Awning for a Pop-Up: To Build or Buy?

[tanglefoot]

Alright, it's a poser pic, but here's what I'm using. I did try setting it up with some pretty stiff wind in the hills last year but that was with just one stake and line per pole. It kept pulling the stakes out. I think with 2 stakes/lines per side it should hold better.

 

[Herbie]

For a pretty comprehensive survey of awnings, check out this thread from the Camping Gear section:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38439

In particular, in that thread is my fairly-cheap DIY expanding pole awning:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=561472#post561472

On the Subaru, I only had a short rack to attach the awning too, so I used an expanding pole to give me one long side attached to the vehicle. After that, a couple of poles and 2-4 guylines keeps everything happy.

 

[SLO_F-250]

For a pretty comprehensive survey of awnings, check out this thread from the Camping Gear section:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38439

In particular, in that thread is my fairly-cheap DIY expanding pole awning:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=561472#post561472

DOH! I swear I searched the portal for a while before I started this thread. Must have missed that other one. Thanks for the info! I like your setup. Looks good. :elkgrin:

Eric,
Nice work on yours as well. Well done! Im going to tinker in the shop a bit this weekend and see what I can come up with in the time being. Then Ill make the call on an awning later this month when I get my tax return! haha :wings:
Cheers!

 

[beavernation]

Awning to build or buy?...buy it, buy it!!

Ok you guys are gonna have to be patient with me on the pics of the new awning. I am new to this forum (obviously) and will struggle getting the pics up but I assure you I will get er done. SLO when you had the comparisons on the awnings up there I was well into some research of my own and kinda fell for the Bus Depot version (3 MGD's helped make me brave!!!!)..:Wow1:.lol!!!....If it arrives this weekend I will get some "street pics" as I don't have any trips planned yet.....

 

[SLO_F-250]

Ok you guys are gonna have to be patient with me on the pics of the new awning. I am new to this forum (obviously) and will struggle getting the pics up but I assure you I will get er done. SLO when you had the comparisons on the awnings up there I was well into some research of my own and kinda fell for the Bus Depot version (3 MGD's helped make me brave!!!!)..:Wow1:.lol!!!....If it arrives this weekend I will get some "street pics" as I don't have any trips planned yet.....

Oh the dangerous things that happen when you mix MGD's and researching things to buy on the internet! haha :bike_rider: Im looking forward to the picts and the review because if it gets a grade B or higher I will be probably buying it too.

Welcome to the forum! Lets see some picts of your setup too. :coffeedrink:
Paul

 

[Scoutman]

Hey beaver, have you had time to set that awning up and give some feedback?

 

[SLO_F-250]

Hey beaver, have you had time to set that awning up and give some feedback?

I second that. Dieing for a review and picts!!! :drool:

Im ready to pull the trigger on an awning!! :ar15:

 

[MakersTeleMark]

I have the bus depot awning for my pop-up and love it. I have 2 awning rails attached to the side of my FWC and slide a bunch of these in to secure it. Easy to secure to car roof racks with just velcro strips too.

http://www.rvpartscountry.com/RollumUpAwningLightHangersBlue

 

[SLO_F-250]

I have the bus depot awning for my pop-up and love it. I have 2 awning rails attached to the side of my FWC and slide a bunch of these in to secure it. Easy to secure to car roof racks with just velcro strips too.

http://www.rvpartscountry.com/RollumUpAwningLightHangersBlue

Makers,
Thanks for the feedback. If you don't mind, I have a few questions:
How hard is it to set up now that you've had it for a while?
Is it really as small (folded up) as a camp chair?
And is it fairly sturdy, once set up?

Thanks! :coffeedrink:

 

[MakersTeleMark]

Makers,
Thanks for the feedback. If you don't mind, I have a few questions:
How hard is it to set up now that you've had it for a while?
Is it really as small (folded up) as a camp chair?
And is it fairly sturdy, once set up?

Thanks! :coffeedrink:

Pretty easy once you get the procedure down, I'd say a one beer job;
It really is that small;
The great thing is that you can guy it out as much as you want. The internals are beefy enough. You might invest in some good stakes.

One thing to mention is that when I got it I had to do a little grinder work on one of the connections to get a burr off of a weld. No big deal, but I thought I'd throw that out there.

 

[jw3]

my take

i just got back from 4 days in northwest oregon. - it rained, snowed, hailed and all in between. i bought a fwc eagle new( in( in 2009) and had a fiamma installed. it was a tough sell but worth it. the other trips w/ the GF and dogs it's a great accessory. the last 4 times over 1.5 years i've camped with a friend from portland. the fiamma has salvaged the weekend. the "lid" is part of the reason we can meet up. it's an out- easy to setup- and it works. adjustable legs make a big difference. wings take time- homemades are good but i don't want to take the time to setup a production.


- jw

 

[beavernation]

Yea I got it setup just briefly last week. Instructions and packaging were very good. It will take less than 10 minutes working alone next time to get it done. I am gonna go simple and just velcro it to my roof rack on the WJ makes it more versatile for other hookups. I like the product for $165 shipped I think it is very reasonable. Out here where it rains so much IMO the dome top is really gonna help run the water down (re: no pooling)........I am still workin on more pics (resizing and posting are jacked up for me right now, gotta get this rocket science (lol) figured out.....:Wow1::Wow1:

 

[Scoutman]

For those with campers and awning rails, I stumbled across these on Amazon (but the could be gotten elsewhere I imagine). Seems like a pretty easy way to mount an awning or any other accessory that you would want to hang. They come in packs of 7 or so and could be really useful. Just thought I'd throw it out there, maybe it would help someone. :elkgrin:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Camco-42693-Fits-All-Party-Holder/dp/B0006IX7W4/ref=sr_1_40?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1302732576&sr=1-40"]http://www.amazon.com/Camco-42693-Fits-All-Party-Holder/dp/B0006IX7W4/ref=sr_1_40?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1302732576&sr=1-40[/ame]

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Camco-42733-Fabric-Awning-Hook/dp/B0012FKF9S/ref=pd_bxgy_auto_img_c"]http://www.amazon.com/Camco-42733-Fabric-Awning-Hook/dp/B0012FKF9S/ref=pd_bxgy_auto_img_c[/ame]

 

[SLO_F-250]

Beaver, Thanks for the picts! I think I might have to order mine. :bike_rider:

Scoutman, did you end up getting it?

 

[Scoutman]

Beaver, Thanks for the picts! I think I might have to order mine. :bike_rider:

Scoutman, did you end up getting it?

Not yet. I'm trying to get out in our TC more to discover what we really need first.