Member Since: 27 Dec 2009
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 6551
@Brendan only issue, and I’d probably have this issue with any awning, is having the room at home to get it out if it needs drying. Would be easier (ish) with just a side awning. Plus before I didn’t have anywhere to store it when not on the car. That’s been addressed with the addition of my new man cave though D4 MY15 SE TECH
D3 gone but never forgotten.
4th Feb 2020 5:55 pm
leeds
Member Since: 30 Aug 2010
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 4312
Well the only suggest for drying an awning at home might be to move to a bigger property, however that may not be practical on several fronts however.
A side awning which rolls out can be dried at home by just unrolling it against the side of the vehicle. The front bar might need tying off somehow to prevent it banging against the side of a vehicle.
Brendan
4th Feb 2020 6:04 pm
Andy Foster
Member Since: 27 Dec 2009
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 6551
There is that option
Possibly a shorter road trip though to West Yorkshire when I decide which way to go D4 MY15 SE TECH
D3 gone but never forgotten.
4th Feb 2020 6:45 pm
greg00
Member Since: 08 Dec 2017
Location: Zurich
Posts: 162
I bought my roof tent from xp-edition and they installed it at no cost - great service!
As for the Batwing 270 - we use it very often since it‘s so easy to deploy and I always take my time to tie it down to the ground. Friend of mine broke the hinges while packing it away when he got hit by gust of wind - must be really bad luck. I also got a side panel and intend to buy another one for the next trip. It‘s very handy when setting up camp for longer than a night. Leave the pole that comes with the panel at home and the packing size is quite reasonable.
I don‘t see why one should choose the 180 over the 270. I can still fully open my upper tailgate and the coverage is very useful in the back.
Xp-edition also showed me both Darche Eclipse 270 and 180. I was impressed since it‘s freestanding but didn‘t like that not all poles were integrated. I think you can‘t go wrong with neither of them.
Last edited by greg00 on 4th Feb 2020 10:55 pm. Edited 1 time in total
4th Feb 2020 10:36 pm
leeds
Member Since: 30 Aug 2010
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 4312
The Batwing 270 comes with 8 guy ropes.
4 of the guy ropes comes with S hooks on one end and is designed to go into the hole at top of the hinged pole.
The other 4 guy ropes have just a cut rope end which is intended to be threaded through the webbing loop in the middle of each panel. That is according to the instructions.
We do it the opposite way around the four without the S hooks are tied through the hole at the top of the folding pole. They stay attached permanently which means we hold those guy ropes whilst deploying the Batwing which means we have a good chance of preventing any 'accidents'
The S hooks go much easier into the webbing loops than the roe end.
HTH
Brendan
4th Feb 2020 10:49 pm
greg00
Member Since: 08 Dec 2017
Location: Zurich
Posts: 162
I was disappointed by the cheap quality of guy ropes, pegs and plastic rope loop thingy. S hooks - really?
I replaced them all with good material: stronger ropes which are smaller in diameter and handy little carabiner at each pole, ready to hook up the ropes. Added some stainless nail pegs for hard ground and wide aluminium pegs for sand.
4th Feb 2020 11:08 pm
leeds
Member Since: 30 Aug 2010
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 4312
Well as far as I can tell the guy ropes on the Batwing are the same as the Oztent guy ropes which normally get good reviews. Would not surprise since Rhino Rack and Oztent used to be in colloboration.
I prefer having one set of the guy ropes permanently attached at the top of the drop down poles of the Batwing. Saves time and efforts and possibly avoids 'accidents'.
Brendan
4th Feb 2020 11:43 pm
greg00
Member Since: 08 Dec 2017
Location: Zurich
Posts: 162
That‘s a good advice - I‘ll try it with a fixed rope next time
If I compare the Batwing ropes/accessories to my ground tent that cost half that much, there‘s a big difference in quality and detail. If OZ-tent is the same, I‘m not impressed: my orange ropes started to fade after one summer, show wear, are too bulky and non reflecting at night - I prefer quality tent rope or paracord. Pegs bent the first time I used. I refuse to talk about S-hooks ...
It’s not a big deal since most of better replacement parts I have lying around anyway.
My experience comes from another weight class: ultralight trekking/camping or bicycle camping tours. There you have compact minimalistic gear of very high quality since space is a premium. I‘m used to leave a lot of things at home and to only bring gear that are best in what they’re intended to do but often have a secondary function to lessen the load. The magic words there are Titanium, cuben fibre, carbon ect. In car camping/overlanding the products tend to be not optimized to the last detail. Sometimes I get the feeling, that R&D stops as soon as the product just somehow works. If it works it‘s not a bad concept, but some fine tuning wouldn‘t take much more effort and makes the difference between a good and a great product. Btw I noticed that offroad gear (camping or not) somehow have a higher price tag than similar products from other fields/sports.
Last edited by greg00 on 5th Feb 2020 10:52 pm. Edited 2 times in total
5th Feb 2020 1:36 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13657
Hi
My neighbour swears by them blue diamond power pegs , also some of the glow in the dark ones as well, alas don’t know what there like
Think he uses a cordless drill with a socket for some of them to get them in/ out the ground
Plus, Nothing like smacking between ur toes on a tent peg when going out to the loo
5th Feb 2020 3:06 am
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1651
Personally I think the foxwing type awnings are more designed for side opening rear doors, rather than the tailgate lift style of the D4. Ive never had a vehicle with an awning but that's just my initial, uneducated thought.
Im actually wanting to get a side awning for mine, fully enclosed with hinged legs etc and there is a place near me that does them at a reasonable price on Ebay or in house.
my question for a side awning is what length is the best to get to attach to the D4 roof rails? 2m ?
I currently have the standard fit short roof rails so is it worth me getting the full length roof rails ?
Im looking at getting roof bars to fit, and fitting the awning mounting brackets onto those?
so am I thinking along the right lines ?
TIA
Rog2011 D4 XS 305 MY12 - gone but not forgotten
5th Feb 2020 12:17 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13657
Hi rog
Also following this thread with interest as I’m in the same boat, thinking if getting the extended rails , so can fit an enclosed pullout awning
Wish to start with an awning and option to add sides etc to it later
5th Feb 2020 12:58 pm
greg00
Member Since: 08 Dec 2017
Location: Zurich
Posts: 162
I think the extended rails is a must have for a proper length awning.
The roll-out awning has a compact packed size and may look better if you don‘t have a roof tent.
The regular Batwing is 2.5m and is just a little bit longer than your roofline.
IMHO the new style awnings with hinged arms are so much easier and faster to deploy but they are heavier and their packed size is larger. This could affect your milage and looks.
Since the lower tailgate is the best thing on the D3/4 we live around that area while on the road and the added coverage of the 270 awning is much loved.
5th Feb 2020 1:29 pm
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1651
very nice set up
im not going for roof tent, ill just have ground based tent, and side awning (maybe with side panels)
so you reckon a 2.5m x 2.5m awning with extended roof rails ? whats the overhang like with those dimensions if you don't mind me asking ?
2011 D4 XS 305 MY12 - gone but not forgotten
5th Feb 2020 1:34 pm
greg00
Member Since: 08 Dec 2017
Location: Zurich
Posts: 162
Rog, I don‘t have access to the car now but it‘s easy to measure.
I would definitely go for the 2.5m long awning. 2m is just too small for useful shading. Overhang is personal preference. Some like a very long one to be able to fold it down to include a side wall. I think you should have at least 2.5m.
Meanwhile I can provide a picture with a 2.5m Batwing. I estimate the roof line to be 2.4m (?)
5th Feb 2020 2:43 pm
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1651
that's brilliant thank you, that's exactly what im after so 2.5 x 2.5 it is
now to start on the extended roof rails, roof bars, brackets, awning, new tent...…….. its an expensive business this 2011 D4 XS 305 MY12 - gone but not forgotten
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