Roof-Top Awnings are NOT Practical! (watch before you buy)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 มิ.ย. 2024
- An awning for your small camper trailer may look ideal. But, they don't come without their hang-ups. So the question is "Are roof top awnings worth it?" We have put together the pros and cons of roof top awnings to help make your purchasing decision easier. Plus we share alternatives such as side entry tents, portable awnings, plus we break down the difference between 270 awnings and your simple 1 tarp awning. If you own a teardrop trailer or any other small camper trailer an awning is a must have in our opinion. But, not all awnings are created equal.
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Thank you everyone for the support and feedback over the years. It is such a blessing to be able to share our adventures with you and learn from you in the process. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
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🌲Check out our "Side Entry Tent" Playlist here for more info on awnings and small camper tents: th-cam.com/video/eegIAqXIqmM/w-d-xo.html
For anyone reading this, and wondering about setup and takedown in the wind. There is a simple solution. Only attach or unattach the guidelines with each span, so you aren't fighting with loose canvas flapping in the breeze. You remove a line, pull the spoke, arrange the fabric, keeping one spoke against the other, remove the next. Its really simple. I you pull all the stakes leaving the spokes to move freely it gets out of control.
Exactly I typically like his reviews, but i totally disagree with his assessment. I have awnings for years and I love mine . The only issue I ever had was that I have to take them off my truck when doing crazy trails like the rubicon 😅
This is only possible with Australian style awnings. This video has been out for a long time and when it was made, you weren’t finding these in the states. You cannot remove one guline at a time because of how these North American models fold to put away. Essentially the Takeaway here is get an Australian 270 awning.
@paranormalwheelers as to the comment that you were responding to, this is not possible with the style of 270° awning in the video. Since making this video, I’ve come to learn that the Australian style awnings can be taken down easily in the wind because you can remove one guyline at a time. Hopefully North American manufacturers will pick up on this and start making models like South Africa and Australia. I’ve seen a few switching over, but most are still using the inferior method
Our batwing swingtent is within easy reach, I,m 1.82 cm + my wife is 1.51 cm. We were advised by the agent to put each pole in one by one, one person "me" holding the tent + the other my "wife" putting the pins in + finally me making sure everything is secure. It really goes quick once you,ve done it a few times. The sides have zips which do up very easily so you can have as many or few as you want. We were also advised to fold the tent starting at 45 degrees instead of straight up because it,s much easier to fold away. All my guide lines have hooks which makes it very simple to set everything up. I personally always have a set of galvanised hooks in the disselbox. I can always find a use for them. Roy,Haarlem,Holland. P.s, because of difficulties of putting the tent away in stormy weather, I bought a very light weatherproof sheet which only needs 2 poles + 5 lines + can be put up in less than 5 mins after practice, it,s aprox 3x4 mtrs + more than enough for overnighting.
You nailed this Drew, the pros and cons are many each way. Ultimately, I favored the stand alone canopy with side walls. I use it as a side entry tent but it has a lot of versatility. There are certainly days that I wish I had the awning, but most the time canopy set up works great. Excellent run down, very helpful content!
The balance and honest assessment you give to the different equipment and products you use is very refreshing. Thank you!!!
That is so nice to hear Gretchen! Thanks for the kind feedback.
You basically experienced all the things that I was concerned about with the 180 and bat wing awnings. I opted for the square. I always want things that can be managed with one person. Get my Bean in February.
February is so close! I can't wait to hear what you do for your shakedown trip. And the beauty is there are so many great warm locations right near where you pick her up! I must say we are a bit jealous. Wait until you see the camper we are working on. Definitely not a Bean. Haha. You could barely classify it as a camper based on the size. We sure got spoiled with a 5X10 camper with 5 foot ceilings. Haha.
I like your setup! In regards to the awnings, I have been on the fence about them for quite some time as well. Finally I pulled the trigger on one. The hardest decision for me was what side to get it for. I ended up getting it for the passenger side.
Love your videos man, keep'em coming!
I am so very glad I watched this. I was thinking about getting one of these bat wing awnings, but I had concerns about them hanging out there unsupported. Concerns well founded it seems. Also the repacking issue seems a pain in the neck as well. For a whole lot less money I think the solution is to get a couple of collapsible poles, a sun shade/tarp, and some parachute cord with some stakes. With a little practice and some basic knot tying knowledge, it is pretty quick and easy to rig a tarp as a shade by tying one side to a horizontal pole (a length of conduit pipe) tied/attached to the side of your roof rack, and supporting the two outer corners with either the collapsible poles (secured with guy lines and stakes) or with lines to two nearby trees. If you set up the rig and test it out at home before venturing forth, then you can have the lines already set up to the correct lengths and ready to go. And then there is the satisfaction of knowing you have mastered the art of knotsmanship and basic rigging.
Love what you guys do, thanks so much for the input!
Love your vids, watched most if not all of em . I’ve started using this awning this summer and absolutely love it. I have yet to take down in high wind. Once we camped out in a high wind situation and I avoided putting the awning up. I always keep an eye on the weather forecast to plan on using it or not. We just got a clam shell tent but haven’t figured out good lighting yet. Please do a video on lighting! We want to hang out at night and read books with our kids without having to wear headlamps or be blinded by a lantern.
Great video, love the pros and cons. The only way people will know is by recommendations and then trying them out! Love the info keep them coming!
I think it really depends on the design of the awning. We owned a little guy silver shadow teardrop & Rhino foxwing awning with walls. We never had an issue having the awning out in a windy stormy day. It can also be setup just by one person. My husband never had an issue setting it up even on a windy day. :)
I actually found that the Zero23 270 degree awning to be easy to setup/fold and that the cover is big enough to not fight with it when zipping up. I also heard that the awening walls make it durable to wind much better than the free standing one. Using it on a Pando 2.0 and it's my favorite awning compared to the CVT one
We recently found your channel and are loving your videos. I don't have a trailer, but that is on my list for retirement - we do a lot of overlanding in our Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. I've had an Ostrich Wing 270 degree awning, and I've never had a problem with it, even in strong winds. It's a free standing awning, but does have poles for when the wind picks up - or when I attach the walls. I've set it up and taken it down in some pretty impressive winds, and it's still going strong. I suppose it all depends on the awning, and how it is designed.
Really good tips and insights here Drew, thanks for sharing!
Drew, you covered every single pro & con I weighed before and since I bought my awning. Great video! I'll just add that it rained all day, every day on our last camping trip here in TN. Every single reservation I had about my Rhino Rack Batwing with tapered walls was completely forgotten. LOL
So, is it worth owning an awning?
@@IllusionSector IMHO, yes, absolutely. I love that it can keep the sun off of us when it's hot and keep all our stuff dry when it rains
You are my new “Bob Wells”. I have a mi van and have watched a million of Bob’s videos about van life, and I love traveling in my Sienna. I bring my tent and all my gear with me and tent camp when I can. But I’ve been thinking about a tear drop and was going to get the 270 degree awning. But I travel alone and am 5’1”. After watching this, I sadly realize I probably should not get one after all. I love how fair and impartial your comments are. Just plain good information to help make decisions. Thx!!!
Huge fans of Bob and his guests! So this comment means a lot to me.
Great Tips Drew. Love it. So true on the wind. I've nearly Dorthy-ed myself a few times. There are solar christmas lights that can go down your stake lines. Handy at night.
Christmas lights! I like it!
Great idea with the lights. We have not had the chance to dabble in lights very often due to our 24 hour sun. But, this summer we finally had the chance in the lower 48 to add some ambience to the campsite. It felt so magical! p.s. We aren't ghosting you. We still plan to reach out to you regarding the diy teardrop video. We are still trying to figure out how to balance work over here in Thailand and the TH-cam channel. Once we get some systems in place we are looking forward to working with you on that video you were kind enough to agree to. I really think the community will love it. And I have a feeling there will be quite a few of them who have never heard of a business like yours.
I have had many mounted awnings and now only use a custon dragonfly tarp that attaches to trailer or vehicle. I have also experienced the wind with awnings bending poles and even throeing the poles 200 yds away as a projectile. My favorite awning was the Alucab 270. That one was rock solid and could also be used without poles & guylines if not windy.
Excellent points, thanks for your prior reply mentioning this upcoming and now here video. Interesting, one of the most mentioned top mods at a hiker meet, was the batwing awnings. Makes us wonder about campgrounds versus boondocking users? Yes, we like the way they look too!
That is a really good point Tricia. When I think about it most paid campgrounds tend to be much more protected from the wind vs. many of the boondocking sites we stay at. BUT, I have also stayed in paid campgrounds where the parking is so narrow you can't open up your awning or it rubs against a tree. Or even worse your neighbors rig. Haha. That last one was the time we stayed at an RV park 3 years ago in Alaska. Another thing is that the base model Hiker trailers typically are a nice height like this Bean. Not built too high to introduce a lot of the issues that come with awnings and tall trailers.
Hi everyone. I work for a company that sells to RV dealers and repair people. Prevention is the key. Awning are very vulnerable to wind damage. Don't leave it out if you expect wind, leave your site for a while or overnight. Cutting corners too close is also a big source of damage. Love your channel and all your tips!
Comments like this are awesome! Love getting a little insider information. Thank you LInda.
Bang on. Unfortunately all awnings made go over or are on the side of the trailer with the entrance. But these trailers which we have you can pick up with you hands an swing around. We bought a quick pop up gazebo tent Works good
I’ve owned several different awnings including the Peregrine 180 for a week and also the walls that went with it. I got rid of the 180 to switch to an ARB with the optional room. That’s been my favorite system so far
This is exactly what I was looking for. Been debating on which awning system to go with
That was us too. After this I wouldn't go with anything but a square awning. Unless I lived somewhere I knew was protected from wind.
Nice video Drew...coming from a 180 awning owner you hit all the pros and cons perfectly.
Thank you! We really appreciate that. One thing I wish we would have mentioned. We kind of thought an awning would be a novelty for us. But it really did add to the experience. Where as the rooftop tent. We still think it is a must for a growing family. But, it didn't really add to the experience for us. It was fun. Tried it a few nights and didn't really pull it out the rest of the trip. Now ask us about the rooftop tent in a few years and I guarantee you we will feel different about it when the boys are bigger.
@@PlayingwithSticks We had to go about 4 weeks on our recent trip without our awning after we had a freak wind blast send it vertical the 1st week on that trip.....we got by but really missed having it. Kind of feel it's integral to the trailer.....a must have feature. I was able to fix it in the field the last week of the trip but it made me realize how important it was....just a little bit of rain without having the awning is a much different experience without the awning there to have a space to hang outside without getting wet. If you don't want to deal with an awning I think something like a Scamp would be better....something you can at least stand up in when it's yukky out and you're stuck inside. Hey Drew I have a few new videos up too btw if you're curious...the most recent from the part of the trip we had to go without the awning lol. th-cam.com/video/q7NvQAx1VVU/w-d-xo.html
Well, you definitely helped me make a decision. I’m in Oklahoma, and we seldom experience winds of less than 15 mph. I’m gonna stick with my clam shelter and a tarp. Thank you.
Glad we could help!
Another great video. I never thought of the wind for those Batwing awnings. I worry about my straight one as it is.
Our one surprise is that on extremely windy days it looks stressful on the awning. But, with proper tie down points the awning seems to do quite well. But, we are always nervous in the middle of the big gusts. Now taking down that awning, like I said, is a whole different story.
This is great info! We have a Bean on order and also included the 23zero, as well as Bean’s custom enclosure. I had previously purchased the smallest Clam for car camping, so this is sage advise for us! Thank you!
I must admit, being over here in Thailand at the moment I am a bit jealous of you! You will be rocking our dream setup. And yes, the 23 Zero and a Clam are the perfect combo for the Bean. And from an aesthetic point of view they look really good out there in nature.
@@PlayingwithSticks I agree! We’re 💯 stoked! It’s a longer wait for the Black Bean, but it’ll be well worth it. Enjoy your trip! Thank you for the response and be safe.
Thanks for the heads up. I do like awnings but perhaps I’ll try with a simple camping tarp since I have several, they’re easier to fold and use with sucking cups and poles since I have those too. I can just roll it inside the car and fold another day. I also have a pop up gazebo. You just saved me a bunch of money and frustration, thanks!
That’s the conclusion we came to as well. We will continue to use our tarps, awnings, and instant pop-ups. I still think there’s a place for these type of awnings, but you can’t rely on them to be used in all situations. So basically even if you had one of these you’d still have to bring out a separate tarp for those difficult days.
Another helpful video Drew thanks 😊
Happy to help! Thank you.
Have yall reviewed the Moon Shade Awning? We have a 180° , a 270°, a square awning and a moon shade. Overall our most versatile awning is our Moon Shade awning. It is interchangeable between our three trailers and also our Jeeps!!! Great video! We enjoyed it !!
When I had my last boat, the bimini top canvas bag was a chore to store away the top. I took the bag to a canvas shop and had them make one just a "silly millimeter" larger. It was so nice to be able to store the bimini while driving the boat returning to shore.
This is great advice! I get it. From a sales perspective smaller and lighter is always more intriguing. But, couldn't they just make the bag larger for stuffing, but when it is on the shelf shore of the corners with some adhesive or ties to make it look smaller? To me that would be a win-win. Looks smaller for sales, but actually works in the field.
Sometimes the “so simple no one thinks of them” ideas are the best. Good job actually solving the problem for yourself.
Yeah. My perpetual irritation that great packaging can only be used for the initial sale - from canvas bags to heavy duty boxes tools come in - even expensive ones.
@@mikemead2315 Too bad I have no great million dollar ideas for something that goes in a bag. Haha.
@@mikemead2315 funny you should mention tools. Someone broke into my van several days ago and stole my tool bag with about $200 worth of tools, so, yesterday I replaced most of the tools with new ones. A combo SAE and metric socket set came in a really nice plastic case but it is bulky. I searched through my stash of junk and found a smaller canvas bag that can hold the pieces. Yes, I'm a pack rat.
@@2-old-Forthischet 🤣 I wish I could not relate 😂
A note about getting shade regardless of where you park. I bought a small IronmanUSA awning (4" by 6") for my Crosstrek, but its plenty. One thing you can do is attach canvas walls on the awning to help block out the sun. Amazon sells universal walls that attach to the sides and front. I bought one side wall for the awning and a front wall. Regardless of where the sun is hitting, I can set up the walls to block it. Hopefully, this is a solution that you can use if you choose to buy an awning for your overland rig.
I bought a mesh tarp for a dump truck. Very durable and offers nice shade without worrying about the wind.
Nice! I like the creativity.
It's changed now. I just installed the Peregrine 270, and it fit pretty nice. The folding to get it to fit is trickier. Since you need to slide the canvas over the front supports, otherwise it won't fold correctly.
I have an 8' x 8' ARB awning on my van and, its pretty easy to put up and take down. However, if wind is any more than 13 mph and I have no trees to help break the gusts, I don't even bother trying to put it up. I'm too afraid I'll bend a pole. I had to roll it up once in the middle of the night in snow and that was my lesson. No awnings in wind. I also have the screen room attachment and it does help to keep the awning planted once there's stuff inside of it but that too becomes a sail.
9:35. AWESOME vehicle tent recommendations. Very GOOD.
Glad this was helpful. I have been toying with the idea of sharing some unsolicited advice/recommendations at the end of these videos. I find we tend to get quite a few comments about "what do you prefer? Or what would you suggest?" I thought I might as well answer those potential questions up front.
Was getting this exact awning, looks like my initial plan for a pop up canopy, cheap and easy, the moonshade looks weak as the other alternative.
One of the things that helps me is by removing the small chords completely. I keep them in a gearbox in the back. They take up a lot of space when trying to zip it all back up.
Like someone mentioned in the comment, I almost got Dorthy-ed myself! I think we will try to square awnings from now on. Yay for Scottle video? I also do not like how tight the put away is bc some days it just doesn’t fit. And for someone with a bad shoulder, that makes it hard. Will you do an ice co video again? I love the thunder at the end!
checkout really heavy duty awning with heavy duty fabric and frames...i've had mine for almost 2 years now and used it all season and different windy conditions, windy + rain, and had no real issue packing and unpacking...love the walls and had even used to protect from very windy situation...also had setup and packed up at night, even windy night and just love it...also my truck is setup with 3" lift on a 35s and the awning is setup way up high and i am only 5'6" and still would not go anywhere without it, also i setup and pack up most of the time by myself...anyway, just my opinion...the key in my opinion is that heavy duty fabric and frames...i love mine because i think it's the best in the market!
Great video, thanks!
Hey there, I'm a pretty new subscriber, I've seen about 7 of your videos. I want some kind of small camp trailer and your channel is full of great info. One question i have is: We have a little pop up bathroom tent and a seat that takes a bag. Where do you put the bags when you break camp? There doesn't seem to be a good spot on any tear drop or square drop to store that kind of waste.
Great video! Just bought a teardrop and a 6 sided gazelle. Awnings are an issue where we live.a.k.a. second windiest state in the lower 48. Here, the wind can come up any time so having your awning ripped off is very likely, regardless if you are around or not. Plus, you have to break down at night as unexpected wind and storms roll in..unfortunately I learned this the hard way with a larger trailer. I love the looks of the bat wing, but not practical here. A smaller square one may be the route we go with that can be stored quickly and easily. Thanks for the video
I had to look up the top 5. I spend a lot of time in Nebraska and South Dakota. Both very windy. But I was really surprised Wyoming wasn't on that list. Windiest place I have been and I have been there a lot in my life! Wonder how they measure wind? Based on the top 5 does that mean you live in Kansas? We haven't been there often, but I can definitely see it being a windy place. We spent a large portion of our time this summer in the western mountain areas. And like you said, we were often on edge as those storms creep up on you fast.
@@PlayingwithSticks Actually live in Iowa and see we are top 5 as far as wind, however, we are second as far as most wind farms behind only texas so I mixed my facts a bit I think...lol. Regardless the wind is nearly constant and I ride a lot of gravel, so we are always battling it. I guess it makes us stronger riders..lol.
In the market for a retractable awning for the westy that won’t break the wallet.
Love the vids, Sticks!
I'm going to chime in and recommend the EZ Up shelters.Ours is 10x10 and with 2 people it is easy to move it to where it is needed. It doesn't impact fuel mileage as it packs into the trailer. I can set it up solo if needed, it is high enough that we can run our propane campfire under it. I had the local marine upholstery guy make me two mesh screen tarps for it and if needed we use a regular hardware store tarp on the third side. Then it fits over the galley with a "living" room out back. The mesh knocks down any wind or rain while keeping us in the outdoors still.
Oh, it cost just a bit over $100 7 or 8 years ago.
Honestly the EZ ups are hard to beat. We mentioned this in one of our first videos on the channel. One of my favorite EZ Up setups is on the channel Hangin with Herky. I love how they setup their camp every weekend. It feels like a little home.
I was looking for an attached awning for my small trailer but now I think I’m just going keep using the pop up awning.
I have an Alucab 270...while we don't get much rain in the southwest desert, it's nice to have the shade in just 30 seconds...plus, when it's packed up...it's on top of the trailer. Not taking up valuable space somewhere else.
Being in SoCal, I’d love having an awning or canopy by the suv to cool off in Summer. Your concerns are also my concern. At this point I’d settle for an umbrella with built in stand that I can sandbag it.
Saw May cooking on a Skottle. How about an episode showing some of her dishes on the Skottle. I think I noticed that you have also lowered the burner. Much better heating.
I love your videos, you’re a beautiful family and really brings an idea about what camping is for families. Thanks a lot for sharing this great energy and experience guys!
Cheers from Baja México 🇲🇽
Let me know if you ever come down here, it’ll be great to host you at Baja Serena Rv Park and show you the South Baja landscape!
We may take you up on that offer some day. Thank you!
I have the 23zero 270 degree Falcon Pro. Really easy to setup and fold/roll up solo. Only takes 2mins.
Your videos are very informative and are food for thought. 👌. One solution I've considered is to have an ARB awning on one side and an extention for the Ikamper awning? (Not Annex plus) on the other side. What do you think?
I think that’s a great idea. Currently I’m toying with a new idea. In the past I did what you suggested and that’s having a living space outside of each door. Lately I’m trying to put the living space outside of one door and have that space connect to the living space behind the galley. To me that makes the most sense. Because what I find is one side of the trailer is typically positioned towards the direction I don’t wanna see or be bothered by so I end up not using it often. 90% of my outdoor living takes place from my one door back to the galley kitchen.
as always, great vid
We use a campground in Pahokee FL that is the only one actually on the lake shore.
The wind gets lots of fetch, about 40 miles coming across Lake Okeechobee and you can't leave canvas up and you can't anchor into the limestone. A lot of campers have lost their awnings :(
We had neighbors with a teardrop and she tried spending her days in a pop-up screen house but sometimes the wind was just too much.
That place is one reason I would never go with a pop-up expedition trailer. That and my father had a pop-up class b that leaked in driving rain :(
I've got a plain arb awning which I would not use unless raining hard. I have the side walls and room, but what a hassle for one person and dog. It is almost always windy where I go in Oregon. I have a 6x6 Clam with wind walls. Even that would be a bummer if I had to put it away wet. It seems like it always rains somewhere, so the Clam, if in the roof basket, gets soaked. I can usually make do with just the privacy tent. But the dog and I like the Clam and don't need both at once. I usually stay out three days, so try to figure out which I will need.
We like the clam, has you stated, you set them up anywhere in camp, sun or shade depending.
I have the ARB awning with tent room and I love it. Sure one person setup is a pain but it is worth it to me.
We absolutely loved the awning room this summer. Like you mentioned all the negatives associated with them are definitely worth the benefits. As for setup with the ARB awning/room what are you finding is the most difficult? Is it just windy days? Or are there other factors with the ARB that make it a bit harder?
I find setup just awkward for one person. Two people is best. The tent room is fantastic. Extra sleeping space to watching movies and bug free. A really good time, I'd buy it again.
@@jmwinf Yep, once you try one it would be hard to go back. We found that the cheap little Walmart projector screen fits perfectly on the frame of the awning. It made for some quick setup and great movie moments this summer in the woods.
Hey Drew have you looked at the DIYer awning that is 8'x7' has no vertical poles, sets up in 1 minute and packs up just as fast. And the awning arms can hold 25 lbs. and the awning poles won't bend, no guide lines. Once your kids run into the guide lines you will ditch the batwing. So simple. And your wife can do it so you can do other things. There is a better way than the ARB or batwing set up. Fast sturdy, and most important affordable $300 DIY project.
Thanks for sharing this Alan. Do you know where I can find it online? Simple is where it is at! Yeah have peaked my interest.
We use the iKamper awning or the iKamper vestibule. I looked at the 3rd party offerings, but the ones they offer are well made for the iKamper unit. They zip right in.
Thanks for sharing
As a trucker I saw a flat bed driver fly, when he was moving his tarps. Lol yep binges are your friends.
Been there done that the answer is to put a pop up over your teardrop trailer and then a very large tarp over all of it it works.....
Been debating one for my trailer, but a couple EZ ups, are cheap and easily replaceable, plus a shade screen and a couple spring clamps make shade anytime of dau...
Yeah. The EZ-UP brand has a camping cube with 4 walls and a floor. You can also mix and match different wall types in their industrial lineup. I've been looking at those options. EZ-UP is pretty heavy, but if you're setting up adjacent to your vehicle/trailer, that's not an issue. But my take on teardrops is more cargo-oriented than most people's. I learned to put up a pretty plush (for me) base camp, just operating out of a pickup truck. You have the bed already set up, which is great, but you can have all your kitchen stuff integrated into the trailer, freeing up cargo room on your pickup, so there's room for one or two EZ-Ups in your basic kit.
MY idea was to simply erect an EZ-UP around the back of my teardrop. Maybe have someone stitch together an apron of some sort that marries the EZ-UP to the trailer.
I think I agree with this video on those bat-wing awnings. They seem like they're really nice, but my impression is that when conditions are bad enough to set up the walls, they're probably too windy to set up the walls. This is the only video I've seen where somebody tried to pack up on a windy day, and I'm thinking "bent poles; personal injury; ..."
I feel the same way about the CLAM shelters. They're easy to set up, but there's not much holding the roof up, which Cozmo Weems discovered in a thunderstorm. Just when you need them the most is when they let you down. That's why I'm leaning towards an industrial-grade EZ-Up, or even an outfitters tent, whose frame is pieced together like tinker toys. But again, I think of the trailer as additional cargo room as well as a bed on wheels.
I wouldn't be interested in the fancy, high-dollar galleys everyone loves so much. I already have my camp kitchen, and it packs very nicely in my truck, for tailgating, and I've got it down to a science. So I look at that beautiful galley as CARGO. Outfitter tent or one or two EZ-UPs. Even my BOSE tower to provide a sound system for boondock get-togethers. Room for composting toilet either in the bed of the pickup or in the tongue-box of the trailer. Luxuries like running water and hot water... I'm even thinking about adding a Cuisin-Art coffee maker to the mix.
Great information
Thanks Drew, great video as always. I have a Rhino 270 Batwing on our teardrop and jury is still out. I haven’t found ourselves using it a lot, but it did save us for a few night of camping with evening showers. I have a Joolca popup privacy/bathroom tent that we love. But I’m trying to figure out something more attached to the teardrop so when my wife wakes up in the middle of the night she can just step out of the teardrop and “in” to another room. So thinking a straight awing type on the other side of the roof rack, and agent one that has walls so you can make a room or tent out of it. I seen ARB, front-runner and other models. With mosquito net, it would serve multiple uses? But then maybe we won’t need the batwing anymore. Just more gear to think about! ;). Safe travels
The situation you are in is my favorite. I love trouble shooting camp setups. With your situation my first thought would be either attaching a tarp to your Joolca tent, giving you a breezway from the trailer to the tent. You can see what I am talking about in this video about camping in the rain th-cam.com/video/8dSBRc9LJ3E/w-d-xo.html. The other solution that comes to mind is cutting whole out of your Joolca tent and creating a side entry tent. Here is one of my favorite videos for this. This is actually the video that inspired us to get our Lightspeed tent that we love. th-cam.com/video/dvbsJDDaYKg/w-d-xo.html I also love the idea of two living rooms, one on both sides of the trailer like you are talking about. Sounds like a really fun tree/club house feeling.
@@PlayingwithSticks We think alike! I’ve seen that video as well, and it gave me the idea after watching your side tent video. So wound up with a Gazelle tent as a shelter, give us an option to tent camp too, but protects from wind and rain. Then a privacy tent. And now the awning on the teardrop. So trying to create the best of all worlds. Or I just like buying gear! LOL ? But if we could find someone to sew the holes and extra canvas on the Joolca it would be nirvana. I could always cut the hole and duct tape the exposed edges but they certainly made it look great.
When we first got into this we were always asking the same question if only we could find somebody who could do this or that to a tent? Then quickly from the community here we realized most communities have people who do tent repairs. They’re not very obvious, but typically if you do a search you may be surprised they exist in your town. And if not the next option is people who work canvases for boats. They seem to be everywhere and in terms of cost it still turns out more affordable than buying a premade side entry tent from a company like Pahaque. If you haven’t checked out that company you may want to take a look. It will give you some good ideas. I like you I agree sometimes I just like buying gear. Ha ha. There’s something really fun about trying new things with the camper.
@@PlayingwithSticks Cheers!
Thanks for the tips! I was just looking at awnings for my SUV. I think I'll stick with a tarp.
Since this video was made I learned there are much better awnings coming out of Australia that alleviate much of the wind issue. Here is a good example of one th-cam.com/video/molgDzwcRLI/w-d-xo.html
Yeeaahhhh... You just helped me make my decision. Ol-skool rectangle for the win!
Awesome! We didn't come right out and say it in the video. But like you we say rectangle all the way.
great practical points.
In most cases you can get or make brackets to offset how high the awning is mounted
Would you like to test propane quick connect y splitter for rv ?
Hey Drew! I’m from Portugal and I’ve been following you here from quite a while, but I never found you on Instagram or Facebook, do you use any of those apps? I was looking to follow you on more platforms because I love your content !!
Keep it up 👍😊
Beautiful country by the way. Years ago we traveled up from the Algarve hitting little towns all the way up into Porto. The sites and food were amazing. But it was the people that really left an impression on us. We secured a Facebook account, but never initiated it. And we do not have an Instagram. We always say we are going to start one. But, then life happens. Haha. At some point we really do need to start another account. May has a lot of stories and pictures she would love to tell/show and has nowhere to show them. She is the creative one in the family and unfortunately has no creative outlet. I guarantee you if this was her TH-cam channel it would be much better! But, she has been pushing me to start a Thai TH-cam channel where she would be the face. We just aren't sure how to balance that with work here and the Thai camping content that will eventually be hitting the channel as well.
Good info. Thanks.
Glad this was helpful!
Great video. Can you please do a review on the Airhaven 30 Awning?
I thought about putting on of these on my Scamp. I think for me a clam is what I will stick with. As you know South Dakota has constant wind! It would scare me to get trapped with my kids. Thanks for the video!
Yes, completely understandable. What worked great for us with the Scamp is a basic tarp, with poles and suction cups for attaching to the scamp. No permanent mounts needed. Here is the video we learned it from th-cam.com/video/HpNnbehLzIo/w-d-xo.html . They also have an updated video it looks like th-cam.com/video/YvopEw5dkAo/w-d-xo.html
Hey, by the way Joie. You really need to start a channel. After meeting you this summer you really have a personality that would shine on this platform. And you have a great backstory. Just a thought.
I did end up selling the Scamp- so now figuring out what will be next! I would love to start a channel- I just am not sure how much energy I have. I tried recording one trip and it was so much work! Thankful you do it!
Use lock poles with plates on the bottom c/w screw in ground anchors. There's no need for any guy ropes, and you unpack/pack wing one section data time. It becomes more manageable in high winds.😁.Cheers from Michael. Australia.
Thank you so much! You are the first person to give us any advice. Crazy how nobody besides you have shared any solutions.
How do you like the OBW pulling the Bean, especially on the highways? Great channel btw👊🏼
Tows like a dream on and off the highway. Only issue is gas mileage. But we had the same issue towing with our Jeep. Once you get into this weight and throw on a rooftop tent mileage gets hit a bit. But, my mileage greatly increased when I was around 45--60mph. But, I tend to have a lead foot! Haha.
I run the 180r awning from 23zero and love it - I have gad none of the issues you have and my vehicle is taller.
Interesting. I realize we are all designed differently. But the general consensus from everyone I have talked to seems to have the same issues as us.
Thank you!!!
Im curious , Where is that camping area ? I clicked on the video because i saw an awning for sale but i only have a small car.. last camping trip we had no shade of any kind. From morning to dawn it was all under direct sun.. was not fun.. i can get a small car roof awning,, smaller than yours but it will kill the aerodynamic for sure. And i have a small car, most awning are designed for suv and jeep. Also i was told that awning if they collapse due to strong wind.. they can ding your car paint.. the two poles can fail and hit the doors… and they goes on the roof rack but attached by metal u shape bracket which can scratch your shiny roof rack… and just like you mentioned in your video.. it also depends which side you are parked… and which side is the sun. Then it is a car.. so when we are camping (not overlanding).. sometime we need the car to visit the nearest town for a quick errand.. we usually leave all the tent and stuff behind.. but anything attached to the car will have to be uninstalled .. thats the reason i never bought a roof tent. But i figure a roof awning on a car is not a problem…. But im not sure….
I too have been 50/50 on an awning for our square drop. You don’t have to be a newbie to trip over the guide line. Hmm, wonder how I know? 😀
Haha. You had me laughing out loud on that one. And feeling good that I am not the only one.
I have an awning on my campervan and in the three years I've had the van I've never used the awning, no need for one really here in the UK ( Northern Ireland ) I would prefer the weather where one is needed though 😆
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you. We definitely want a bean and your reviews were instrumental in helping us make this decision. We are planning on purchasing the awning. Like you, we also have pop ups.
Yes, I say if you have the funds don't skip out on one. They really do add something to the overall experience. Like you mentioned if you already have pop-ups you will do just fine. Glad these reviews were helpful. They were really fun to make!
I have a 23Zero batwing, it's trash and I'm looking for a replacement.
LOL, is this the 6th time I've watched this video?
I've been checking out different QR systems, and thought on a windy day maybe just pack it up when on the ground? Any experience with this? There doesn't seem to be a lot out there, Racksbrax from AU looked like a contender.
I’m so glad you shared this. The more people we need the more we find everyone is struggling with these in the weather. Even the square awnings that I thought would be immune to this problem seem to have the same issues. Quick release like you mentioned seems to be a great solution. At least you don’t have to be held against your will at your campsite when you’re ready to go.
You know those noodles for pools - take those and put on your awning tie wires. ..and I have the clamshell as well as an awning.
Great suggestion. And glad to hear you stumbled across the great pairing as well (Clam and Awning).
How do you like your Subaru Outback Wildernesses for towing that teardrop trailer?
It was great. It truly handled everything we through at it. No weakness in terms of power and stopping distance. And such a soft ride on the gravel roads and National Forest land. But, like any mid-size vehicle, including our Jeep, towing an off road trailer can definitely impact your gas mileage. No magic solution for that one unfortunately. But, I have a feeling if I would have removed the tent we could have immensely increased our gas mileage. I'm planning to reach out to Bean to see if next summer they will let us run some roof top tent tests. With their trailers. And where I am most interested is with the Outback being the towing vehicle.
keep up the awesome videos Drew!
Thanks Bryce! I really appreciate the kinds words.
Can we talk about that camping wok at 3:40?! Can you provide a link? Thanks Drew, love the channel.
Would love to at some point. It was our absolute favorite edition this summer. It is called a Skottle. We made a video this summer and will be posting it sometime this winter/spring. May and I said we would never leave home without the sKottle again. The only other pieces of gear that positively changed our camping experience like this has been the Clam Tent and our refrigerator.
Hey Drew! What do you think about the Bunduawn 360° (batwing) Awning??
Campi-nn uses them
I’m not familiar with that awning, and unfortunately, just by looking at a picture, I cannot tell how it sets up or tears down. What you need to find out is how it opens and closes. I find the ones that sit large and long on the trailer during transport tend to open best. The ones that are a bit smaller use a closing mechanism, where it kind of hinges on itself. This is about 90% of awnings on the market. It’s that hinging that makes it almost impossible to take these down by yourself in the wind. Because you can’t start the takedown process without pulling out all the stakes. So what I would do is just watch a video of them, setting it up and taking it down and then imagine yourself having guylines with stakes in it. Can you start folding it up with the majority of the guidelines in place. Basically you want one where you do a little fold pull out a guy line, do a little fold pull out a guy line. I haven’t looked at awnings in a while, but the only ones that I’ve seen that allow this are ones coming out of Australia.
@@PlayingwithSticks thank you 🙏 I will definitely look into this. Your video was really helpful. It’s awesome how you make these videos but I can see that it takes a lot of work with many camera angles, the drone angles, night shots, etc. great 👍 work!
We took down ours in wind and my solution was to just fold the poles accordingly and used bungees and drove to another spot to put away.
Hear ! Hear ... we had a Rhino Batwing on a No Boundaries ... did not cover our Kitchen ... we replaced it with a large High Peak Utility Tent that actual takes less time to set up and put away and when we put the sides on gives us what we want ... takes 8 minutes to setup and tear down.
Thanks for sharing this! And I am glad you mentioned the kitchen. That is one thing we forgot to mention in the video. To many people the slide out kitchen sounds like a great feature. Which it is. But, the same issues in this video apply to the kitchen. When the weather isn't cooperating neither is your kitchen. Which either requires a back up kitchen cover or the alternative would be a traditional galley kitchen.
6:20. It's ALMOST like there SHOULD be hinges that make the awning snap up (or down, or vertically) in bad winds, in order for the awnings to help you close it quickly. Almost all on its own.
That is so funny that you mention this. Because when we bent our first awning mount it bent so easy it felt like a hinge. As you saw in the video. May and I both thought the same thing as you. Wouldn't a hinge system prevent this from happening? And once the current mount is bent in the field it is almost impossible to bend it back. We were all hanging on it with no return to the original position.
We only use straight out awnings and we only put them out if it’s not that windy
Yep, that is probably going to be us in the near future as well.
I guess it depends also on the brand, there are good, strong and stabile ones and some they just want make some money with cheap product.
But still a great video because of a lot other stuff you usual don't think about
Yes, since this video has been made, Australia has come out with some much stronger models. Price yes, but at least the industry is moving forward.
Did you move to Cali land? We all enjoy your camping, your family and explanations.
Definitely moved south. But, a bit more Southeast. We are currently living in Northern Thailand. Thanks for the positive feedback. We really appreciate it.
The ostrich 270 awning is bulletproof in the wind. No need for poles until the wind gets rediculous. Ok, so then you put up the pole but the guy ropes can be almost vertical and pegged next to the base of the pole. No tripping on the ropes. It would be rare that you need poles in most windy conditions, unless of course you want the side walls up. They aren’t cheap but yo will never need to buy another one!
I'm a cheap guy. We've purchased a heavy duty tarp with two poles. There are some suction cup clamps that attach to the aluminium skin and have kept pretty well.
This is a great setup as well. I probably should have mentioned it. We have the same setup for when we used the vintage trailer and the Scamp. We learned this little trick with the suction cups from a channel called Our Scamp Life. Neat to know others are using it as well.
Agreed. I put in hooks at the tarp eyelets spacing, so it clips right on, but I have a 2x4 to screw in to. Extendable painter poles.
We already have a bug tarp that we use with our tent setup and plan to continue using it with the trailer we ordered. Here in Europe though every trailer/caravan/camper has a rail running along the roof edge to attach en front/side tent or single awning which makes it easy to just slide it in. I believe vistabule now offers something similar.
Bug=big...
I just bought one. Maybe I won’t put it up. It just looks cool on the side of the trailer. Leave it at that!
You didn't mention that they weigh a lot more than some of the other options. I decided to ditch the one that came with my camper in favor of a Kelty Backroads and a Lightspeed. Even if I take both, they weigh less than half of what the batwing does.
Great point!
I have to agree. I own a black bean and I think the reality is that I might just get another awning for the other side. Wind and these are terrible. It’s not just this manufacturer.
I'm starting to change my tune a little bit. We tested out the Kammok awning on the Bean this fall. Really liking it. Literally 3 seconds to setup and 3 seconds to put away. It isn't cheap at almost $1K, but so far I am loving it. Now only time will tell if it holds up.