Trailer cover

[dave macrae]

I stopped and checked on Bullseye the other day and swept as much snow off as I could and can only hope we can have a cover before next winter.

[escape artist]

Hi: All...I still say the best cover is a palm tree in the warm south. Just make sure it's not a coconut palm!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Escapist]

3 years ago I bought the smallest "Goldline" cover, manufactured in China by Eevelle, Inc from an online seller in California. It was purported to fit a 17 foot Escape, but was designed for sticky's. With much strapping to stop the flopping I came home from Barbados this week and last weekend's windstorm in Victoria shredded the cover. Warranty does not cover wind damage.

[ddevin]

We have a new cover that we got off eBay, and so far, so good. Last weekend we pulled it off and put some padding over the corners of the sharp parts such as the solar panel. I have one of those leaf/snow blowers, and I'm trying to get out after it snows and blow the snow off before it "sets up" like concrete. We'll see how long I can keep that up, after all, it's Alberta! For less than $100 dollars, I can afford to replace it every few years.

[blugene]

Thanks Santacruzer.
I note that on Calmark's website (at least the one I saw) they said they make covers for Casitas and Scamps, but not Escapes. Is their website just outdated?
Anyway, that's great that they're also covering the dual tanks and front storage box.

[rvomaha]

Calmark makes custom covers for whatever you've got. They made ours for the 19. So they would have the dimensions we sent them in their records. It is very hard to measure a rounded thing, so I'd recommend that if anybody with a 19 wants to order a Calmark cover, do your own measuring to see what you come up with. Or maybe Rease has really accurate measurements that he would provide.

[santacruzer]

I don't think it's that CalMark's site is outdated, I suspect they just haven't had as much business from Escape owners as they have had from Casita and Scamp owners. I'd imagine that over time that will change.

Finally got the trailer cover on...had to wait until we returned from the Thanksgiving trip and could get the trailer clean. I'm pretty happy with it so far, but it's only been one day! The extra cover they made for the storage box and tanks, however, arrived much too large. I think someone mis-read one of the key dimensions I provided. Waiting now to see how they'll handle it.

[techfan]

LBaranyai has a picture in the gallery but there doesn't appear to be a mention of brand of cover nor cost. It was posted on 12/3/12. Could LBaranyai share information about the cover please? Thanks.

[LBaranyai]

We purchased one of the last covers from Escape directly. They ordered an over-sized cover from a supplier then sent them to a seamstress in Chilliwack who adjusted them to fit the shape, size and door opening on the Escape trailers. They are no longer doing this although I know they have tried to get custom covers but the demand is just not there to be cost effective for Escape or any cover manufacturer. The cover we purchased was not cheap, about $600 but the quality and fit is excellent. I was really surprised how clean the cover had kept our trailer after we removed the cover in the Spring.

Others on the forum have purchased over-sized covers from sources like Camping World etc. The main issue seems to be the door opening location. If you plan to keep it covered without accessing it regularly, it's probably not a big deal. If the cover is too large, you might just need more straps to secure it. You also want a fabric that's breathable and won't scratch the trailer. We cover our solar panels and outcroppings with foam so the cover isn't resting on any sharp edges.

Eventually we plan to put up a freestanding aluminum carport on the side of our house to cover our Escape. Then we'll have full access, no zippers to contend with as well as a covered area for maintenance or "modifications". For our 17B, a comfortably sized aluminum carport kit is about $1500 - probably less in the U.S.

[cpaharley2008]

The blocks of wood in the front are replacing the tongue jack? Is there a reason for this? Do you put wood under your tires so that they do not sit on concrete? I'm contemplating this as I type.

[Bruce Wray]

LBaranyai - Do you get much snow or wind where you live? If so, it will pay you do do some research on snow load and wind durability codes in your area, and purchase a unit that will hold up to your weather. Also, consider length: for our 19 I bought a 26' carport, and the overhangs are just enough to keep rain and snow off the unit.

Bruce

[LBaranyai]

Originally Posted by Bruce Wray

LBaranyai - Do you get much snow or wind where you live? If so, it will pay you do do some research on snow load and wind durability codes in your area, and purchase a unit that will hold up to your weather. Also, consider length: for our 19 I bought a 26' carport, and the overhangs are just enough to keep rain and snow off the unit.

Bruce

Thanks for the info Bruce. We're in Vancouver, B.C. - the best place on earth so we don't deal with weather extremes - however who knows what Global warning will do in the future!

I had one major consideration when deciding to get a trailer - it had to fit on the side of my house. I refuse to pollute my view or my neighbors by parking a trailer on my driveway year round so the research started into smaller trailers then the decision to buy a quality product like the Escape. The benefit to this side parking place is it's fully sheltered - by the house on one side and a solid fence on the other. When we were designing the new side driveway, we had planned to mount a sloped patio cover to the side of our house to cover the trailer but local building restrictions wouldn't allow it - thus the plan for a freestanding unit. It's also easy to attach wall panels to these carports too if you wanted more protection. Now, with our side driveway gate closed, you can't even tell we have a trailer parked on the side so it's met all my requirements.

You are definitely right about an adequate overhang - we installed a commercial patio cover on our deck and went with a 4' overhang. The supplier I ordered the materials from thought it was overkill but it really makes a difference with the rain and the rare snow fall we get here. But speaking of snow loads, I think even if you have a cloth trailer cover, you have to be wary because the weight of that snow could easily stretch the cover to the point of tearing.

[Devil Dog]

Yes I use 2 X !2s under the tires. I beveled one end so to drive up on them easy. Works as a frost and moisture barrier. some may disagree that it is of any advantage. It's old school stuff, The old bias ply days. The new redials are more forgiving. But i still do it for a 2or 3 month stay. During winter months.

[FamilyFun]

Hi all,
We are thinking of ordering a Calmark cover for our 19, and I wondered if anyone who has ordered from them has any new experience to share?

Being made of Sunbrella and having a full 6 year warranty, it seems as though Calmark covers must be well-made. They also claim their fabric is 100% non-abrasive....if I put it on a very clean trailer I wonder if this is true for the most part?

We don't have a carport/garage option and I feel like a cover must be better than letting it sit exposed to UV rays all day long, even with 303 or wax.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Thanks!
Lisa

[gbaglo]

You get UV rays in Washington?

[gocamp]

Review here

Kibitka Escape

[FamilyFun]

Yes, thank you, I did read through those blog entries. I'm curious to see if there's any recent testimonials of durability, abrasiveness of fabric, etc.....

And, yes, we get loads of sunshine all summer long in our part of Washington!

[cpaharley2008]

I have a cover and have yet to use it. I think that a cover may hinder last minute trip
spontaneity as well as once you get it out of that box it was shipped in, forget about getting it back in. I hope to use my Escape at least one weekend a month. If that slows down, then I may consider covering.

[slomoto]

We bought a Calmark cover a year ago and it was on the trailer all winter. It has held up very well and I was surprised how clean the top was after that much time. The cover is well made and the people are straight forward to deal with. I would recommend it.

[J Mac]

I got my cover from Escape and I'm very happy with it. It take 1/2 an hour to tie it down properly (working by myself). The trailer looks like new every time I take the cover off. I think it's worth it. That said, I would rather have a barn or shed or garage to store in.