Not all covers are alike. You may think that a storage cover could pass as a trailerable cover, but the truth is that storage covers designed solely for storage may not hold up to the wear and tear of highway travel. The three main features that set trailerable covers apart from the pack are material thickness, tie down straps, and a secure fit.

Material Thickness
When you travel at high speeds down the highway, the wind can whip your cover around something fierce. Thinner, less durable materials will tear under the force of the wind. In order to withstand the wear and tear of highway travel, your boat cover or ATV cover must be constructed with heavy duty materials. Trailerable covers are thicker and more durable than storage covers, making them able to withstand constant wind, rain, and other forces during travel.

Tie Down Straps
With the force of wind speed, your cover needs to be securely strapped down in order to stay in place. Tie down straps ensure that your cover stays in place on your boat, jet ski, or four wheeler. You can adjust these straps as needed for a tighter fit.

Secure Fit
Without a secure fit, the wind can whip under the cover and “parachute” your cover. Getting whipped around by the wind can damage your cover. Make sure the trailerable cover for your boat, jet ski, or quad ensures a snug fit to reduce the wear and tear on your cover during trailering.

Trailerable covers make excellent storage covers as well. If you plan to use your cover for both storage and trailering, look for a cover that will work for both purposes.

Loading your ATV requires a certain amount of know-how and safety precautions to protect yourself and your equipment from accidents. Here are a few tips for loading and securing your ATV on a truck or trailer.

If loading onto a trailer, hitch up the trailer to the tow vehicle before loading your ATV. This prevents the trailer from rocking or tipping.

Use ramps with a loading capacity that can easily handle the combined weight of your ATV and any equipment left on your quad. The ground at the bottom of the ramps should be flat and solid, and the angle of the ramps should be gradual, not steep. Attach the safety straps or other safety device to lock your ramps in place.

Riding your ATV up the ramps can be dangerous, and accidents caused by improper loading are more common than you might think. If you choose this method of loading, wear protective gear such as boots, gloves, goggles, and a helmet.

Load your quad in first gear, or the lowest gear possible to mount the ramps. Avoid jerky starts or stops while on the ramps. Never approach the ramps at high speed. This could cause the ramps to buckle or to ram into the back of the trailer or truck.

The safest way to load your ATV is to use a winch. This method allows you to stand clear of the ATV and gives you greater control over speed and precision in loading. With a winch, you don’t have to worry about stalling on the ramps and can stand at a safe distance in case something goes wrong.

Once you’ve loaded your quad, balance the weight over the trailer axle to evenly distribute the load. Set the parking brake on your ATV and secure it to the truck or trailer bed with tie-down straps. Use a total of four straps: two in front and two in back. Ratchet down the straps as tightly as possible. The straps should be tight enough to lock your ATV in place when you try to rock it, and the tires should look like they are under load.

Loop and secure excess strap length to keep them from flapping or dragging. If you are hauling your quad in an open trailer or truck bed, protect it with a trailerable ATV cover with tie-downs to keep it clean of road debris such as sand or salt and to shield it from the elements.