Does anyone have a roll-out awning on their PU?

[monstertrap]

I am getting ready to purchase a used Coleman Niagara that does not have a awning.  I am trying to decide whether or not to purchase a coleman awning.  Has anyone added a roll-out awning like the one linked below to their PU?  If so, do you like it and is there any problems?  Also, what is the width of the awning on a niagara, is it a 10ft awning??

http://www.carefreeofcolorado.com/SuperSport.html

Thanks
John

[Willc]

We have the campout and I love it. If it fails we will go with the super sport

[monstertrap]

The Super Sport is nice but there are some concerns.  First and most important take your time operating it or you WILL damage the awning or camper (First hand knowledge).  My other issue is that it does not raise up quite as high as I would like.  At full extension it is still a little lower than the camper's roof.  This is great for rain runoff, but not for a 6'04" guy to walk under.  

John K.

[brainpause]

We have a roll-out awning, but cannot remember the last time we used it. We use a Quik Shade instead.

Larry

[lushy]

The Super Sport is nice but there are some concerns.  First and most important take your time operating it or you WILL damage the awning or camper (First hand knowledge).  My other issue is that it does not raise up quite as high as I would like.  At full extension it is still a little lower than the camper's roof.  This is great for rain runoff, but not for a 6'04" guy to walk under.  

John K.

I am in the market for a new awning too, since I damaged mine in a rain/thunder/wind storm this past weekend. I currently have the Campout bag model and so far I am pleased with it. The hard part is the unrolling and rolling part. My wife  :theking:  helps me and it's not exactly easy for her, but she manages very well and says it's worth it because it is nice to have the awning. It really doesn't bother me, but it would be nice if it was a little easier! I am considering the Supersport model also. It sound like it's less work and 1 person can do it according to the Carefree web site??

John K. could you please explain your concerns about operating the Supersport awning. What happened to the camper and awning when you damaged them while operating the awning and what caused it? I'm 6'3" tall, so the height issue is a concern for me too. Do you use the awning in the "carport" position? Any more info you could share would be greatly appreciated!!

I spoke with a salesman at the local RV dealer today and he mentioned that a customer purchased the Supersport model and was not "totally satisfied" with it because they said it does not operate as Carefree explained in their brochure. He said he has another brand, Catalina, but I haven't checked it out yet nor have I heard of them before.

[monstertrap]

I am in the market for a new awning too, since I damaged mine in a rain/thunder/wind storm this past weekend. I currently have the Campout bag model and so far I am pleased with it. The hard part is the unrolling and rolling part. My wife  :theking:  helps me and it's not exactly easy for her, but she manages very well and says it's worth it because it is nice to have the awning. It really doesn't bother me, but it would be nice if it was a little easier! I am considering the Supersport model also. It sound like it's less work and 1 person can do it according to the Carefree web site??

John K. could you please explain your concerns about operating the Supersport awning. What happened to the camper and awning when you damaged them while operating the awning and what caused it? I'm 6'3" tall, so the height issue is a concern for me too. Do you use the awning in the "carport" position? Any more info you could share would be greatly appreciated!!

I spoke with a salesman at the local RV dealer today and he mentioned that a customer purchased the Supersport model and was not "totally satisfied" with it because they said it does not operate as Carefree explained in their brochure. He said he has another brand, Catalina, but I haven't checked it out yet nor have I heard of them before.

The first issue is mounting it.  The brackets for the coleman have double-side tape, which does not not work (at least here in our high humidity).  Make sure when mounting to use the correct mounting bracket, as they send you three.  After cleaning the tape off I had to use an apoxy to adhere to the ABS roof.  The super sport will rise with the camper without any problems, but going down is another story.  If my memory serves me correctly their instructions have you lowering the camper while the awning is extended.  Since we don't always extend ours that did not make complete sense to me.  If you close the camper while the awning is rolled up it is preferable to have two people, one lowering the camper and one monitoring the awning.  The main thing to watch is the bar that attaches to the roof then over to the awning.  It has push pins that will lock when the camper is lowered.  It is best to have this bar unhooked at the bottom when lowering.  If the push pin locks then something has to give or break.  In regards to the height problem - when the awning is fully extended it slants downwarded from the camper roof.  I guess all awnings do this, but the pop-up roof is not as high as travel trailers, so it ends up being pretty low.  I fine it best to just not fully extend the awning, that way it is higher.  Don't get me wrong it is a nice awning, but it is not as easy as they make it sound.  It has issues just like the bag awning.  I do not leave  mine extended at night.  Unlike the bag awning which may tear in a storm, I am not sure what would happen with this one.  It may damage the awning track on the roof or worse - It is pretty solid when extended...  Hope this helps - it is hard to picture unless you have one mounted to look at.

John K.

[lushy]

John,

Thanks for the info.  :!   It really helps. The lowering issue corcerns me though. I have a Palomino hardsided folding wall PU and the folding operation is basically the same as a canvas sided pop up with the exception of the walls folding inward when lowering the PU. I'm going to check with the dealer to see how compatible the supersport is with my PU and to see how the awning mounts to the roof. From the picture online it looks as if it attaches to the roof in the "C" channel like a bag awning does? I would like to have the option of rolling the awning up at night like you do, and to have the ease of just rolling or unrolling it when ever I want.....especially in bad weather.

Thanks again :!

[Miller Tyme]

Lushy-
 
 I, too have the hard-side Palomino. I installed the Campout model awning last year. Fairly easy do-it-yourself job to install, about an hour's work, if you take your time.
 The awning slides into your "C" channel, and 2 sidewall braces are provided to screw into the sides, to use your awning without having to anchor to the ground, which is also an option--carport mode, as it's called.
 With the hard-sides, you have to set up the awning AFTER the sides go up, and take the awning down BEFORE the sides come down. It also helps to have 2 people do the job---goes faster and easier.
 However, if you need the option of rolling up the awning in anticipation of bad weather, maybe the "SuperSport" would be more your style. However, on the many camping boards that I frequent, there are issues with this model awning, as John K. mentioned.
 
 Good luck with your decision!:eyecrazy::D

[lushy]

Thanks Miller Tyme!

I think I am going with the Campout model after hearing some issues with the Supersport. I've heard alot of people happy with the Campout model (another post). Nice to hear from a fellow "hard-sider", I don't see or hear about too many of us.

Happy Camping!  :!

[hoppy]

I added the Campout model to my Palomino (soft side), and it was the best investment I  ever made. The Super Sport is nice, but it is about ninety bucks more expensive than the Campout. With a couple of set-up's and take downs, it should take less than five minutes. The set up can be done by one person, and two people to roll up the awning during the break down.

 Very easy to install, and is very versitle with the number of set-up positions, since the side and verticle poles are adjustable.

  Go for it, you won't be disappointed with this model.

[lushy]

I bought it!  :#  And I am very pleased with the Carefree Campout. After rolling/unrolling the awning a few times to figure it out (with help friom my wife) I tried it alone and it is no problem now by myself. Installation was a "piece of cake". However, I did "beef" up the support brackets that mount to the side of the camper with bolts/nuts and brackets on the back side rather than use the supplied screws. The screws seem to not be enough to hold the brackets in during windy days and I lost my last awning due to heavy rains/winds and I don't want to lose this one.

Thanks again for the info!

[PattieAM]

I bought an 06 Niagara in September, and I did request an awning and the add-a-room.  We love it!  We have two large dogs and a little one, and having the add-a-room has given us and the dogs space to enjoy in any weather!  The secret to easy and fast assembly is to unclip your top, raise it just a few inches (we do it to open PUP door to access our add-a-room pieces), unfurl the awning, (with the 3 legs at their lowest setting), attach the center of the front panel first - working towards each end, inserting the awning support rods (4), and then adding the side panels - raise the roof to full height and zip the sides to the front, clip tops and bottoms of side panels to PUP hooks, then we do the skirting and zip that to the sides and unroll our carpet.  Sometime thereafter, my happy hubby puts a strand of clear x-mas lights up in the room and we are all set.  The awning and add-a-room have done well in 30 mph wind gusts.  Hope this helps!  Happy Camping!

[tlhdoc]

I bought it! :# And I am very pleased with the Carefree Campout. After rolling/unrolling the awning a few times to figure it out (with help friom my wife) I tried it alone and it is no problem now by myself. Installation was a "piece of cake". However, I did "beef" up the support brackets that mount to the side of the camper with bolts/nuts and brackets on the back side rather than use the supplied screws. The screws seem to not be enough to hold the brackets in during windy days and I lost my last awning due to heavy rains/winds and I don't want to lose this one.
 
Thanks again for the info!

I am glad you like the new awning.  Other than the screws is there anything you don't like about it?

[lushy]

tlhdoc,
I used the Campout awning only 3 times late in the season and from those 3 times I can say I really like it. It's easy to put up/take down, quality seems to be very good. I can't say there's something I don't like as of yet.

The screw issue is a minor issue but I would highly recommend that the awning foot supports that you attach to the side of the PU be attached using something other than the supplied screws. Maybe I am being "paranoid"  :eyecrazy:  but it seemed like the screws were not enough to hold in the supports with the awning up and I don't want to lose another awning.

I already made a mod for using the awning in the "carport" position (with the awning legs anchored to the ground instead of the camper). I bought two 18 inch screw-type anchors, like the ones you would use for a dog, and welded a 4 inch piece of angle to the top of the anchors. On the top of the angle I drilled holes to match up with the awning foot supports and attach the awning feet to the anchors with bolts/wing-nuts. Don't have to use ropes/bungees to tie down awning. Haven't been able to use them yet though. Cost me under $10.

Hope this helps!

[cmallory]

tlhdoc,
I used the Campout awning only 3 times late in the season and from those 3 times I can say I really like it. It's easy to put up/take down, quality seems to be very good. I can't say there's something I don't like as of yet.

The screw issue is a minor issue but I would highly recommend that the awning foot supports that you attach to the side of the PU be attached using something other than the supplied screws. Maybe I am being "paranoid"  :eyecrazy:  but it seemed like the screws were not enough to hold in the supports with the awning up and I don't want to lose another awning.

I already made a mod for using the awning in the "carport" position (with the awning legs anchored to the ground instead of the camper). I bought two 18 inch screw-type anchors, like the ones you would use for a dog, and welded a 4 inch piece of angle to the top of the anchors. On the top of the angle I drilled holes to match up with the awning foot supports and attach the awning feet to the anchors with bolts/wing-nuts. Don't have to use ropes/bungees to tie down awning. Haven't been able to use them yet though. Cost me under $10.

Hope this helps!

Sounds like a great idea, do you have any pics of this to better understand how you have set this up?