Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:29:41 -0700
Reply-To: Jeffrey Vickers <jeff@VICKERSDESIGN.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jeffrey Vickers <jeff@VICKERSDESIGN.COM>
Subject: Re: Which awning is best
In-Reply-To: <1282087423.6049.112.camel@TheJackUbuntuNetbook>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
> If you can get all the Shady Boy poles including the optional ones and
> fabric back into the case, you are a genuine He-Man and should be able
to carry the van the coming miles ahead.
I have indeed mastered this miracle you speak of, but alas, I can
offer no proof...
On Aug 17, 2010, at 4:23 PM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
> On Tue, 2010-08-17 at 15:52 -0700, Jeffrey Vickers wrote:
>> OK, "peaked" it is. That's a better description.
>>
>> Believe it or not, the poles and fabric CAN be rolled up together and
>> put back in the case - although I've only done it sober.
>
> With the optional downdraft poles? That's four more poles to jam into
> that thing. I'd need a mallet to pound it all in.
>
>> As a matter
>> of fact, its probably a good way to judge your driving abilities
>> after
>> a particularly festive camping session: if you can get all the Shady
>> Boy poles and fabric back into the case, you are ready to navigate
>> the
>> coming miles ahead.
>
> If you can get all the Shady Boy poles including the optional ones and
> fabric back into the case, you are a genuine He-Man and should be able
> to carry the van the coming miles ahead.
>
> --
> Rocky J Squirrel
>
>>
>> Jeff
>> On Aug 17, 2010, at 3:28 PM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
>>
>>> I'll second Jeff's recco, although I don't see how the Shady Boy can
>>> be
>>> called "domed." Peaked, maybe.
>>>
>>> It's a flat piece of fabric with one edge anchored to the van, and
>>> the
>>> other edge held out from the van with three poles that radiate out
>>> from
>>> above the sliding door: one pole per outer corner, and a center
>>> pole.
>>>
>>> It's pretty easy to set up, pretty easy to take down.
>>>
>>> I've used this thing in quite high winds. A couple of light nylon
>>> lines
>>> attached to the van's bumpers keep the outer corners, thus the outer
>>> edge, from flying up with updrafts, and the optional corner
>>> downpoles
>>> keep the outer edge from being mashed down by downdrafts. It's
>>> stable
>>> and solid in wind.
>>>
>>> In heavy rain, the outer corners can be lowered by tightening the
>>> corner
>>> lines, allowing water to spill onto the ground instead of pooling.
>>>
>>> A bit of a gap above the sliding door lets water drip in heavy rain,
>>> but
>>> a strip of foam weatherstripping mashed into it solves that problem.
>>>
>>> In hot weather, the fabric becomes quite hot to the touch, even the
>>> silver fabric version. You can feel the heat radiating down on your
>>> head, and hot air gathers under the awning and sluices up into the
>>> van
>>> through the open door. I solve that by attaching an "under roof"
>>> beneath
>>> the awning with (tie-died) fabric and binder clips. Miles cooler
>>> underneath then.
>>>
>>> Like many tents and tent-like products, once open, it can't be put
>>> back
>>> into the box it came out of. The aluminum case over the door is too
>>> small for any normal human to get the awning and poles into. I carry
>>> the
>>> poles in the back of the van, using only one for rolling up the
>>> fabric
>>> into the case.
>>>
>>> The fiberglass poles are amazingly sturdy -- I was once caught by a
>>> surprise updraft before I had the tiedowns tied down, and the wind
>>> bent
>>> the awning straight up, the poles were curved 90 degrees or more,
>>> and
>>> were unfazed. Mine have microscopic glass fibers that poke into and
>>> irritate my skin, like handling fiberglass insulation, so I handle
>>> the
>>> poles with gloves.
>>>
>>> I used a BD awning several years ago, thought it was a PITA to
>>> assemble
>>> up and disassemble, and it felt clunky. The design may have changed.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Rocky J Squirrel
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, 2010-08-17 at 13:32 -0700, Jeffrey Vickers wrote:
>>>> I have a Shady Boy and like it a lot. The crank-out Fiamma is
>>>> definitely the easiest to deploy but more expensive, heavier and
>>>> also
>>>> not "domed" like Troy says. The Shady Boy is domed and being 6
>>>> ft, it
>>>> gives me the sense of more head room. It takes about 5 minutes to
>>>> set
>>>> up and with no wind, you don't need the vertical poles at the
>>>> corners
>>>> - its self supporting and just kinda "floats". You can essentially
>>>> "drop" the Shady Boy in about 30 seconds by pulling out two poles
>>>> and
>>>> unclipping the vertical poles. Pretty easy - and a good thing when
>>>> the
>>>> wind comes up fast.
>>>>
>>>> Jeff
>>>> On Aug 17, 2010, at 12:28 PM, Automatic digest processor wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:45:17 -0800
>>>>> From: Troy <colorworks@GCI.NET>
>>>>> Subject: Which awning is best
>>>>>
>>>>> "But the second choice is the cheapest on the market, the Shady
>>>>> Boy. Several friends
>>>>> have them and are happy with them."
>>>>>
>>>>> The cheapest awning on the market is the bus depot awning at $119.
>>>>> One consideration not mentioned is the fact the gutter rail that
>>>>> the
>>>>> awning attaches to is only 6 feet tall, and if you want water to
>>>>> drain that means your awning is going to be lower at the furthest
>>>>> edge from the van. If you're taller than 6 feet, it can get pretty
>>>>> cramped under the awning. This is where the bus depot dome shaped
>>>>> awning really excels. Is it as convenient as being able to crank
>>>>> out
>>>>> the awning?, heck no, but you do tend to get what you pay for. The
>>>>> BD awning can be assembled in about five minutes though. Of course
>>>>> the subject was "best" awning, but best can be subjective too.
>>>>>
>>>>> Troy
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
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