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Review: Sno-Skinz Outdoor Snowmobile Cover

christopher

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I am in the hunt for some good high quality outdoor covers for my new sleds.
Something that will stand up to being outside in the sun for the next 6 months.

Anyone had any particular better experiences with one brand or another?

Any of them made to handle the higher after market seats on the Nytros ??
 
0
Nov 28, 2007
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I suggest Plywood for a cover
Whip up a simple low / small shed and get the sleds a few inches off the ground while you're at it
A full summer will wreck the covers to the tune of $200 + bux each and the sun will get at the ski's and track etc anyway
Sun is Nasty
 

KSH

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I am in the hunt for some good high quality outdoor covers for my new sleds.
Something that will stand up to being outside in the sun for the next 6 months.

Anyone had any particular better experiences with one brand or another?

Any of them made to handle the higher after market seats on the Nytros ??

How about renting a storage unit?
For what you spent on the sleds, it would be a shame to park them outside.
 

christopher

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I plan on moving them into and out of the garage over the summer as we work on them getting them ready for next winter.

So I want to store them under my back porch down on my walk out basement patio when I can ride them up the grass and into/out of my garage.

Are there REALLY no covers that will stand the test of summer exposure??


When I was manufacturing boats down in Havasu we made out own custom covers for the boats out of a material called "Sunbrella Supreme". This material runs about $40 per yard, but is absolutely AMAZING in it's longevity to UV Light. It is fully backed with a VERY SOFT acrylic flocking so the gelcoat on the boat was never scratched, and it was strong enough to allow high speed highway transport with the cover in place on the boat!

But these covers would easily give you many many years of 100% Desert UV exposure.
 

christopher

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Looking at all the covers I have come across so far, SNO-SKINS is looking like it might be a winner.

Anyone own one?

 
E

Extreme-One

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Nov 26, 2007
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Sno Slinz is what I'd recommend... they cover the skis and seem to be made from decent material. You might end up replacing them once a year... When I use to leave mine outside over the summer I'd put the covers on, use a tarp to help with the sun that was doubled up, put a 2x4 under the tracks and put moth balls under the hood to keep bugs out of the engine area. You might also want to put a rag in your tail pipe to keep un wanted things from crawling inside.

The best cover I've found is an enclosed trailer, works good all winter as a trailer and doubles as a storage shed in the summer.:face-icon-small-hap
 

christopher

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This is starting to sound like a Niche Market that someone needs to tap into.

Absolutely NO WAY a cover should deteriorate in ONE YEAR, let alone 5 year!
 
T
Dec 20, 2007
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stocker

I've gotten about 2 summers out of my stock yamaha cover, but I'm guessing this will be the last summer for it. I paid MSRP at my dealer for the cover, which I am guessing was around $150, so for $50 a summer it takes care of business, and who knows, it might still be usable next winter. The sled sits in the sun at 8000ft.

I would kill for the UV to destroy my stock Maverick track (hasn't happened yet), and it doesn't seem like the skis are any worse for wear.

The boat cover material you describe is likely your best bet though for quality outdoor summer storage, perhaps an upholsterer could make one for you, it doesn't have to fit as well as a travel cover since it's for storage.
 
S

snowmobiler

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heres a nice cover:)

sledh.jpg

bbbb.jpg
 

christopher

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I've gotten about 2 summers out of my stock yamaha cover, but I'm guessing this will be the last summer for it. I paid MSRP at my dealer for the cover, which I am guessing was around $150, so for $50 a summer it takes care of business, and who knows, it might still be usable next winter. The sled sits in the sun at 8000ft.

I would kill for the UV to destroy my stock Maverick track (hasn't happened yet), and it doesn't seem like the skis are any worse for wear.

The boat cover material you describe is likely your best bet though for quality outdoor summer storage, perhaps an upholsterer could make one for you, it doesn't have to fit as well as a travel cover since it's for storage.

If I was back down in Havasu it would be no trouble at all to have custom covers whipped up, as there were several independent shops that could make covers for anything that moved.
 

christopher

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Called the owner of Sno-Skinz today and had a really nice chat with him.
Was left with the feeling this guy knows what he is doing and WHY he choose the specific material he did.

I have ordered 3 covers from him as I am satisfied these will be the BEST covers made for long term outdoor storage of sleds.
 

christopher

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That might work, if you could keep them out of the wind.
Mine will be getting the full force of the gails we get here in Eastern Idaho all Sping/Summer/Fall till the snow falls once again !
 

motojunkie101

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My cover from 08 is in okay shape. The soft part over the handbars has ripped, but there is canvas under it. The color has faded a little over 2 summers but also wasn't too bad. It will serve its purpose of keeping my sled from getting direct sunlight for hopefully another couple years.

As a side note though, I'm not worried about the looks of the cover as long as it does its job.
 

christopher

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Got 2 of the 3 covers I ordered.
So 2 of my sleds are now covered and out back under the porch where they will live for the summer.

The material is plenty strong, and I think it will work out JUST FINE.

The covers are SNUG to get onto the sleds, no doubt about it.
Took some pulling and tugging to get them to fit down over the handlebars, but now that they are in place I can see they fit quite nicely.

Will need to buy the tunnel extensions if you want to cover ALL of the sled.

Will throw up some pictures when the sun hits them and lights them up.
 

christopher

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Wanted to post a followup after 2 full summers of use.

Here is a series of photos I took yesterday as I uncovered both of my sleds from their long summer sleep.

The covers have now been outside for 12 full months, 2 summers worth.


The sleds live downstairs under my rear patio in a walk out basement area.
picture.php




The covers started out BLACK and have faded quite a bit.
picture.php


This side is exposed to the full afternoon sun each day.
picture.php


This side gets FULL SHADE 100% of the time.
You can CLEARLY see the difference in the FADE.
picture.php
 

christopher

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As I unhook and roll the cover back now you can see the original color from the inside of the cover to the faded color on the outside.
picture.php



This shows the inner liner that comes with them.
picture.php



AFTER TWO SEASONS OF USE I REMAIN EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH THESE COVERS AND WOULDN'T HESITATE TO BUY MORE OF THEM!

While the color has faded, the cloth shows NO SIGNS of deterioration at all!

I expect to get several more good seasons of protection from these covers.
 

christopher

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Photo Optics.
Those are nearly new, and they are still quite flat.

Nothing like the SKINZ Air Frame boards on my sled, but a huge step up from the OEM boards.
 
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Mister907

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ive had the stock cover on my 08 nytro tank since the beginning. zipper to the gas tank is broke, but well worth the $300 i think. i keep it covered year round, and when traveling the alaskan roads. yours probably will be just fine for coverage...but mine has the sweet nytro and genesis 4 stroke info sewn in.:face-icon-small-coo

....i gotta get those air frames!
 
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