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Durabak vs Herculiner vs Raptor & Others: Durabak Bed Liner Beats 9 Competitors in a 6-Point Matchup

Durabak’s flagship product is the Durabak-18 Truck Bed Liner, an easy-to-use, 100% US-made, high-durability bed liner designed to be applied on any surface with a roller.

However, you may be wondering how Durabak-18 compares to other products in the same sector. Find out how Durabak fared in an independently-tested 6-point matchup against 9 competing products, and discover why Durabak is the top choice overall.

Video Review

In July 2021, the well-known Project Farm YouTube channel (2.27 million subscribers as of February 2022) tested 10 different bed liner products in controlled conditions to determine which one is the best roll-on bed liner on the market today. Durabak review and performance summary Overall, Durabak exhibited the best overall performance across all durability tests, placing first in 3 of the 6 testing protocols and ranking no lower than second in all other
tests, including ties.

Products reviewed
The bed liner comparison included the following products:

  • Durabak-18, a textured bed liner for outdoor use
  • Herculiner, also known as Durabak Indoor, the indoor version of Durabak-18
  • Flex Seal, a liquid rubber sealant
  • Two versions of Duplicolor Truck Bed Coating: Oil-based and water-based
  • Raptor Liner Kit, a textured and coated truck bed liner
  • European Genuine Coatings (EGC), a 3-in-1 resin-based bed liner kit
  • Rust-Oleum Truck Bed Coating, a textured, protective truck bed coating
  • Harbor Freight Iron Armor, a vinyl polymer-based truck bed coating
  • POR-15, a rubberized truck bed liner, and undercoating

Testing and Product Comparison
Project Farm applied each bed liner to a series of testing surfaces, using them to conduct 6 durability tests and rank the performance of each liner. 

  • Two impact tests (one at freezing temperature, the other at room temperature)
  • Primer tensile strength
  • Chemical resistance
  • Abrasion resistance
  • Material loss after impact

Impact resistance test (cold)
Impact testing uses an air gun loaded with .177 caliber steel BB pellets traveling at a velocity of approximately 300 ft/s. The purpose of the air gun test is to simulate high-velocity impacts from rock chips, gravel, and similar objects routinely impacting the inner fenders of your truck.

The cold temperature test uses the sheet metal squares placed in a freezer set to -40°F and left overnight before extraction and testing. After shooting the sheet metal plates, the depth of the impact left by the steel BB on each liner is measured and ranked.

Top 3 testing results:

  • 1st: Herculiner, 0.00 mm (the BB failed to dent the underlying metal)
  • 2nd: Durabak, 1.34 mm
  • 3rd: Flex Seal, 2.36 mm

During the Herculiner segment, the BB struck a rubber granule directly and failed to dent the underlying metal. However, due to Herculiner’s similar consistency to Durabak, it is expected that both products should have tied or performed about the same.

Use Durabak for heavy-duty applications like pickup truck bed liners or the undercarriage of your big rig. Applying a coating of Durabak can resist impact from tools or reduce damage from flying debris on the road. 

Impact resistance test (room temperature)
The room temperature version of the impact resistance test is identical to the previous test, simply omitting the overnight freezer segment.

Top 3 testing results:

  • 1st, tied: Durabak and EGC, 0.00 mm (the BB failed to dent the underlying metal)
  • 2nd: Herculiner, 0.97 mm
  • 3rd: POR-15, 1.40 mm

Primer tensile strength test
The primer tensile strength test uses a crane scale to measure the force required to tear apart two metal cubes joined together by a bed liner. This test comprises two parts; without primer and with primer.

Top 3 testing results, unprimed:

  • 1st: Durabak, 595 lbs. unprimed, 641 lbs. primed
  • 2nd: Herculiner, 433 lbs. unprimed, 612 lbs. primed
  • 3rd: Flex Seal, 366 lbs. unprimed, 491 lbs. primed

Liquid exposure test
The chemical resistance test uses 3 plastic cups containing the following substances: 91% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, non-ethanol gasoline, and diesel. Metal washers coated in bed liner are placed in each cup then left to sit for 90 minutes.

Testing results, rubbing alcohol:

  • Resisted: Rust-Oleum, EGC, Raptor
  • Partial damage: Herculiner, POR-15, Durabak
  • Broke down: Iron Armor, Duplicolor (both), Flex Seal

Testing results, gasoline:

  • Resisted: Durabak, Herculiner, Rust-Oleum, EGC, Raptor, Duplicolor (water-based)
  • Broke down: Iron Armor, Duplicolor (oil-based), Flex Seal, POR-15

Testing results, diesel:

  • Resisted: Rust-Oleum, EGC, Flex Seal, Raptor, Duplicolor (water-based), Herculiner, POR-15, Durabak
  • Partial damage: Duplicolor (oil-based)
  • Broke down: Iron Armor

Overall, although EGC seemed to have the highest overall chemical resistance, Durabak and Herculiner still performed well, sustaining no degradation when exposed to fuels and only partial breaking down after long-term exposure to rubbing alcohol.

On the job, accidents happen. A coating of Durabak provides long-lasting protection against chemical spills.

Sharp objects test
The primary purpose of a bed liner is to protect your vehicle against damage from sharp objects. The testing protocol uses a metal screw, scraping it against a test surface coated in bed liner with approximately 2 lbs. of downward force applied on each liner.

The size and depth of the scratches left into each liner are measured and ranked by severity.

Testing results:

  • Minor scratching: Durabak, Herculiner EGC, Rust-Oleum, Raptor, POR-15 
  • Significant scratching: Duplicolor (oil-based), Iron Armor
  • Cut or destroyed: Flex Seal, Duplicolor (water-based)

RVs and campers can sustain serious damage when exploring the Great Outdoors. With a coating of Durabak, you can keep your home away from home in pristine condition. Durabak resists scratches from stray branches and rocks and won’t chip, fade, or peel.

Material loss after heavy impact test
This test employs a 500g pointed steel rod dropped from a height of approximately 24”. The purpose of this test is to simulate the bed liner’s durability following a vertical impact, such as sleet or objects falling from trees. Upon impact, the size of the dent left is measured.

Top 3 testing results:

  • 1st, tied: Durabak, Herculiner, 0.00 mm (the steel rod failed to break the liner)
  • 2nd: EGC, 2.40 mm
  • 3rd: Flex Seal, 2.79 mm

Price Comparison
Here is a breakdown of all 10 products’ prices per ounce, from lowest to highest:

  • Iron Armor: $0.40/oz.
  • Rust-Oleum: $0.59/oz.
  • EGC: $0.62/oz.
  • Dupli-color (oil-based): $0.88/oz.
  • Flex Seal: $0.94/oz.
  • Raptor: $1.09/oz.
  • Dupli-color (water-based): $1.14/oz.
  • Herculiner: $1.16/oz.
  • POR-15: $1.21/oz.
  • Durabak: $1.44/oz.

Summary and Final Thoughts
Although it has the highest price per ounce, the Durabak bed liner review tests demonstrate its uncompromising durability in all circumstances, making it worth every penny. If you’re looking for the highest-performance bed liner for your truck, boat, or any other surface, choose Durabak.

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