# 1
Rhino-Rack Batwing Awning - Roof Rack Mount - Bolt On - Passenger's Side - 118 Sq Ft
Love this awning! I installed a Batwing awning on a RAM Promaster High Roof van. Had to purchase extended legs for it so they will reach the ground. It is great to be able to be protected from the elements at both the side and the back of the van and while moving between side and back. Some things to be aware of: 1) At least one ladder is needed for opening and closing the awning in this high-roof situation. And it is best to do it with 2 people. 2. With the crossbars mounted on the vehicle's standard middle and rear mounting posts, the awning does not completely cover the sliding door. The front 24 to 30" or so of the door is exposed. If the crossbars are mounted to the front and middle mounting points, most of the sliding door will be covered, but the awning will not extend as far out on the rear. 3. Rain will come through between the side of the van and the awning. The crossbars need to be shifted as far to the driver's side as possible in order to minimize the gap between the side of the van and the awning. 4. The height of these vans makes the awning even more susceptible to being pulled up by wind gusts. Make sure the awning is secured to the ground. This is another reason why it is best to open the awning with 2 people.
I was looking for an awning that covered the tailgate of my truck bed and I already had an awning that hung of the side of my truck so instead of buying a second small one I sold off my existing side awning and purchased the Batwing. I had read great reviews about the previous model and was confident that the new one would be even better. When the awning arrived I was very disappointed just by looking at the packaging. It looked like it had been thrown around whenever it was handled and had several punctures in the cardboard box. It also had a ton of extra tape on the ends as if it had been opened before or fell out during shipment. After opening up the box I was relieved that there was not any significant damage to the awning itself. Ok on to the awning itself... During initial setup in my driveway I was wowed at how easy everything was to setup by myself. I love how the poles are held in place to the mounting plate with magnets and to deploy it all you have to do is grab the top one, pull it away and the rest of them release on their own. Another thing I love about the Batwing is that the vertical support legs are built into the awning itself. They deploy and pack away very easily. I did not stake it down or guy it out during this test setup. The awning comes with hardware and brackets to mount onto your roof rack though you may need different hardware depending on what rack you have. The coverage this awning provides is just what I wanted and it's features make it well worth the investment. One thing I would change is I wish the cover was fully zippered instead of 90% zippered with a Velcro closure at the back end. The hinge is exposed and water runs inside and gets the awning wet. I live in the Pacific northwest and a little bit of rain has found it's way to the front of the awning.
# 2
Rhino-Rack Sunseeker Awning - Roof Rack Mount - Bolt On - 8' 1" Long x 6' 10" Wide
I'm very happy with my awning. I have the Rhino Rack Pioneer roof rack so it was very simple to install with the included hardware. I wan't sure by the description if it came with the zipper for the optional extension, so I purchased that as well. Turns out it came with the zipper so I have an extra one if needed in the future. It's not as simple to deploy as some of the new ones hitting the market with automatic scissoring extensions that can hold themselves up without poles or guy lines, but it's also not as expensive or bulky as those models. Everyone has to choose what works best for them. I like this awning and it holds up well. The added effort in setting it up and taking it down does not bother me. If I were to see any design flaw it would be the use of plastic for the hinges that let the poles fold out from the housing. Nothing broke yet, but those make me a bit nervous when I'm setting everything up.
We bought this awning because we did a trip across America in our 1999 Chevy Diesel Suburban last year and used a 10x10 awning off the side at night, while it worked and stayed together the whole trip- it was still a 1/2 hour set up time, and there was a gap between truck and tent at all times. (Not great for rain). We plan on going back to the areas we want to spend more time, and this will allow us to have our shade/rain protection and a 5 minute set up time! The following pictures are of what we used (old system) to the new Rhino Rack Sunseeker 55sq ft awning from etrailer.com set up in the driveway- new adventures are in the beautiful future!!! Thank you to the awesome staff at etrailer.com for the great price, ease of ordering and fast shipping!
# 3
Rhino-Rack Dome Awning - Roof Rack Mount - Bolt On - 8' 2" Long x 8' 4" Wide
I mounted this awning to the back of my pick up cap. I chose this one for the dome shape so the rear door of the cap could be opened under the awning with little interference. Feels well made. And the awning easily mounted to a Rhino Rack roof track to make it look stealthy and snug to the roof. Only negative, is the dome tent poles are difficult to install in the pockets, but I assume this will get easier with use and as the temperature outside increases. I should have bought some sand screws for the beach.
The Rhino-Rack Dome 1300 is a great addition to my Toyota Tacoma. I use my Tacoma for transporting SCUBA gear and the Awning is great for having shade at a dive site. Easy to setup and take down.
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