Winter Cover

I always cover my rv's in the off season. One more trip for us here in the northeast and I put it to bed for the winter. Covers are ment to breathe otherwise you get mildew. I has ADCO's for two rvs but for what ever reason the last one after 3 years was showing wear and tear. Straps are need as its windy here. Never had any issues with water though. Ill order an ADCO before the end of the weekend. Yes putting in the 30 ft TT was fun, its gonna be way more fun 13 feet in the air on a 37 foot fifth wheel.....

I purchased a Classic Accessories light weight cover the first year I had my 5th Wheel. They are made right near Seattle so I thought they would know about a cover that is water proof. I found out after the first rain that the cover was not waterproof. Everywhere the cover touched the RV it leaked through. Much like a tent. I even had standing water on the roof. Fortunately I was able to take it back. It would be good for sun block but not for wet weather.

I ended up purchasing an Adco cover. I have had it a few seasons and it is working fine. Water or dampness might get underneath the cover but no pooling water and no issues with mildew or anything that might damage my trailer. I do put some buckets upside down on the roof where the cover sits lower than the AC and then water rolls off the cover. We have had snow on it, up to 18" and no issues with the cover.

Because my trailer is older the roof is not in the best shape but the cover keeps any water from getting onto the trailer and gives me piece of mind with the amount of rain we get. I don't think it is waterproof since it is made of materials that breathe, but it is better than no cover. I also have not seen any damage from the cover, the straps and such do not damage the side. You do have to keep it tight so wind does not blow the cover around. On the plus side, I wash and wax my trailer before putting the cover on and it is clean and ready to go in the spring.

I would definitely recommend a cover even though it is a pain to take it on and off. I would use a garage, but there is a huge price difference between a cover and a permanent building...

Super_Dave wrote:
I have yet to see a truly waterproof cover which is the only reason that I want a cover. Do any exist?

Not that I’m aware of. I stored my trailer over the winter with an Adco cover a few years ago and the many times I looked underneath the cover, the inside was nearly as wet as the outside, mostly from condensation I think. We live in quite a wet climate here so it may be fine in a drier climate.

Now I pony up and pay for indoor storage from mid October to mid April.....

I think the weather takes the life out of anything left to the elements. I have a metal carport cover for both the RV and the boat and think they help keep the rigs protected from whatever weather is thrown at them..

This isn't intended to be an anti cover lecture, as I think there are pros and cons to them. The decision also comes down to where you live and what climate you're in.

With that said, after 10+ years of owning travel trailers and now a new 5th wheel, my personal belief is that in many cases, you're better off not using a cover at all. Wind can cause rubbing against the roof and fiberglass, there can be condensation accumulation and excess mold, and they're not the easiest darn things to work with.

I live in the Pacific NW, so we get a lot of rain and some occasional snow and freezing temperatures. I keep my roof seals in good condition, and I haven't had any problems as a result of exposure to the elements. The RV techs I've worked with in the past, including a couple of dealers who sell covers, advised me NOT to use one.

Again, I may feel differently if I lived in a baking hot climate where UV exposure is a concern, but all in all, for the vast majority of people, I don't think covers are necessary. That's especially true when you factor in that most people who own TTs and 5th wheels tend to upgrade them every 5-10 years.

I used an ADCO for 12 years and it worked great. It had some minor tears where sharp corners damaged it during wind storms. The tears never spread and if I needed a cover, I would buy another ADCO.
It never damaged the RV in any way.

I used an ADCO on my previous 5er for 6 years from Nov 1st to April 1st in the PNW. Zero tears. You need to cover the sharp protrusions so the cover doesn't wear on them.
Keep it tight but not so tight that it's stressed.
My ADCO didn't keep it dry either but it also didn't allow rain to fall 100% on it. Most was shielded off.
I'm going with the same cover for our new TT for this winter.
FWIW when we got rid of our 5er I left the cover under the bed since it was still in great shape.

I have yet to see a truly waterproof cover which is the only reason that I want a cover. Do any exist?

I also have been looking for a cover for my 5th wheel. I have narrowed it down to two.

Classic Accessories OverDrive SkyShield™ Deluxe Tyvek® 5th Wheel Travel Trailer Cover

Classic Accessories

Goldline Cover

Goldline

They are close in cost but I am leaning toward the Classic Accessories cover. It is lightweight and has tension straps across the front and rear.

Be prepared for a lot of comments from those who say not to cover. I posted asking for feedback on these two covers and the only comments were not to cover.

If you get a properly sized cover, put it on correctly using foam etc. to protect all sharp points, and check on it regularly to make sure the straps are still tight there should not be any problems.

Good luck in your search!

Dave

Sunshield tarp. Search this Forum for my detailed posts.