Covers... what are you using?

XPADREX

I am thinking of getting a cover, as it does not appear in the short run that my T@b will be going into the garage. I am contemplating the T@b cover on the Little Guy site, but do not know much about features. Any other covers or info you have would be appreciated as well. Thank you!

Wanderoo

One factor to consider is how windy it is where you live.  I bought my cover from LG (manufactured by PahaQue), and I LOVE it.  It is very well made and fits snug.  We get a lot of wind in the foothills of Denver, and so far, this cover has not budged.  I did add a bungee cord that fits under the tongue of the T@B to keep it in place, but it fits so snug across the accessory box that I don't think it would come off even without the bungee.  I like the zipper that give access to the door.  It comes down far enough to cover part of the wheels, which helps protect against sun damage on the tires.    =D>

stanm

I also have the PahaQue cover and like it very much. My only concern is that it probably does need a couple additional bungees. Mine did come off in a recent rain & wind storm here in the Seattle area. It was in a storage lot and luckily someone noticed it and stuffed it under the trailer till I could get to it. I plan to add a maybe four loops (2 ea front & back) to add additional bungees. We have an outdoor repair company locally that repairs things like tents that should be able to do the job.

Beth, how did you attach the additional bungees under the tongue?

XPADREX

Is it waterproof, or a breatheable "dust cover"?

Wanderoo

Wow, Stan, that must have been some windstorm to take the whole cover right off!!!  Do you have the long "orange" bungees that came with the cover which go underneath the T@B?  Mine has stayed pretty secure despite some pretty violent winds. Glad you got it back, though.

I purchased some "shark" clamps at ACE Hardware that have a hole on one end to hook a bungee to.  The other end has a screw clamp that attaches to the cover.  I used a clamp on each side of the cover, hooked the bungee cord to one end, ran it under the tongue, and hooked the other end to the second clamp.

Wanderoo

Xpadrex, my cover is pretty much waterproof as far as I can tell.  It's not rubber, so it does have a breathability component to it.  I have not noticed any "soak through" spots yet.  Quite possibly after a couple of years it may lose its resilience, but I would think a quick coat of spray waterproofing couldn't hurt either. :-S

stanm

Yes, I'm using the bungees, we just had a particularly fast and nasty storm come through a couple weeks ago. And thanks for the tip on the shark clamps!

As for the question on waterproof or not:I've been using the cover for almost a year in the Pacific NorthWET and I don't believe water is getting through...

(from the T@B website, currently on sale for $394)Technical details: Made of a 600 denier, 8.75oz. woven polyester with a waterproof coating and dyed color. 5 year guarantee on the material. It is semi-breathable.

Tom_Georgetown

Our dealer was saying that it's actually better if you don't cover the trailer.  Even "breathable" covers trap in some moisture which can lead to mould/rot.

Not sure about this but am interested in what the community thinks.

Cheers,

scuba

Mine is on its way!

jbug10

X - My T@b has to stay outside at a storage lot, so I have been using the cover I bought from LG the same time I bought T@b for over a year.  I want to protect that beautiful red color from fading in the sun!   It is very durable and like Wanderoo said, the zippers allow me to go in and out without taking the cover off.  I also figured out a way to get it on by myself!!   Waterproof and not on long enough to grow mold maybe.   

jbug10

Oh yea, and Wanderoo, I am going to get a couple of those shark clamps!  Those are perfect and the front could use a bungee for extra windy days.

XPADREX

Ok! I give! I'll get the stocker cover! LOL. I agree, I don't want to cheap out on something that might protect the unit from harmful uv, etc. I didn't realize you can still go in with it on... that's cool!

jbug10

You're right Neil, I forgot to mention I always sit out the moisture control cylinder before I lock her up and put the cover on.  I even got the larger size to make sure. I forgot the brand, but it ended up getting into my faucet picture so here it is.   

TABoo

I wish I would have read this before buying the $400 version! Sheesh. $200 sounds like a deal. Anyone know who makes the less expensive alternative? I bet those are a little more expensive.

XPADREX

Oi, TABoo... I'll give you 200 bucks for that cover, then you'll have the money you need to find that deal. Just helping out a friend... :-B

Wanderoo

Taboo, you will not regret the PahaQue cover for $400.  It is a quality product.  I do not worry about mold because there is enough airflow around and under the cover.  I'm going to the storage lot this weekend, and I'll snap a few pics to post up.

:x

TABoo

Nice. I'm looking forward to having a cover with a good fit. I also like the zipper door. I am sure that it's nice. I guess I didn't consider all of the extra costs of additional items once I purchased the T@B. It seems like I just keep spending money! Hoses, cables, locks, brake controller, bike rack for hitch, and other specialty items add up quick. It may sound like I'm complaining, but getting this stuff is fun. Can't wait to head out soon.

belvagillespie

We have the PahaQue cover. It fits great. The best thing about this cover is the zippered door opening. 

jbug10

Taboo - I ordered my T@b in Nov of 2012 to be delivered Feb 2013.  In the meantime, Christmas arrives and T@b got all the presents that year.  Fed Ex delivered  Amazon boxes pretty much non stop for a couple of weeks.    What really helped me to know what I needed was to Google  "must haves for travel trailers".  I visited a ton of sites and made lists, then made up my own list based on the things that were mentioned over and over.  It worked well, I don't feel like I bought anything that has not been needed. 

TABaker

Our T@B's home is under a carport.

Wanderoo

Hi, All -- I visited ClemenT@B today at storage.  My camera's batteries were "exhausted" so I couldn't get shots of my cover; however, everything was secure and in place.  No issues.  I do LOVE this cover.  A bird pooped on the side if it, though -- WA-H-H-H, so I need to clean it.  :-q

TABoo

Just received my PQ cover. Looks to be a nice, clean, heavy duty, protective cover. I'm pleased with it so far. I'll post more when I put it on the t@b.

Michigan_Mike

I have the Paha Que' cover and used it on my new 2014 Silver Shadow when I had it in storage for a few months down in Florida.  The cover is a great value for the quality and it does breath so be aware of this.  My cover has 4 nylon tie off points (2 on each side) and it does comes with two hooked bungy shock cords for tie-off and securing the cover to the trailer.  I bought the larger cover and was amazed at the heavy duty fabric and quality therein.  As noted above, one door does have a zippererd entry way and this is convenient.

And Beth has a great solution above with the shark tarp clip above that are available at Home Depot.  

Stan, what I did with my shock cords were to pull them under the trailer to the other side and I ended up tying some knots in them to take up the slack and secure the fabric in a tighter manner around the sides of my trailer in an effort to deflect any wind that might grab it.  If you get some shark tarp clips you could also place one at the front and to the rear lengthwise underneath the trailer and secure the cover even more.  That is my plan for next year, when I return to the sunshine state.  

One other issue I had were ants that had invaded my toolbox.  I spoke to a man in the storage area with a large motor home and he said that he sprays underneath his trailer and inside the wheel welds every few weeks as he had an ant problem too, but that this seems to discourage these roving insects.  My brother suggested using painters tape too while my trailer is in storage and covering up any entry points like A/C vents, discharge areas, etc.  I apply a ring of Vaseline around the bottom (about 4 inches up) of my trailer jack too as they will follow any point of entry and try to make a nest wherever they can.   

Wanderoo

Mike -- Thanks for the heads up on the ants in Florida.  I have read posts on the LG Forum about the fire ants, and wow, I must admit I have never encountered them.  I do intend to take my T@B into Florida, and this is good information to know.  Thanks for the reminder.

Wanderoo

Ha!  Got all tied up in the ants discussion, I forgot to mention that I put my PahaQue cover back on ClemenT@B today as I will not be using her until Memorial Day Weekend.  We get hail out here in Colorado, so I really wanted to get her covered up again.  I did it by myself today, and I must admit, that once you get it positioned on the top of T@B, it's pretty easy.  I used a 4-ft step stool and just moved it from side to side.  It's easier for me to put the cover on from an inside-out folded position.  That way it unfolds on top of T@B with the correct side facing her skin.  Not hard at all to do.  Love that cover! #-o

stanm

Thanks Mike, I have gotten some shark clips and and very happy with them. I put two up front on either side of the tongue and crossed them to the existing front tabs. So far it works quite well, but we'll see next Fall/Winter when the winds come up again. I also plan to do the same in back once I get some more bungees.

Beth: Thanks for the original tip on the shark clips!

Lisa33

I also have the PahaQue cover for my T@DA (and one for my SS before that). I agree that it is well worth the money. We had a brutal winter and the cover is still looking great and completely pliable. In contrast, last spring I purchased two inexpensive covers for a lawn mower and fire pit. The fabric was sorta similar in appearance to the PahaQue cover. Those cheaper covers are stiff and very UV-worn. I did not save money in the long run there! Now I need to buy new covers and will be sure to spring for covers made of Sunbrella or other quality fabric. My T@DA spent most of its life in Southern California before I bought it a year and a half ago. It spent a couple of years in a garage and a couple of years covered off and on (more off than on, I'd guess). There is a sticker on the front LP cover that I would have removed if I had been the first owner. I started to take it off when I first got the T@DA and could see that the LP cover was originally quite a bit darker in color (and presumably the trim, too). It's amazing how much damage the sun can do.

Rebar

Adding to this discussion thread....when you cover your T@B, do you also provide cover to the tires if it is stored outdoors? The reason I am asking, I live in Colorado, where the sun is intense due to the elevation. I have noticed some RV's with covers over their tires when they are parked/stored. Any thoughts/advice on whether or not it's necessary to protect the tires from the sun's rays?

Lisa33

The PahaQue covers reach all the way to the ground, so the tires are covered. I do think it is a good idea to keep the tires covered.

Michigan_Mike

If you can park on an asphalt or concrete pad you'll be better off, but I would even ensure that on grass you keep the blades off the tires as much as possible as the ants will explore and set up shop in any opening they can find.  I went so far as to spread some fire ant killer on areas that showed signs of the insects.  If you can get the tire up on some squares of wood and apply vaseline in a perimeter around the tires that will even help.  Anything is better than nothing in discouraging ants as they are very aggressive and methodically search out areas in which to build nests in.  

Jkoski

We struggled with spending over $500 for a cover. We ended up purchasing a breathable, waterproof 8ft x 20ft  tarp from Tarps now for $198.00. Very happy with tarp. Heavy enough to not be impacted by wind. Easy to pull snow and ice off the trailer.