Awnings - leave zipped on?

camdyson · February 02, 2011, 08:02:52 AM

I've read alot of posts where people talk about "zipping my awning on" etc. Just for interest's sake, I leave my awning permanently zipped to my Southern Cross tent. When packing up, we just fold it back over the roof, then it gets folded up with the rest of the tent.

Walls still get zipped off, but wouldn't want to have to zip the main awning on/off every time.

If we do a quick set-up for the night, we just leave it lying over the roof - can be tied back if windy.

Do others do this too - seems logical to me?!

Cheers,

Cam

GU Rich · February 02, 2011, 08:05:42 AM

On my last camper I used to take it off but this camper it permantly on.

rich

Humbolt · February 02, 2011, 08:10:04 AM

We leave ours permanently on. Too much of a pain in the backside to put on and take off everytime.

Hamish

DANBRI · February 02, 2011, 08:10:42 AM

We leave ours off, it would weigh about 35kg. 'Weigh' to heavy to flip over etc.

We rarely use the awning, depending on the weather and length of time I guess.

darren · February 02, 2011, 08:14:13 AM

I generally leave mine off and never use the big one.

GU Rich · February 02, 2011, 08:23:53 AM

To flip my awning over I use the poles from the awning as extensions with the pointy end still through the eyelets then walk around the side of the tent to fold it back.

Rich

Gunna Do · February 02, 2011, 08:27:56 AM

Ours remains on, and flipped over the main section of the camper. Sometimes it gets put up when camping, depends on the length of the stop, or the weather outlook.

fabulous · February 02, 2011, 08:31:59 AM

We leave ours on, it's tied down to the roof, so when we open up the camper it's already over the roof. On windy occasions, I've used some guide ropes to keep it from flapping.

It came from the factory already attached, and me thinks it would be more trouble to attach it when we want it, than leave it over the roof.

Just our opinion.

D4D · February 02, 2011, 08:39:44 AM

With the Tambo we left ours on.

You need to watch the packup if you didn't set it up as there could be some water pools in it. It is funny to you when the wife gets wet but not funny to her

robsjack · February 02, 2011, 08:53:33 AM

We leave ours on. It fits under the cover without any issues.

Beachman · February 02, 2011, 09:29:00 AM

We also have a kids room, so it means we have 2 awnings and I leave both on. For short stays were we don't use the kids room we just leave folded back above the main tent area.

Mind you with 2 awnings, it does make everything a bit heavier then putting the main tent up and down. It also means having to sit on the top of the trailer to pack the canvas down to get the cover to fit.

I use to find putting awning on the hardest part of setting up

Crimso · February 02, 2011, 09:40:27 AM

I always take ours off. We have a "tropical" roof over our main tent that is built in to stand up when we open the tent out. Tried it in the back yard a few times to see what it would work like if left on, but no matter what, it was a real pain in the arse to leave on & pack away. We have a Lifestyle camper, so it's pretty high to the ridge line & flipping (read that as wrestling) the awning over to pack it away, well I'm glad I didn't film it. Then, because we have the 12 ft tent as well, it just weighed too much to try to pack up. With this size camper it's easier to leave off and attach as needed.

Bill · February 02, 2011, 11:51:08 AM

We leave ours on as well...
Bill and Morag

bobnrob · February 02, 2011, 12:30:55 PM

Another here for leaving on.
So far, except for the very 1st night we used it, we've always set the awning up with either 1 or both side walls, rarely the front, but then we haven't done any only overnight stays yet either.
With the 12' tent, yes the roof is a bit heavier, but with it laid out flat over the whole tent roof area, the weight is distributed evenly.
Last camp we done, I did see 2 CT's pull their roof off when they packed up.

LC · February 02, 2011, 01:00:38 PM

We leave the smaller of the two awnings on all the time, and use it just about every time we setup, only takes a minute or two to put out. It also provides somewhere under cover to put all the chairs etc during the night. We generally only swap over to the bigger awning if we are going to stay in the one place for 4 or more nights - a bit of PITA to change them over, but its worth the effort.

pajnmaj · February 02, 2011, 01:13:43 PM

We have the cub spacevan so we leave our awning on. I am only a shortie so reaching the peak to zip the awning on and off is a bit of a challenge. We it folds up the awning just folds onto the tent as the hard floor folds over. No problems. For overnight stops the set up is very minimal.

Todd and Mel.

whitedg · February 02, 2011, 02:01:46 PM

We leave ours on. Even though I'm 6' tall, I can barely reach it whilst standing on the step stool.

So far, we've always pulled it out and used it. We 're going for an overnighter in April so it may not get used, but we'll leave it on anyway.

Cheers
whitedg

jclures · February 02, 2011, 04:24:05 PM

I have a question for those that leave the awning on, do you flip it over before you collapse the main tent or after, not having done it myself yet I am just wondering.

Humbolt · February 02, 2011, 04:29:57 PM

Flip it over before you collapse the tent.
As someone had mentioned before, use the poles to get the height required to flip it over!!

Good luck tonight JCC!!!

GU Rich · February 02, 2011, 04:46:52 PM

Quote from: jcclures on February 02, 2011, 04:24:05 PM
I have a question for those that leave the awning on, do you flip it over before you collapse the main tent or after, not having done it myself yet I am just wondering.

Flip before then make it has flat as possible by stretching it to all corners, It can be a pain if it is really windy though but doable. To flip over the high pitch section of the tent like I mentioned above i use the poles as an extension of my arms. This makes it a lot easier

Rich

bobnrob · February 02, 2011, 04:48:44 PM

Yep, flipped over before collapsing poles.
Like Humbolt & GU Rich, I use an awning pole to push it up. Starting with the apex & working my way along, then pulling it from the other side.

jclures · February 02, 2011, 05:04:47 PM

Just checking, you never know that is all I might have left tomorrow to live in.

Malcur · February 02, 2011, 06:19:12 PM

We leave the awning zipped on and flip it over the tent when packing up (before collapsing the tent). If staying more than 1 night we put the annex up. If annex is not put up, the awaning is left on the roof. we use occa straps to ttie it down over the roof.

Mal

chunk · February 02, 2011, 06:30:14 PM

Quote from: Crimso on February 02, 2011, 09:40:27 AM
I always take ours off. We have a "tropical" roof over our main tent that is built in to stand up when we open the tent out. Tried it in the back yard a few times to see what it would work like if left on, but no matter what, it was a real pain in the arse to leave on & pack away. We have a Lifestyle camper, so it's pretty high to the ridge line & flipping (read that as wrestling) the awning over to pack it away, well I'm glad I didn't film it. Then, because we have the 12 ft tent as well, it just weighed too much to try to pack up. With this size camper it's easier to leave off and attach as needed.

We are the same Lifestyle camper, tropical roof and 12 ft of canvas only takes 2 min to put it on or take it off.

kiwipete · February 02, 2011, 06:50:35 PM

Our CT also came from the factory with it on. The gable folds nicely over the main tent allowing it to fold up perfectly... They are even built with a strap which you can leave attached just for this purpose of folding the annex across the roof... Also with it fitting the main tent nicely you would be hard pushed to notice it there unless you were looking for it...
Another nice option....

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Awnings - leave zipped on?