WARNING: ARB Awnings & Awning Rooms NOT Weatherproof

[4Run'nOnEmpty]

Just a public service announcement to the community. I purchased the ARB 2500 x 2500 awning and awning room. I've used the awning room on two trips; a total of 7 nights. Despite how little it was used I noticed the bolt rope that feeds into the track (side closest to the vehicle) had about a half dozen tears on it. I've been a life long sailer. Feeding sails' bolt ropes into tracks is second nature. I reached out to ARB, first they tried to suggest that I damaged it. Not sure how as all i did was use it as intended. Then in the course of the dialog I brought up the fact that it leaked a ridiculous amount. rain came right through the awning, then through the awning room. It also leaked on 3 walls (the wall closest to the truck being the exception). I actually found the tears as I was adding 8 spray bottles of water proofing. The US distributor claims it's not designed for weather. Did any of you know that? They certainly don't state it anywhere.

Safe to say, this is the last ARB product I will buy. The customer service was poor, abrupt and so I'm done with them. Just wanted to pass this along to the many others who have one. You better be prepared if you're expecting weather.

Ciao!

 

[echo7tango]

Well that blows.

From the context of your post, can we assume your purchase was of a new awning? Not used?

Thanks for letting us know.

 

[86scotty]

Awnings are primarily built for sun shade. Any benefit you get out of them in the rain is merely a bonus. Sorry you had to learn that the hard way. ARB makes great products, generally speaking, it's not their fault that their awning that does not say 'rain proof' is not rain proof. I can't speak to your customer service experience but it isn't the awning's fault.

I don't think you'll find an awning or walls that will keep you 100% dry but you could buy a cheaper one and expect less.

 

[NORDFORD]

Awnings are primarily built for sun shade. Any benefit you get out of them in the rain is merely a bonus. Sorry you had to learn that the hard way. ARB makes great products, generally speaking, it's not their fault that their awning that does not say 'rain proof' is not rain proof. I can't speak to your customer service experience but it isn't the awning's fault.

I don't think you'll find an awning or walls that will keep you 100% dry but you could buy a cheaper one and expect less.

I have a 10x10 Walmart pop up sun shade that doesn’t say it’s rainproof, but it is. $79.99

 

[4Run'nOnEmpty]

yes, i prefer to buy new because i take care of stuff and make it last. in this case, everything mentioned was bought new.

 

[4Run'nOnEmpty]

Awnings are primarily built for sun shade. Any benefit you get out of them in the rain is merely a bonus. Sorry you had to learn that the hard way. ARB makes great products, generally speaking, it's not their fault that their awning that does not say 'rain proof' is not rain proof. I can't speak to your customer service experience but it isn't the awning's fault.

I don't think you'll find an awning or walls that will keep you 100% dry but you could buy a cheaper one and expect less.

ummm, most tents, which are made of far lighter material are weatherproof. so this argument falls on deaf ears, here.

ARB is overpriced, and i honestly dont view their offerings as premium gear anymore once you peel back the branding and look more closely.

 

[BritKLR]

From ARB website:

"Constructed from tough PU coated 300gsm poly/cotton rip stop canvas, the awnings are fully waterproof and offer a UVP 50+ rating."

Their sales rep apparently doesn't know their own product.

As for the canvas failure, I suspect it's a "batch" failure versus a systemic product failure. In the textile world it's common for batches of material to be bad. There is countless reasons for it eg: start of the run, end of the run, monday/friday run, poor quality control at the manufacturing stage, poor care of product during the storage stage, poor conditions during the shipping stage, change of manufacturers, poor inspection, poor documentation, etc., etc......Knowing ARB I would suspect a bad batch. I would also say they are normally very good at customer service. If it was mine I'd reach out to the local regional ARB rep. and coordinate a meeting to inspect your awning. (may take some time for them to be in your area) And I suspect if it was a batch failure they will be aware of it and make it right. But, if it turns a out to be operator error it may not work out the way you'd like.

Goodluck.

 

[4Run'nOnEmpty]

thank you for passing that literature along. just so everyone knows, i have it in writing that their awnings/awning rooms are not suited for wet weather. i live in the desert. not like im out in the rain every week or even ev month. i just forwarded the info about being waterproof to the US rep.

ive also tried reaching the main company in austraila. they never responded at all.

regards,

 

[Louisd75]

Just a public service announcement to the community. I purchased the ARB 2500 x 2500 awning and awning room. I've used the awning room on two trips; a total of 7 nights. Despite how little it was used I noticed the bolt rope that feeds into the track (side closest to the vehicle) had about a half dozen tears on it. I've been a life long sailer. Feeding sails' bolt ropes into tracks is second nature. I reached out to ARB, first they tried to suggest that I damaged it. Not sure how as all i did was use it as intended. Then in the course of the dialog I brought up the fact that it leaked a ridiculous amount. rain came right through the awning, then through the awning room. It also leaked on 3 walls (the wall closest to the truck being the exception). I actually found the tears as I was adding 8 spray bottles of water proofing. The US distributor claims it's not designed for weather. Did any of you know that? They certainly don't state it anywhere.

Safe to say, this is the last ARB product I will buy. The customer service was poor, abrupt and so I'm done with them. Just wanted to pass this along to the many others who have one. You better be prepared if you're expecting weather.

Ciao!

Can't speak to the waterproofness of ARB as I've got three Smittybilt awnings and a CVT awning room modified to work with the Smittybilt awnings (6x6 is not the same between MFGs). FWIW, they've proven to be very water proof.

It does sound like you may be having a similar issue as I had with the Smittybilt track: The ends of the extrusion weren't cleaned up all that great after they were cut to length during the manufacturing process and left small burrs. There were plastic end caps that made the burrs hard to see, but fortunately the openings on the end caps were too small to feed the awning into and I saw the burrs while I was opening them up. Took a couple of minutes with a rat tail file to clean them all up.

 

[86scotty]

ummm, most tents, which are made of far lighter material are weatherproof. so this argument falls on deaf ears, here.

ARB is overpriced, and i honestly dont view their offerings as premium gear anymore once you peel back the branding and look more closely.

Sorry, I reread your post and I think you are right. I thought you were saying that water came in and edges and against the vehicle, etc. and you got wet and were blaming the awning for this. You plainly say water came straight through the awning (material I'm sure you mean). That's definitely not right but in the muggy south they will condensate to the inside, not your situation either. I live in humid and rainy country and no awning I've ever had has kept me dry in the rain here, dry(ish) at best.

 

[alia176]

I don't think you'll find an awning or walls that will keep you 100% dry but you could buy a cheaper one and expect less.

I believe the heavier gauge awning fabric materials that come with some of the 270deg awning maybe more waterproof. They're stupid heavy and bulky AF and they seem to cater to the hunters as a basecamp.

 

[concretejungle]

interesting. I had one of their awnings and awning rooms for years. Used it in heavy wind/rain on beach campouts. Kept me dry and out of the elements for years. It finally took a 30 knot wind storm to cause some damage on mine.

 

[DirtWhiskey]

Awnings are primarily built for sun shade. Any benefit you get out of them in the rain is merely a bonus. Sorry you had to learn that the hard way. ARB makes great products, generally speaking, it's not their fault that their awning that does not say 'rain proof' is not rain proof. I can't speak to your customer service experience but it isn't the awning's fault.

I don't think you'll find an awning or walls that will keep you 100% dry but you could buy a cheaper one and expect less.

What in the heck does this even mean? Of course awnings are supposed to be water proof. I have dozens of tarps and awnings and they are all 100% leak free. If they spring a leak because I manhandle them, I tape them with gear aide and they go on and on for years with nary a whimper. Of course they should be waterproof. Awnings are built to keep the rain/snow off your head and provide shade. That ARB makes and sells overpriced garbage is disappointing to say the least.

 

[Cabrito]

I've got the 2000x2500 and found it to be as watertight as a frogs chocolate starfish.. I think it had about 5 gallons of water on it when I woke up in the morning.. Check out how much it's bowed. Thank goodness it wasn't windy that night because I was in my cot tent and nice and dry.







I have the ARB Awning Room, but only used it once. I can't see using it for inclement weather.

 

[burleyman]

^^^^I only have eyes for the mustard van.