WHAT TELESCOPE COVER DO YOU USE? - ANYTHING BUT TELE GIZMOS!!

[paulastro]

I want a telescope cover for my 8 inch Newt on an EQ mount.  I want it to be able to withstand a night or two set up outside, and sometimes a bit longer.  I'm not bothered if it's a commercial telescope cover, it can be for garden furniture or anything else as long as it does the job.  Please let me know what you have and how it works for you - or doesn't if there's anything to avoid!   I will consider commercial telescope covers, but I'm not willing to spend something which costs a high proportion of the price of what it's going to be used for!  Hence my comment - 'anything but Tele Gizmos'.  As good as they might be, I really don't want to spend nearly £200.

I've used many things over the years and still do, but if there is a ready available option I may not have considered, I'd be grateful to hear about it.  Many thanks.

[rnobleeddy]

I use https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Dokon-Hanging-Waterproof-Breathable-200x105cm/dp/B07MNJVPJK/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Dokon+Patio+Hanging+Chair+Cover%2C+Waterproof%2C+Windproof%2C+Anti-UV%2C+Heavy+Duty+Rip+Proof+600D+Oxford+Fabric+Ga&qid=1599758535&sr=8-4 and have not run in to any issues at all. 

 

I haven't left anything out in a storm yet, but we have a similar cover that's actually on a hanging chair, and that's survived outside for the entire summer without getting at all damp.

[mikeDnight]

I'd consider a canvas garden bench cover Paul. I used a canvas garden chair cover for five years to cover my Losmandy mount and electronics in all weather's. Nothing ever got wet!

[Jiggy 67]

I was gonna suggest Green Witch but a quick search reveals they no longer exist!!!😢😢 The only result returned on Google was TG, no other brands, I hadn’t realized there were so few choices!!

[John]

Mine is a TeleGizmo's but not a £200 one:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/telegizmos-telescope-covers/telegizmos_tg2d.html

I bought it used for around £30 I think.

 

[Piero]

Also my telegizmo didn't cost anywhere near 200 pounds, but it is massive for your telescope...

[almcl]

I agree about Telegizmos. I was given a fairly expensive one which fell apart within 2 years. A polypropylene BBQ cover (£15) lasted a lot longer and I now use patio heater cover (also PP) which has similarly proved a lot more durable.

[Sky-searcher]

I don’t have one of these covers , but kept the link as they look good quality for a reasonable price https://neilross758.wixsite.com/cygnus-astro-covers/breathable-covers

 

[paulastro]

2 hours ago, rnobleeddy said:

I use https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Dokon-Hanging-Waterproof-Breathable-200x105cm/dp/B07MNJVPJK/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Dokon+Patio+Hanging+Chair+Cover%2C+Waterproof%2C+Windproof%2C+Anti-UV%2C+Heavy+Duty+Rip+Proof+600D+Oxford+Fabric+Ga&qid=1599758535&sr=8-4 and have not run in to any issues at all. 

 

I haven't left anything out in a storm yet, but we have a similar cover that's actually on a hanging chair, and that's survived outside for the entire summer without getting at all damp.

Many thanks Eddy.  Looks interesting, I'll check the measurements to see if it will do the trick.  The fabric sounds as if it's up to the job. Thanks again.

[paulastro]

2 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

I'd consider a canvas garden bench cover Paul. I used a canvas garden chair cover for five years to cover my Losmandy mount and electronics in all weather's. Nothing ever got wet!

Many thanks Mike, I'll check out bench and chair covers, though Im not sure if they still make them in canvas?  I've only seen plastic ones - though I do shop at the £ shop 🙂

[paulastro]

2 hours ago, John said:

Mine is a TeleGizmo's but not a £200 one:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/telegizmos-telescope-covers/telegizmos_tg2d.html

I bought it used for around £30 I think.

 

Mank thanks John, how has your cover performed in bad weather?  

[paulastro]

1 hour ago, almcl said:

I agree about Telegizmos. I was given a fairly expensive one which fell apart within 2 years. A polypropylene BBQ cover (£15) lasted a lot longer and I now use patio heater cover (also PP) which has similarly proved a lot more durable.

Many thanks, I feel more confident now that I can find something worthwhile that wont cost a fortune.

[paulastro]

1 hour ago, Sky-searcher said:

I don’t have one of these covers , but kept the link as they look good quality for a reasonable price https://neilross758.wixsite.com/cygnus-astro-covers/breathable-covers

 

Many thanks for the link, something else worth considering.  I have to admit I'd never come across this line before.  Thanks again.

[JeremyS]

20 minutes ago, paulastro said:

Many thanks Mike, I'll check out bench and chair covers, though Im not sure if they still make them in canvas?  I've only seen plastic ones - though I do shop at the £ shop 🙂

You use the £ shop, Paul? That’s swanky. We’ve got the 50p shop up the road here.

🙂

 

[AdeKing]

I use one of these to cover my GPD2 mount on a Skywatcher pillar.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00A7POQBC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MnQwFb2JC7GBR

This is exactly the same product as was sold by GreenWitch as their scope cover.  I was really quite cross when mine arrived from them with a Gardman label on it.

You'd need to check the dimensions for your setup but I've had absolutely zero problems with this keeping my mount dry and it's left out in all weathers.

[JamesF]

5 hours ago, Jiggy 67 said:

I was gonna suggest Green Witch but a quick search reveals they no longer exist!!!

They disappeared two or three years back, I believe.

James

[JamesF]

I've used polypropylene garden table covers of a suitable size before now, held in place with a bungee or rope.  You really need a decent quality UV-stable one though.  My experience with some of the cheaper ones (that we've used on garden furniture) is that they start to lose their integrity after a few years and either start to fall to pieces or tear very easily once that happens.

Some people use heated pet beds wrapped around the kit in addition, to keep the condensation off.  I've never tried that but I can see that it might be a good idea.  Steel screws on the kit I had outside under a cover started to show signs of rust after some months.

James

[Jiggy 67]

6 hours ago, JamesF said:

They disappeared two or three years back, I believe.

James

That’s a shame. I have one of their covers which I use underneath a Telegizmos when the weather is really severe. It is a really good cover 

[TerryMcK]

I do have one of the cheaper Telegismos but actually cover it with this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07X57LRT4

The Tele is good for covering during the day as it reflects heat (when we get the sun that is!) but the garden chair cover is great for water resistance and I have kept the gear out for weeks under this with no issues at all.

[JOC]

Check out chimnea covers and patio furniture covers (Esp. for stacks of chairs) on places like Amazon and ebay.  Various grades and materials - fabric and plastic based - Oxford fabric is fairly durable for patio things I've found.  I find a chimnea cover goes over my Dob a treat.

[CraigT82]

I use this large motorbike cove for my big newt.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002RB0KLO/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_apa_i_vmYwFb75GYGB2

It was £29 and I've had it since 2016 and it's still completely waterproof, it is heavy and has a soft, brushed inside lining. Plenty of loops etc for tying down.  Currently unavailable on there but will be others. 

Edited September 11, 2020 by CraigT82

[paulastro]

Many thanks to all those have replied, you've all really come up trumps with lots of useful solutions.

I'm just ordered the 'hanging chair cover' which eddy linked into his reply, and another one which is much bigger from another manufacturer.  I'm pretty sure one of them will meet my needs, probably the one that eddy suggested.  I'll check them both out and return the other one.

The other one is huge, and I would have thought would cover most telescope/mount combinations.  It also comes in a more lightweight version.  Here's a link to the larger one I found if anyone is interested.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07HDYTXQY/ref=emc_b_5_t

Again, many thanks for all your helpful suggestions, I might well use some of the other options at some time.  Thank you all.

 

 

[johnturley]

23 minutes ago, paulastro said:

Many thanks to all those have replied, you've all really come up trumps with lots of useful solutions.

I'm just ordered the 'hanging chair cover' which eddy linked into his reply, and another one which is much bigger from another manufacturer.  I'm pretty sure one of them will meet my needs, probably the one that eddy suggested.  I'll check them both out and return the other one.

The other one is huge, and I would have thought would cover most telescope/mount combinations.  It also comes in a more lightweight version.  Here's a link to the larger one I found if anyone is interested.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07HDYTXQY/ref=emc_b_5_t

 

 

 

Probably a lot better than the Tele Gizmos type, when I purchased my 9.25in CPC from Rother Valley Optics in 2014, I also purchased from them a green canvas type 'Scope Coat', but they don't sell anything like that anymore, nor as far as I am aware to any of the other telescope retailers, they just sell in their case Geopik covers, which seem similar to the Tele Gixmos, and look and feel like reinforced metal foil, and whose main purpose appears to be to reflect heat and light rather than be durable.

John 

[7170]

Maybe too late but on my portable rig (Ed80 on heq5) that gets moved round the garden as needed to navigate round neighbours trees, I have just used three big black bin liners with a bungee. Replace the top one every couple of months if needed. Left out almost all year round without issue for many years now.

I’ve also read about people using outboard motor covers successfully too as they are reasonable in price.

[John]

Must be something wrong with my TeleGizmo's cover. It's been through two owners and is around 8 years old and still in good shape and weather proof