While asphalt shingles remain the predominant residential roof covering in the U.S., used at about 80% of installed residential roofs (Freedonia Group 2019), alternative roof covering materials, such as metal, tile, and synthetic composite shingles are growing in popularity.  These newer composite roof products are being developed as potentially more resilient options because they may be less prone to becoming brittle and cracking with age, less susceptible to hail or wind damage, and they do not contain granules that can weather away over time due to natural exposure. Manufacturers of these synthetic composite shingles claim their products can outlast traditional asphalt shingles and some even offer specific hail warranties.  

IBHS® conducted testing on three synthetic composite shingles, following portions of the IBHS Impact Resistance Test Protocol for Asphalt Shingles (2019), to gain insights into their hail performance relative to traditional roofing materials.