[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Word of caution about these covers - these do not breathe!

If you cover your dew soaked dob with one of these bbq covers, the dew will be trapped inside. This water will then be most gleefully soaked up by the particle board of the mount (if your dob mount is made from particle board), and be a haven for mould to grow.

These are great if you are caught out in sudden rainfall with no way to move the scope under a shelter or quickly pack it up. Ok also to stop dew from forming on it. But these covers must be removed from over a scope by daybreak so any trapped moisture can dry off. These covers should not be used to store a scope under them.


Air will not circulate under these, and you know what that means for scopes. Worse still is when the day heats up this will drive trapped moisture deeper into cooler parts of the scope, stuffing the particle board, getting into refractor optics through seams and between elements, dampening electronics, corroding screws, springs & other metal components, and I've already mentioned mould.

You wouldn't store your precious scope in a damp shed or garage, and this is exactly what these bbq covers are.

I've made scope covers from those big flag banners that councils are most fond of stringing up in mass down main streets. The material these are made from is strong and it breathes. No, it won't stop rain, but it will help stop more dew from settling on the scope after a session AND it will allow what dew is under it to quickly evaporate and not trap it.

Even at home I use these same covers over my dobs as dust covers. But I am also mindful that air circulation under these can also be limited. Air circulation is important or use a dehumidifier in the room where you store your gear.

These bbq covers are a great stop gap measure, but don't store gear under them, and not if it is wet/damp from the start.

Sorry to bust this bubble, but this aspect has been forgotten in the discussion.

Alex.