Maggiolina changing room question

[DCH109]

Has anyone used the Maggiolina changing room? I am picking up my Extreme med from a member here this weekend and I am also looking into getting the changing room.
It is $$$ so before I spring for it, does anyone have one and what do you like or not like. I will get a winter hood and anti-condensation mat as this will be used during the fall/winter.

I like the idea of the change room for a couple of reasons.
1. I will be bringing my kids with me and this will give them the privacy they need for bathrooms breaks
2. It will give them a larger place to change their cloths.

Another option would be to pickup a small springbar or similar tent for this as well.

 

[Pax2525]

what about adding an ARB Awning with one of their room attachments?

 

[brentbba]

I looked into one while researching Maggie vs JB. Only one guy in CO I found that had one and he never used it. IIRC it had something to do with an older model tent, not the changing room. I had email exchanges with the Maggie folks about set up etc. and most of what I got out of that was about 10 minutes for initial set up/learning and expected time to decrease as you got familiar with it.

I had real trouble finding ANY instructions at all on installation, etc. and I'm anal enough to want to see such info before plunking down the cost for one of these. Finally found them (don't ask me where). There are telescoping poles that 'push' the room away from the vehicle. They must be mounted BELOW your rack, so depending on what you have it might be an issue. It was for me as I run an INTI rack and would have had to drill holes through the side rails of the rack to mount the poles below the rack floor. If you plan on just using Yakima or Thule racks you'd be fine.

 

[Lemsteraak]

The "changing room" and "verandah" are real specialty items, kind of bit at odds with the concept of a Maggiolina. The main benefit of their roof tents are they can be set up, and struck very quickly. If you have a problem in one place, 30 second and you are gone. We used to clip in a Moss parawing awning and it was more versatile as you could use it anywhere, as well as shelter for the Maggiolina. We would put in a couple adjustable straps under the driprail lip of the Maggioling to accept a ridgepole attached to the parawing. Then you could set up the poles as needed. If you needed the awning anywhere else like over the fire for cooking in the rain, then you could set it up there.

It looks like AutoHome did a redesign of their "changing room", the old one was single purpose and a bit cumbersome. I always thought of making a vestibule to cover the entrance and hang down to the ground. I thought of putting in a couple adjustable straps for a ridgepole same as the parawing and have a couple extendable tent poles attached under the base of the tent with "U" bolts in the "C" channels under the tent. Attach the ridgepole, extend the poles and you are done. Looks to me like AutoHome has incorporated this into the redesign, so the design looks good to me. I've never thought the same attention to detail and craft goes into their accessories so you might want to call the factory in Italy and ask them. Most of them spend their summer vacations testing and using their tents so they will know.

 

[DCH109]

Thank everyone.
@Lemsteraak I like the idea of calling the factory. Language is not an issue as my wife is fluent in Italian.