I need some expert opinions about winter covers and ways to use them. My first winter I used the cover the standard way, air pillow in the middle, cable wench around the outside of the pool. Every rain resulted in multiple puddles and pumping and re-positioning and pumping some more - over and over each rain! The I decided to build a frame using 1" PVC pipes set upon two air pillows to raise the cover about 6 inches above the pool sides and I attached about 12 half-filled jugs of water around the perimeter grommets to pull the cover taut. It worked great! Rainwater ran right off and I never needed to pump any puddles. But last winter was very snowy, and the snow does not run off. Instead, it bent the PVC and deflated the air pillows. I'm afraid of what could have happened if the pvc snapped and punctured the liner! Now I don't know which method to use. I HATE pumping the water off after each rain, but the PVC frame presents a danger to the liner. I also need a new cover this year and I want one that will be strong enough to hold a large puddle or a heavy pile of snow without ripping. I also would like a thicker edge where the grommets are so they don't rip off like my starter cover did. I see terms like 12x12 scrim and 8x8 scrim and I don't know what they mean. Any advice on this issue would be greatly appreciated!