Maggiolina Airland Question

[monkeyplunger]

I have a Maggiolina Airland which i used on the top of my jeep. It is now going to be mounted to an off road trailer and i am looking at awning options.

I wanted to know if anyone has experience with the Maggiolina Awnings or change rooms? I see there is an old and new style. I am looking to see if anyone else has either type, what your thoughts are, and if you might have any pictures? The autohome website does not have very good pictures of the awnings. Any input or help would be greatly appreciated. It is tough to purchase something like this without seeing it in person.

http://www.autohomeus.com/accessories/awnings.php

 

[r_w]

I think you want the new style, especially if going on a trailer. The old style is like a 1 person pup tent--kind of pointless.

 

[Corey]

Look on the IT site, there are more pics.
Www.Autohome.it

 

[Lemsteraak]

AutoHome's original verandah and awnings were developed for the European market and really don't make sense for here in North America. The verandah is rather eccentric, really only good for European campgrounds. Their awning (the puptent) is OK because it sets up fast if kept connected to the tent, which means you are off road and not going fast. Otherwise, you need to open the tent to connect the awning. So, it is better but still doesn't sound like what you are looking for.

Corey is right, AutoHome has a new awning system that appears to address our concerns. I don't know if it shows on the North American website. I haven't seen it yet but it has a couple bars that connect to the bottom of the tent so it looks like it is much faster to set up and much stronger but small.

Personally, I've been using a 19' Parawing from MSR with my Columbus. The nice thing is that it goes over and connects to the tent so you have a sheltered access when you want that. You can set it up anywhere so your trailer with the rooftent can be parked in one place and the awning set up in another. Last weekend I just picked up a Kelty ShadeHouse at the REI garage sale here in Boise. I set it up and it is really nice, but I haven't used it camping yet. The weather just changed so I think it will come in handy in the next couple months.

Rich

 

[Corey]

Hey Rich, I have the Shadehouse 12 I bought a few years back, but have not used it yet.

The awning I bought from Autohome also a few years back is the one on the left of this picture.
Also have not set it up yet.

This is the one I really like.

 

[Lemsteraak]

Hi Corey,

Yes, I really like the new design too, instead of being supported from the ground by two poles and a ridgepole like the older one that you have now, it is supported by the Maggiolina's base. This has a couple advantages, like being quicker to set up, and in really nasty weather it moves with the vehicle and the tent.

I used the old awning extensively and like it. It is designed for camping more in the rough than in parks where you camp on pavement. The new design will work anywhere.

The tricky part with all the Maggiolina side tents is setting up the ridgepole that goes under the driprail. You have to lead a couple small lines between the fabric sides and where the fabric attaches to the roof. You tignen up the lines and the ridgepole is snugged under the driprail. The included instructions outline this but it isn't intuitive and I was afraid it wasn't strong enough at first. I realized the tent is so rugged there isn't anything to worry about. I had the old awning set up in high winds without a concern.

The tent I currently use is a Carbonfibre Columbus which is much more difficult design for an awning. The design from AutoHome leads from the base of the tent on the opposite side of the ladder. What good is that in the PNW?, so I've been using an old Parawing that goes over the top of the columbus and extends down the the ground on both sides and makes something of a tunnel, so it protects everything. Only problem, once it is set, it is a pain to move and it is pretty huge at 19 feet long.

Haven't used the large ShadeHouse yet camping but the concept appears good. You can pick up the whole thing and move it where you want it. Still working on the connection to the Columbus though, that part the Parawing is better. Guess with the rains coming on, I have to do a little noodling.

Rich

 

[monkeyplunger]

It looks like there are three options now:

1) Verandah
2) Change Room
3) Awning

http://www.autohome.it/file_gb/magg_accessories.html

I am still looking to find better pictures, especially of the inside and the mounting. The verandah looks interesting as it appears its a freestanding structure.

 

[Lemsteraak]

Steer clear of the freestanding verandah. It was developed for the European market. It is designed to be set up and left all summer at the campground. It weighs something like 90 pounds because it is basically a wall tent and requires a ton of guy lines and stakes and is really complex. Finally, if I haven't scared you off yet, I think AutoHome subed it out to another company to design and make. It isn't up to their quality, you will not be happy.

The awnings are OK

 

[monkeyplunger]

Steer clear of the freestanding verandah. It was developed for the European market. It is designed to be set up and left all summer at the campground. It weighs something like 90 pounds because it is basically a wall tent and requires a ton of guy lines and stakes and is really complex. Finally, if I haven't scared you off yet, I think AutoHome subed it out to another company to design and make. It isn't up to their quality, you will not be happy.

The awnings are OK

Thanks for the input. Do you by chance have pictures of the awning or change room or both?

 

[Lemsteraak]

So much depends on how you travel. I've always thought of a RTT as a tool for when you are on the move. Keep them light and simple.

When you first get your rooftent you thing it will be like this

The reality is different, they are like a mountaineering tent, and the wife wants a little bit more. Here is the Tendalino

and how it really looks in the wild

But your wife says she needs a little bit more, so you zip in the sides to make a changing room for her

The reality is that all this adds weight and complexity so they look great on paper but you don't use them much. This is one reason I'm not a big fan of what is now the ARB tent style, it is all built in. This design is thought of as new but it has been around since the 30's. A huge amount of extra weight and complexity, let alone terrible aerodynamics.

Here is another idea, the parawing, and how it looks on a Columbus

This is the idea I like the most, because you have a very light awning you can use for just about anything. We used to use them for mountaineering. Connect it to your tent when it makes sense, move it to another place if you need some protection there. Weights less than 10 pounds with poles, you can take it backpacking with you.

Another idea I've seen a lot of the guy using out in the field.

A simple easy-up type structure, move it anywhere but the downside it it doesn't protect you when entering and exiting the tent.

So, here the idea is to protect you getting in and out, again on the Columbus

This brings us to the new AutoHome "Changing Room" that Corey introduced. The one with the babe in it, oh wait, they all have babes, kind of an Italian thing. I don't have pictures as it is after my time but the concept is good. It incorporates the idea of the small awning to protect the entrance of the tent with a couple zippered panels that can be added to make into a changing room. The part I like is how they support it, not from the ground but from the base of the tent. It is very simple and strong.

I don't think they show the details of it probably because most of their ideas somehow make their way into cheaper knock offs.

I hope I haven't bored you with too much information. But in short, you need to analyze how you use your tent. Add only what you need, travel light.

Rich

 

[Corey]

Now I like that Rich, one of these days next spring I will try setting mine up at home, then I might take it with me.
I really do not need the changing room part, I have the Outback Privy for the toilet and the Zodi Hotman Extreme shower.

On the knockoff thing, I hear you on that.
There are a few of them now that are a copy of the Maggiolina and the Columbus.

 

[monkeyplunger]

This is great information. If anyone has a pictures of their maggiolina with any type of awning please post! I am trying to figure out my awning configuration.

1) Awning for trailer/maggiolina options:
Autohome awning
Home built awning

2) Awning for Jeep
Fiamma F35/F45
Oztent foxwing

If anyone has any of the listed above, additional input would be great.

 

[Corey]

For an awning not connected to the tent itself, I have used the Campinglab 79" one since 2008.

Takes me less than five minutes to fully set it up.
A little harder to put it away, but not bad.

 

[Lemsteraak]

Need a little input from you too. For example, where do you go, what kind of conditions you plan to encounter and is your awning for the sun or for the rain or for a privacy room.

Awnings are really tricky. For example, Corey likes the Camping Labs awning but I'm not a big fan and here is why. You have a small Airland, which weighs something like 110 - 120 pounds, pretty light and you are paying for that lightness. I probably paid about twice that to reduce the weight by 20 pounds. So, for me it makes no sense to spend $1500 extra to save weight and then add it right back with a permanent mounted awning. I do like awnings but I like them really light, like six pounds or less, something I can use backpacking too. My wife is not big into deserts or high elevations so we camp a lot on the coast so rain is our primary concern. Good old fashioned tarps are the killer app for that.

So, what I'm getting at is if you do a lot of rock crawling you might not want to go the permanent mounted awning route. If you are in high winds, then you want to go the parawing route. If you are concerned with sun and not rain, that will make a difference in what fabrics you want. Custom made stuff gets really expensive fast but you can usually find something that will almost meet your needs and then adapt it to your tent and not spend a lot of money

Rich

 

[monkeyplunger]

I am just looking to find some good shade options for my Maggiolina. Originally I had it mounted to my jeep and now it is going onto an offroad trailer. My first thought was to add a Fiamma to my thule bar ends. This would have given me the option to switch it from one side of the jeep to the other. Now that i am mounting this to an offroad trailer this option is kaput as the rack height on the trailer lid is too low for an awning. This leaves me with three options 1) get an autohome awning and change room designed for the airland 2)make my own tarp style to mount to the airland or 3) make some type of post system so i could mount a fiamma which could be raised for use or lowered down for towing. I have seen all three in picture form but non in person, which still gives me some searching to do.

I have also tossed around the idea of switching to something like the Eezi Awn trailer tent. It looks like it has a nice change room and small awning and looks like it has much more sleeping area. My only concern is that it will not be as weather resistant or comfortable (foam mattress) as my maggiolina airland.

As i get farther along (and actually receive my new off road trailer) i will post whatever direction i end up.