Are Awning Tents Any Good? | Everything You Need To Know


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If you want a spectacular upgrade in your camping game, be more comfortable while breathing the fresh air breeze in your campsite, having one of the Awning Tents would be a delight. It is a fantastic way to have a sheltered area anytime especially if you’re going camping or on a trip, and it can be your home away from home where you can set your tent to a very cosy bedroom. So, what are the perks of owning an awning tent?

An awning tent is very portable and easy to set up that you can assemble alongside your car. It is fully enclosed but a spacious gear that acts as an extension of your vehicle and it is entirely waterproof. This type of tent is perfectly made for people who love wandering around the country and love wide comfy spaces. 

So, do you wish to have one of the Awning Tents? Read the full article and find what’s best for your vehicle.

What Should I Know About Awning Tents?

In history, awnings were first used in the Roman Empire, and retractable awnings were generally used for domestic purposes. In the 1800s, awnings showed up in the business industry and became standard on storefronts, café and commercial areas. They were built to have an additional space outdoors and sometimes to protect their establishments from the wind.

Today, awning tents are an essential tent overhang in the exterior part of your vehicle. It gives you more convenient access from your car to your canvas, and it can be set up in a few minutes and fastened for security. Unlike rooftop tents, this doesn’t need to be directly attached to your car.

Awning Tents developed to be essential for a traveller to have extra space for sleeping and recreation activities during camping. It helps them to be waterproof while raining and controls excess sun exposure. 

What Are The Different Types of Awning Tents?

Different types of awning tents are appropriate for your vehicle, so you just have to take note and see features that are suitable for your car. The right sizes, convenience and compatibility of your camping equipment is essential.

Full Awning is a fully covered type of awning and erected with a classic frame system. It is an all-time favourite type of awning because it can adequately accommodate a bigger group and automatically doubles the size of your vehicle. Usually, people would choose full awning when travelling longer trips for storage purposes. It can fully protect you from the sun, wind, and privacy. Also, it is long-lasting, durable, and has open zippers that you can open for ventilation. 

Porch Awning is a smaller version of a full awning and more comfortable to erect. It can give you extra space for your bed or other miscellaneous. It can provide you with excellent protection from sun and wind, and a great companion for your bodyboards after a day from the beach.

Canopy or Wind out Awning can be a temporary of permanent blinds or roll-outs attached in your car. It has poles that can be folded down and lessen the tent’s instability. The best thing about this awning is no space is wasted when you’re travelling. You just have to secure your straps to avoid falling off materials, and it can protect you from harmful UV rays and winds. 

Inflatable awnings are the most efficient and easy to erect. It saves a lot of space too when travelling and one of the most popular among awnings. It is a perfect alternative for the traditional and buildable type of canopy. It usually comes with a free pump that will make your tent stand in a minute.

Which Awning Tent Is The Best?

ARB 4×4 Accessories ARB4401A Awning is a self-standing Awning and only takes seconds to erect. It is compatible for roof racks and bar, lightweight and adjustable. 

PlayDo Waterproof Teardrop Trailer is made up of polyester material, so guaranteed to be one of the best features. The materials of this gear are not cheap for the price, and it is designed to be versatile.

KingCamp Awning Sun Shelter is a lightweight awning with a lot of capabilities. The mesh fabric is durable and robust, making it better in ventilation.

Leader Accessories SUV Awning is a 116 square feet shelter, good fabric airflow. 

Rhino Rack Batwing Awning this brand is one of the most reliable in terms of tents. It is a 270-degree shelter, and its mounting brackets are compatible in all pioneer systems.

Yescom Car Side Awning is an affordable but good quality awning tent. It has a modern and minimal design, has rated UV50+ fabric, and can provide a mostly 62 square foot of shade.

Thule HideAway Awning is an all-aluminium constructed awning and has the best spring tension mechanism that helps with strong winds and weather conditions, with its sleek design.

ARB 4×4 Accessories Awning is a well stable car awning. Capable of handling strong winds or any weather conditions, and provides well-shaded shelter. 

Dobinsons 4×4 Roll Out Awning has a good coverage shelter, rollable, excellent fabric and comes with all useful accessories.

Rhino Rack Foxwing Tapered Zip Extension is a multifunctional awning, good mesh fabric that provides decent cover for resisting water, dust and UV rays.

What Are The Best Awning Tents For 4WD?

Darche Eclipse 270 Awning is a canopy type that has high quality and great accessories that can almost cover and extend your vehicle. It is perfect for a portable porch when camping and has good quality fabric that can protect you from the sun.

Rhino Rack Batwing Awning has the highest GSM integrated peg bag, high-quality fabric and 100% waterproof.

Oztent  Foxwing 270 Awning Series II is a canopy type, has LED mounting points and is reliable even during snow. It can easily snow off of the tent and protects you from windy conditions.

ARB Awning is a wall out awning that is a perfect extension for your pick-up truck and fantastic quality fabric. It can easily be attached on your car rack and pull to extend.

Adventure Kings is an excellent quality awning for a low cost. Has high-quality fabric and also can be permanently attached in your car rack. 

Ironman Awning is a useful extension perfect for a small table and portable chairs for a picnic. It has a built-in LED and makes it very convenient. 

Roo Systems Awning is an Australian made Awning and extends up to 8 feet. It is a wall out-type awning and is one of the best extensions for your pick-up truck. 

Howling Moon Awning is a wall out-type awning and comes with a variety of sizes. 

How Do I Choose Awning Tents For My Campervans or Motorhomes?

Choosing the right Awning that fits your campervans is crucial. You can browse the internet or look for them in the stores, so you should be meticulous on picking your awning to avoid bugs and hassle. You can follow this in selecting the right Awning for your campervan, and it must be:

  • Lightweight or full awnings
  • Must provide shade
  • Waterproof
  • Durable
  • Light and easy to set up
  • Expandable
  • Spacious
  • Slide-out

How Do I Choose Awning Tents For My RVs?

Preferably a patio type, full type awning or tent style for extensions and will automatically double the size of your camp, so you mostly consider choosing the best feature for your awnings. It must have:

  • Good fabric 
  • Hardware
  • Good rails
  • Must be well-shaded

How Do I Choose Awning Tents For My Camper Trailers?

Porch type is the most typical Awning tent for camper trailers. It is smaller than the full type, but it does the job. It will extend your trailer for more storage and protects well from the rays of the sun. So it must:

  • Fits your trailer
  • Has good fabric
  • Good quality hardware
  • Good rails
  • Must be well-shaded

What Are The Tips On Erecting Awnings?

  • If you carry an awning in the caravan, place it over the hinge and make sure it won’t move back and forth if you stop suddenly.
  • If the ground is mud-covered when you start building your awning, place a groundsheet or a plastic sheet on the grass before you start. Doing so allows you to layout the fabric without getting it green or muddy.
  • It is mostly best to set up an awning with its side panels zipped in place, for speed. But if it’s breezy, take the boards out first to avoid struggling large areas of wind-blown material or, worse, ripping your prize possession. 
  • If you’re sure about caravanning during winter, it is good to make sure the snow-carrying capability of your porch, because snow can be unexpectedly heavy. Awnings with a proper slope to the roof can shed snow, the weight of which might otherwise split the material.

Related Questions

Do You Need Roof Racks For An Awning?

Having a roof rack for Awning Tents depends on what type of Awning you’re owning. Canopy or wall out types are the ones that require to be installed in the rack. However, there are ones such as Full, Porch, and Inflatable models that do not need to be on a rack, but instead, they need to be inflated or assembled. 

How Do You Install An Awning Without A Roof Rack?

There is a type of Awning that does not need a rooftop rack like the Inflatable Awning. You just have to inflate and assemble the awning, that usually comes with a case where you can store your awning and put it in your car.

What Are Roof Bars On Cars For?

A roof rack is a custom bar that is secured to the roof of your vehicle. It is where you usually put bulky items such as luggage, kayaks, bicycles, or permanently install your awning tents.

James Mitchell

Hi, I’m Jimmy Mitchell and I love exploring this great country with my wife and two boys. I have a 2015 Sterling LX that is the Mitchell Family camping machine. Lets Getaway is the website where I share things about my trailer as I learn them, and help other camper owners to enjoy their RV even more.

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