Poll: Rack-mounted awning use

I tend to buy based on need, though sometimes buying based on the cool factor and convenience does occur. That being said, how often do you use your awning? (Which one you have could be helpful.)

I’m trying to be reasonable here - don’t have my mind made up and hoping y’all can give me perspective.

 

I used mine with a room enclosure to have a bug free area to hang out in. Also useful when it’s wet, cold or windy to stick a heater in and have a comfortably warm and dry space.

 

I only use mine sparingly because I have a trailer with a 270 awning that I use much more frequently. If I didn’t have the trailer my answer would change to “very often”.

 

Sounds awesome, but a rare occasion? Are there ever opportunities you could use it, but it’s too much hassle so you don’t bother?

 

Thanks! Do you camp a lot or find a variety of reasons to use it?

 

I have a 270 mounted on my GX. Between beach days hanging out and fishing. Camping uses and even using it to get out of the sun between little league ball games...it gets used often and gets used more than I thought it would honestly.

Havnt regretted the purchase at all.

 

Haha, I showed this to my wife. “You don’t need to justify things to me.” (Yes I do!) Thanks for the input.

 

Yes sir.

 

No, it's actually really simple to set the awnings up, maybe five minutes tops taking your time. The room is a bit more involved, maybe another ten minutes to setup and 10-15 on the backside to teardown and roll back up in it's carry sack.

 

Wow, that’s crazy fast. What’s the brand?

 

Mine was a TJM, but they are all identical. ARB, CVT, Smittybuilt, whatever, all work the same way.

 

Good to know - appreciate it!

 

I probably camp once or twice a month. I have the enclosure too and would probably use that more also if I didn’t have the trailer. To be totally honest, I find myself not using it because the shadow that my 6’x8’ awning casts from the top of my 3” lifted Taco really isn’t that much when the sun is anywhere other than directly overhead. But then again, i might be bias against it because my 270 has so much more coverage.

 

I use mine any time I go camping/shooting. So happy I have it. Most of my buddies gather under it to get out of the sun. Easier and more stable than your typical easy up. The easy up types either collapse from high wind or literally fly away/flop over from high winds. My roof mounted awning stays put. I have an ironman 4x4 awning.

 

I only install mine when I'm going camping. It's a shorter one that fits on the cab rack. I use it every time I camp unless it's a completely dry and cold camp.

 

This is exactly what I'd be doing; don't see a need to bring it to work and everywhere else with me. What's your setup/brand? (Mine will be mounted to by cab/prinsu.)

 

I actually got mine from a friend, so I don't know the model or anything, but it's a freespirit. I've used ARB ones and this one is essentially the exact same. Very easy to setup and I've used it in torrential downpours and had no issue other than not having a ton of space (width) because it is such a narrower model.

It's attached with just two L shaped brackets and I just add some carriage bolts to the prinsu rails facing up, then nut and washer on top of the brackets with those bolts coming up through the bracket. Hope that makes sense. I can snap some pics sometime. I'd like to replace the brackets with something a little sturdier, but I've taken it like that through some very tight and bumpy Arkansas trails and it's not bent or anything.

 

I have been looking at one from Ironman 4x4, but can’t decide if I really need it

 

I voted "never", yet I still want to buy another one.. I had one previously and sold it, because I never really used it. And by never, I truly mean rarely. I'd use it anytime I went camping, but as others have said, it honestly doesn't cast much of a shadow. The most use mine ever saw was a spell of about 2 months a couple summers ago, using it every weekend at home. Family would come over to play cornhole, and I'd park the truck in the yard beside one set of boards, awning over the top for some shade, and cooler in the bed loaded down with cold beverages. It was good for that. If I ever bought another, it would ONLY be a 270 degree style awning for more coverage.

 

Haha...I mean, we Tacoma owners buy a ton of stuff for the cool factor, even if we know deep down we'll never use it. Shoot, I don't even need the prinsu rack - it's a truck! (I recognize loaded beds and kayak/bike users get a ton of use out of them). All that being said, I've been able to push past this impulse because it seems they are largely useless unless you get one that mounts to a bed rack for the reasons you pointed out (i.e., width even if not mounting a 270).