Eevelle RV Cover – Long Term Test

The best way to protect your RV while not in use is to secure it in a locked climate controlled facility. Unfortunately access to these facilities is limited and pricey. Often times RV owners are forced to leave their units out in the elements where the damaging UV rays, winds, rain, dust, and all other contaminants can work their damage on the exposed surfaces. Back in July we were contacted by Eevelle Covers and asked to test one of their wholesale RV covers on a RV. We had a perfect unit in mind and accepted their offer.

Eevelle shipped the cover to our tester who lives and stores his 38′ Montana Fifth Wheel in the extreme climate found on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Many RV travelers will be familiar with the area it is located along US 395 between Bridgeport and the Nevada State Line. Situated at 5,500 feet above sea level the location receives rain, snow, extreme UV and extremely high winds.

Previous Covers

This 5th wheel had been through two previous winter storage seasons. In both of the prior seasons it started the storage period with a generic fifth wheel cover purchased from the big box RV retailer. By the end of both seasons those generic covers were in complete tatters. Their fabric degraded quickly in the UV rays and was shredded by the high winds. In the last winter season the generic cover had torn during a wind event allowing the wind to balloon it up from underneath and hang on to the roof AC shroud like a giant kite!

Arrival and Installation

The Eevelle fifth wheel cover arrived in a large box which was our first clue to the quality of the product. the box was equivalent to two of the previous generic cover boxes. This size also presented the first, and only, real problem we found. The cover is manufactured with a heavy outdoor rated material. The weight of the cover required some ingenuity to install on the fifth wheel. The cover was too heavy to carry up the rear ladder, too heavy to be handed up by a person on the ground, and too heavy to somehow toss up. Eventually we figured out that the best installation method was to tie a rope around the package and then “heave-ho” pull it up to the roof top.

The cover was smartly folded to allow it to easily be opened and installed. The Eevelle RV cover is designed with a number of elements to securely fasten and protect the covered RV. Along the body line are “vent” openings that allow the underside to breathe releasing trapped water and preventing mold/ mildew. To secure the cover there are fold panels that overlap and secure with nylon cinch straps. Similar to wrapping a Christmas package these fold elements removed all slack and in our test were the main contributors to the success of the cover.

Winter Ultimate Test

With a record breaking winter season in 2016/2017 the Eevelle RV cover was put through a rigorous test. Over the 8 month storage period the installed cover has been subject to temperatures as high as 100, as low as -10 and all levels in between. In addition, thanks to record snow fall, the cover has endured a historic winter with snow levels measured in feet and winds that regularly topped 100 mph! At one point in time the neighbors fence was seen blowing over the covered fifth wheel while the Eevelle cover securely held its place.

When we first approached our tester we knew he was perfect for this product test because he had all but sworn off trying to cover his fifth wheel again. After this test he is ecstatic with the idea that a RV cover actually lasted a season and, importantly, will be able to be reinstalled again at the beginning of winter.

Overall

The Eevelle RV cover exceeded our expectations and proved to be an excellent way to store a fifth wheel outside without damage to the unit. once uncovered we found the unit to be clean, dry and ready for the camping season. The cover did not scuff any finishes and the material is in excellent shape. The cover does have some damage to a cinch strap where some tears occurred during the first wind event. The area did not tear further and due to its location on top of one of the “Christmas” folds did not expose the unit to the elements. Our tester quickly mended this area and will be using the cover again next season.

If you are in the market for a RV cover add Eevelle to your consideration list and let them know you read about them here at CampgroundViews.com.