Cover advice for my Bigfoot 9.6

[AK_Truck_Camper]

Hello all,

Just returned from my 4200 mile journey bringing my just bought 2000 Bigfoot 9.6 from Colorado Springs to my Alaska home. It was a great trip and we never paid to overnight ANYWHERE. Didn't even use one full bottle of propane to warm it, heat H2O, run fridge and the stove for 12 days. Loved the air bags on the truck that came with it.

Now I'm ready to get a cover over it!!!

Looking for advice from people who have previously bought covers. Recommendations or which to avoid!

Sure appreciate any advice.
Thanks!!

[Grit_dog]

I might even consider building a little PVC gable for the tarp. Then ventilation isn’t a problem and the snow should slide right off.
The problem was the residual snow melting, because you can’t scrape it all off with vents, antennae, etc on the roof under the cover.

[Grit_dog]

Sidehil, I agree, possibly in wet climates.
I should clarify, I was reccomending the tarp over soft cover in cold (not 20deg cold, rather -20deg cold) and snowy climates, specifically my experience in AK was soft cover, even raking snow load off would leave snow on the roof.
Sunny days well below freezing would thaw and leave huge ice sickles stuck to the fabric. Those would pull on the fabric and caused several tears in the cover in just one winter that I could have prevented had I tarped over it once the snow started to fly.

[TxGearhead]

Yeah Soup, that's what I do with the vents. I have that big downward facing vent cover so I crack the cabover vent open an inch or two, and slide the truck pass-thru window open an inch or two. Hopefully getting a bit of convection.
I'm all covered up and waiting a couple months to go anywhere. Two grandbabies due in 2-4 weeks. If I go anywhere, I might as well stay there.

[SideHillSoup]

I wouldn’t put a trap over my rig if it had a cover on it.
All the tarp does is help to do is hold in the moisture, and possibly create mold. The covers are meant to breath so that you don’t get any moisture. I have never had an issue removing the snow or ice with a snow rake in the winter. The ice will 99% of the time fall off on its own in a few weeks with temperature fluctuations, not a real issue in my part of the world up here in British Columbia.
I also leave a roof vent open a crack so the camper or in the past 5th wheel can breath as well. All my roof vents have a MaxAir cover, so opening one a crack isn’t an issue. Other locations in the world this may not be a good idea depending on humidity and moisture in the air, but it’s fine in my back yard.
Soup.

[AK_Truck_Camper]

Ha!!
I thought by spending $200 for my cover I got to get rid of the big blue tarp!
But…… Advice I will not forget

[Grit_dog]

Whatever you get for a cover, I'd throw a big blue tarp over it during the winter.
Makes it easier for snow to slide off and keeps big icecicles from sticking to the soft cover fabric and tearing it.

[AnEv942]

I also have had really good luck with the Classic Accessories OverDrive PolyPRO 3 Deluxe Camper Cover... Im on my 3rd (well actually 4th, the last one starting its second year came apart on the nose. Contacted factory and they shipped replacement no questions- other than supplying P/N.) FYI if you do get a Classic take a pic or save the tag on cover with the part numbers, needed for warranty.

[AK_Truck_Camper]

I like what I’m seeing here, looking like the trend is towards recommending classic!
Sure appreciate the advice, hope to hear others chime in.

( just read the Amazon reviews on this brand, they are mixed all over the place)

[SideHillSoup]

I am on my second Classic Accessories cover and I will be sticking with them. The first Classic Accessories cover was on my 5th wheel and it lasted 8 years. I only used it in the winter and every spring I would wash it let it dry and roll it up. The last year I had the cover one of the tabs that have to hooks to tigh it down started to tear. I used some silicon to stop the rip and it lasted the winter until I sold the 5er and went to a camper. I now have my second Classic Accessories cover for the camper it is works great.
Becuase of snow load I did use my snow-rake to pull snow off the roof of both the 5er and now the camper and it didn’t rip or tear the cover.
I’m sold on Classic Accessories covers...
Soup.

[TxGearhead]

I might get the Classic PermaPro next time. Says on Amazon "Lifetime Warranty", but sure sounds fishy.
I think the high dollar one is Cover Craft.

[jaycocreek]

I bought a Classic Poly Pro for my Lance 9.6 and it is doing way better than I thought it would through very high winds and lot's of snow and ice..I am actually quite pleased with it after one year of use.

[AK_Truck_Camper]

TxGearhead wrote:
I've got a Classic Accessories. I'll be surprised if it makes it through this year. I just put it on after a trip last week and I think I have a new rip starting. If it lasts 2 years go buy a lottery ticket. That said for about $150 on Amazon if only lasts a year so be it.
There's a much more expensive brand out there but I can't recall the name.

Yikes, I figured there were some out there like that! Thanks!

[TxGearhead]

I've got a Classic Accessories. I'll be surprised if it makes it through this year. I just put it on after a trip last week and I think I have a new rip starting. If it lasts 2 years go buy a lottery ticket. That said for about $150 on Amazon if only lasts a year so be it.
There's a much more expensive brand out there but I can't recall the name.