SunPatio SGC1811 Cover for Traeger Tailgater and 20 Series Review

First Impressions of the SunPatio SGC1811

The cover is a black box with a smaller box stitched to its left side. That smaller box is the hopper’s own pocket. The Traeger Tailgater carries its hopper on the left end. The shapes line up.

There is no chimney sleeve on this size. The listing’s gallery shows one on larger SunPatio covers, but the Small is a plain box. That makes it easier to throw on. It also means the cloth drapes over the barrel rather than tracing it.

Down at the hem, two straps wrap the sides. A small embroidered tag carries the brand. Nothing else breaks the black.

The surprise is where the cover ends. SunPatio’s own photograph shows the hem stopping above the wheel, with the legs showing. The listing admits it: not designed to cover the wheels. On a grill standing 36 in, a 32 in cover cannot reach the ground.

Key Features of the SunPatio SGC1811

SunPatio’s listing says more about the cloth than Traeger’s own page does. Most of it lives in the gallery artwork rather than the text.

• Vinyl backed polyester: The face is a high density polyester with a waterproof vinyl lining. That lining does the rain work.
• UV claims in print: The artwork promises at least 99.9% of UV rays blocked and a UPF above 50. These are SunPatio’s figures, untested by us.
• A thickness dial, unlabelled: One image shows a gauge reading 0.40 on SunPatio cloth against 0.15 on a rival. No unit appears, so read it as a comparison only.
• Hook-and-loop straps: Two adjustable straps sit at the bottom edge. They pull the hem in on windy days.
• Three sizes on one listing: Small is this model. Medium and Large sit beside it and share the photographs.

Fit and coverage

SunPatio’s fit list is specific about older grills and vague about the newest one. It names the Tailgater Elite 20, Tailgater 20, Junior Elite 20, Junior Elite and Bronson 20. The current Tailgater appears only as a word in the title. Recteq and Pit Boss get a loose “similar sizes” nod.

Traeger itself is the best evidence the fit holds. Its own page sells one cover for the Tailgater, the 20 Series and the Junior. If one Traeger pattern spans those bodies, a copy cut to the same box should too.

Width is where a buyer might worry. Traeger’s card puts the Tailgater at 37 in across, and this cover lists 35 in. Yet Abt lists Traeger’s own cover at 35 in wide too. The narrower figure is no SunPatio shortcut.

Height is the real difference. Abt lists the official cover at 38 in tall, past the grill’s 36 in. A Canadian dealer lists it at 32 in, the same as SunPatio. If Abt is right, Traeger’s money buys a hem that reaches the floor.

Weather protection and durability

On rain, SunPatio publishes more than Traeger does. Traeger’s page says “water resistant” and stops. SunPatio names a vinyl lining and calls it waterproof. It adds printed UV figures, which matter on a cover living in summer sun.

What neither cover lists is a vent. A vinyl lining that keeps rain out also keeps steam in. Cover a warm grill, and the damp has nowhere to go.

SunPatio’s own instruction is to let the grill cool completely first. Follow it, and the risk shrinks.

Durability is where the cheap cover is thinnest on paper. No denier is printed for it. The artwork names 210D only as the cloth it beats.

There is no warranty either. The only written remedy is Amazon’s 30-day refund or replacement. Traeger’s cover carries one year, at least at Abt.

Handling, upkeep and value

A box with no chimney sleeve is quick to fit. You drop it on, find the hopper box with one hand and pull it square. The two straps take seconds.

There are no handles. Taking it off means pinching the top corners and lifting.

SunPatio’s care advice is a garden hose, then drying it in the sun. That suits a vinyl backed cloth, which will not soak through. It also explains the cool grill rule twice over.

On value, the comparison is direct. Traeger asks $99.99 direct and Abt charges $92.80. SunPatio asks around $25.59 against a $29.99 list price. Both are fitted covers for one family of grills.

The rating on the listing reads 4.8 from 2,475 ratings. Those ratings belong to all three sizes together, not to this Small alone.

Possible SunPatio SGC1811 Complaints

• Bare legs in sideways rain: The cover ends above the axle on a 36 in grill. Rain blown sideways will wet the legs and the frame below the barrel. A covered spot, or a grill pushed against a wall, softens this.
• No written promise: Without a stated warranty, a torn strap after month two is your problem. The only fix is buying another, which at this price stings less than it might.