5 Best RV Covers in 2024 – Reviews & Buying Guide

Choose the Best Cover for Your RV

Traveling in an RV offers you the freedom to go anywhere. But when you’re not using your RV, are you taking proper care of it? At a minimum, you should cover it and protect it from the elements.

Unlike most cars, large vehicles rarely enjoy the luxury of an enclosed parking area. However, some dedicated winter-season RV parking services do exist. This usually leaves RVs exposed to all the elements. Abrasive actions of dust, stains from bird droppings, and dirt build-up. Even the incursions of small animals can get into your RV.

So, it comes as no surprise that RV covers are trendy amongst RV owners like yourself. Choosing the best RV trailer cover means prolonging the life of your rig. It also means increasing its resale value if you decide to switch to a different model in the future. So how exactly does an RV cover help in preserving your RV?

Top 5 Covers For Your RV Reviewed

If you own an RV and you plan to park it outdoors when not in use, then you might want to invest in proper protection for your motorhome. As hard as the bodies of these transportable homes may seem, it is good to know that being exposed to the elements will wear anything off, including your RV. Things like the sun’s UV can be lethal in decolorizing your RV and, in worst cases, can cause the body to peal.

Another element that you will want to keep off your RV is water. This can be in the form of rain or moisture accumulating on the surface of your RV for a long. With the right cover for your RV, you should be able to keep water from damaging your motorhome. When looking for the perfect protection for your motor home, there are several factors that you will need to consider. According to many RV owners, these are some of the recommended brands you can trust to protect your motorhome.

OOFIT Travel Trailer RV Cover

Many motorhome owners have found the OOFIT Travel Trailer RV Cover as the most suitable fifth wheel RV cover because it is packed with several essential features. Designed for 27′ and 30′ long RVs, this cover will ensure that your motorhome remains in good condition for a long time.

It is designed for heavy-duty purposes with a 4-ply roof for extra weather protection and resisting tears for long term use. It has multiple zippers. A zippered door, zippered panel, and elastic corners to allow for the perfect fit.

Zippered access makes it easy to get inside your RV without having to uncover the whole thing. The sides are single ply for protection from dust, birds, and other threats from getting into direct contact with your RV. The OOFIT Travel Trailer RV Cover is also UV proof, and this goes a long way to ensure that the paint does not fade off. Since you will want to store your RV cover in your motorhome if not in use, you don’t expect it to occupy too much space. That is why OOFIT Travel Trailer RV Cover comes with a storage bag to prevent it from getting in your way, more so if you have a smaller RV.

RV Masking Heavy Duty 5 Layers 5th Wheel Covers

The RV Masking Heavy Duty 5 Layers 5th Wheel RV Cover will ensure that your track is well protected from water. Since it is waterproof, rainwater cannot penetrate, plus it is breathable enough so that moisture does not get trapped. The cover has ten air vents to enhance the evaporation of any water that has settled on the body of your motorhome. Capable of covering a 414′ length motorhome, the RV Masking Heavy Duty 5 Layers 5th Wheel Cover offers more than what you will find with most covers. That is because it comes with an adhesive repair patch in case it gets damaged.

However, this is unlikely because this cover consists of a 5-ply top and triple-ply/triple layer sides that are none woven. In other words, this heavy-duty cover can hold up to wind stress. It also comes with a ladder cap, six gutter protectors, and a storage bag so that it does not contest for space. To ensure that the cover stays intact, RV Masking Heavy Duty 5 Layers 5th Wheel Cover provides a snug fit that cannot be easily blown away by the wind. It is also easy to install because it has several zippers and handles to help you shift the cover into a position comfortably.

Classic Accessories OverDrive PolyPRO 3 Deluxe Travel Trailer Cover

This is yet another cover that is well worth your money. That is because it has been designed to be durable and protective. Accompanied by a three-year warranty, the Classic Accessories OverDrive PolyPRO 3 Deluxe Trailer Cover will give you an easy time to install and uninstall. You will also find it convenient, more so if you need to access your RV without uncovering the whole truck. That is because it has zippers strategically placed to allow for easy access to the RV doors and windows. This cover will protect your RV from water and UV light, which can be lethal to the body of your motor home.

It would be best if you covered your RV to prevent the elements, including UV rays, from reacting with your motorhome and making it fade off-color. To ensure that your RV is well secured, the Classic Accessories OverDrive PolyPRO 3 Deluxe Travel Trailer Cover has adjustable tension panels on the front and the rear. This prevents the cover from getting displaced or blown off during strong winds. This cover is ideal for RV measuring 18′-20′ and has an antennae reinforcement patch o secure your antennae.

ADCO 52244 Designer Series SFS Aqua Shed Travel Trailer/RV Cover

If you are looking forward to protecting your RV from water, then the ADCO 52244 Designer Series SFS Aqua ShedTrailer/RV Cover is the better option. Designed with an SFS aqua shade top and polypropylene sides and air vents. This RV cover beads of water as soon as it comes in touch with the surface. This ensures that no water gets through as all of it will slide off. Measuring 26’1” – 28’6”, this RV cover accommodates all types of RV front end, slide outs, and ladders. Because there is a possibility of moisture condensing and setting on the surface of your RV, the ADCO 52244 Aqua Shed Cover comes with air vents to enhance evaporation.

The back and rear buckle cinching and reinforced elasticized bottom corners will give you a snug fit that will adequately secure your RV. You will not have to worry about accessing your RV when covered with ADCO 52244 Aqua Shed Cover, thanks to the zippers which are strategically positioned. The zippers also make it easy for you to install the cover.

Camco Ultra-guard Class C RV/Trailer Cover

If you live in a cold and snowy area, then the Camco Ultra-guard Class C RV/Trailer Cover should be the perfect choice for you. Designed for class C RVs, this cover will not only keep your motorhome dry but will also protect it from dust and dirt. Made from heavy-duty polypropylene, this cover is durable and will provide first-hand protection against light physical threats like scratches. Because it is resistant to UV rays, it will prevent your RV from pre-mature aging. The zippers around this cover will make it easy for you to access your RV when covered without so much work.

The zippers also ensure that the cover is fitted correctly. The Camco Ultra-guard cover comes with self-adjusting straps that hold down the cover securely into position to reinforce this. It also has tight interlocking seams, all these to ensure that the cover is well installed and there are no overlaps that can allow dust and other kinds of dirt to access your motorhome. Designed for RVs that fall under 28;-30′, this cover is ideal for cold places because it is heavy-duty, and the air ventilations enhances water evaporation.

Good Cover Material Benefits:

To put it simply, a cover is like a shield placed around your RV, which takes on the damage inflicted on it by the elements. Each element takes a different toll on the rig.

Harmful UV Rays and Heat Damage

Perhaps the nastiest of all elements for a trailer or RV is, ironically, the one most sought after by its owners -– the good and warm summer sunshine. Specifically, the UV rays from the Sun, which have several prolonged adverse effects on the various parts of an RV:

• Damage to the paint job. Upon exposure to direct sunlight, the paint starts to fade and show signs of wear, as its chemical compounds degrade under the constant UV radiation. This kind of damage is the most obvious to the naked eye, but others also have more damaging effects on the whole RV.
• Without a good roof cover, you’ll start seeing the drying up of sealant putty and rubber parts around your skylights a lot faster. A high-quality RR cover also helps prevent windows and doors’ deterioration under direct sunlight by preserving plastic fittings that seal out the elements – all these occur under direct sunlight. As this happens, the material stiffens, shrinks, and cracks begin to form. Some other factors come into action, as the vibration from an RV’s movement further enlarges small cracks and may eventually lead to water seals’ failure.

Water and ice damage

RV and trailer covers are designed to be as water-resistant a possible. And as long as the water stays on the outside, it’s pretty much harmless. However, every RV design has many orifices and openings for windows, water or sewage pipelines, lights, etc. All of those are potential routes for water to find its way into the rig’s frame once the sun-damage to water seals starts to take its toll. If left unchecked, water inside the walls can cause older RVs’ wooden framework to rot and the metal to corrode and lose its strength.

The need to be water-resistant is crucial for a camper cover. The more waterproof the RV cover is, the better. Trapped water allows mildew and mold to grow in the trailer parts that are hard to access and keep clean. Lastly, if an RV is stored outside during the winter season, the freezing/thawing cycles will propagate any cracks and holes into which the water finds its way (even between the exterior metal sheets and screws), further compromising the rig’s ability to resist the elements.

Dust abrasion

While not much of a problem in the northern states of the US or Canada, this type of damage is well known to people traveling in the more arid areas (like Australia, for instance). High winds give little specks of sand and dust enough kick to slowly scratch the exterior finish, plastic parts, and window glass, making it bleak and matt-looking over time and more susceptible to dirt build-up and UV light damage.

Acid damage

This one is a little less obvious. It comes from 3 main sources: acid rains, bird droppings, and decaying dead leaves left on top during the winter. The acid residues react with the paint finishing and leave notable matt-looking stains if not washed off in time and left exposed to direct sunlight. All three of these are virtually unavoidable for an RV roaming anywhere but the aridest travel routes and pose even more of a problem for an RV that sits idle in-between seasons.

All these effects can be mitigated by the timely use of a cover appropriate for the respective climate and weather conditions. The math here is simple: every day, the cover takes on the damage from the RV elements, leading to prolonged happy use of the RV itself. And, if you ever had to pay the bill for restoring a used RV to its former glory, you’ll agree that even the top-of-the-line $500+ cover is worth the hassle of buying and installing.

Before Buying a Cover for Your RV

While many RV owners wish to buy the perfect covers, many don’t know how to buy them. Many people forget that other than the climatic condition’s destructive elements, your area’s climatic conditions should guide you to which cover to go for. You will also need to consider the kind of material used to make the cover, as some are made for heavy-duty purposes while others are more prone to threats. Never purchase an RV cover without confirming its eligibility. With more RV owners getting into the picture, a con artist person will find it easy to sell counterfeit RV covers to the unsuspecting public.

To avoid falling victim to such tricks, ample research is essential and, if possible, place an order directly from the manufacturer or a trusted dealer. Other factors like size, color size, and design should follow suit when considering buying a cover.

Size matters

RV covers are designed to be slightly loose. This ensures that proper internal ventilation occurs, which should not allow mildew or molds to form underneath the cover itself. Having said that -– a proper cover should still have a pretty tight fit to the rig, via elasticized corners for the front and back and assorted belts and lines to tighten it up.

A snug fit ensures that no parts of the cover will be left to flap freely and thus will not get damaged by strong winds, which can make short work of any loose-fitting fabric over. So yes, size does matter when it comes to choosing an RV cover. The best way to know what size of cover to buy is to measure the RV’s length and height by yourself, regardless of what it says in the vehicle’s manual. Most manufacturer’s measurements of your RV length and height do not take into account the back ladder, external equipment, and other protruding objects that must be covered as well. So, make sure you include all these in your measurements.

Best Material

Several modern materials are used for RV covers.

• Polypropylene is widely used. Because of its high resistance to the effects of acids and water (however, on its own, polypropylene fabrics are NOT waterproof) while allowing for decent ventilation with breathable fabric.
• Polyester offers good UV resistance. Like polypropylene, it is NOT waterproof on its own and requires applying a special coating for UV protection.
• Acrylic is a good waterproof material, and with some added UV-protection using a solution-dye, it becomes a decent all-around material for covers made from it.
• Polyethylene is another material used for some best-rated RV covers. It is heavy, offers good water resistance, and is wear-durable and resistant to heavy wind stress.

These materials are oftentimes used in combinations to make covers that excel in harsh climates and windy conditions.

Specific manufacturers have patented some types and combinations of fabric and coating. They are known by their copyright names, like DuPont’s Tyvek (another term for polyethylene fabrics) or Cal Mark’s Sunbrella (a high-end acrylic fiber with some added UV protection).

There is a tradeoff between the material’s strength and the cover’s total weight for the general durability of a cover. It might not be a problem to install a heavy 5-layer cover over the rig for a family with a couple of strong hands, while the same could require up to half an hour for a less beefy person to install on his/her own.

Small extras

• Reinforced bits.
• Being a BIG piece of fabric, your cover could require some effort to cover a large 43-foot 5th wheel toy hauler trailer. Sooner or later, it can get caught on a sharp edge of a ladder, an antenna, or the corner screw, and a rip will appear. Thus, some of the best covers (from higher-end product lines) are designed with added durability in mind. They incorporate Ripstop fabrics and have their corners reinforced with extra thick padding, which prevents accidental damages from occurring. Light-reflective strips could be a nice hint that helps navigate around (or towards) a covered RV.
• Ventilation design.
• Well-designed ventilation flaps help prevent mold from building up under the covers in humid climates and decrease the wear and tear effect that strong winds might have on the cover.
• Clever strap system.
• Multiple and well-placed straps allow for a snugger fit of the cover, ensuring maximum protection from all elements. This also decreases wear from the strong winds, as no large flapping areas will be exposed to them.

Best RV Cover Brands and Products

Having discussed the essentials, let us quickly run through some ready examples of RV cover brands and products and what they should be used for.

The top RV covers can handle a humid climate with lots of moisture and are waterproof with breathing materials like polyethylene (or Tyvek) or polypropylene with waterproof coating. This climate’s popular brands and products would be ADCO SFS AquaShed or Leader Accessories Travel Trailer RV Cover. Products of the line Camco ULTRAGuard also fall into this category, but they will last pretty much as long as their warranty, i.e., just 1 year, due to being very light.

Best covers for a cold climate with lots of snow – requires strong multilayer fabrics (like polyethylene), which can withstand the tear and wear of winds, the weight of snow, AND remain waterproof during the autumn spring seasons. The products that claim to fare well under these conditions are like the Classic Accessories OverDrive PermaPRO Deluxe or the ADCO SFS AquaShed, designed with lots of water in mind. If you expect your RV to remain idle for a few winters, you might consider spending some extra money for a custom-fit motorhome cover, which comes with a 5 or even 6-year warranty.

Best motorhome covers a hot climate with lots of sunlight and calls for UV-resistant materials like polyester or dyed acrylic. Some specially-designed covers for your RV, with special reflective rooftops, fare best here, as they not only protect the rig from the build-up of UV damage but also keep it cooler in hot weather. Good examples of products made for this climate are the Goldline Class A RV Cover (with a solid 5-year warranty, which kind of makes up for its high price) and the custom-fit ADCO Sunbrella cover.

Is There a Best All-Climate Cover?

Yes, there are a few products out there that are positioned as all-season covers. And they are considered to be quite good at resisting all types of elemental damages and weather conditions (meaning it’s a quality RV cover made for any RV occasion). These are represented by the products like the Classic Accessories SkyShield and OverDrive PolyPRO 3, or the ADCO Dupont Tyvek Designer Series.

Types of RV Covers

Overall, there are 3 distinct kinds of RV covers, each serving its special purpose and filling a specific price niche.

1. The rooftop cover is praised for its lightweight and leaves all windows and technical hatches open. Therefore, it can be installed easily to your RV with roof straps even while people are actually using the RV (provided there are is critical equipment located on the rooftop, such as air conditioners and antennas ). Its main purpose is to provide general protection from sunlight and various debris that might land on the roof, such as dead leaves or bird droppings. These also keep the RV cooler during the daylight hours, especially if they are equipped with a reflective surface. As the name of this cover type suggests, all side parts of the rig are still subject to normal UV and water damages.
2. Universal RV covers (also known as contour-fit) usually come in set sizes and are the most widely used on the market due to their good all-around protection and moderate pricing. Although these often possess zipper parts, which allow access to specific sections of an RV – they work best when fully closed and taking on all the elemental damages instead of the rig.
3. Custom-fit RV covers are tailor-made products that precisely fit onto your rig in its current state. They are manufactured after some careful measurement-taking by an expert from the seller. Custom covers are usually made using top-end materials and provide exceptionally snug fits. Oftentimes they incorporate reinforced fabrics in places where sharp or extended parts of the RV can potentially rip through the cover. Places where tension may build up under strong winds or heavy snow, are also typically reinforced. Custom-fit covers also come with the longest warranties, which can stretch up to 6 years.

RV Cover FAQs

Manufacturers typically supply self-adhesive repair materials for fixing minor rips on your RV camper cover. All you need to do is cut out the desired size and shape of this material. Then peel the protective layer and attach it from the underside of a cover where needed. If your cover is still under warranty, the supplier will likely offer you a free repair kit.

Conclusion:

When exposed to direct sunlight and rainwater for a long time, anything can age quicker than expected, and when rust gets it there, then it is a done deal. As for your RV or motorhome, keeping away UV and water is the first step to ensuring that your RV remains in excellent and sellable condition for longer. However, it would be best if you did not forget that other risks like the windows are getting cracked or water still getting in moisture.

The best covers are designed to provide all-round protection against any threats, including those you cannot anticipate. That is why it is recommended that you get a heavy-duty cover for your motorhome because you never know when something heavy or sharp can come in contact with your RV.