hard tonneau covers are compatible with DECKED Drawers. Just don’t put the Diamondback Cross Bin 13 in your truck because it would be too deep to work with the truck bed cover and the DECKED system.

I know, a bit anticlimactic.

In the end you know what we would suggest because it checks about every box out there, the DECKED Drawer System. Made In The USA. Made to be the easiest, most weatherproof, secure, organized, and accessible truck bed storage system out there.

GET YOUR TRUCK DECKED