Solar cover reel covers
The cover for your cover. It sounds absurd until you work out what kills solar blankets, which is not the pool — it is the sun, while the blanket is rolled up doing nothing.
Quick picks
Ranked on published fabric specification first, because denier is the only number in this category that predicts whether the thing lasts.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Best overall Woanger Pool Solar Reel Cover, 24 ft, 420D Oxford 420D Oxford with a vinyl coating, ropes as well as hook-and-loop, and fits reels to 24 ft. | A wide inground reel, or anywhere windy | |
| 2 |  Best cheap option codree Solar Reel Protective Cover, up to 20 ft Fits reels to 20 ft, goes on in a minute, and publishes no fabric weight — which is the compromise. | A reel that lives beside the pool in the sun between swims | |
| 3 |  The thing you are protecting Sun2Solar 1600 Series Ultimate Blue Solar Cover A heavyweight cover is what makes a reel cover worth owning. On an 8 mil cover the arithmetic is thinner. | An inground pool you cover most nights, every season | |
| 4 |  The reel itself Feherguard Premium Above-Ground Solar Cover Reel System None of this matters until the cover rolls up rather than getting dragged onto the grass. | A round or oval above-ground pool wider than 24 ft |
#ad We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking. How this site is funded. Prices last checked October 17, 2026.
What actually kills a solar cover
Not the chlorine, and not the water. Polyethylene bubble film degrades under ultraviolet light, and the worst place for it is exactly where most people keep it: rolled tightly on a reel at the side of the pool, in direct sun, all summer.
The mechanism is straightforward. On the pool, the cover is in contact with water that carries heat away and it is lying flat. On the reel it is a dark, tightly wound cylinder absorbing sunlight with nowhere for the heat to go — temperatures inside a rolled cover on a hot afternoon get high enough to soften the film, and the bubbles nearest the outside get the worst of both the heat and the UV.
Blue Wave’s own listing states the remedy plainly: “store in the shade when not in use—roll instead of folding and ensure dry before long-term storage.” A reel cover is how you follow that instruction without moving the reel.
How we judged these
Fabric denier, first and by a distance. Denier is the weight of the yarn, and it is the difference between a sleeve that survives three seasons and one that shreds in one. Most listings in this category publish nothing at all. Fit range, because a reel cover an inch short is useless. Fastening, because the common failure mode is not wear — it is a cover that blows off in the first storm and never goes back on.
The comparison
| Cover | Fits reels to | Fabric | Fastening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woanger 24 ft | 24 ft | 420D Oxford, waterproof vinyl coating | Hook-and-loop, buckles and positioning ropes |
| codree 20 ft | 20 ft | Woven fabric, no denier published | Drawstring end plus hook-and-loop |
420 denier is a real specification and a reasonable one for outdoor fabric. 'Woven fabric, waterproof' with no weight named is a description rather than a specification, and it is why the cheaper option is the cheaper option.
The honest case against buying one
Three situations where we would not bother.
- Your reel already lives in shade. If the reel parks under a deck, in a garage or behind a north-facing wall, the sleeve is solving a problem you do not have.
- Your cover is an 8 mil at a big size. An 8 mil cover on a 24 ft round pool is a consumable — it is going to need replacing in a couple of seasons whatever you do, and the sleeve will not change the arithmetic much.
- You do not have a reel. If the cover gets dragged off and folded onto the lawn, the sleeve is the wrong purchase entirely. Buy the reel first — it is the thing that changes whether the cover gets used at all.
Where it genuinely pays
The case is strongest on an expensive cover. A heavyweight cover with an eight-year warranty is an investment whose whole value proposition is lifespan — and warranty terms on pool covers are commonly pro rata and commonly exclude UV degradation. Spending twenty-five dollars to protect that is not a close call.
It also does a second, unglamorous job: it keeps leaves, grit and insects out of the rolled blanket. A cover that goes back on the water carrying a season of debris scratches the film and drops the debris straight into the pool.
Fitting, and the one measurement to take
Measure the reel tube length, not the pool width. Reels are sold by the pool width they serve and the tube is usually a foot or two longer, which is exactly the margin that makes a “fits 20 ft” sleeve too short for a 20 ft pool.
Then: put the cover on dry. A wet blanket sealed inside a waterproof sleeve for a fortnight is how you get mildew between the bubbles, which is a smell that never entirely leaves.
Every pick, in detail
What each one publishes, what is good and bad about it, and — the section this category usually omits — what we could not judge without owning one.
Woanger Pool Solar Reel Cover, 24 ft, 420D Oxford
The version that publishes its fabric: 420D Oxford with a waterproof vinyl coating, for reels up to 24 ft. Denier is the one number that predicts whether a reel cover lasts more than a season, and it is the reason to pay a few dollars more than the unrated alternatives. Positioning ropes as well as hook-and-loop, which matters more than it sounds — the common failure is a cover that blows off in the first storm and is never put back.
Best for A wide inground reel, or anywhere windy
| Fits reels up to | 24 ft wide | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
| Material | 420D Oxford fabric with waterproof vinyl coating420 denier is a real specification. Most reel covers in this price bracket publish no fabric weight at all. | Manufacturer |
| Fastening | Hook-and-loop adjustment, buckles and positioning ropes | Manufacturer |
| Weight | 2.49 lb | Retail listing |
| Color | Black | Manufacturer |
- Publishes a denier rating, which almost nothing in this category does
- Ropes and buckles as well as hook-and-loop, so it survives wind
- Fits the 24 ft reels the cheaper covers do not reach
- Black fabric in full sun runs hot against the blanket underneath
- Heavier and bulkier to store than the lightweight sleeves
- Still an unbranded import with no service record to check
- Whether the vinyl coating cracks after a few seasons of UV
- How the black fabric affects the temperature of the rolled cover
- Stitching quality at the load points
These need a unit in hand across a season. We do not have one, so we do not have an opinion worth printing on them.
#ad We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking. How this site is funded. Prices last checked October 17, 2026.
codree Solar Reel Protective Cover, up to 20 ft
A fabric sleeve that goes over the rolled-up blanket on its reel. It is the cheapest thing on this site that meaningfully extends the life of an expensive thing: a solar cover parked on a reel in full sun is being cooked on both sides, and UV is what kills bubble film. Drawstring at one end and a hook-and-loop closure along the length, sized for reels to 20 ft.
Best for A reel that lives beside the pool in the sun between swims
| Fits reels up to | 20 ft wide | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Woven fabric, described as waterproof and weather resistantNo denier rating is published for this one, which is the specification that separates a reel cover that lasts from one that shreds in a season. | Retail listing |
| Closure | Drawstring end plus hook-and-loop along the length | Manufacturer |
| Weight | Under 1 lb | Retail listing |
- Cheapest credible way to slow UV damage to a cover that cost twenty times as much
- Fits in a minute and folds away small
- Also keeps leaves and grit out of the rolled blanket
- No denier or fabric weight published, so durability is unknown
- Only useful if you actually roll the cover up rather than dragging it onto the lawn
- 20 ft limit rules out the widest inground reels
- How many seasons the fabric itself survives outdoors
- Whether the hook-and-loop holds in real wind
- Colorfastness of the beige fabric
These need a unit in hand across a season. We do not have one, so we do not have an opinion worth printing on them.
#ad We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking. How this site is funded. Prices last checked October 17, 2026.
Sun2Solar 1600 Series Ultimate Blue Solar Cover
The cover to buy if you intend to keep using it in five years. 16 mil is the thickest tier the category sells, and thickness on a solar cover buys durability rather than heat — Bob Vila measured every cover in its hands-on group at the same 4 to 5 degrees, from 12-mil clear to 16-mil blue. Pay the extra for the one that survives being dragged over the coping twice a day, not for a temperature difference that did not show up in the only published one-hour test in this category.
Best for An inground pool you cover most nights, every season
| Price shown for | 24 ft roundThis product is sold in several sizes on one listing. The live price and photograph on this page are the ones Amazon returns for this variant; other sizes are priced separately. | Retail listing |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 16 milThe manufacturer publishes no retrievable specification sheet; figure is as listed at retail. | Retail listing |
| Color | Blue | Retail listing |
| Stated lifespan | 5 to 10 years for the 16-mil tierSwim University's published figure for 16-mil covers generally, not a Sun2Solar warranty statement. | Retail listing |
| Bubble side | Bubbles face the waterCategory-wide instruction, not brand-specific. The bubbles are the insulating layer and they have to touch the water. | Published standard |
4 to 5 degrees F in one hour
Claimed by Bob Vila, measured across all covers in their group. Conditions: One hour under 2pm sun on 89 to 92 degree F days. Source
Their figure was the same for every cover they put on the water. Read our reconciliation of what a one-hour reading actually measures before you plan around this number.
- Thickest tier sold, which is where the durability difference actually is
- Blue absorbs more of the incoming energy at the surface than clear does
- Cuts oversize to your pool shape with household scissors
- Heavy and awkward at 16 mil — a large inground cover is genuinely a two-person job without a reel
- Costs meaningfully more than the 12-mil version for no measured heating advantage
- Whether the seams hold up over five seasons of daily handling
- How the bubble layer survives repeated dragging over rough coping
- Whether the stated lifespan tier holds for this specific product line
These need a unit in hand across a season. We do not have one, so we do not have an opinion worth printing on them.
#ad We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking. How this site is funded. Prices last checked October 17, 2026.
Feherguard Premium Above-Ground Solar Cover Reel System
The reel for the big above-ground pools the others do not reach, and the longest warranty in this roundup. Feherguard sells it in four size brackets from 12 to 30 ft wide, with telescopic tubes designed to cut mid-span sag and a lift-off, swing-away design. It is also, by a wide margin, the most expensive reel here, and its listing says nothing about materials or soft-sided pools.
Best for A round or oval above-ground pool wider than 24 ft
| Price shown for | Up to 30 ft wideSold in four size brackets from 12 to 30 ft; the 28 ft version is a separate listing. The live price and photograph on this page are for the up-to-30 ft system — buy the bracket for your pool. | Retail listing |
|---|---|---|
| Pool type | Round and oval above-ground poolsThe manufacturer publishes no retrievable specification sheet; figure is as listed at retail. | Retail listing |
| Tubes | Telescopic, adjustable to pool widthThe listing says the tube design reduces sagging in the middle of the pool — the problem that grows with every extra foot of span. | Retail listing |
| To swim | Lifts off and swings away | Retail listing |
| Warranty | 5 years | Retail listing |
- Reaches 30 ft wide, beyond every other reel in this roundup
- Five-year warranty, the longest here
- Telescopic tubes sized to your pool rather than a fixed length
- The most expensive reel here by a distance
- You must order the size bracket that matches your pool
- No published materials, and no statement on soft-sided pools
- Actual mid-span sag on a 30 ft run with a heavy cover
- Whether it fits soft-sided or frame pools
- What the five-year warranty excludes
These need a unit in hand across a season. We do not have one, so we do not have an opinion worth printing on them.
#ad We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking. How this site is funded. Prices last checked October 17, 2026.
Questions people actually ask
Do I need a cover for my solar reel?
What size reel cover do I need?
How long does a solar cover last?
Can I just use a tarp over my solar reel?
- U.S. Department of Energy pool-energy figures (evaporation share, BTU per pound evaporated, cover savings, recommended temperatures, wind effect)Recreonics, reproducing and attributing the U.S. Department of Energy · read 2026-09-02
- U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver: Swimming Pool Covers (archived — the live page now returns 404)U.S. Department of Energy via the Internet Archive · read 2026-09-02
- Hands-on solar cover comparison: 4 to 5°F measured in one hour of 2pm sun on 89–92°F days, with the method statedBob Vila · read 2026-09-02
- Solar cover guide: 0.7°F per hour under noontime sun, 10–15°F held, and published lifespan tiers by thicknessSwim University · read 2026-09-02
- Water density: 62.424 pounds per cubic foot at 39.2°FU.S. Geological Survey, Water Science School · read 2026-09-02
- codree solar reel protective cover listing: woven fabric sleeve for reels up to 20 ft wide, drawstring and hook-and-loop closure, stated purpose of protecting the blanket from UV, wind, rain and dustcodree, as listed at retail · read 2026-09-20
- Woanger solar reel cover listing: 420D Oxford fabric with waterproof vinyl coating, for reels up to 24 ft, hook-and-loop adjustment with positioning ropes, 2.49 lbWoanger, as listed at retail · read 2026-09-20
- Blue Wave NS120 listing: 24 ft round, 8 mil blue, 18 lb, 3-year limited manufacturer warranty, and the maker's own storage instruction to roll rather than fold and keep it in the shade when off the poolBlue Wave, as listed at retail · read 2026-09-20
#ad Where a retailer’s listing is cited above as the source of a published specification, that link is an affiliate link, at no extra cost to you. Independent sources and manufacturer documentation are never wrapped and earn nothing. How this site is funded.
Every URL above was fetched and returned content on the date shown. Where a figure is ours rather than somebody else’s, the arithmetic is on the page and on the methodology page. If you find an error in it, we would genuinely like to know.
Read next
Solar cover reels
Why a reel is the highest-leverage buy in pool heating, and which ones to look at. Thirty seconds alone versus five minutes and a helper decides whether a cover saves anything.
Solar cover reels for above-ground pools
Above-ground cover reels ranked on fit first: which ones exclude Intex and soft-sided pools, which reach 30 ft, which cannot take a 16-mil cover, and which one ships without the tube.
Thermal and insulated pool covers
Thermal, insulated and solar covers are largely the same product under three names. The exception is GeoBubble, which publishes engineering the rest of the category does not.
Solar pool covers worth buying
Ranked on the specifications that actually differ between covers — thickness tier and published lifespan — because the only hands-on test in this category found no heating difference at all.
Which solar cover to buy for your pool size
Size by size: the solar cover to buy for an 18 ft round, a 24 ft round or a 16 x 32 rectangle, and the handling-weight rule that decides the thickness.
Can you use a tarp as a pool cover?
A tarp blocks the sunlight a solar cover exists to let through, so it cannot warm water. The four jobs a pool cover can do, which ones a tarp manages, and what to buy for each.