vanagon.com - poptop rain and sun cover — historical view 2006-05-11

Poptop rain and sun cover

by Mike Curran
Living in an area that has colder, snowy winters, we can't afford to return from a fall camping trip with a wet pop top because it would take a very long time to dry, if at all. After looking everywhere for a cover that will keep the pop top from getting wet, it seemed that there was nothing available that provided complete coverage to ensure a dry top. A few covers had been made that covered just the canvas by fitting under the pop top, and one was available that covered the front part of the top, but the problem is how do you get it up and down without getting wet? Last year we made a prototype out of polyethylene tarp that seemed to work quite well, so we went to work getting a better version made. We were able to get the some awning-type material, and then had a commercial sewing company work with us on fine tuning the design. The result is a cover that snaps onto the pop top and luggage rack before you raise it, then can be connected to the rain gutters with some plastic pipe and clamps that are used for side tents (not shown in photos). We have two layers in the front, the same reflective gray material, then a clear window if we wish some solar heating on a cool day (the following photo also shows the front mounting of our solar panel to keep furnace battery topped up).

(click to see a larger view)

If it is hot out, we can open the window full or part way, and the very back of the cover with zippers to allow air to pass around the internal pop top to keep it cooler than if it was in the sun on it's own. We also use a sheet of hot water tank insulation (bubble foil) between the pop top and the cover to keep it warmer inside in cold weather and cooler in hot weather. Combined with window insulation that we have made from the water tank insulation, it is very effective. The cover has a hole in it for the top vent and two snaps there to keep it located (the following photo shows furnace vent on side of van with a metal screen to keep wasps out in summer).

(click to see a larger view)

Our prototype tarp did not leak any water onto the pop top canvas, even in severe thunderstorms, so we are confident that this one will work even better. The main catch so far is that we have to go outside and pull the cover out from the pop top corners when you lower it, but the pop top itself remains dry, which is the objective. The cover is not very heavy or bulky, it weights about 6 pounds and is about 18 x 9 x 9 inches loosely folded (not counting pipes or clamps, or foil insulation which is stored easily in front ceiling of pop top in front of bed). If anyone is interested in one of these covers, we could likely get more made at about $500 Canadian, eh (which is less than this one cost us).