Advice on RV Covers.

[RooBeDo]

Does anyone have any experience with ADCO covers?

Given my rainy and cedar covered yard I know I'll want a cover for our 233S

I'm having our new RV shipped from Ohio to WA. Even though I know it will be more expensive from the dealer I was thinking of purchasing from them so I can have it covered while it makes it's 2,000 mile trip. Should I purchase this cover from the dealer, or wait and buy something better after it arrives.

Thanks

[donniedu]

Lots of effort for very little return. If you live where it is windy a cover can blow around and chafe your RV. Most claim they do not hold moisture. If thats true then how do they help any?
BTW had another brand. Lasted all of a month in the Columbia river gorge before it shredded.
Real pain to put on and take off, nearly impossible to go into the trailer to work on.

[JohnD10]

Mold...mildew...damage to the rig...wind...you'll be lucky to get a couple of months out of them before it gets shredded or ripped up!

My advice...don't waste your money!

How many people buy a tarp to cover their sticks & bricks house?

An RV is meant to be outside...why not leave it outside!

[Kaadk]

My BIL had one he used on his trailer when it parked it for the winter since the location was right up against a row of emerald cedars. I think he got 2 seasons out of it before it was destroyed. The one he got to replace it lasted 1 season. Even jammed between his house and a row of cedars the wind just ripped it to shreds. He's moved since then to a spot that doesn't have cedars so he doesn't bother with one now.

For your needs to keep the sap off, it'll probably work, but realize that they're a real pain to get on and off. Took him all day to do his, and he would have to climb up and down on the roof of his house to reach as needed. Your better bet in the long run, if you have the room to do it, is to put up a covered carport or a pole barn type structure to store it in.

Also, I noted you said:

Originally Posted by RooBeDo

... I was thinking of purchasing from them so I can have it covered while it makes it's 2,000 mile trip. ...

They wouldn't tow it covered. More likely than not they'd just toss it in the trailer and deliver it that way. Laws aside, the wind as it went down the highway would rip it to pieces in minutes.

[bergy]

I use a cover. It keeps my Micro Light 21DS clean, and blocks most of the UV. My last cover lasted for 5 years. But as others have said, high wind can really tear them up. So I wouldn't have it covered for any trip, even the delivery. They just aren't made for that.

As far as manufacturer goes, read reviews. I find the Amazon reviews pretty good for that.

[bikendan]

personally, most don't realize that a TRUE RV cover breathes and you shouldn't get mold or mildew.

i got one for my Roo, after the California sun ruined the decals. but we moved to Western Washington and i used it there. NEVER had any mold and mildew and it protected the Roo from sap and pine needles. It was an ADCO Aquashed.
As soon as i find a deal, i'm putting one on my new TT.

yes, they are a bit of a hassle but i did it by myself.

[wharfrat48]

We love ours--- would not be without one unless I had inside (or at least covered storage). Our ADCO is about 4 yrs old and will probably need to be replaced in a year or two. Never had any mold issues in the 15 or so years we have been using covers. Not the easiest to take off and on, but not too horrible either. Would not recommend for travel.

[007matman]

We have the Adco and love it. Get the one with the Tyvek top and the breathable sides and you'll be set. Use all the tie downs too!

[Drenjoey]

Originally Posted by donniedu

Lots of effort for very little return. If you live where it is windy a cover can blow around and chafe your RV. Most claim they do not hold moisture. If thats true then how do they help any?
BTW had another brand. Lasted all of a month in the Columbia river gorge before it shredded.
Real pain to put on and take off, nearly impossible to go into the trailer to work on.

We're on our third hybrid and ADCO is the way to do......We live in Maine where the winters are cold, snowy, windy and icy.
What if you don't have a cover and there's a leak.............Nothing else to say !

Dre

[moff34]

Living in SoCal my main concern is the sun damage so I went with the ADCO cover with the Tyvek top and breathable sides. We do get some gusty Santa Ana winds so after putting the cover on I run three ropes, equally spaced, over the top and one rope completely around the trailer to reduce the amount of buffeting. Be sure to use tennis balls on any points that may punch through the cover, like rain spouts. I also cut up pool noodles to prevent chafing where the ropes run around the corners.

I thoroughly wash, wax, and treat with 303 preservative before covering it for the winter. When I pulled the cover off this spring the trailer was still clean and shiny and ready to roll on our current cross-country trip (DC and Orlando).

I cover the trailer by myself and it takes about 2 hours to do it properly, but keeping the sun off of it all winter is worth it. After two winters the ADCO cover had only two small holes which were easily patched with the patch kit they included.

[RooBeDo]

Thanks everyone for the input. It looks like I'll be getting one after we have it delivered.

[HESN22]

[QUOTE=RooBeDo;1781634]Does anyone have any experience with ADCO covers?

We have a 2014 sabre 33ckts and we have used the same ADCO cover for the past 4 seasons ... definitely makes a difference ... our trailer sits on a seasonal site in northern ontario ... lots of snow ... wind etc ... the cover is breathable so negates mold and mildew issues ... we make sure cover is snug when we put it on ... covering any sharp edges on the trailer so it doesn't cut the cover .., have had a few small tears due to rubbing ... repaired with matching duct tape ...

Worth paying $600 to protect $60000 investment, in our experience.

Friends have used a tarp to cover - experienced patches of mold and mildew ... water pools

We're trading in the Sabre for a 2018 Columbus 377MB and we'll be getting a cover for it ... sadly old cover too small for the new 5th ...

Pros and cons ... like everything with RVs, TTs... ☺

Good luck and happy camping

Cheers

[jeitel55]

I have had very good luck with a Classic Accessories Cover. Two tough and long winters and it still looks great! Takes about a 1/2 hour to install and remove. Very pleased with its construction and fit.

[Namutony]

We bought an Adco cover with Tyvek top and breathable sides and zipped access panels at the same time we bought our 32’ Forestor 3051S in early 2015. This winter was its third storage season and the cover is in good condition other than from person damage as below.

We live in British Columbia — mild winters and open site storage. I Amazoned deals until I found one at around US$250 delivered to Oroville WA. Canadian sellers were asking north of C$700 for the same model, even at Walmart.

I concur with all of the positive sentiments ahead of my post. When you invest $100k+ in yr RV, it’s worth the time and effort to preserve the external finish by protecting the unit against the elements during storage. It prevents UV damage and those attractive and hard to get rid of black streaks. Never had an issue with mould or anything else.

DW and I can fit it and tie it down in less than 1 hour, and remove and store in half that. Pay attention to covering up every ‘sharp’ protrusion (we use cut-to-size pool noodles); the fabric is extremely fragile and repair kits are priced off the charts per sqf, also don’t adhere that well anyway.

We’ve had to patch a few places due mainly to damage by others (don’t ask!) including some jerk who ran the exhaust manifold of his gas powered tree trimmer along the side of our RV and burned the material, then left the scene. Damage is usually from high winds rubbing holes and tears into the fabric around unprotected sharp extremities.

I definitely wouldn’t put a cover over during transport ... that’s just asking for trouble, even if the transporter would agree.

Our cover has zipped side panel access which works fine, although it means temporarily undoing some of the tie-unders while getting access. The only reason we go inside during storage, anyway, is to check for critters that might have made a home in spite of the anti-critter measures we use.

All the best with yr new purchase. May you have many hours of fun!

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by RooBeDo

Does anyone have any experience with ADCO covers?

Given my rainy and cedar covered yard I know I'll want a cover for our 233S

I'm having our new RV shipped from Ohio to WA. Even though I know it will be more expensive from the dealer I was thinking of purchasing from them so I can have it covered while it makes it's 2,000 mile trip. Should I purchase this cover from the dealer, or wait and buy something better after it arrives.

Thanks

Two trailers....12 years and 3 ADCO covers. Love them. Expect 3-4 years usage before they go. 40-50 mph winds this winter and no problems. Never had mold, mildew, or any of the other things I've seen people claim. This is my opinion...and I sticking to it...and the ADCO Designer Series All Weather Covers.

[VTX Al]

Like others have said - in normal circumstances expect 3-4 years lifespan for winter storage, with certain precautions taken , like dollar-store tennis balls over the rain gutter spouts and other sharp projection buffered with something. However, you will still likely end up doing some patching here and there - I use clear Gorilla tape. The payoff is in the spring when you remove the cover and you find that your RV is in squeaky clean condition just as it was last fall !!

...VTX-Al

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by VTX Al

Like others have said - in normal circumstances expect 3-4 years lifespan for winter storage, with certain precautions taken , like dollar-store tennis balls over the rain gutter spouts and other sharp projection buffered with something. However, you will still likely end up doing some patching here and there - I use clear Gorilla tape. The payoff is in the spring when you remove the cover and you find that your RV is in squeaky clean condition just as it was last fall !!

...VTX-Al

SHARP EDGES....YES !!!
Missed a bolt on the underside of one of the slides and....yep...had to patch a hole.

[trumpetmood]

I always thought a cover was a no-brainer until I bought one. It wouldn’t have mattered what brand. This one was expensive. But the winter winds is what did the damage. The cover, after one season, is useless. So, this past winter (year #2) I used no cover. Everything went great. No damage, no new streaks from tie-down ropes vibrating against the side (they weren’t touching but the wind would vibrate them against the sides, and not even any debris on the roof. The wind kept it clean. Now I understand the other point of view regarding not using a cover!
Some thing I just have to experience myself to make me a believer.

Craig

[Dennis88]

I have had one for 5 years as well. I live in Canada where we get lots of high winds and snow. I put up a frame from a sunshelter first then the cover on top of that. It allows air to flow, plus access to the unit. I can anchor the framework which keeps it from blowing away.

[PenJoe]

I am not aware of any cover that will withstand highway travel. Shrink wrap, maybe, but have never seen it done on a TT. Most large boats are shipped shrink wrapped.

Adco covers are OK, but wind will take its toll on any cover. We had one that blew off in a wind because the tie down straps were too weak. Most of the buckles failed. Adco did cover it under warranty. A custom cover using Sunbrella would be heavy and expensive, but it would have the best chance of longevity.

Covers are also difficult to put on, even in a breeze. If the wind catches it, it is like a huge sail and will take you right off the TT.