Given a choice would you have an awning?

[dmb496]

We have one. If it had been an option, we would have checked that box.

[Sensfan]

We use our awning on most camping trips, both day and evening. At night, we place our portable campfire on the ground tarp under the awning. The heat allows us to stay out as late as we want during cool evenings. During the warm summer the slight propane fumes also keep mosquitos outside the seating area under the awning. We close the awning before calling it a night.

[BroccoliofDoom]

Question for the awning users:

Does anyone have experience with an awning that is good for the rain? I was surprised to find that many manufacturers tell you not to use the awning in the rain!

One of the main reasons I'm considering moving from tent camping to a van is to extend my camping season. In Oregon that means going from dry summers to wet everything else... The Tofino I'm looking at doesn't have an awning, although I've seen a Thule added with some bracket work.

My goal is to find an awning so that on the rainy days I could leave the slider open and wait out the wet. Is that practical?

[TygerMark]

Sure it is practical.

I am getting one of these.....plasticote magnets attach to van.

[BroccoliofDoom]

Originally Posted by TygerMark

I am getting one of these.....plasticote magnets attach to van.

That's an interesting option, I like the flexibility of something you could move between the side and the rear as desired!

[TygerMark]

Yep. Light weight, portable too. Could pitch it about anywhere. String a line......

[Storysrvwego]

It is logical to avoid having an awning deployed in a rain. Obviously we cannot predict when a cloudburst may occur but there are a couple of factors to contend with. A wet awning that is rolled back into it’s stored position will quickly invite mold. The other predominant issue is that a front with rain usually means some level of breeze or wind that might destroy a deployed awning. The heavier than normal awning with rain water, especially if it freezes on the fabric can really do a number on the awning.

We can come up with other reasons for the awning not to be deployed but of course we have them to enjoy at least partial shade since the Earth moves and the shade can go from full to nothing unless we move the RV. I don’t think anyone goes that far; just get shade you can in the hours you typically will spend and thats the best you can do. Besides, these awning help to keep at least some bird “bombs”, squirrel nut shelling and dropping pine needles at bay. Nonetheless I would tend to avoid keeping it deployed any time your away from camp so a surprise gust of wind hasn’t destroyed the awning and possibly scratched or dented the side of your Class B.

My wife and I use our awning on almost every trip. Love it. And the automatic retract mechanism as well as our human instinct to retract it has kept us using our original awning since 2018. Only mishap was my own embarrasment of forgetting it was still deployed when I hopped into the driver seat to pull our Travato back into the shop for the night. Luckily I caught it fast enough to not have any damage, aside from a slight dent in the shop metal siding and a want to say a few bad words to goof. Fortunately no damage on the awning and only the wee little dent in the siding. Could have been really an expensive mess. I have a laminated warning sign on the dash now “Awning retracted?” and in smaller print below that, “Antenna lowered?” (ham radio antenna). Walk around such as pre-flight check has always been my rule before ever moving the RV but I flubbed up that time.

[booster]

We use ours in the rain, mostly light rain though, and make sure it is tilted to drain properly. If they are too level they pond and can get too heavy and damage themselves. Very useful on those drizzly days.


The one thing with rain is that it often shows up with wind also, and wind is not a good thing for most class b awnings as they aren't made to handle it.

[GeorgeRa]

We use awning regularly, except in windy and snowy conditions. I always tilt the awning to facilitate water drainage. We have old fashion awning fully manual with support bracket mounted on the van.

[MsNomer]

We use our home-made awning in the rain. In fact, rain is the only reason we use it.

[Rocinante]

No, we would not permanently attach an awning to our van if it hadn't come with one. We're interested in the idea of a Moonshade, but for now we'll keep using the one that came with the van. https://moonfab.com/

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by Rocinante

No, we would not permanently attach an awning to our van if it hadn't come with one. We're interested in the idea of a Moonshade, but for now we'll keep using the one that came with the van. https://moonfab.com/

What are the advantages of Moonshade over an awning?

[Rocinante]

It's not permanently attached to the van. It has no fancy mechanisms that open or close the awning, and therefore won't pop open at 70MPH or wreck the van if it blows loose in a windstorm. I suspect it's also a lot less expensive than a new permanently attached awning. Actually looks similar in some respects to the KingCamp awning TygerMark posted above. I have no idea which one would be better.

[Davydd]

I described our 12 x 14 ft. screen tent previously. It does take time to set and take down but it is better than an awning for our north woods needs. I bought this for my wife a personal Sportspod and Bugpod when we set up for short stays so she can stay outside bug free and read a book or get away from me.

https://www.anthem-sports.com/bug-po...reen-tent.html

[kmessinger]

Yes I would get an awning again. Yes I will and have used it the rain. They were much easier to tilt with legs but now the legless ones do present a challenge. Mold? It takes about 2 minutes to dry when the sun comes out. It just takes some common sense and the advantages far outweigh the possible problems.

[BroccoliofDoom]

Simple is good! How did you handle the attachment at the top of the van?

Originally Posted by MsNomer

We use our home-made awning in the rain. In fact, rain is the only reason we use it.

[MsNomer]

Promaster has nubbins along the side of the roof that an o-ring can fit over—ironically, their purpose is for attaching commercial awnings. I can reach them from the slider. I made a casing along the top that a piece of broom handle fits into to extend it past the front edge of the door. There is a tent pole in a horizontal casing about halfway down that combats sagging. The fabric is coated ripstock nylon. Poles are from Cabelas—$10 each.

Very easy setup and take down. Poles and rods store in a long bag together. Fabric, which folds about the size of a thin paperback, stores on the over-cab shelf.

[4E fam]

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

In 2-1/2 years, we never used our awning. Of course we never really camp, just stop ovenight between driving.

Well, earlier this week, I booked a spur-of-the-moment camp site at nearby Goliad State Park (TX). Only a few sites were available on-line and I booked the one with the least shade (none looked shady in their pictures).

Used the awning, glad we had it.

Hey there! Nice van. lol We've used ours frequently, but also like to hang lights from it. I found it's difficult cleaning it well (if under some trees) before retracting it. Then it stains the under surface of the awning. Not that big of a deal, but I wonder if you have any tricks to brushing debris off it before retracting.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by 4E fam

Hey there! Nice van. lol We've used ours frequently, but also like to hang lights from it. I found it's difficult cleaning it well (if under some trees) before retracting it. Then it stains the under surface of the awning. Not that big of a deal, but I wonder if you have any tricks to brushing debris off it before retracting.

We've never deployed it other than in the open, so nothing has accumulated on top of it yet. But if it did, I'd angle the front edge down as far as it will go on the support legs and try and broom it off before retracting.

There is some light mildew staining from the prior owner use. I've only tried mild cleaners (no bleach) and it didn't take it off. The must have put it away wet since I've never found it to be damp after rains or washing the van. The Carefree housing is pretty water tight.

We need a secret handshake for just Avenue class b owners (all 5 of us) on this forum in case we ever meet up.

[Jon in AZ]

I keep a squeegee with a telescoping handle in the van for washing the windshield. Hadn't thought of it, but I think it would work well to clean the awning too. Use it dry to brush off loose debris or wet to remove bird droppings or similar. Agree with angling it down as rowiebowie suggests.

I love that squeegee!