Roof-Top Awnings are NOT Practical! (watch before you buy) 

Exactly I typically like his reviews, but i totally disagree with his assessment. I have awnings for years and I love mine . The only issue I ever had was that I have to take them off my truck when doing crazy trails like the rubicon 😅

This is only possible with Australian style awnings. This video has been out for a long time and when it was made, you weren’t finding these in the states. You cannot remove one guline at a time because of how these North American models fold to put away. Essentially the Takeaway here is get an Australian 270 awning.

@paranormalwheelers as to the comment that you were responding to, this is not possible with the style of 270° awning in the video. Since making this video, I’ve come to learn that the Australian style awnings can be taken down easily in the wind because you can remove one guyline at a time. Hopefully North American manufacturers will pick up on this and start making models like South Africa and Australia. I’ve seen a few switching over, but most are still using the inferior method

February is so close! I can't wait to hear what you do for your shakedown trip. And the beauty is there are so many great warm locations right near where you pick her up! I must say we are a bit jealous. Wait until you see the camper we are working on. Definitely not a Bean. Haha. You could barely classify it as a camper based on the size. We sure got spoiled with a 5X10 camper with 5 foot ceilings. Haha.

That is so nice to hear Gretchen! Thanks for the kind feedback.

So, is it worth owning an awning?

@@IllusionSector IMHO, yes, absolutely. I love that it can keep the sun off of us when it's hot and keep all our stuff dry when it rains

Christmas lights! I like it!

Great idea with the lights. We have not had the chance to dabble in lights very often due to our 24 hour sun. But, this summer we finally had the chance in the lower 48 to add some ambience to the campsite. It felt so magical! p.s. We aren't ghosting you. We still plan to reach out to you regarding the diy teardrop video. We are still trying to figure out how to balance work over here in Thailand and the RU-vid channel. Once we get some systems in place we are looking forward to working with you on that video you were kind enough to agree to. I really think the community will love it. And I have a feeling there will be quite a few of them who have never heard of a business like yours.

Comments like this are awesome! Love getting a little insider information. Thank you LInda.

Huge fans of Bob and his guests! So this comment means a lot to me.

This is great advice! I get it. From a sales perspective smaller and lighter is always more intriguing. But, couldn't they just make the bag larger for stuffing, but when it is on the shelf shore of the corners with some adhesive or ties to make it look smaller? To me that would be a win-win. Looks smaller for sales, but actually works in the field.

Sometimes the “so simple no one thinks of them” ideas are the best. Good job actually solving the problem for yourself. Yeah. My perpetual irritation that great packaging can only be used for the initial sale - from canvas bags to heavy duty boxes tools come in - even expensive ones.

@@mikemead2315 Too bad I have no great million dollar ideas for something that goes in a bag. Haha.

@@mikemead2315 funny you should mention tools. Someone broke into my van several days ago and stole my tool bag with about $200 worth of tools, so, yesterday I replaced most of the tools with new ones. A combo SAE and metric socket set came in a really nice plastic case but it is bulky. I searched through my stash of junk and found a smaller canvas bag that can hold the pieces. Yes, I'm a pack rat.

@@2-old-Forthischet 🤣 I wish I could not relate 😂

Glad we could help!

Thank you! We really appreciate that. One thing I wish we would have mentioned. We kind of thought an awning would be a novelty for us. But it really did add to the experience. Where as the rooftop tent. We still think it is a must for a growing family. But, it didn't really add to the experience for us. It was fun. Tried it a few nights and didn't really pull it out the rest of the trip. Now ask us about the rooftop tent in a few years and I guarantee you we will feel different about it when the boys are bigger.

@@PlayingwithSticks We had to go about 4 weeks on our recent trip without our awning after we had a freak wind blast send it vertical the 1st week on that trip.....we got by but really missed having it. Kind of feel it's integral to the trailer.....a must have feature. I was able to fix it in the field the last week of the trip but it made me realize how important it was....just a little bit of rain without having the awning is a much different experience without the awning there to have a space to hang outside without getting wet. If you don't want to deal with an awning I think something like a Scamp would be better....something you can at least stand up in when it's yukky out and you're stuck inside. Hey Drew I have a few new videos up too btw if you're curious...the most recent from the part of the trip we had to go without the awning lol. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7NvQAx1VVU.html

Nice! I like the creativity.

I had to look up the top 5. I spend a lot of time in Nebraska and South Dakota. Both very windy. But I was really surprised Wyoming wasn't on that list. Windiest place I have been and I have been there a lot in my life! Wonder how they measure wind? Based on the top 5 does that mean you live in Kansas? We haven't been there often, but I can definitely see it being a windy place. We spent a large portion of our time this summer in the western mountain areas. And like you said, we were often on edge as those storms creep up on you fast.

@@PlayingwithSticks Actually live in Iowa and see we are top 5 as far as wind, however, we are second as far as most wind farms behind only texas so I mixed my facts a bit I think...lol. Regardless the wind is nearly constant and I ride a lot of gravel, so we are always battling it. I guess it makes us stronger riders..lol.

That is a really good point Tricia. When I think about it most paid campgrounds tend to be much more protected from the wind vs. many of the boondocking sites we stay at. BUT, I have also stayed in paid campgrounds where the parking is so narrow you can't open up your awning or it rubs against a tree. Or even worse your neighbors rig. Haha. That last one was the time we stayed at an RV park 3 years ago in Alaska. Another thing is that the base model Hiker trailers typically are a nice height like this Bean. Not built too high to introduce a lot of the issues that come with awnings and tall trailers.

That was us too. After this I wouldn't go with anything but a square awning. Unless I lived somewhere I knew was protected from wind.

That’s the conclusion we came to as well. We will continue to use our tarps, awnings, and instant pop-ups. I still think there’s a place for these type of awnings, but you can’t rely on them to be used in all situations. So basically even if you had one of these you’d still have to bring out a separate tarp for those difficult days.

Our one surprise is that on extremely windy days it looks stressful on the awning. But, with proper tie down points the awning seems to do quite well. But, we are always nervous in the middle of the big gusts. Now taking down that awning, like I said, is a whole different story.

I must admit, being over here in Thailand at the moment I am a bit jealous of you! You will be rocking our dream setup. And yes, the 23 Zero and a Clam are the perfect combo for the Bean. And from an aesthetic point of view they look really good out there in nature.

@@PlayingwithSticks I agree! We’re 💯 stoked! It’s a longer wait for the Black Bean, but it’ll be well worth it. Enjoy your trip! Thank you for the response and be safe.

Honestly the EZ ups are hard to beat. We mentioned this in one of our first videos on the channel. One of my favorite EZ Up setups is on the channel Hangin with Herky. I love how they setup their camp every weekend. It feels like a little home.

We absolutely loved the awning room this summer. Like you mentioned all the negatives associated with them are definitely worth the benefits. As for setup with the ARB awning/room what are you finding is the most difficult? Is it just windy days? Or are there other factors with the ARB that make it a bit harder?

I find setup just awkward for one person. Two people is best. The tent room is fantastic. Extra sleeping space to watching movies and bug free. A really good time, I'd buy it again.

@@jmwinf Yep, once you try one it would be hard to go back. We found that the cheap little Walmart projector screen fits perfectly on the frame of the awning. It made for some quick setup and great movie moments this summer in the woods.

Happy to help! Thank you.

Thanks for sharing this Alan. Do you know where I can find it online? Simple is where it is at! Yeah have peaked my interest.

Glad this was helpful. I have been toying with the idea of sharing some unsolicited advice/recommendations at the end of these videos. I find we tend to get quite a few comments about "what do you prefer? Or what would you suggest?" I thought I might as well answer those potential questions up front.

We may take you up on that offer some day. Thank you!

The situation you are in is my favorite. I love trouble shooting camp setups. With your situation my first thought would be either attaching a tarp to your Joolca tent, giving you a breezway from the trailer to the tent. You can see what I am talking about in this video about camping in the rain ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8dSBRc9LJ3E.html. The other solution that comes to mind is cutting whole out of your Joolca tent and creating a side entry tent. Here is one of my favorite videos for this. This is actually the video that inspired us to get our Lightspeed tent that we love. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dvbsJDDaYKg.html I also love the idea of two living rooms, one on both sides of the trailer like you are talking about. Sounds like a really fun tree/club house feeling.

@@PlayingwithSticks We think alike! I’ve seen that video as well, and it gave me the idea after watching your side tent video. So wound up with a Gazelle tent as a shelter, give us an option to tent camp too, but protects from wind and rain. Then a privacy tent. And now the awning on the teardrop. So trying to create the best of all worlds. Or I just like buying gear! LOL ? But if we could find someone to sew the holes and extra canvas on the Joolca it would be nirvana. I could always cut the hole and duct tape the exposed edges but they certainly made it look great.

When we first got into this we were always asking the same question if only we could find somebody who could do this or that to a tent? Then quickly from the community here we realized most communities have people who do tent repairs. They’re not very obvious, but typically if you do a search you may be surprised they exist in your town. And if not the next option is people who work canvases for boats. They seem to be everywhere and in terms of cost it still turns out more affordable than buying a premade side entry tent from a company like Pahaque. If you haven’t checked out that company you may want to take a look. It will give you some good ideas. I like you I agree sometimes I just like buying gear. Ha ha. There’s something really fun about trying new things with the camper.

@@PlayingwithSticks Cheers!

Since this video was made I learned there are much better awnings coming out of Australia that alleviate much of the wind issue. Here is a good example of one ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-molgDzwcRLI.html

I think that’s a great idea. Currently I’m toying with a new idea. In the past I did what you suggested and that’s having a living space outside of each door. Lately I’m trying to put the living space outside of one door and have that space connect to the living space behind the galley. To me that makes the most sense. Because what I find is one side of the trailer is typically positioned towards the direction I don’t wanna see or be bothered by so I end up not using it often. 90% of my outdoor living takes place from my one door back to the galley kitchen.

Thanks for sharing

Yeah. The EZ-UP brand has a camping cube with 4 walls and a floor. You can also mix and match different wall types in their industrial lineup. I've been looking at those options. EZ-UP is pretty heavy, but if you're setting up adjacent to your vehicle/trailer, that's not an issue. But my take on teardrops is more cargo-oriented than most people's. I learned to put up a pretty plush (for me) base camp, just operating out of a pickup truck. You have the bed already set up, which is great, but you can have all your kitchen stuff integrated into the trailer, freeing up cargo room on your pickup, so there's room for one or two EZ-Ups in your basic kit. MY idea was to simply erect an EZ-UP around the back of my teardrop. Maybe have someone stitch together an apron of some sort that marries the EZ-UP to the trailer. I think I agree with this video on those bat-wing awnings. They seem like they're really nice, but my impression is that when conditions are bad enough to set up the walls, they're probably too windy to set up the walls. This is the only video I've seen where somebody tried to pack up on a windy day, and I'm thinking "bent poles; personal injury; ..." I feel the same way about the CLAM shelters. They're easy to set up, but there's not much holding the roof up, which Cozmo Weems discovered in a thunderstorm. Just when you need them the most is when they let you down. That's why I'm leaning towards an industrial-grade EZ-Up, or even an outfitters tent, whose frame is pieced together like tinker toys. But again, I think of the trailer as additional cargo room as well as a bed on wheels. I wouldn't be interested in the fancy, high-dollar galleys everyone loves so much. I already have my camp kitchen, and it packs very nicely in my truck, for tailgating, and I've got it down to a science. So I look at that beautiful galley as CARGO. Outfitter tent or one or two EZ-UPs. Even my BOSE tower to provide a sound system for boondock get-togethers. Room for composting toilet either in the bed of the pickup or in the tongue-box of the trailer. Luxuries like running water and hot water... I'm even thinking about adding a Cuisin-Art coffee maker to the mix.

Yes, completely understandable. What worked great for us with the Scamp is a basic tarp, with poles and suction cups for attaching to the scamp. No permanent mounts needed. Here is the video we learned it from ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HpNnbehLzIo.html . They also have an updated video it looks like ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YvopEw5dkAo.html

Hey, by the way Joie. You really need to start a channel. After meeting you this summer you really have a personality that would shine on this platform. And you have a great backstory. Just a thought.

I did end up selling the Scamp- so now figuring out what will be next! I would love to start a channel- I just am not sure how much energy I have. I tried recording one trip and it was so much work! Thankful you do it!

Glad this was helpful!

Agreed! Luckily since this video was made they have this ability in Australia and South Africa. North America has been slow to adopt it.

Haha. You had me laughing out loud on that one. And feeling good that I am not the only one.

Awesome! We didn't come right out and say it in the video. But like you we say rectangle all the way.

I'm starting to change my tune a little bit. We tested out the Kammok awning on the Bean this fall. Really liking it. Literally 3 seconds to setup and 3 seconds to put away. It isn't cheap at almost $1K, but so far I am loving it. Now only time will tell if it holds up.

Thank you so much! You are the first person to give us any advice. Crazy how nobody besides you have shared any solutions.

Interesting. I realize we are all designed differently. But the general consensus from everyone I have talked to seems to have the same issues as us.

Tows like a dream on and off the highway. Only issue is gas mileage. But we had the same issue towing with our Jeep. Once you get into this weight and throw on a rooftop tent mileage gets hit a bit. But, my mileage greatly increased when I was around 45--60mph. But, I tend to have a lead foot! Haha.

Thanks for sharing this! And I am glad you mentioned the kitchen. That is one thing we forgot to mention in the video. To many people the slide out kitchen sounds like a great feature. Which it is. But, the same issues in this video apply to the kitchen. When the weather isn't cooperating neither is your kitchen. Which either requires a back up kitchen cover or the alternative would be a traditional galley kitchen.

Great suggestion. And glad to hear you stumbled across the great pairing as well (Clam and Awning).

Beautiful country by the way. Years ago we traveled up from the Algarve hitting little towns all the way up into Porto. The sites and food were amazing. But it was the people that really left an impression on us. We secured a Facebook account, but never initiated it. And we do not have an Instagram. We always say we are going to start one. But, then life happens. Haha. At some point we really do need to start another account. May has a lot of stories and pictures she would love to tell/show and has nowhere to show them. She is the creative one in the family and unfortunately has no creative outlet. I guarantee you if this was her RU-vid channel it would be much better! But, she has been pushing me to start a Thai RU-vid channel where she would be the face. We just aren't sure how to balance that with work here and the Thai camping content that will eventually be hitting the channel as well.

This is a great setup as well. I probably should have mentioned it. We have the same setup for when we used the vintage trailer and the Scamp. We learned this little trick with the suction cups from a channel called Our Scamp Life. Neat to know others are using it as well.

Agreed. I put in hooks at the tarp eyelets spacing, so it clips right on, but I have a 2x4 to screw in to. Extendable painter poles.

We already have a bug tarp that we use with our tent setup and plan to continue using it with the trailer we ordered. Here in Europe though every trailer/caravan/camper has a rail running along the roof edge to attach en front/side tent or single awning which makes it easy to just slide it in. I believe vistabule now offers something similar.

Bug=big...

Would love to at some point. It was our absolute favorite edition this summer. It is called a Skottle. We made a video this summer and will be posting it sometime this winter/spring. May and I said we would never leave home without the sKottle again. The only other pieces of gear that positively changed our camping experience like this has been the Clam Tent and our refrigerator.

That is so funny that you mention this. Because when we bent our first awning mount it bent so easy it felt like a hinge. As you saw in the video. May and I both thought the same thing as you. Wouldn't a hinge system prevent this from happening? And once the current mount is bent in the field it is almost impossible to bend it back. We were all hanging on it with no return to the original position.

Thanks for sharing!

We have folded quite a few of these. And like you said we start with the upside down triangle and roll up. We also include the poles and guylines, not the bag though. We have watched so many trailer owners, including manufacturers struggle the same way we do. There must be something you are doing that is slightly different than the rest of us. Would love to know. I had always been under the impression that guy lines have to go out at a bit more of a shallow angle to be effective. So going straight down is the trick huh? Well, not straight down, but not near as far out. Thanks for the tip.

Yep, that is probably going to be us in the near future as well.

It was great. It truly handled everything we through at it. No weakness in terms of power and stopping distance. And such a soft ride on the gravel roads and National Forest land. But, like any mid-size vehicle, including our Jeep, towing an off road trailer can definitely impact your gas mileage. No magic solution for that one unfortunately. But, I have a feeling if I would have removed the tent we could have immensely increased our gas mileage. I'm planning to reach out to Bean to see if next summer they will let us run some roof top tent tests. With their trailers. And where I am most interested is with the Outback being the towing vehicle.

Yes, I’ve had a number of people share this with us. Thank you! Now we need to get the American companies on board with making this type of quality.

@@PlayingwithSticks I just checked out the "Boss 270" they are 🇦🇺 made, yes it's more expensive but if you do a review that would be awesome, I support Australia made products all day..

Definitely moved south. But, a bit more Southeast. We are currently living in Northern Thailand. Thanks for the positive feedback. We really appreciate it.

Yes, since this video has been made, Australia has come out with some much stronger models. Price yes, but at least the industry is moving forward.

Yes, I say if you have the funds don't skip out on one. They really do add something to the overall experience. Like you mentioned if you already have pop-ups you will do just fine. Glad these reviews were helpful. They were really fun to make!

You are the third person who has said this. Somebody recently mentioned Instead of using guy lines staking down the poles. I believe they said this is a practice people use in Australia.

I’m not familiar with that awning, and unfortunately, just by looking at a picture, I cannot tell how it sets up or tears down. What you need to find out is how it opens and closes. I find the ones that sit large and long on the trailer during transport tend to open best. The ones that are a bit smaller use a closing mechanism, where it kind of hinges on itself. This is about 90% of awnings on the market. It’s that hinging that makes it almost impossible to take these down by yourself in the wind. Because you can’t start the takedown process without pulling out all the stakes. So what I would do is just watch a video of them, setting it up and taking it down and then imagine yourself having guylines with stakes in it. Can you start folding it up with the majority of the guidelines in place. Basically you want one where you do a little fold pull out a guy line, do a little fold pull out a guy line. I haven’t looked at awnings in a while, but the only ones that I’ve seen that allow this are ones coming out of Australia.

@@PlayingwithSticks thank you 🙏 I will definitely look into this. Your video was really helpful. It’s awesome how you make these videos but I can see that it takes a lot of work with many camera angles, the drone angles, night shots, etc. great 👍 work!