Thanks for putting this review together!! I purchased for use with my soft top Jeep Wrangler JKU. Just got mine today and got it all set up. A couple thoughts. Yes, get a "dry run" done to get all the guylines set up and understand the set up. Setting up on my own was fairly easy but, i can see if you dont have expierience with setting up dining flys. Very good in a steady breeze. Bonus for Jeep guys: if you have stock fender flares, the straps never touch the body of the jeep when attached to the rear wheels. No need for the three straps across the top of the jeep. I was able to get a snug fit without using them. I was also able to fold and roll this fly back up and stow into its original stuff sack - a rarity these days. Thanks #2ndhandoverland and #slumberjack #sjk #roadhouse
I’ve been using the awning for the past 3 years or so and it is awesome. I can say this review captures it perfectly. My wife and I can set it up and take it down in less than 5 mins without rushing, but admittedly that is after plenty of practice. Carry a mallet to hammer in tent stakes quickly, and consider upgrading to super rugged stakes to power through hard ground for easiest setup. That said, the few extra mins of setup get you a HUGE awning space that looks sharp and squared away. We get comments all the time from admirers. We always debating moving to a rack-mounted awning and end up dismissing it not because of the price but because they are literally all smaller and don’t cover the galley area, exactly as stated... my only complaint is that they don’t offer a middle ground between a dirt cheap $120 version and the $500+++ rack mounted options. I’d gladly pay $250 or so for some thicker, heavier canvas and a more puncture-proof bag. After 3 years of rugged use its got a few scars. That said, it’s light, and stores in a reasonably small space and for $120, just buy another one after a couples years!
That's a good point, there really isn't a good middle of the road option. I've had the opportunity to sign up for some industry discounts on a couple of different 270 degree awnings that got it down to that price point, but after reading about frequent hardware failings around the joints and the need to carry spare parts, it just doesn't seem all that worth it. Plus, our style is usually to be active either driving or hiking during that day, so we really don't frequently need an awning that often anyhow, so I can keep this thing buried in the back of the rig and know that it's there if I need it, but it's not in our way every night when we swing out the tent like a rack mounted one would be.
I’m told that in the strong mountain winds, the 270 batwing awnings have a bad habit of self destructing and/or ripping the roof racks off the vehicle, ouch.
Very nice review. I have used this product on our Jeep JK and our Tacoma with a cap and it rigs up quickly and well. Nice quality at a fair price point. Be realistic - this is a light to medium duty tarp system. To protect the tarp when on the Tacoma I use a section of split pool noodle to cover the rather sharp corners of the cap window frame. Also if your window support arms are weak/worn you should replace them or devise a method to keep the window "up" from drooping. Before I replaced the lift arms I just used a light line tied to the roof rack. The A frame option is the one for rain and/or wind. The two pole option is fantastic for sun. Lots of ways to rig it. I repack the tent in the big bag with all line/stakes, then use a bungee to strap the pole bag to the tent bag...too hard to repack all in the one bag IMO.
Thank you! Good call with the pool noodle. Using this thing with any kind of liftgate or swing up window has to be one of it's biggest drawbacks. Also a good call with the bungee keeping the bags together. I did think that was odd they didn't make the thing so that it could pack into one bag. Guess that's one flaw you could add to the list.
I had a Roadhouse Tarp. Then it got caught in a thermal on the Alvord Desert and ripped it to shreds. I saved the guy lines and straps, and replaced the tarp with an Aquatarp. Aquatarp, IMO, is a better built tarp, and it is waterproof, though the Roadhouse tarp is not bad. Roadhouse tarp is not as versatile either, though it is a decent tarp.
@@MattKester They have a number of configurations and sizes. They are a little more heavy duty, with reinforced grommets and corners like the Roadhouse.
What chair are you using in the shot where your sitting underneath the tarp? I have a herniated disc and have been looking at comfortable chairs for my back.
Like the 10 x 10 easy up? Yeah, they are, but they're heavier and more cumbersome to store and transport. Then there's the matter of wind, they don't handle it as well as a staked out roadhouse.
The trick to solo setups is to practice at home with help first. Make note of roughly where the guylines for the poles work well, which should be on about a 45° angle (midway between the side and rear of the vehicle). Note where the other guylines need to be staked. Try not to change the length of the guylines too much when taking the tarp down so that next time you can pre-stake the guylines before erecting the poles. Next setup, attach the tarp to your vehicle, pre-stake the guylines, then erect the poles, adjust the guylines placement and tension to get the tarp set right.
Good morning. I'm hunting for solutions for major shade for my Chevy Tracker - do you think this is too long or too big to fit around the back of my little truck? (Yes I am also considering a custom design for my rig)
Hey Lesa! I think it would work, it’s very adjustable and I’ve been able to get it on both the 3rd Gen 4Runner and the Discovery.
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Hmmm... you say i can have 10 cars shaded with pro awning, or 10 cars shaded with this and have another car free? The "overlanding gear" is getting ridiculous prices for what they offer...
Hello! I'm looking for a set up like this. I need a tart that will be high wind resistant. We camp in a spot that has crazy afternoon winds. Need the shade, it's quite hot in the summer. I'd super appreciate your input!
This is pretty wind resistant once it's setup and staked out properly... I'd say actually much more wind resistant than some of the other awning options that mount to your vehicle and roll out. That being said, if you're going to be trying to pitch this in the middle of the wind storm, you're gonna want some help!
I’ve been meaning to make that video for a while. We’ll get right on it. Until then, it’s a Rio Hammock Chair. I got ours last spring at Costco, but I do believe they are still available on Amazon.
Thanks! For the most part, it’s where I want it to be. The way it sits now, it’ll get me most anywhere I want to go. We have this ongoing debate on what the next thing is going to be, and it seems to flip between a rear bumper with a swing out tire carrier, flip down table, and a Jerry can carrier; or adding a fridge, power bank, and solar. Currently, the swing out is leading the race on that one. Hopefully we can swing that before the next time I buy tires, cause I’m going to find another stock wheel for the spare and go up one size to 265/75R16’s. I don’t wanna get too crazy, because I want this channel to be about stuff you can actually do with a vehicle that is achievable by most mere mortals.
Thanks for catching something I overlooked. If your hatch struts are in good shape, it’s not bad at all, if they’re starting to get soft, you might wanna watch your head.
Oh wow. So far as I know, there’s only a khaki and a camo version. I wonder how that happened. I’m pretty sure the last thing I’d want to do on a hot and sunny day is sit under a black tarp!
Im about to live in a 2006 ford ka sport Travel europe (all of it) for a year with my malamute and lobgboard anyone wants to sponser my 50 year old adventuring let me know
I ain't gonna lie, it can be a zoo setting it up, especially in the wind, but once you've got is setup, it's pretty much bombproof and throws a ridiculous amount of cover!
