Best Overall: Owens Corning Synthetic Underlayment + WeatherLock Ice & Water Shield
Owens Corning ProArmor Roof Deck Protection
$140.50• Lowe's$140.50•Lowe's (Price as of 5/26/2026)
For Colorado roofing systems, it remains one of the strongest overall roofing ecosystems because their underlayments, shingles, starter, hip, and ridge, and ice and water shield are engineered to work together as a complete system.
Their synthetic underlayments like ProArmor and Deck Defense offer:
- Excellent tear resistance
- Strong UV resistance
- Good traction for installers
- Strong compatibility with Colorado steep slope roofing
- Integrated system warranties
When paired with Owens Corning WeatherLock Ice and Water Shield, the system performs extremely well in snow and ice prone environments like Denver and the Front Range.
#2: GAF Tiger Paw + Deck Armor
A premium synthetic underlayment system known for strong durability, traction, and compatibility with GAF roofing systems.
makes some of the most widely used premium roofing underlayments in the industry.
Tiger Paw is known for:
- Strong installer traction
- Durability
- Good wrinkle resistance
- Solid moisture protection
Their premium Deck Armor system is particularly strong for homes with moisture management concerns because it offers enhanced breathability compared to many traditional synthetic products.
The downside is cost. GAF premium underlayments are often among the more expensive systems on the market.
#3: CertainTeed DiamondDeck
A high performance synthetic underlayment with strong dimensional stability and excellent weather resistance.
produces one of the better heavy duty synthetic underlayments with DiamondDeck.
DiamondDeck is respected for:
- High strength
- Good slip resistance
- Excellent dimensional stability
- Strong water resistance
It performs very well under asphalt shingles, synthetic roofing, and even some metal roofing applications.
The main downside is typically price and slightly heavier installation handling.
#4: Titanium UDL Series
A contractor respected synthetic underlayment known for durability and excellent walkability on steep roofs.
Titanium underlayments have built a strong reputation among many roofing contractors, especially on steep slope and high end roofing systems.
Strengths include:
- Excellent traction
- Strong UV resistance
- High tear resistance
- Premium feel during installation
Titanium products are often favored on custom homes and steep roof systems because installers tend to trust their performance under harsh conditions.
The drawback is cost. Titanium systems are usually priced toward the upper end of the market.
#5: Gator-Skin / Economy Synthetic Systems
A more budget friendly synthetic underlayment option that still provides significantly better performance than traditional felt paper.
Budget synthetic underlayments like Gator-Skin are still a major improvement over traditional felt in many situations.
These systems generally offer:
- Better tear resistance than felt
- Improved walkability
- Better moisture resistance
- Lower installation weight
However, they typically do not offer:
- Premium system warranties
- Advanced UV ratings
- High-end traction coatings
- Premium thickness and durability
For budget-conscious homeowners, they can still be a reasonable upgrade from felt paper.
Underlayment Comparison Table
| Attribute | Owens Corning ProArmor$140.50•Lowe's | GAF Tiger Paw$195.60•The Home Depot | CertainTeed DiamondDeck$298.78•The Home Depot | Titanium UDL-30$227.00•Super Arbor | Gator-Skin$69.99•Lowe's |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Moderate | High | High | High | Low |
| Durability | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | 9.5/10 | 4/10 |
| Walkability | Excellent | Excellent | Very Good | Excellent | Good |
| UV Resistance | Very Good | Excellent | Very Good | Excellent | Moderate |
| Warranty Integration | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Moderate | Limited |
| Ice & Water Shield Pairing | Excellent | Excellent | Very Good | Very Good | Moderate |
| Best Use Case | Colorado residential systems | Premium roofing systems | High performance roofs | Steep/custom roofs | Budget upgrades |
Why Ice and Water Shield Matters in Colorado
Underlayment alone is not enough in Colorado.
Ice and water shield is critical because of:
- Snow accumulation
- Freeze thaw cycles
- Ice dams
- Wind driven moisture
In our opinion, a roofing system should never rely solely on standard synthetic underlayment in vulnerable areas like:
- Eaves
- Valleys
- Around skylights
- Around chimneys
- Roof penetrations
This is why systems like Owens Corning WeatherLock Ice and Water Shield perform so well in Colorado roofing applications.
Final Thoughts
A lot of homeowners focus heavily on shingles while ignoring what sits underneath them.
In reality, underlayment is one of the most important waterproofing layers in the entire roofing system.
For Colorado homes, we strongly believe premium synthetic underlayment combined with high quality ice and water shield is worth the investment, especially given:
- Colorado hail exposure
- Snow loads
- UV intensity
- Insurance pressures
- Long term roof replacement costs
At Excel Roofing, we commonly recommend complete roofing systems rather than focusing on individual products alone, because the best performing roofs are built as integrated systems, not random material combinations.
