The Best Asphalt Shingles: An Expert Roofer's Honest Rankings

If you're replacing your roof, one of the most important decisions you'll make is which asphalt shingles go on it. With dozens of manufacturers competing for your business, the options can feel overwhelming, and the marketing language doesn't always help you separate a great product from a mediocre one.

I'm J. Bretz, owner of Excel Roofing in Englewood, Colorado. I've been in the roofing business for over 35 years, and we've installed every major shingle brand on the market. We've also handled warranty claims for each of them, which gives us a perspective most homeowners never get to see.

Here are our honest rankings, and exactly why we rank them the way we do.

Our Asphalt Shingle Rankings

1. Owens Corning - Our Top Pick
2. Pabco
3. CertainTeed
4. GAF
5. Malarkey
6. Tamko

Let's break down why, and what actually separates a great shingle from a poor one.

What to Look for When Comparing Asphalt Shingles

Before evaluating any brand, you need to understand what actually makes one shingle perform better than another. There are two critical factors: the nailing zone and the seal-down strip.

The Nailing Zone

Every asphalt shingle has a target zone where nails should be driven. Get it right, and the nail holds both the top and bottom layers of the shingle securely. Get it wrong by nailing too high, and the nail misses the lower shingle entirely, leaving it vulnerable to wind uplift.

Owens Corning is the only manufacturer with their patented SureNail® strip, a reinforced fabric band running across the shingle's nailing zone. It gives installers a clear, forgiving target, and the nail catches approximately 50% overlap between shingle layers. That patent is the reason competitors haven't copied it yet. When it expires, they will.

Pabco has an excellent nailing zone with roughly 75% overlap, among the best we've seen. CertainTeed has a wide nailing zone, but the overlapping area is surprisingly narrow, which is why they double-mark it. GAF has a wide zone with only about 25% overlap. Malarkey sits around 50%. Tamko uses only a thin line as the nailing target, leaving less room for error during installation.

The Seal-Down Strip

On the back of every asphalt shingle is a line of tar adhesive. When the shingle heats up in the sun, this tar activates and bonds the shingle to the one below it. This is the primary wind-resistance mechanism of any asphalt shingle, not the nails alone.

All six manufacturers include a seal-down strip. The difference is in formulation quality and how much adhesive is applied. Owens Corning stands apart here too. Their SureNail strip sits in perfect alignment with the seal-down strip of the shingle above it. When the tar melts, it bonds directly to that reinforced fabric layer, creating an exceptionally strong, lasting seal. If you've ever tried to separate two Owens Corning shingles that have been on a roof for a season, you know what we mean. You need a pry bar.

Why Owens Corning Is Our #1 Recommendation

Owens Corning consistently outperforms the competition in three areas: shingle performance, warranty coverage, and manufacturer support.

The wind performance story is the one that convinced us years ago. Our team works in some of the windiest markets in the country. We once installed a Tamko roof and an Owens Corning roof on two houses side by side. After a major windstorm, we had multiple Tamko shingles blow off. The Owens Corning roof had not one shingle lost.

That experience is a big reason Excel Roofing has been an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor for many years.

The Owens Corning Warranty Advantage

When you install five Owens Corning products together, including underlayment, ice and water shield, starter shingles, field shingles, and ridge shingles, you qualify for a 10-year non-prorated warranty. 

With some competing manufacturers, if shingles begin to fail, you may be required to pay out of pocket toward the replacement cost even during the warranty period. That fine print can cost homeowners thousands of dollars. Owens Corning's non-prorated coverage means they stand fully behind the product for the first ten years, no exceptions.

Why Pabco Is Our Strong #2

Pabco earns its place at number two with a superior nailing zone, excellent shingle performance, strong availability, and reliable manufacturer support. If Owens Corning isn't available for your project or timeline, Pabco is a product we confidently recommend.

The Rest of the Rankings

CertainTeed (#3) is solid across the board, a reliable choice with good availability and consistent performance.

GAF (#4) is widely available and well-known, though the limited nailing zone overlap is a concern we note for customers.

Malarkey (#5) deserves credit for being first to market with impact-resistant, flexible shingle technology, an important innovation for hail-prone climates. However, availability can be inconsistent, warranty terms are weaker than competitors, and manufacturer support has been unreliable in our experience.

Tamko (#6) sits at the bottom of our list. We've had ongoing difficulties with Tamko over the years in both shingle performance and warranty support. The side-by-side wind test tells the story.

What This Means for Your Roof

Homeowners in our service area deal with conditions that test roofing systems hard, including hailstorms, high winds, freeze-thaw cycles, and heavy snow loads. The shingles on your home need to perform through all of it.

Our recommendation is straightforward: choose Owens Corning. If you want a strong alternative, Pabco is an excellent product. Both give you the nailing security, wind resistance, and warranty backing your home deserves.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best asphalt shingle brand?

Based on 35 years and 50,000+ roofs installed, Excel Roofing ranks Owens Corning as the best asphalt shingle brand. Owens Corning features the patented SureNail strip for superior nailing accuracy and wind resistance, and offers a 10-year non-prorated warranty when five products are installed together. Pabco is a strong second choice.

How are asphalt shingle brands ranked?

Excel Roofing ranks asphalt shingle brands in this order based on performance, nailing zone quality, seal-down strip strength, warranty coverage, and manufacturer support: 1. Owens Corning, 2. Pabco, 3. CertainTeed, 4. GAF, 5. Malarkey, 6. Tamko.

What is the SureNail strip on Owens Corning shingles?

The SureNail strip is a patented reinforced fabric band that runs across the nailing zone of Owens Corning shingles. It gives installers a clear, forgiving nailing target with approximately 50% overlap between shingle layers, improving wind resistance and installation consistency. No other manufacturer has replicated this feature.

What is the nailing zone on an asphalt shingle?

The nailing zone is the target area where nails should be driven during shingle installation. Nailing in the correct zone secures both the top and bottom shingle layers. Nailing too high misses the lower shingle and leaves it vulnerable to wind uplift. Owens Corning has approximately 50% overlap, Pabco approximately 75%, GAF approximately 25%, and Malarkey approximately 50%.

What is the best shingle for hail in Colorado?

Class 4 impact-resistant shingles are the best choice for hail-prone Colorado markets. Owens Corning Duration Storm and Duration Flex are both Class 4 rated and cost $700 to $825 per square installed. CertainTeed Presidential IR is also Class 4 rated and costs $725 to $1,150 per square installed. Class 4 is the highest impact resistance rating available.

How much do asphalt shingles cost in Colorado?

Asphalt shingle installation costs in Colorado vary by brand and product. Owens Corning Oakridge shingles cost $585 to $600 per square installed. Duration shingles cost $650 to $730 per square. Duration Storm and Duration Flex Class 4 shingles cost $700 to $825 per square. CertainTeed Presidential shingles cost $725 to $1,200 per square. Pabco, GAF, Malarkey, and Tamko shingles range from $725 to $1,200 per square installed depending on product.

Is Owens Corning better than GAF?

Based on Excel Roofing's 35 years of installation experience, Owens Corning outperforms GAF in nailing zone quality, wind resistance, and warranty coverage. Owens Corning features a patented SureNail strip with approximately 50% nailing overlap versus GAF's approximately 25% overlap. Owens Corning also offers a stronger 10-year non-prorated warranty when five products are installed together.

What is the Owens Corning warranty?

When five Owens Corning products are installed together, underlayment, ice and water shield, starter shingles, field shingles, and ridge shingles, homeowners qualify for a 10-year non-prorated warranty. This means Owens Corning stands fully behind the product for the first ten years with no out-of-pocket costs required from the homeowner during the coverage period.

Why does Excel Roofing recommend Owens Corning?

Excel Roofing recommends Owens Corning based on real-world performance over 35 years and 50,000+ roofs. Owens Corning consistently outperforms competitors in wind resistance, nailing accuracy, and warranty coverage. Excel Roofing has been an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor for many years and J. Bretz is an Owens Corning Platinum Advisory Board alumni.

Are Malarkey shingles good?

Malarkey was first to market with impact-resistant flexible shingle technology which is an important innovation for hail-prone climates. However Excel Roofing ranks Malarkey #5 out of 6 brands due to inconsistent availability, weaker warranty terms compared to competitors, and unreliable manufacturer support in their experience.

Are Tamko shingles good?

Excel Roofing ranks Tamko last out of the six major asphalt shingle brands. Tamko uses only a thin line as the nailing target leaving less room for installation error, and Excel Roofing has experienced ongoing difficulties with both shingle performance and warranty support over their 35 years in business.

Ready to Schedule Your Roof Replacement?

Excel Roofing has been serving homeowners since 1993. We're a family-owned company, not private equity, and we've completed over 50,000 projects.

You don't pay a cent until you're content.

Call us at 303-761-6400 or use our self-scheduling tool at excelroofing.com to book your free consultation.