6 Best Utility Trailer Covers For Hauling Mulch That Prevent Roadway Messes
A proper trailer cover is key for hauling mulch without littering. We review 6 top-rated options to keep your load secure and the roadways clean.
You’ve seen it before: a truck pulling a small utility trailer, leaving a Hansel and Gretel trail of dark mulch all over the road. Maybe it was even you, arriving at your garden gate only to realize a quarter of your expensive load is now decorating the county highway. A good trailer cover isn’t just about keeping your mulch in the trailer; it’s about safety, saving money, and being a good neighbor.
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Stop Losing Mulch: The Right Cover Matters
Losing part of your load on the way home is more than just an annoyance. That mulch costs money, and watching it blow away is like watching dollar bills fly out of your wallet. You paid for a full yard of material, and you should get to use a full yard on your garden beds.
Beyond the financial cost, there’s a serious safety issue. A chunk of wood mulch hitting a windshield at 55 miles per hour can cause a real hazard for the driver behind you. In many places, it’s also illegal to have an unsecured load, and a simple tarp can save you from a hefty fine. Think of a good cover as an investment in your materials, your trailer’s longevity, and basic road courtesy.
Mytee Products Mesh Tarp: Top Breathable Pick
A mesh tarp is often the perfect tool for hauling coarse mulch or wood chips. Its primary advantage is breathability. A solid tarp can catch the wind and act like a giant sail, putting a strain on your vehicle and the tie-downs, but a mesh tarp lets air pass right through while keeping the big pieces contained.
The Mytee Products mesh tarps are a solid choice because they’re built for work. They typically feature heavy-duty, vinyl-coated mesh that resists tearing, with double-stitched, reinforced hems that won’t fray after a few uses. Look for brass grommets spaced every couple of feet; they won’t rust and give you plenty of options for securing the cover tightly with bungee cords or rope. This isn’t a waterproof solution, but for keeping a bulky load in place on a dry day, it’s exactly what you need.
Kotap Heavy-Duty Poly Tarp for All-Weather
When the weather is questionable or you’re hauling finer material like compost or triple-shred mulch, a solid poly tarp is the answer. The Kotap heavy-duty line offers excellent protection from the elements. A sudden downpour won’t turn your load into a soggy, heavy mess, and it keeps fine, dusty particles from blowing out and coating the cars behind you.
These tarps are defined by their thickness, measured in "mils." A 10-mil or higher tarp provides good tear resistance and durability for regular use. Kotap tarps are also waterproof and often UV-treated, which prevents the sun from breaking down the polyethylene material and making it brittle. The main tradeoff is wind. You must secure a solid tarp meticulously, ensuring there are no loose areas for the wind to catch and cause it to flap or billow.
Grizzly Tarps Mesh Cover: Ultimate Secure Fit
The best cover in the world is useless if it doesn’t fit properly. A loose, flapping tarp will self-destruct on the highway and will inevitably let mulch escape from the corners. Grizzly Tarps often focuses on creating a secure fit by providing ample grommets and robust, reinforced corners that can handle the tension from tight tie-downs.
A secure fit does two things. First, it ensures complete containment of your load. Second, it dramatically increases the lifespan of the tarp by preventing the violent whipping motion that shreds lesser covers. When you cinch down a Grizzly mesh tarp, the tension is distributed evenly across its reinforced hems, holding everything in place without putting too much stress on any single point. This is the kind of thoughtful construction that matters when you rely on your gear season after season.
Cover-All Trailer Tarp Kit: All-in-One Solution
For those who want a simple, integrated system, a full tarp kit is the way to go. Instead of buying a tarp and a separate pile of bungee cords, a kit like those from Cover-All provides everything you need in one box. These often include a durable vinyl or mesh tarp, a set of high-quality rubber straps with steel hooks, and sometimes even hardware for a simple manual crank system.
The biggest advantage here is convenience and compatibility. The included straps are the right length and strength for the tarp, taking the guesswork out of securing your load. While you might pay a bit more upfront for a kit, it saves you the time and frustration of piecing together a system that works. It’s an excellent choice for someone who just bought their first utility trailer and wants a reliable, no-fuss solution right out of the gate.
Tuff-Tarps Vinyl Tarp: Maximum Durability
If you use your trailer for everything from mulch to gravel to firewood, you need a tarp that can handle abuse. This is where a heavy-duty vinyl tarp shines. Vinyl is significantly more abrasion-resistant and tear-proof than standard polyethylene. A brand like Tuff-Tarps makes covers that feel more like a commercial truck tarp than a flimsy hardware store special.
This level of durability comes at a cost, both in price and weight. A vinyl tarp is heavier and more cumbersome to fold and store. However, if you’re tired of replacing cheaper poly tarps every year or two, the long-term investment in a high-quality vinyl cover makes perfect sense. It’s the "buy it once, cry once" approach, giving you a tool that will reliably protect your loads for many years.
Raider Utility Trailer Tarp: Best UV Protection
Many of us store our trailers and equipment outside, where the sun is a relentless enemy. Ultraviolet radiation breaks down the fibers in most fabrics, leaving them brittle and prone to tearing. A tarp that looks fine in the spring can disintegrate in your hands by fall if it doesn’t have proper UV protection.
Raider is one of the brands that often emphasizes UV treatment in its materials. This coating acts like sunscreen for the tarp, reflecting or absorbing harmful rays and preserving the integrity of the fabric. Choosing a UV-resistant tarp means you won’t have to replace it nearly as often, saving you money and hassle. It’s a critical feature for any piece of gear that will spend a significant amount of time exposed to the elements.
Choosing Your Cover: Mesh vs. Solid Tarp
The right choice between mesh and solid really comes down to what you haul and when you haul it. There is no single "best" cover, only the best cover for a specific job. Thinking through your typical needs will point you to the right solution.
Here’s a simple breakdown to guide your decision:
Choose a MESH Tarp if:
- You primarily haul bulky, coarse materials like wood chips, bark mulch, or brush.
- You are concerned about the tarp catching wind and acting like a sail.
- You typically haul in dry weather.
- Choose a SOLID Tarp (Poly or Vinyl) if:
- You haul fine materials like topsoil, sand, compost, or triple-shredded mulch.
- You need all-weather protection to keep your load dry from rain.
- You need to contain every last particle and prevent dust clouds.
Many of us who use our trailers regularly find it’s worth having one of each. A lightweight mesh cover is perfect for quick, sunny-day runs for bark mulch. A heavy-duty solid tarp stays folded up in the truck, ready for the day you need to move compost in a light drizzle. Matching the tool to the task is always the smartest path.
Ultimately, covering your load is a fundamental part of responsible hauling. Whether you choose a breathable mesh for bulky chips or a heavy-duty vinyl for all-weather protection, the goal is the same: get 100% of your material home safely. Remember that the best tarp in the world is only as good as the tie-downs holding it, so always double-check that your load is secure before you pull onto the road.
