Sponsored

Canopies

Rokon

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bob
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Threads
18
Messages
480
Reaction score
703
Location
Maine
Vehicle(s)
Gladiator Rubicon
Last edited:

attworth

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tony
Joined
Jun 22, 2017
Threads
6
Messages
140
Reaction score
99
Location
Currently in NC
Vehicle(s)
ā€˜00 LR Disco II, ā€˜17 Toyota Sienna
Those look pretty awesome. Thereā€™s a few others on the market with various different features. Alu-cab is another freestanding version made from aluminum. Darche eclipse is another, but seems hard to find recently. Thereā€™s also several non freestanding versions. Overland Pros come in at a very low cost. The Rhino Rack Batwing is another at a medium price point. Iā€™m sure there are a few others Iā€™m missing.

Kind of depends what youā€™re looking for. Iā€™m looking at the Alu-cab to save some weight up high. That Kinsmen is appealing for its strength though. One review I saw they mentioned doing pull ups on the extended arms.

The Alu-cab shows about 59 lbs and the Kinsmen about 70 lbs. The benefit to the Kinsmen is it comes with mounts as long as the rack you have is a listed option.

I saw an article a while back that showed aerial shots depicting the various coverage areas. Views like that kind of help show whether what you want covered will be or not. I canā€™t find it now of course.

Edit: found it! https://expeditionportal.com/made-in-the-shade/
 
OP
OP

Rokon

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bob
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Threads
18
Messages
480
Reaction score
703
Location
Maine
Vehicle(s)
Gladiator Rubicon
OP
OP

Rokon

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bob
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Threads
18
Messages
480
Reaction score
703
Location
Maine
Vehicle(s)
Gladiator Rubicon
Those look pretty awesome. Thereā€™s a few others on the market with various different features. Alu-cab is another freestanding version made from aluminum. Darche eclipse is another, but seems hard to find recently. Thereā€™s also several non freestanding versions. Overland Pros come in at a very low cost. The Rhino Rack Batwing is another at a medium price point. Iā€™m sure there are a few others Iā€™m missing.

Kind of depends what youā€™re looking for. Iā€™m looking at the Alu-cab to save some weight up high. That Kinsmen is appealing for its strength though. One review I saw they mentioned doing pull ups on the extended arms.

The Alu-cab shows about 59 lbs and the Kinsmen about 70 lbs. The benefit to the Kinsmen is it comes with mounts as long as the rack you have is a listed option.

I saw an article a while back that showed aerial shots depicting the various coverage areas. Views like that kind of help show whether what you want covered will be or not. I canā€™t find it now of course.

Edit: found it! https://expeditionportal.com/made-in-the-shade/
Thanks for the great article. Good info. Really thinking hard on the Go Fast Camper or a homemade version of it equipped with a canopy. Not so sure this style of batwing would not have a bad drip onto the open tailgate.
 

attworth

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tony
Joined
Jun 22, 2017
Threads
6
Messages
140
Reaction score
99
Location
Currently in NC
Vehicle(s)
ā€˜00 LR Disco II, ā€˜17 Toyota Sienna
Thanks for the great article. Good info. Really thinking hard on the Go Fast Camper or a homemade version of it equipped with a canopy. Not so sure this style of batwing would not have a bad drip onto the open tailgate.
With GoFast youā€™ll have a door opening upwards to cover your tailgate, at least mostly.

Positioning might be key, in making sure the back wing swings out over the back of whatever itā€™s on top of.

I think the Alu-cab have some sort of gutter system at the edge of the back ā€œwingā€ to help with this as well. I saw it on a Khaya camper video. Iā€™m not sure if thatā€™s an inherent part of the canopy, an add on, or something on the Khaya itself?
 

Sponsored

attworth

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tony
Joined
Jun 22, 2017
Threads
6
Messages
140
Reaction score
99
Location
Currently in NC
Vehicle(s)
ā€˜00 LR Disco II, ā€˜17 Toyota Sienna
Then there are the Rhinorack version for a lot less money. Quite a bit lighter. Is going legless worth $1000?? ....

https://www.rhinoadventuregear.com/products/rhino-rack-batwing-awning-right-side-mount
I havenā€™t run any awnings, so my opinion isnā€™t worth a lot really, but....

Weā€™ve camped forever. Itā€™s what we do. Weā€™ve always had regular tents. And I can tell you that setting up a tent always sucks. The idea of setting up an awning or shade or whatever makes me really unhappy.

That all changed when we got a Gazelle tent. Obviously completely different than what youā€™re talking about, but similar in some aspects. It takes me 2 minutes to set up our 8 person tent. Literally changed the game. Especially now that weā€™ve got 3 little kids running around while I set up.

I think of an awning the same way now. Iā€™ve never considered a standard one because the thought of putting up poles and guy wires makes me angry. Thatā€™s why Iā€™ll go with a free standing model if we ever do. If it takes me longer than a couple minutes to deploy and/or take down - Iā€™m out.

Just my couple of cents from a decade or so of camping as an adult.
 

smlobx

Well-Known Member
First Name
Eddie
Joined
Jun 28, 2018
Threads
65
Messages
2,063
Reaction score
3,284
Location
Mid Atlantic
Vehicle(s)
JTR, F-350 diesel, Porsche Spyder, Model Y
Occupation
Semi retired consultant
Attworth I understand your desire for simplicity but for me I would never deploy an awning without some guy ropes. It doesnā€™t take much of a breeze to completely demolish these awnings, regardless of how their made...
Sponsored

 
 



Top