Merlin Pool Cover - SmartMesh or Safety Solid??

[Xybr1240]

Hello all,
we are looking to replace our pool, seeking feedback on merlin smartmesh vs safety solid for a inground gunite pool.. what are pros/cons? And if with solid, with mesh drain or pump? Is not the mesh drain on solid very much the same as smartmesh?
The pool is surrounded by trees, and we get a lot of snow. We tend to open the pool around memorial day and close right around labor day.
Thanks in advance!

 

[bmoreswim]

I personally like our Smart Mesh cover. I install and uninstall it myself and it’s heavy enough as it is for our large pool. I open to a clear pool every year but I open by mid-April and close in late October. With any cover, the later you open and earlier you close the more likely you will open to green water. And although the Smart Mesh cover blocks most light, I suspect if you are pushing the envelope and opening late like Memorial Day, the Mesh cover may increase the likelihood of a green opening.

I don’t think much/any debris gets through the cover. Only some gets blown under the edges like with either option. And then some years are bad for worms. But again, not a cover issue.

When necessary I will 100% go with the same thing for my needs and situation.