Yes. Malarkey Roofing Products is a legitimate roofing manufacturer known for polymer-modified asphalt shingles, Class 3 and Class 4 impact-resistant products, complete roof-system accessories, and low-slope modified asphalt systems. Its strongest residential options include Highlander AR, Vista AR, Legacy Scotchgard, and Windsor Scotchgard. The best choice depends on hail exposure, wind, appearance, budget, installation quality, and warranty requirements.
Malarkey was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Holcim acquired the company in 2022. Following the 2025 separation of Holcim’s North American business, Malarkey became part of Amrize and now operates within Amrize’s Building Envelope business.
Malarkey’s product lineup is smaller than the catalogs offered by some major manufacturers. That is not necessarily a weakness. Its residential lineup is structured around four clear performance levels rather than dozens of overlapping products.
The primary difference is the asphalt formulation. Malarkey currently manufactures its shingles with NEX polymer-modified asphalt, commonly described as rubberized asphalt. According to Malarkey, this formulation combines conventional roofing asphalt with synthetic and upcycled rubber and plastic polymers to improve flexibility, tear resistance, granule retention, and impact performance.
Most traditional asphalt shingles use oxidized asphalt. Malarkey uses polymer-modified asphalt throughout its current residential shingle lineup.
The polymer modification is intended to make the asphalt core less brittle and more capable of tolerating weather-related movement and impacts. That can be especially relevant in Colorado and Wyoming, where roofs regularly experience hail, high winds, snow, intense ultraviolet exposure, and abrupt temperature changes.
Polymer-modified does not mean indestructible. A rubberized shingle can still suffer hail damage, installation damage, granule loss, wind failure, or premature deterioration.
Malarkey incorporates polymers from upcycled tires and plastic into its asphalt formulation. The manufacturer states that these materials are added to improve performance while reducing waste sent to landfills. Malarkey also uses 3M smog-reducing granules throughout its current shingle lineup.
These features are legitimate product distinctions, but they should not be exaggerated. A roofing material is not environmentally harmless merely because it contains recycled material. Asphalt shingles still require manufacturing, transportation, eventual removal, and disposal.
Malarkey’s current architectural and designer products carry either a UL 2218 Class 3 or Class 4 impact rating:
Class 4 is the highest classification under the UL 2218 impact test. It does not mean the roof is hail-proof, and it does not guarantee that an insurance company will provide a discount or approve a future claim.
Malarkey shingles use The Zone, a larger nailing area intended to improve fastening accuracy. Vista AR and Legacy Scotchgard are advertised with a nailing area up to twice as large as a standard shingle. Their laminated construction also uses multiple adhesive bonds intended to resist delamination, wind uplift, and wind-driven rain.
A larger nailing area reduces the installer’s margin for error. It does not excuse careless installation. Nails still have to be correctly placed, driven to the proper depth, and installed in the required quantity.
| Malarkey shingle | Style | Impact rating | Standard non-prorated period | Standard wind warranty | Enhanced wind warranty | Algae warranty | Relative tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlander AR | Architectural | Class 3 | 10 years | 110 mph | 130 mph | 15 years | Entry |
| Vista AR | Architectural | Class 4 | 15 years | 110 mph | 130 mph | 25 years | Midrange |
| Legacy Scotchgard | Architectural | Class 4 | 20 years | 110 mph | 130 mph | Limited lifetime | Premium |
| Windsor Scotchgard | Designer | Class 4 | 20 years | 110 mph | 140 mph | Limited lifetime | Luxury |
All four main products use NEX polymer-modified asphalt and carry limited lifetime shingle warranties for qualifying residential applications. Their product pages also list Class A fire ratings. Warranty coverage remains subject to the current written terms, installation requirements, ownership type, exclusions, and transfer rules.
Highlander AR is Malarkey’s most economical architectural shingle. It uses the same general laminated profile found on conventional architectural shingles but is manufactured with Malarkey’s NEX polymer-modified asphalt.
Highlander AR carries a UL 2218 Class 3 impact rating and a Class A fire rating. Its standard coverage includes a limited lifetime shingle warranty, a 10-year non-prorated period, a 110 mph standard wind warranty, an available 130 mph enhanced wind warranty, and a 15-year algae warranty.
Highlander AR makes sense for homeowners who want a better asphalt formulation than a conventional entry-level shingle but cannot justify the price of a Class 4 roof.
It may also fit rental properties, detached garages, budget-sensitive replacements, or homes where insurance does not provide a meaningful benefit for Class 4 roofing.
Vista AR is Malarkey’s most popular architectural shingle and is generally the strongest value in the company’s residential lineup.
It uses NEX polymer-modified asphalt and carries UL 2218 Class 4 impact resistance and a Class A fire rating. Malarkey lists a limited lifetime shingle warranty, a 15-year non-prorated period, a 110 mph standard wind warranty, a 130 mph enhanced wind warranty, and 25 years of algae coverage.
Malarkey states that Vista AR has up to 25 percent greater tear strength and up to 65 percent greater granule adhesion than the ASTM D3462 industry standard. Those are manufacturer-published comparisons, not a guarantee of field lifespan.
For many Colorado and Wyoming homeowners, Vista AR is the logical starting point.
It provides Class 4 impact resistance without the cost of a premium or designer shingle. Homeowners who care primarily about storm performance and value may gain little by moving above Vista unless they want Legacy’s added thickness, longer non-prorated period, or Scotchgard algae coverage.
Legacy Scotchgard is Malarkey’s highest-performing architectural shingle. It maintains a conventional architectural profile but uses more material and a heavier construction than Vista.
Legacy carries a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating and a Class A fire rating. Its standard warranty information includes a limited lifetime shingle warranty, a 20-year non-prorated period, a 110 mph standard wind warranty, a 130 mph enhanced wind warranty, and a limited lifetime algae warranty through Scotchgard Protector from 3M.
Malarkey lists Legacy as up to 19 percent thicker and up to 35 percent stronger in tear testing than the referenced standard shingle benchmark. It also uses copper-containing 3M granules intended to reduce staining from blue-green algae.
Legacy is appropriate for homeowners who intend to keep their property, want a premium architectural roof, and value the longer initial warranty period.
It is also a reasonable option for mountain properties, higher-value residences, and homeowners who want stronger product specifications without moving to a highly dimensional designer shingle.
Windsor Scotchgard is Malarkey’s designer shingle. It uses a larger, heavier cedar-shake-inspired pattern intended to create deeper shadow lines and more visible roof dimension.
Windsor carries a Class 4 impact rating, Class A fire rating, limited lifetime shingle warranty, 20-year non-prorated period, 110 mph standard wind warranty, available 140 mph enhanced wind warranty, and limited lifetime algae warranty. Malarkey identifies it as its most dimensional and highest-performing shingle overall.
Windsor is intended for custom residences, mountain homes, steep rooflines, and properties where the roof is a major architectural feature.
Installing Windsor on a low-visibility roof simply to obtain Class 4 impact resistance is difficult to justify. Vista and Legacy already provide Class 4 performance at lower material tiers.
Malarkey offers Highlander Cool and Vista Cool shingles in selected markets. These products use reflective colors or 3M cool-roof granules designed to increase solar reflectivity.
Malarkey states that Vista Cool maintains a Class 4 impact rating, while Highlander Cool carries Class 3. The company’s cool-roof products are listed in specific reflective colors, and availability is highly dependent on market and distributor inventory.
Cool-roof shingles can reduce heat absorbed at the roof surface, but homeowners should not assume they will dramatically reduce utility bills. Actual results depend on:
In Colorado and Wyoming, a cool-roof product may be useful on highly exposed roofs with limited shade. It should not take priority over impact resistance, ventilation, flashing, or proper installation.
| Homeowner priority | Best Malarkey option | Reason |
| Lowest initial cost | Highlander AR | Entry-level architectural shingle with Class 3 impact resistance |
| Best overall value | Vista AR | Class 4 performance at a midrange tier |
| Best premium architectural shingle | Legacy Scotchgard | Heavier construction and 20-year non-prorated period |
| Best designer shingle | Windsor Scotchgard | Most dimensional profile and up to 140 mph enhanced wind coverage |
| Best for hail exposure | Vista AR or Legacy | Both provide Class 4 performance without requiring a luxury profile |
| Best for algae protection | Legacy or Windsor | Limited lifetime algae warranties on qualifying Scotchgard products |
| Best for a custom home | Windsor | Heavy cedar-shake-inspired appearance |
| Best for a rental or shorter ownership period | Highlander AR | Lower initial material cost |
| Best solar-reflective option | Vista Cool | Class 4 impact rating with reflective colors or granules |
| Best for a low-slope roof | OmniSeal | Self-adhered modified asphalt system rather than shingles |
For a typical Colorado home, Vista AR is usually the most rational product in the lineup. It gives the homeowner Class 4 impact resistance without pushing the project into premium or designer pricing.
Legacy is the better product on paper. That does not mean it is always the better purchase.
Yes. Malarkey’s polymer-modified asphalt and Class 4 products make the brand particularly relevant in Colorado and Wyoming. The regional conditions still require more than a good field shingle.
Vista, Legacy, and Windsor carry Class 4 impact ratings. Highlander carries Class 3.
A Class 4 rating shows that the shingle passed the applicable laboratory impact test. Actual hailstorms are not laboratory tests. Large, dense, wind-driven hail can damage any asphalt shingle.
Ask the insurance carrier these questions before paying extra for Class 4 roofing:
Highlander, Vista, and Legacy have enhanced wind-warranty limits of up to 130 mph. Windsor’s enhanced limit is up to 140 mph.
The enhanced coverage requires specific accessory products and installation procedures. Malarkey states that the enhanced wind warranty requires Smart Start starter shingles, a qualifying Malarkey hip-and-ridge product, and specific fastening requirements.
A 130 or 140 mph warranty is not a promise that the roof cannot fail below that speed. Wind warranties commonly address shingle blow-off and remain subject to sealing, fastening, installation, exposure, and claim requirements.
Snow load is primarily a structural issue, but the roofing system must manage ice dams and melting snow.
Self-adhered ice-and-water protection should be installed where required by code and where the roof design creates greater risk. Vulnerable areas frequently include:
Colorado and Wyoming roofs can experience rapid temperature changes between daylight and overnight conditions. Polymer-modified asphalt is generally less brittle than conventional oxidized asphalt, but product quality does not overcome improper installation temperatures or poor attic conditions.
High-elevation properties receive intense ultraviolet exposure. Granules protect the asphalt from sunlight, which makes granule adhesion an important performance characteristic.
Malarkey publishes granule-adhesion improvements of up to 65 percent over the referenced ASTM D3462 standard for its principal shingle products. This is a manufacturer specification, not a guaranteed service-life extension.
A new roof is not just shingles. Malarkey calls its coordinated five-component assembly the Secure Choice Roof System.
The five components are:
Using the complete system can improve compatibility and may qualify the project for enhanced warranty options when installed by an eligible Malarkey Certified Contractor.
A self-adhering ice-and-water barrier protects vulnerable areas from water that gets beneath the exposed roofing.
The product must be installed over a suitable deck and integrated correctly with eave metal, underlayment, valleys, walls, and penetrations. Simply adding more membrane does not correct poor flashing.
Malarkey’s underlayment products include Secure Start Lite, Secure Start Plus, Secure Start Permeable, and Secure Start HT for applicable high-temperature installations.
Secure Start Plus is a synthetic underlayment designed with an anti-skid surface. Secure Start Permeable is designed to allow internal moisture vapor to escape while resisting exterior moisture. Secure Start HT is intended for higher-temperature assemblies, including applicable metal roofing installations.
Smart Start starter shingles are installed along roof edges to provide the correct first course and factory-applied sealant placement.
Cutting field shingles into makeshift starter strips may save material, but it can remove or misplace the sealant needed at the roof edge.
The field shingle is the main visible surface. This is where Highlander, Vista, Legacy, or Windsor is installed.
Malarkey offers matching hip-and-ridge products such as EZ-Ridge and RidgeFlex. These products finish the roof peaks and can be required for enhanced warranty coverage.
Malarkey’s standard shingle warranty primarily covers qualifying manufacturing defects. It is not an unrestricted guarantee against leaks, hail, wind, installation errors, structural movement, poor ventilation, flashing failure, or normal aging.
The standard non-prorated periods are:
After the applicable initial period, coverage may become prorated under the warranty’s written terms.
Malarkey’s current warranty program uses Certified Pro and Certified Premium coverage:
Do not rely on a salesperson’s summary. Request these items in writing:
A “limited lifetime” warranty does not mean Malarkey will buy an entirely new roof at any point during the owner’s lifetime.
Malarkey also manufactures modified asphalt roofing systems for low-slope residential and commercial applications.
Its low-slope products can be layered into multi-ply assemblies based on the roof’s performance and warranty requirements.
OmniSeal is a self-adhered, multi-ply modified asphalt system intended for roof slopes of 4:12 and below. It can be configured as a two- or three-layer system, and selected cap-sheet colors coordinate with Malarkey’s shingle colors.
OmniSeal may be appropriate for:
The statement that OmniSeal is designed for slopes of 4:12 and below does not mean every 4:12 roof should receive membrane roofing. Roof design, appearance, drainage, code, deck construction, and manufacturer requirements still determine the correct assembly.
Shingles shed water. They are not a continuous waterproof membrane.
As roof slope decreases, water drains more slowly and becomes more likely to move beneath shingle laps through wind, ice, capillary action, or accumulated snow. Installing shingles where a membrane is required is a predictable failure, not a material defect.
| Advantages | Potential disadvantages |
| Polymer-modified asphalt throughout the lineup | Usually costs more than basic conventional shingles |
| Class 4 options begin at the midrange Vista tier | Product availability varies by region and distributor |
| Clear good, better, best product structure | Fewer designer profiles than some competitors |
| Upcycled rubber and plastic content | Sustainability claims can be overstated by salespeople |
| Smog-reducing granules | Actual environmental impact remains more complex than one feature |
| Wide nailing area | Correct installation is still required |
| Strong algae coverage on Legacy and Windsor | Algae warranty applies only under written terms |
| Matching system accessories | Enhanced warranties require specific components |
| Self-adhered low-slope system | OmniSeal is not appropriate for every flat or low-slope roof |
| Current Certified Premium workmanship coverage | Warranty eligibility depends on contractor and system requirements |
Malarkey’s primary weakness is not the product. It is availability and price.
A technically strong shingle is of limited value when the color is unavailable, replacement bundles cannot be sourced, or the contractor has little experience installing the system.
There is no responsible universal price for a Malarkey roof.
The installed cost depends on:
One roofing square equals 100 square feet of actual roof surface.
A 2,000-square-foot house does not automatically have a 20-square roof. Overhangs, pitch, garages, porches, waste, and roof complexity increase the material quantity.
The usual Malarkey cost order is:
Vista is often the most compelling upgrade because it moves from Class 3 to Class 4 without moving all the way into premium or designer pricing.
Malarkey manufactures the roofing material. It does not install every roof bearing its name.
Common installation failures include:
A premium Legacy or Windsor shingle installed badly is still a bad roof.
Excel Roofing evaluates the complete assembly, including decking, flashing, ventilation, penetrations, slope changes, and drainage. The shingle selection comes after the roof has been evaluated, not before.
Yes. Malarkey manufactures polymer-modified asphalt shingles with Class 3 and Class 4 impact ratings, complete roofing accessories, and low-slope modified asphalt systems. The brand is particularly relevant for hail-prone markets, but product selection and installation quality still determine the roof’s actual performance.
Vista AR is Malarkey’s most popular architectural shingle. It combines a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating, polymer-modified asphalt, a 15-year non-prorated warranty period, and midrange positioning.
Legacy Scotchgard is Malarkey’s highest-performing architectural shingle, while Windsor Scotchgard is its highest-tier designer shingle. Vista AR is often the best value because it provides Class 4 impact resistance without premium or luxury pricing.
Highlander carries a Class 3 impact rating and a 10-year non-prorated period. Vista carries a Class 4 impact rating, is thicker, and has a 15-year non-prorated period. Vista is the stronger hail-focused option.
Both carry Class 4 impact ratings. Legacy is thicker, has higher published tear strength, includes a 20-year non-prorated period, and offers limited lifetime algae coverage on the Scotchgard version. Vista costs less and is usually the better value.
Yes. Malarkey Vista and Vista AR currently carry UL 2218 Class 4 impact ratings. Class 4 is the highest rating under that test, but it does not make the product hail-proof.
Yes. Legacy Scotchgard carries a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating and Class A fire rating. It is Malarkey’s premium architectural shingle.
No. Malarkey’s Class 4 shingles are impact resistant, not hail-proof. Large or wind-driven hail can damage any asphalt shingle.
Possibly. Some carriers offer discounts for qualifying Class 4 shingles, while others do not. Coverage, discounts, documentation requirements, and cosmetic-damage exclusions vary by insurer and policy.
There is no guaranteed field lifespan. Product choice, installation, hail, wind, ultraviolet exposure, ventilation, maintenance, and roof design all affect service life. The limited lifetime warranty should not be treated as a predicted lifespan.
The standard warranty primarily covers qualifying manufacturing defects. Enhanced coverage may be available through Malarkey Certified Contractors using required Secure Choice system components. The highest current Certified Premium coverage includes qualifying workmanship protection.
It is Malarkey’s five-component roof system consisting of ice-and-water barrier, underlayment, starter shingles, field shingles, and hip-and-ridge shingles.
Yes. Malarkey manufactures modified asphalt roofing systems, including the self-adhered OmniSeal system for applicable low-slope residential and commercial roofs.
No. Asphalt shingles should not be installed on a flat roof. Flat and low-slope areas require an approved membrane or modified asphalt system designed for the roof’s actual slope and construction.
Yes. Vista, Legacy, and Windsor provide Class 4 impact resistance, and Malarkey’s polymer-modified asphalt is relevant to Colorado’s hail, ultraviolet exposure, snow, wind, and temperature changes.
Yes. Malarkey offers Class 4 impact-resistant products and enhanced wind-warranty options suited to many Wyoming properties. Proper fastening, sealing, decking, flashing, and attic ventilation remain essential.
Not in every situation. Malarkey’s main advantage is that polymer-modified asphalt is used throughout its main lineup and Class 4 protection begins with Vista. Other manufacturers may offer broader color selections, greater distribution, different warranty programs, or architectural styles better suited to a particular home.
Malarkey offers a focused shingle lineup with meaningful differences between each tier.
Highlander AR is the budget option. Vista AR is the strongest overall value for hail-prone homes. Legacy Scotchgard provides a heavier premium architectural system. Windsor Scotchgard is designed for properties where both maximum dimension and Class 4 performance matter.
The correct choice depends on the roof, ownership plans, insurance policy, budget, architecture, and local product availability.
Excel Roofing is a family-owned roofing contractor founded in 1993. We install residential and commercial roofing systems throughout Denver, Colorado Springs, Casper, Sheridan, and surrounding Colorado and Wyoming communities.
Contact Excel Roofing to schedule a free roof inspection, compare Malarkey products, and receive a written roof-replacement estimate.