Winter storage for T@b400 in Canada

themcgillcrew

Hello folks,

We plan to take delivery on our 2021 T@b400 BL sometime before Christmas this year and don't plan to use it until the spring (ordered in February).  We have a spot picked out to park it but until then but think a cover might be a good idea.  Any fellow northerners out there who can offer hints on putting our baby to bed this winter?  Is a cover even necessary?  We don't mind paying for quality but the Allpro and PahaQue seem very expensive vs Classic PolyPro.

Thanks in advance for any help.

The McGills
Ottawa, ON
2021 T@B400 BL
2017 Toyota Highlander

DanManz

We are in Vermont not Ottawa but I suggest you look for a place to get your T@b indoors for storage.  Deep heavy snow can put an undue strain on the roof.  UV light degrades your tires.  Keeping it dry will avoid any leaks.  Usually indoor security is better than parking it outdoors.  We put our 2019 400 to bed in our local fairgrounds who have unheated indoor storage.  We drop it off in early November and pick it up in early April.  We don't own a cover because we use ours throughout the full season.

bergger

We live in a very cold snowy climate in the mountains of Colorado and store our 400 outdoors.  Indoors is certainly the best place to store it but if that is not an option I would get a cover for it.  We cover ours in the  winter and also have tire covers for it.  Ours is stored at our home on a concrete pad so I plan on keeping the snow clear of it and also keeping the roof as clear as possible.  

RCB

We will be on our third year with a Pahaque cover. It works well, however there has been some marking on the front and back windows - more like hazing. This year I plan to cover the windows with sheeting or heavy plastic cling wrap from Staples. 

bergger

We noticed the same scratching or swirl marks on our windows as well.  We covered our windows with pieces of a bed sheet and it seemed to help.  Next summer I'll have to buff out the marks.  Obviously we cant attach the sheets to the porthole windows so maybe I'll try you cling wrap method for those. 

Horigan

Wide rolls of cling wrap can also be found at U-Haul where they sell moving supplies.  Works great to protect all the windows under a cover.

dragonsdofly

We're in Michigan and our t@b sits in the backyard covered. We have a roof rake to get that excessive snow load off the house. We flip it and use it on the trailer when needed. The cover is a gamechanger. With a full sized oak tree in the yard, sticks, twigs and acorns are deflected which prevents dents and scratches. Bird droppings do not get to the t@b either. The old addage applies, "you get what you pay for", when you think about the cover. Some here have reported that the poly pro cover will last one winter or possibly 2 before it shreds and comes apart into pieces. Our PahaQue is heading into its 6th winter and looks and feels new. The only drawback to the life of the PahaQue cover reported by forum members seems to be sun damage. Florida and other Gulf Coast users report a rather rapid deterioration from extreme sun. I don't think that will be a problem in your Canadian (similar to our Michigan location) climate. Just our 2 cents, backed by our experience.

TomCanada

This will be our first winter north of Toronto and I didn't want swirl marks from a cover, and am too cheap to pay for indoor storage, so I just bought a snow broom and will keep the roof clear if snow (not that we get that much here - maybe a few inches per month, with occasional larger falls).  Here's the one I settled on if you're looking for one:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07FK6X7DM/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_6KPVEG4MBW45R3MABNPV

themcgillcrew

Thank you all for your great advice.  It's much appreciated.  We can't wait to finally take delivery of our T@b400 and head out on our first shake-down trip.  More time to plan!

TABNewbies

Thank you, like wise, our first winter with a camper. In MA so have a snow rake (used with care on those delicate shingles so our roofer told me). Have invested in an Allpro cover and getting some industrial cling film for the windows. Can only think it will be easier to remove the snow with a cover on, than freeze / thaw water getting into all those joints.

dragonsdofly

@TABNewbies, yes, exactly. The cover really helps prevent the freeze-thaw cycle from taking its toll on your t@b. We've never had the door or any windows freeze shut. Except for accumulation of some dust under the cover through the winter (nothing a quick rinse off won't handle), the cover, to us, is well worth it. We have a snow rake that has a silicone or rubber squeegee on the spine. That is why we flip the snow rake upside down (silicone side then makes contact with the cover), so as not to use the aluminum blade/scraper on the fabric.