Looking for recommendations as to a good caravan cover. Getting a little upset as to the state of our new van every time we collect it from the storage compound.
Unfortunately our designated storage spot is underneath trees, just wish we had checked out the pitch before committing!
The van is covered in bird deposits and sappy seeds, with the interior having a lovely layer of those fluffy white seeds each time we collect for a weekend away!
My research shows Protec and Specialised covers as the market leaders in caravan covers. Your thoughts greatly appreciated.
Hi, I thought for a number of years as to if I should get a cover or not, eventually I got fed up with the black streaks, bird mess and green from a close tree.
In January 2014 I purchased a Kampa cover (not tailor made, just one for the size of the van), I am just so sorry that I never did it sooner.
I cleaned the van, fitted the cover and three months later, I removed the cover. The van was as clean as when I had covered it in January. Believe me, when the season is finished (end of September) my van will be cleaned and covered, secure in the knowledge that even a reasonable priced cover like the Kampa, my van will be in the same condition at Easter as when I covered it.
Don't dither, make a decision and save yourself extra work in cleaning the van more times than is necessary.
there have been many reports of certain high cost covers causing marking on the caravan so I suggest you research as many caravanning forums as you can.
from personal use of a cheaper cover, for 3 seasons I was very pleased as is sja1951. however on the 4th season I unwrapped the van to find the roof covered in grey marks ,as if the cover had stuck to the van It was with great difficulty & carful use of several chemical cleaners that I finely managed to remove the worst,
so now Im a bit reluctant to use one without using old sheets or such to protect the roof & windows despite the makers assurances that it is ok without
Had a protec on my van while waiting for the replacement wallboard due to a leaking roof joint.
Last time I took it off it was covered in the so called tiger stripes .
You'll probably find you can clean the bird droppings and sap off a lot quicker than polishing out the tiger stripes.... and yes I did polish the van before putting the cover on.
I bought a riversway cover, soft interior and it has 4 zips for ease of fitting and I am 5 ft 2 and female and I managed to do it alone and clean the van before I put it back on. Tah dah!!!
Protec have a special offer on at the moment, money off and the easey fit panel at no additional cost. usualy an extra cost.
If you wait and order one at the end of the season the cost will be back up and a longer wait for your cover.
I have no links with the company but i did send for info and fabric samples and found not much between them, but i did like the easey fit panel and the special offer link
i paid 400 for my protec cover,It was on for 3 months and the whole van is black and marked.Its costing us 400 to have it polished as we cant get the marks off.And yes,ours was clean when stored.Still arguing with protec now.In my opinion,dont bother with one.
Thanks for all your replies. I have done lots of research over the last few days regarding this caravan cover issue! Many give great positives towards covering your pride and joy, but equally I hear many negative reports on the issue of covering.
Unfortunately this is our weekend off from touring, so our van is hopefully tucked away safely in storage, obviously getting another covering of bird and tree deposits!
Plans are in place to find a more suitable storage pitch, but in the mean time my sponge and caravan cleaner are in place.
Hi We have a kampa cover on out 20ft Coachman & its quite easy to fit as it has zips on all corners ours has been used from october to march for 4yrs & only a little sign of wear, worth having & over have the cost on Protec.
We have the Specialised Covers brand on our Compass Lynx - bought second-hand for £80 / no problems or issues so far / both Specialised Covers and Protec are breathable unlike most of the cheaper brands
I had a specialised cover on our last van and never again.I checked inside the van after a month of use and water was dripping from the ceiliing.They seem to store heat during the day and at night the air cools and becomes condensation.And yes the van was aired.
We bought a Kampa cover last year. It was only used for three weeks as when my OH checked inside there was black starting to form on the roof so we took it off. Hopefully we will be able to sell it come the autumn.
------------- Wish I could go camping more and not have to work for a living!!!
The breathable cheap covers are every bit as good as the 'Protec' etc, versions when it comes to protecting the van - they just won't last as long.
With any cover, open every cupboard and drawer. Take every cushion off their bases and stand them on end. If the bases are not slatted, open them as well.
Turn fixed mattresses onto their sides.
Remove the base from the wardrobe, and leave the door open
Ensure the floor vents are unobstructed.
Put every window onto the 'night vent' setting.
Finally, I've found that a slightly baggy cover is best (not *too* baggy, of course) because it permits the wind to flow underneath it - and through those windows that are on night vent setting.
It might billow a bit in strong winds - but it does no damage (I've never found it to scratch the paint or window surfaces)
With a bit of care you will open your caravan in the spring and find it fresh and aired inside.
Since the covers are breathable (and therefore not 100% waterproof) you will find a few dirty marks on the outside of the van where water had been driven through - but minimal (and absolutely nothing like leaving it uncovered)
Everyone has their own opinion - but I've used covers for years and never had a single problem (subject to taking the time to prepare the caravan as described)
It's a bit depressing to be talking about winter storage at the end of June! - although the weather seems suitable for a cover
------------- I glanced in the mirror, and it was love at first sight...
Watt Tyler, very good advice and maybe the people who do have problems when using a cover close everything up tight with hardly any ventilation.
Ventilation is the key
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Topic: Caravan covers
