Camp Chef Smoke Vault Covers & Accessories Buyer's Guide

Protecting a Camp Chef Smoke Vault is one of those maintenance decisions that most people make once , usually after a season of neglect leaves rust on the door hinges. A good cover or the right accessories can add years to a smoker’s working life, and the options for Propane Smokers in this category have gotten specific enough that sizing matters more than most buyers realize before they purchase.

The Smoke Vault line spans two primary barrel sizes, and the cover market has followed suit. What separates a purchase you’ll be glad you made from one that ends up in a trash bag two seasons in comes down to fit, material, and whether the product actually matches your specific model number.

What to Look For in a Camp Chef Smoke Vault Cover or Accessory

Sizing and Model Compatibility

This is where most buyers get tripped up. Check your model number before buying: SMV18 and SMV24 are the two main variants, with SMV24S and SMV24B being the standing and built-in configurations of the 24-inch.

If you bought your smoker secondhand and aren’t sure of the model, measure height, width, and depth before you search. A cover that fits loosely will catch wind and abrade the smoker’s finish over time , which defeats the purpose entirely.

Material and Waterproofing

Not all covers marketed as “waterproof” are constructed the same way. Look for covers with seam sealing or welded seams rather than stitched edges that water can wick through. The outer fabric weight matters too , thinner materials resist water initially but degrade faster under UV exposure, which is significant if your smoker lives on a patio year-round in Ohio or anywhere with real seasonal swings.

Ventilation grommets or vents near the base help prevent condensation buildup underneath the cover, which matters as much as rain resistance for long-term protection. A cover that traps humidity is only marginally better than no cover at all.

Accessory Compatibility and Function

A smoker cover is a protective tool, not a performance upgrade. That distinction matters because some buyers arrive at covers after searching for ways to improve smoke output or heat retention , and a cover won’t help with either of those goals. If performance is the actual objective, a smoker box that adds wood chips to a propane setup is a different product category entirely but sometimes gets bundled in searches for Smoke Vault accessories.

Understanding what you’re actually solving for before purchasing keeps you from buying a cover when you needed an accessory, or vice versa. Spending a few minutes reading through the broader landscape of propane smoker accessories before committing to a specific product can save a return shipment.

Build Quality and Warranty Signals

Third-party covers vary significantly in quality. A brand that specializes in outdoor equipment covers , rather than a generalist seller , is more likely to have thought through the fit tolerances for a specific smoker model. Reinforced handle openings, buckle straps that hold the cover down in wind, and double-stitched hems are signals worth looking for in product detail pages.

Camp Chef’s own covers carry an implicit compatibility guarantee for their specific models. Third-party covers require more due diligence on the buyer’s part, but they can offer advantages in price band or material options that the OEM version doesn’t.

Top Picks

Camp Chef PC18 Smoke Vault Patio Cover for SMV18

The Camp Chef PC18 Smoke Vault Patio Cover for SMV18 is the OEM answer for Smoke Vault 18 owners, and that pedigree matters in a product category where fit is everything. Camp Chef built the cover to the same tolerances they used when they designed the smoker, which means you’re not guessing whether the door handle clearance works or whether the legs will catch on the hem when you pull it off.

For buyers who want the straightforward answer and aren’t interested in comparison shopping third-party materials, this is it. The brand reputation behind Camp Chef’s outdoor cooking line isn’t just marketing , it reflects a company that supports its own equipment. A cover sold alongside the smoker itself is less likely to be discontinued the season you need a replacement.

The one honest limitation is that this is a cover, full stop. It does nothing for cooking performance, heat consistency, or smoke output. If your smoker is showing its age in those ways, a cover addresses weather, not wear.

Check current price on Amazon.

Stanbroil Patio Cover for Camp Chef 24” Smoke Vault

The Stanbroil Patio Cover for Camp Chef 24” Smoke Vault is built specifically for SMV24S and SMV24B owners , the two 24-inch variants , and Stanbroil’s focus on patio and outdoor equipment covers gives them a narrower, more credible brief than a generalist seller trying to cover every grill on the market.

If you own the 24-inch Smoke Vault and want a third-party option rather than waiting on an OEM cover, this is the most model-specific choice available. Stanbroil’s cover lineup treats fit as the primary design variable, which shows in the model callouts on the product listing , they’re explicit about what this fits and what it doesn’t, which is exactly the transparency you want before buying a cover you can’t easily return once opened.

The trade-off is storage: when the smoker is actively running, the cover needs somewhere to go. That’s not a knock on Stanbroil specifically , it’s true of every cover , but it’s worth factoring into how you organize your patio setup.

Check current price on Amazon.

Smoker Cover Fit for Camp Chef Smoke Vault

The Smoker Cover Fit for Camp Chef Smoke Vault is the unbranded option in this group, and it’s worth being honest about what that means. The listed dimensions , 16 inches deep, 24 inches wide, 44 inches tall , are specific enough that fit isn’t pure guesswork, but without a brand history to lean on, build quality is harder to evaluate before the cover arrives.

What it does have going for it is the waterproof claim and vertical-smoker-specific design. Covers designed generically for “upright smokers” often miss on height, leaving the top exposed. The stated 44-inch height should clear the Smoke Vault 24’s upper vents with room to spare, which is the critical measurement for keeping rain out of the cooking chamber.

For buyers who treat covers as consumable , replacing them every two or three seasons rather than expecting a decade of service , the value proposition of a budget-tier cover is real. Set expectations accordingly and it’s a reasonable choice.

Check current price on Amazon.

Skyflame Wood Chip Smoker Box

The Skyflame Wood Chip Smoker Box sits in a different category from the three covers above, and that’s worth stating plainly. This is not a protective accessory , it’s a performance accessory for buyers who want to introduce real wood smoke flavor into a propane cooking setup.

The stainless steel construction and double V-shape design aren’t marketing features. The V-shape channels the chips toward the heat source more efficiently than a flat-bottomed box, which means faster ignition and more consistent smoke output across a cook. The hinged lid is a practical detail that sounds minor until you’ve burned your hand trying to pry the lid off a competing model mid-cook.

Where this accessory earns its place in a Smoke Vault context is for owners who want wood smoke character without switching fuels. The Smoke Vault’s propane burner provides precise heat control; the Skyflame box provides the smoke. That combination gives you temperature consistency that charcoal setups require more attention to maintain. Refilling during a long cook is the one legitimate inconvenience , plan your chip load before you start and top up at a natural rest point.

Check current price on Amazon.

Buying Guide

Matching Your Cover to Your Smoker Model

The Smoke Vault line’s two primary sizes , 18-inch and 24-inch , require different covers, and there’s no meaningful overlap. Buy the wrong size and you’ve either left your smoker partially exposed or you’re fighting a cover that doesn’t seat properly against the body. Check the model number on the label inside your smoker’s door before you search. SMV18 owners need an 18-inch-rated cover; SMV24S and SMV24B owners need the 24-inch equivalent.

Third-party covers that list specific model callouts in their product title are generally more trustworthy than covers listed as “fits most vertical smokers.” The former suggests the manufacturer measured an actual unit. The latter suggests they didn’t.

OEM vs. Third-Party Covers

Camp Chef’s own cover carries one advantage no third-party can match: guaranteed compatibility. For buyers who want certainty and are willing to pay for it, the OEM cover is the no-research answer. Third-party covers from specialized outdoor equipment brands , like Stanbroil , can match OEM fit when the manufacturer has done the work to engineer to a specific model. Generic third-party covers require more tolerance for uncertainty in exchange for a lower price band.

Neither choice is wrong. The question is how much variability you’re comfortable with and whether the price differential matters given how long you expect the cover to last. Most buyers replacing a cover after the original fails should consider whether OEM or a well-reviewed third-party option has better current availability.

When a Cover Isn’t What You Need

If your Smoke Vault is producing inconsistent smoke flavor or weak smoke output, a cover won’t help. That’s an accessory problem, not a protection problem. A smoker box like the Skyflame adds real wood smoke character to a propane setup , something the Smoke Vault’s built-in chip tray handles adequately at low loads but can struggle with on longer cooks requiring heavier smoke.

Understanding whether you’re solving a protection problem or a performance problem before purchase keeps you from buying the wrong category of product. The propane smoker accessory market splits cleanly between these two use cases; most sellers don’t cross the line between them.

Storage and Seasonal Maintenance

A cover needs somewhere to go when the smoker is running. On a small patio, that can be a real constraint , a balled-up smoker cover shoved under a deck chair gets dirty and develops mold faster than one hung or folded properly. If storage space is limited, look for covers with a storage bag or that fold flat enough to hang on a hook.

Seasonal maintenance for covered smokers still means wiping down the exterior before the cover goes on for winter storage, cleaning the grease trap, and checking the burner orifice. A cover protects the exterior finish from weather; it does not substitute for the basic maintenance steps that keep the burner and cooking surfaces functional.

Accessory Decisions for Longer Cooks

A smoker box is a cook-time decision, not a setup-and-forget one. Knowing your chip load before a long cook , and having extra chips staged nearby , removes the mid-cook scramble that leads to temperature drops. The Skyflame’s hinged lid makes refills faster than competing designs that require lifting a separate lid off a hot box. Plan your refill intervals around the natural rest points in your cook , when you’re spritzing, checking temp, or rotating racks , and the added complexity stays manageable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Camp Chef PC18 cover fit the 24-inch Smoke Vault models?

No. The PC18 cover is sized specifically for the SMV18 Smoke Vault. The 24-inch models , SMV24S and SMV24B , require a cover built to those larger dimensions. Using the wrong-sized cover leaves part of the smoker exposed and can create pooling and wind-catch problems that accelerate wear rather than prevent it.

Is there a meaningful difference between buying an OEM cover and a third-party option like Stanbroil?

The main advantage of the Camp Chef OEM cover is guaranteed fit , they designed it to their own smoker. The Stanbroil Patio Cover for Camp Chef 24” Smoke Vault earns credibility by calling out the exact models it fits by name, which suggests actual engineering to the spec rather than a generic estimate. Both are defensible choices; the decision usually comes down to price band preference and current availability.

Can I use a generic waterproof cover instead of one designed for the Smoke Vault?

You can, but fit quality drops significantly. Generic covers sized for “upright smokers” often miss on height or leave the bottom edge too loose to stay in place in wind. A cover that shifts or doesn’t seat against the smoker’s body traps moisture rather than shedding it. Model-specific covers are worth the extra attention to detail they represent.

Will a smoker box like the Skyflame work with the Camp Chef Smoke Vault’s propane burner?

Yes, the Skyflame Wood Chip Smoker Box is designed for charcoal and propane gas setups. Place it directly over the propane burner flame and it will begin smoking chips within minutes. The advantage over the Smoke Vault’s built-in chip tray is greater capacity and more efficient airflow from the double V-shape design, which matters most on cooks lasting four or more hours.

How often do I need to replace a Smoke Vault cover?

That depends on material quality, exposure conditions, and whether you store it properly during active use. A budget-tier cover stored outdoors year-round in a climate with heavy UV and temperature swings might last two seasons. A higher-quality cover stored properly , folded or hung when the smoker is running, kept dry between uses , can realistically last four to six seasons before the seams or fabric start failing.