Are baby wipes made of sandpaper? Of course not, they’re made of baby wipes. But even baby wipes are probably a bit too harsh for your auto paint. That’s why protecting your paint can’t be done with some old tarp or random wrap. Actually, the reasons why a tarp won’t work are a lot more complicated than that, but just know it’s no good at all. And, a budget cover is probably a bit abrasive and ill-fitting. True car covers are made by custom car cover experts like Covercraft and Coverking, the reigning names in paint protection.

Between the two brands, Covercraft is widely considered the frontrunner in vehicle protection and storage. Covercraft built its share in the car cover market by simply out-patterning the other guys. They have more patterns for more vehicles than most minds can comprehend. More than 100 model years are covered by Covercraft’s library of patterns. But having those patterns is just one of the reasons why Covercraft leads. They also happen to make the pattern more precisely to the body of the vehicle for a fit that looks tailored.

Though they are in a trailing position in terms of car cover popularity, Coverking can hold its own against Covercraft’s quality. While Coverking used to do a great job of offering patterns for popular vehicles that look and feel similar to a Covercraft cover, they have now sought their own niche with unique items. New fabrics, new fits, and new colors are just three of the ways Coverking is rising.

The two companies’ histories vary greatly. While both began in Southern California, Covercraft had a two-decade jump on Coverking in the car cover business. Starting humbly as a two-man operation born from a custom upholstery shop, Covercraft eventually made its way over to the friendly confines of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, and branched out into many other areas of auto accessory manufacturing. Coverking was birthed from knowledge acquired in the aerospace industry, blending technical protection know-how with a mindset toward paint preservation. Coverking closed the experience gap by building its arsenal of intricate fabrics and coatings. Meanwhile, Covercraft built tremendous brand loyalty, with many customers draping quality covers on generations of valued vehicles.

Fabrics are one aspect of the business where the two wage war. They use distinctly different fabrics from different makers, but their idea is similar. Covercraft uses a Kimberly-Clark fabric named Noah to make their mid-grade, mid-weight outdoor cover; Coverking has a 3-layer counterpart that’s similar in look, feel and heft named Tri-Guard to make theirs. Down their respective lines, each has a counter for the other’s cover. There are a few notable exceptions, like Covercraft’s Sunbrella (a heavy fabric originally designed for awnings) and Coverking’s StormProof (a single-layer untreated outdoor car cover). But, when you need to pick between the two, the best way to select a cover is to feel the fabric sample and make sure they have a custom cover pattern for your ride.