Wow, setting up awning is a bear

[Mike91]

I had the camper up already, so I used my step ladder to access it.

Got the awning unrolled to the ground but I just couldn't get the adjustment pegs to line up with the holes. The awning was swinging around and the rafter poles kept popping out.

Looks like you could very easily damage your camper with the awning. I finally gave up and rolled it back up.

Don't remember the other pop ups awnings to be this difficult. Those other pop ups were 12' boxes and one awning was a Carefree of Colorado Bag awning (old Rockwood) and the other was an A&E Awning like what I have now (old Starcraft).

Maybe this awning is bigger on the 14' box and just to difficult to put up with only 1 person.

Looks like I'll stick to my screen house.

[CincyGus]

I never could get the awning setup when I had my Starcraft popup. Bit the bullet and bought a 12'x12' Popup canopy and we used that for shade, rain protection. Lucy and Desi should have made setting up a roll up awning part of their comedy sketch when they went camping!

[campfire joe]

Yep it's a bear to set up by yourself. What i did on my poles was to paint a straight red line down the pole with holes in it. in line with the little push in button pole. helps a little bit in trying to get the button pole to pop out in the holes.

[Mike91]

Originally Posted by campfire joe

Yep it's a bear to set up by yourself. What i did on my poles was to paint a straight red line down the pole with holes in it. in line with the little push in button pole. helps a little bit in trying to get the button pole to pop out in the holes.

Thanks everyone, I just don't remember these awnings being such a pain.

[HONDAMAN174]

Try a high wall unit- even worse!

[lazyjj]

It is as easy as pushing a button!

[Mike91]

Originally Posted by lazyjj

It is as easy as pushing a button!

Yeh, that powered awning was an option on my Jayco Jay Flight 26BH TT but I chose the manual which was easy enough.

But I got out of the travel trailer to avoid all it's other inconveniences so I'll just stick to my screen house when I camp alone. Usually use it when the mosquitoes and biting flies are bad anyhow.

[pgandw]

On my Coleman Westlake Pop-up, I finally learned I had to prepare the awning BEFORE taking the roof up all the way. And I couldn't put it away until I had partially lowered the roof. Which was OK camping in California, but doesn't work with the wild weather in Colorado and Utah (and Texas and Wyoming).

Now that we have an A-frame, DW misses the awning. Both dealers we have bought A-frames from advised against the Dometic A-frame awning/add-a-room. I keep pointing out other campers having to rush around stowing their awning or have it flipped over their camper in Colorado winds. I point out that we have had a partially staked down EZ-up and outdoor carpet moved by those same winds, and a tent with 2 stakes down rolled into the neighbor's site while we were gone for an hour or two.

Yet she yearns for an awning, but so far has settled for a small, light EZ-up. Even then, she complains about the guy lines I use to keep it in place.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time