Part I:
No, the Lomax is not a Dr. Seuss character. It's a low-profile aluminum tonneau with several innovative design points. Think of "Low Max" as the general meaning behind this product's name. And it lives up to its billing, laying impressively flat on the back of the Ridgeline. Unlike most low-profile tonneaus, it lays on top of the bedcaps (the flat black plastic pieces that cover the top of the bed sidewalls) and is ingeniously designed to save space, stay dry, and look great doing it.
The Honda Ridgeline is equally at ease going out on the town as it is going out to a job site. Agri-Cover's Lomax is the tonneau perfectly matched to the versatile character of the second-generation (G2) Ridgeline. The tonneau's sleek good looks disguise strong aluminum alloy panels, a solid rail system, excellent perimeter seal, water-resistant hinges, a 10-point automatic locking system, and easy one-person temporary removal.
![Image]()
Lomax and Ridgeline delivering wood to my workshop.
I've spent six months evaluating the Lomax with my 2017 RTL-E Honda Ridgeline. In the process, I've figured out how to make it as watertight as possible. I've hauled numerous loads with the trifold in its maximum two-thirds open position. I have wiped snow and ice off it, blown leaves off it, sprayed water at it to test for leakage, and wiped it down after carwashes. I've installed it at least five times. The Lomax was even on board when my truck was rear-ended, coming through it unscathed. It's never given me a reason to doubt its ruggedness or let me down in any way. Moreover, every month or two I discover something new about it that impresses me.
A note about keeping your bed dry, a top priority for many. I opted to cover this aspect of the review in a companion article, Lomax Installation Tips. I rate the Lomax four stars out of five on its ability to keep the bed dry for those who follow those steps. The G2 Ridgeline also has issues that prevent any tonneau from being watertight without modification. See this article, How to Make the G2 Bed More Watertight, to learn how to solve that problem.
Low and Space Saving
The first thing you notice about this tonneau is how great it looks on the 2017-19+ Ridgeline. The recipe starts with the fact that the aluminum top is only 9/128th of an inch thick (as measured with a digital caliper). That's just over 1/16 of an inch or just under 2 mm. Stir in the beefy perimeter seal and the total thickness of the visible from the outside part of the cover is roughly 7/16 of an inch. The Lomax beats the Honda key fob at being thin.
![Image]()
The Lomax cover is quite a bit thinner than the Ridgeline's key fob. Photo courtesy Seth aka "gti16vman."
Some of you are wondering: "Great, but does that mean I get the full height of my bed with the Lomax?" Yes and no. Let's start with reference measurements because everyone measures the bed height differently. When measured from the lowest part of the bed -- the valleys between the raised runners in the floor -- to the top of the bedcaps is 17 inches. But the real-world number is the one measured from the top of the raised runners since you can't load cargo into the valleys of the floor. That number is 16-3/4 inches, and all further measurements discussed here are focused on this dimension.
We need to consider a few details before we can answer the poignant question posed in the previous paragraph. Most other hard trifold tonneau makers adhere a foam core of variable thicknesses, but typically about 1 inch, across the whole underside of the panel. Agri-Cover's approach was to add a roughly 7/8-of-an-inch high (it varies slightly) by roughly 1-inch wide boxed subframe placed near the four edges of each panel. Throughout the bed, the Lomax delivers 15-5/8 to 15-3/4 inches under its subframe.
The wide-open centers of the panels are completely unobstructed. These expanses measure 16-3/4 inches from the raised runners to the underside of the cover. So, if you can keep the high parts of your cargo to the center areas of the panels, you'll get the full height of the bed.
![Image]()
Add 2-3/4 inches for the length of the case and measure from the bottom of the tonneau to the valley between two of the floor's raised runners. The outcome is 17 inches.
Most trifold tonneaus have large rubber blocks hanging down from the first or second panel. There are usually two or four of these pads. Their purpose is to support the tonneau when folded so that the panels are level and don't rub together. On some tonneau models, the blocks can hang down as much as 3 inches (plus the thickness of the foam core). These blocks are usually positioned roughly a third of the way in from the bedcaps on either side, where they have the potential to hang up cargo as you load it.
Agri-Cover did something different. And it's shrewd. They use aluminum standoffs with rubber-covered feet that require little space side to side. Here's the smart part: Agri-Cover pushed the location of the standoffs to the outside edges of the bed, up close to the bed walls on either side. So, they don't get in the way of loading cargo. In fact, as you look at the underside of the closed Lomax, there is nothing that gets in the way of cargo; the bottom edge of the subframe is the lowest point.
So, let's review: With many hard trifold tonneaus for the Ridgeline, you're lucky to get 14 inches of unobstructed cargo space below the cover. You can count on at least 15-1/2 inches with a modest clearance under the Lomax throughout your bed. In the large wide-open spaces of the underside of each tonneau panel, you'll get the full 16-3/4 inches. It's the only low-profile hard trifold I'm aware of that, when closed, can fit a Honda bed extender underneath it. Thanks to Seth, Ridgeline Owners Club (ROC) member "gti16vman," for testing this and telling me about it.
![Image]()
The Honda bed extender fits underneath the Lomax low-profile cover. Apparently, it just touches the tonneau but not in a way that seems like it would damage it. Photo courtesy Seth aka "gti16vman."
Although other low-profile tonneaus, such as the BAKFlip MX4, sit lower, between the bed walls, none looks better than the Lomax. Moreover, the Lomax does not need or use an internal "rain gutter" and drain system to keep water from flooding the bed when it rains. The Lomax's perimeter seal only overlays the bedcaps by roughly 3/8 of an inch on either side of the bed, but that's enough for it to form the seal needed that makes it watertight along the sides.
![Image]()
The stand-offs keep the tonneau level when folded and isolate the panels from each other to avoid scratches and scuffs.
Pros
Space utilization and functional design
Most people look at the Lomax and see a fashion plate. While there's some truth in that, it's a lot more than just a good-looking tonneau. Some great engineering design work went into this truck cover. I've delved into that in some depth already, so I won't elaborate here except to say that preservation of bed height is very important to Ridgeline owners. The Lomax delivers it.
Light weight and easily removed
Although Agri-Cover says the weight of the Lomax for any truck is about 50 pounds, I'm guessing it's less than that for the 5-foot-long bed of the Ridgeline. I would guess 40 to 45 pounds. That's why removing the tonneau from the truck by yourself on a whim isn't just possible, it's easy. Agri-Cover has streamlined the process of removing the cover. With the tonneau fully folded, each side of its back edge has a release loop. You hook a finger into each of those loops, pull them toward the center, lift the backend of the Lomax, and pull it away from the truck bed.
Close tailgate first? Close tonneau first? Take your pick
A lot of tonneaus quietly offer this feature. But one of the most popular manufacturers, BAK Industries, has made closing the tailgate and cover in either order an upsell feature. BAK only offers the feature on its costlier BAKFlip tonneaus, the MX4 and the F1. For comparison, Honda did the same thing with the 2G Ridgeline's sliding rear window. Initially, it was only available on RTL-E and BE models. Honda has since relented and added it to the are RTL-T too. But it should be standard on all Ridgelines. Just as this ability to zip up the backend of a tonneau in either order should be standard equipment on all manufacturers' trifolds.
![Image]()
The Lomax's rails hug the side of the bed and are not as wide as those of some other companies. The inner portion of the rail goes under the tonneau.
Solid, side-hugging rails
It's all about the number of attachment points. There may be others, but the Lomax is the first tonneau I've researched that uses the three 30 mm Torx bolts in each of the bed walls. Most tonneau makers have opted to use two 50 mm Torx bolts in each corner that anchor the upper tie-downs. The problem with the tie-down conversion attachments is that they flex in the center, which can lead to water leakage. Properly mounted, the Lomax's rails are rock solid. I'm an anti-rail guy from way back. So, this is the first set of real tonneau rails that I've used, and I'm enjoying the experience.
Lomax review continues in the next post …
No, the Lomax is not a Dr. Seuss character. It's a low-profile aluminum tonneau with several innovative design points. Think of "Low Max" as the general meaning behind this product's name. And it lives up to its billing, laying impressively flat on the back of the Ridgeline. Unlike most low-profile tonneaus, it lays on top of the bedcaps (the flat black plastic pieces that cover the top of the bed sidewalls) and is ingeniously designed to save space, stay dry, and look great doing it.
The Honda Ridgeline is equally at ease going out on the town as it is going out to a job site. Agri-Cover's Lomax is the tonneau perfectly matched to the versatile character of the second-generation (G2) Ridgeline. The tonneau's sleek good looks disguise strong aluminum alloy panels, a solid rail system, excellent perimeter seal, water-resistant hinges, a 10-point automatic locking system, and easy one-person temporary removal.
Lomax and Ridgeline delivering wood to my workshop.
I've spent six months evaluating the Lomax with my 2017 RTL-E Honda Ridgeline. In the process, I've figured out how to make it as watertight as possible. I've hauled numerous loads with the trifold in its maximum two-thirds open position. I have wiped snow and ice off it, blown leaves off it, sprayed water at it to test for leakage, and wiped it down after carwashes. I've installed it at least five times. The Lomax was even on board when my truck was rear-ended, coming through it unscathed. It's never given me a reason to doubt its ruggedness or let me down in any way. Moreover, every month or two I discover something new about it that impresses me.
A note about keeping your bed dry, a top priority for many. I opted to cover this aspect of the review in a companion article, Lomax Installation Tips. I rate the Lomax four stars out of five on its ability to keep the bed dry for those who follow those steps. The G2 Ridgeline also has issues that prevent any tonneau from being watertight without modification. See this article, How to Make the G2 Bed More Watertight, to learn how to solve that problem.
Low and Space Saving
The first thing you notice about this tonneau is how great it looks on the 2017-19+ Ridgeline. The recipe starts with the fact that the aluminum top is only 9/128th of an inch thick (as measured with a digital caliper). That's just over 1/16 of an inch or just under 2 mm. Stir in the beefy perimeter seal and the total thickness of the visible from the outside part of the cover is roughly 7/16 of an inch. The Lomax beats the Honda key fob at being thin.
The Lomax cover is quite a bit thinner than the Ridgeline's key fob. Photo courtesy Seth aka "gti16vman."
Some of you are wondering: "Great, but does that mean I get the full height of my bed with the Lomax?" Yes and no. Let's start with reference measurements because everyone measures the bed height differently. When measured from the lowest part of the bed -- the valleys between the raised runners in the floor -- to the top of the bedcaps is 17 inches. But the real-world number is the one measured from the top of the raised runners since you can't load cargo into the valleys of the floor. That number is 16-3/4 inches, and all further measurements discussed here are focused on this dimension.
We need to consider a few details before we can answer the poignant question posed in the previous paragraph. Most other hard trifold tonneau makers adhere a foam core of variable thicknesses, but typically about 1 inch, across the whole underside of the panel. Agri-Cover's approach was to add a roughly 7/8-of-an-inch high (it varies slightly) by roughly 1-inch wide boxed subframe placed near the four edges of each panel. Throughout the bed, the Lomax delivers 15-5/8 to 15-3/4 inches under its subframe.
The wide-open centers of the panels are completely unobstructed. These expanses measure 16-3/4 inches from the raised runners to the underside of the cover. So, if you can keep the high parts of your cargo to the center areas of the panels, you'll get the full height of the bed.
Add 2-3/4 inches for the length of the case and measure from the bottom of the tonneau to the valley between two of the floor's raised runners. The outcome is 17 inches.
Most trifold tonneaus have large rubber blocks hanging down from the first or second panel. There are usually two or four of these pads. Their purpose is to support the tonneau when folded so that the panels are level and don't rub together. On some tonneau models, the blocks can hang down as much as 3 inches (plus the thickness of the foam core). These blocks are usually positioned roughly a third of the way in from the bedcaps on either side, where they have the potential to hang up cargo as you load it.
Agri-Cover did something different. And it's shrewd. They use aluminum standoffs with rubber-covered feet that require little space side to side. Here's the smart part: Agri-Cover pushed the location of the standoffs to the outside edges of the bed, up close to the bed walls on either side. So, they don't get in the way of loading cargo. In fact, as you look at the underside of the closed Lomax, there is nothing that gets in the way of cargo; the bottom edge of the subframe is the lowest point.
So, let's review: With many hard trifold tonneaus for the Ridgeline, you're lucky to get 14 inches of unobstructed cargo space below the cover. You can count on at least 15-1/2 inches with a modest clearance under the Lomax throughout your bed. In the large wide-open spaces of the underside of each tonneau panel, you'll get the full 16-3/4 inches. It's the only low-profile hard trifold I'm aware of that, when closed, can fit a Honda bed extender underneath it. Thanks to Seth, Ridgeline Owners Club (ROC) member "gti16vman," for testing this and telling me about it.
The Honda bed extender fits underneath the Lomax low-profile cover. Apparently, it just touches the tonneau but not in a way that seems like it would damage it. Photo courtesy Seth aka "gti16vman."
Although other low-profile tonneaus, such as the BAKFlip MX4, sit lower, between the bed walls, none looks better than the Lomax. Moreover, the Lomax does not need or use an internal "rain gutter" and drain system to keep water from flooding the bed when it rains. The Lomax's perimeter seal only overlays the bedcaps by roughly 3/8 of an inch on either side of the bed, but that's enough for it to form the seal needed that makes it watertight along the sides.
The stand-offs keep the tonneau level when folded and isolate the panels from each other to avoid scratches and scuffs.
Pros
Space utilization and functional design
Most people look at the Lomax and see a fashion plate. While there's some truth in that, it's a lot more than just a good-looking tonneau. Some great engineering design work went into this truck cover. I've delved into that in some depth already, so I won't elaborate here except to say that preservation of bed height is very important to Ridgeline owners. The Lomax delivers it.
Light weight and easily removed
Although Agri-Cover says the weight of the Lomax for any truck is about 50 pounds, I'm guessing it's less than that for the 5-foot-long bed of the Ridgeline. I would guess 40 to 45 pounds. That's why removing the tonneau from the truck by yourself on a whim isn't just possible, it's easy. Agri-Cover has streamlined the process of removing the cover. With the tonneau fully folded, each side of its back edge has a release loop. You hook a finger into each of those loops, pull them toward the center, lift the backend of the Lomax, and pull it away from the truck bed.
Close tailgate first? Close tonneau first? Take your pick
A lot of tonneaus quietly offer this feature. But one of the most popular manufacturers, BAK Industries, has made closing the tailgate and cover in either order an upsell feature. BAK only offers the feature on its costlier BAKFlip tonneaus, the MX4 and the F1. For comparison, Honda did the same thing with the 2G Ridgeline's sliding rear window. Initially, it was only available on RTL-E and BE models. Honda has since relented and added it to the are RTL-T too. But it should be standard on all Ridgelines. Just as this ability to zip up the backend of a tonneau in either order should be standard equipment on all manufacturers' trifolds.
The Lomax's rails hug the side of the bed and are not as wide as those of some other companies. The inner portion of the rail goes under the tonneau.
Solid, side-hugging rails
It's all about the number of attachment points. There may be others, but the Lomax is the first tonneau I've researched that uses the three 30 mm Torx bolts in each of the bed walls. Most tonneau makers have opted to use two 50 mm Torx bolts in each corner that anchor the upper tie-downs. The problem with the tie-down conversion attachments is that they flex in the center, which can lead to water leakage. Properly mounted, the Lomax's rails are rock solid. I'm an anti-rail guy from way back. So, this is the first set of real tonneau rails that I've used, and I'm enjoying the experience.
Lomax review continues in the next post …
