How good is your awning?

We are thinking about buying a 4x4 type awning (to fit to our Tvan ) & would be interested in the durability of any of the brands available.

Seems to me that most of the cheaper brands are much of a muchness, all good for an occasional weekend away but not too likely to last under the conditions we want to use for. (ie. Full time travel/daily use). I've read that the main issue is premature wearing out of the pole twist lock mechanisms. ?? Cheap & light weight is good, but not if we will have to replace it after 12 months of daily use.

The Super Peg ones look good but are very expensive .... along with the Darche ones. Both are heavy.

Gordigear look like they might be ok, & are priced mid range & with better weight.

If commenting on the one you have, or have had, please could you give an idea of how 'hard' it is/was used, especially if you think it's a worthwhile buy.

Thanks,
Cuppa

For what it is worth my 10 year old awning is an ARB jobbie. Still in good nick, a few marks and the odd bird dropping stain, but still water proof and doing what it is meant to do.

Has been trundled all over the country side no worries. The only maintenance has been a squirt of silicon spray on the zipper and a new plastic arm attaching bit that broke when a wind gust blew the awning out of SWMBO hands when it was being rolled up. ARB had the replacement bit.

My ALDI awning is 5 years old and I've used it stacks, even in driving rain.
I'd say this is on par with the cheaper ones, you'd suprised at how long they last.
Obviously they don't stand up to high winds all that well but none that I've seen do any way.

I rate my Rhino-rack Sunseeker II awning..... Can't remember the specs of them now. But much better quality than my old elcheapo Ridge Ryder jobbie, although that has also served it's purpose well.

I believe Rhinorack have changed the sunseeker now so can't comment on it

Old kings one was crap from new , nothing but trouble with the poles but the new one is much better quality with stronger poles and tightening, also bought the mesh tent that clips to it if staying put for a while .

I'm with Clunk, had the Rhino rack sunseeker 2 for a couple of years of medium use and still like brand new. Well made, good materials.

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My ARB awning has held up well, had it for 8 years & has copped a lot of use, sometimes for weeks at a time. Poles are holding up well. Had one broken hinge due to a gust of wind but easily replaceable from ARB. Still waterproof. Poles use an alloy locking mechanism so are pretty reliable.

My ARB awning has been through hell and back.
Copped enormous winds etc...
And lived through . So can highly vouch for it.


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Although I don't have one ATM if were to buy one off the shelf do like the look of the Supa-peg one's or ARB possibly. Thinking about doing a custom jobbie on mine using track trail mounted to the roofrack with a side and rear one that you could have either or both joined with Velcro. Did initially like the look of the fox wing but not so keen after looking into them a bit more . . .

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Cuppa I have an ARB 2.5 x 2.5 awning mate. @Sprock can vouch for this. On a high country trip we did a while back, I had just put up my awning, but hadn't yet tied it down. A gush of wind, blew in and flipped the entire awning back up and over the roof. I instantly thought those plastic end bits where the poles hinge had clean snapped right off. Nope! We just flipped it back over the right way round and it was good as gold. I was pleasantly surprised to say the least. Money well spent on an ARB product I'd say...

I have 2.4m long awning on the passenger side x 3m extension, side walls that clip on plus a clip on mosquito proof room - great bit of gear, have broken 6 extendable poles and 3 horizontal poles due to high wind events. Canvas or polyester something! is mould free and water tight over long periods in excess of 3 days wet weather. I also have a 1.2m wide awning on the rar of the GQ, extends 2m. Its got some sort of silver insulation on the underside - can't notice any reduction in heat. When they are both up, really needs the triangle piece to link them like a the fox wing style, but don't always have them up at the same time. they are sbay units and also have snapped and bent multiple poles on this one as well. the aluminium is simply too light for the wind at times. I am happy with the units and working on a fix to the poles right now as a commercial solution - stay tuned.

At last years Bendigo Leisure show I saw A bundu Teck awning, It looked well made, But what I relay licked was the silver reflective coating on the under side of the awning, made a noticeable difference to the temperature under the awning.
If I was going to by another awning I would look for one that has this reflective coating.

For daily use , I'd go see a marine trimmer , get it made using sunbrella or similar , lasts for years and truly waterproof , and they could design it from scratch .

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