I have an 8' Smittybilt and a 4' ARB. I use them all the time for shade, rain protection, and cover when cooking.
Do you use your awning?
- Thread starter Lepik
- Start date
We really enjoy and use ours, here is the first time we used it when we went to Gulf Shore state park to camp near the beach
Traveler I
I'm trying to decide between the ARB 2000 and the 2500. I was a little afraid the 2500 would look a little awkward with some overhang on either side (stock roof rack is around 6.5'), but that 8' Smittybilt one you have doesn't look to be too long for the FJ! Maybe I should go with the 2500 and get the full 8.2' width.
Traveler III
Traveler III
I thought the same thing when trying to make the same decision with an ARB awning on my JKU. So glad I went with the 8ft! The extra 2ft is incredibly useful! You’ll be glad you went with the 2500, especially when you set it up with one of their awning rooms-the space is killer
Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk
Use the awning all the time camping or even setting it up for the day for lunch. Its a Rhino Dome 1300 awning with an extension on it. They actually call it a wall but we use it mainly as an extension. Fitted to the Rhino Pioneer Platform roof rack.
Traveler III
Explorer I
We have the Tepui ruggedized awning and installed it at the same time as our rooftop tent. Just got it and haven’t deployed yet. Looking forward to my next camp in Joshua Tree National Forest...where there isn’t really a Forest. It’s dry and hot!! I’ll let you know what we think after we try it out.
Sent from my iPad using OB Talk
Sent from my iPad using OB Talk
I don't have one, but I definitely want one. I'm currently just starting to think about how to make my own, though I'll prob just copy one of the DIY ideas that are already out there.
I don't even really want it for camping, more for just a shady spot on a weekend afternoon. There's a great park near my house right on the ocean, you can just drive right up and park on the grass in your "spot". There's no shade there, so EVERYTIME I'm there, I always wish I had an awning. I try to park the car to block a bit of the sun, but that never works too well.
The awning would be killer for that situation, as well as for when I go mountainbiking, we just about always hang out for a bit before and after the ride, and often we're in the middle of a field or parking lot with no shade.
I love being outdoors, but not necessarily in the sun. I would probably use it enough to even justify the nearly 300 bucks for the Arb 2000, but I'm too cheap for that. Gonna go DIY first, see how that works out.
I don't even really want it for camping, more for just a shady spot on a weekend afternoon. There's a great park near my house right on the ocean, you can just drive right up and park on the grass in your "spot". There's no shade there, so EVERYTIME I'm there, I always wish I had an awning. I try to park the car to block a bit of the sun, but that never works too well.
The awning would be killer for that situation, as well as for when I go mountainbiking, we just about always hang out for a bit before and after the ride, and often we're in the middle of a field or parking lot with no shade.
I love being outdoors, but not necessarily in the sun. I would probably use it enough to even justify the nearly 300 bucks for the Arb 2000, but I'm too cheap for that. Gonna go DIY first, see how that works out.
Off-Road Ranger I
I have an awning but still find myself setting up an additional DIY awning fairly regularly. Here's what i've found to work really well: Get a cheapo tarp (whatever size you want, but i typically use one of those 8-10ish feet square ones. I use two to three of those tarp ball bungees to attach the tarp to one side of my roof rack using the tarp's grommet holes. Then for the two outside corners, get some cheapo adjustable tarp poles on amazon for $25-40. Secure the two poles to each of the remaining corners by staking guying lines at 45 degree angles and you're golden. works awesome and only costs about $50 for the whole setup if you have to buy everything.
I don't have a photo of my own, so here's one i stole off the internet to show you what i'm describing:
We have a TJM 2.5 meter awning on the passenger side of our truck and a Alucab 270 Shadow on the passenger side.
Because of the ease of which the alucab can be set up and taken down AND it does not require poles to be used in 15 MPH winds or less - we use it almost everytime we stop on the trail, sometimes in rest stops on the freeways, always when camping. And two weeks ago I was working in the front yard building a short retaining wall, next to the driveway, in 100+ temps. So I set it up and parked it over the work area. Worked great! Really love the no outer poles needed feature of the Alucab awning.
The older I get the more I pay attention to the "Hassle Factor" of things.
Because of the ease of which the alucab can be set up and taken down AND it does not require poles to be used in 15 MPH winds or less - we use it almost everytime we stop on the trail, sometimes in rest stops on the freeways, always when camping. And two weeks ago I was working in the front yard building a short retaining wall, next to the driveway, in 100+ temps. So I set it up and parked it over the work area. Worked great! Really love the no outer poles needed feature of the Alucab awning.
The older I get the more I pay attention to the "Hassle Factor" of things.
Last edited:
I have an awning but still find myself setting up an additional DIY awning fairly regularly. Here's what i've found to work really well: Get a cheapo tarp (whatever size you want, but i typically use one of those 8-10ish feet square ones. I use two to three of those tarp ball bungees to attach the tarp to one side of my roof rack using the tarp's grommet holes. Then for the two outside corners, get some cheapo adjustable tarp poles on amazon for $25-40. Secure the two poles to each of the remaining corners by staking guying lines at 45 degree angles and you're golden. works awesome and only costs about $50 for the whole setup if you have to buy everything.
I don't have a photo of my own, so here's one i stole off the internet to show you what i'm describing:
Thanks! Yeah, that's pretty much exactly what I was thinking. I'm going to give that a shot before shelling out the $$ on an ARB.
