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As more people took to the road for vacations and camping, the need for shelters, shade, and extra space grew. Car awnings provide an easy solution for RVs, trucks with campers, and vehicles towing trailers. In today's blog post, we'll guide you through the benefits of car awnings and show you how to choose your own car awnings.
Benefits of Car Awnings
- Shade and protection from the sun, rain, and wind-A car awning shades your vehicle's interior, keeping it cooler on hot days and helps the inside of your vehicle dry, and prevents leaks or water damage. Wind barriers can also reduce lateral wind flow for more stability.
- Expand living space-A car awning creates extra covered space that can be used as a patio or patio extension. It gives you more room under the awning for activities like eating, lounging, or preparing food. This extra space extends your living area and allows you to stay outside your vehicle more comfortably.
- Privacy-Some car awnings come with vinyl or mesh panels that can provide shade while still allowing views. These panels can also be extended to the ground to create more privacy when closed for changing, sleeping, or other private activities. Side windows are also an option on many awnings.
- Storage-Car awnings have poles and frames that can double as racks for carrying gear, bikes, kayaks, or other equipment. The flat, covered space under the awning also gives you a place to keep exterior equipment, chairs, tables, grills and more organized and off the ground.
- Security-An extended car awning creates a physical barrier between your vehicle and the outside environment. This can deter intruders, ward off animals, and prevent children or pets from accessing your vehicle unsupervised. The awning essentially extends the boundaries of your vehicle's interior space.
- Ventilation-While awnings provide shade and shelter, mesh panels and side windows allow for airflow and ventilation when needed. This allows you to keep the awning extended for coverage while still having fresh air circulation in your vehicle's interior.
In summary, car awnings provide substantial benefits for camping. They create extra space, shade, shelter, and storage while improving comfort, convenience, privacy, security, and ventilation.
How to Choose the Best Car Awning
Choosing a high-quality car awning can make your camping trips more enjoyable and comfortable. There are many options available at a range of price points, sizes, and features. Consider the following factors to select the awning that best suits your needs:
- Size: Car awnings typically range from 4 to 10 feet wide, with the most common sizes being 6.7, 8.2, and 9.8 feet across. Measure the width of your vehicle, including any overhang, to determine how much coverage you need. Larger awnings provide more shade and space but are heavier, more challenging to set up and store, and cost more. For most vehicles, a 4- to 15-foot awning is a good balance.
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Style: The two most popular awning styles are van-mounted and soft-sided. Van-mounted awnings attach directly to your vehicle's roof rails or ladder. They provide more coverage and stability but are permanently attached and difficult to remove. Soft-sided awnings have freestanding frames and can be set up and taken down easily. They offer more versatility but may not extend as far from the vehicle. The style that works best depends on how often you move or remove your awning.
- Material: Awning materials include vinyl, polyester, and aluminum. Vinyl and polyester are affordable and water-resistant but can be prone to sagging and tearing. Aluminum awnings provide more durability and stability with a stiffer frame and stronger, tauter materials. They last longer but also cost significantly more than vinyl or polyester. For most casual camping, a vinyl or polyester awning will suit your needs perfectly well.
- Extras: Some car awnings feature additional features like LED lights, side windows, front and rear panels, mesh panels, etc. These extras can be convenient but also add to the weight, cost and complexity of the awning. Determine how many extras or features you need to keep your options simple.
Conclusion
Consider your needs, size requirements, style preferences, and budget to choose between the many car awnings available. With the right awning for your camping vehicle, you'll stay cooler in the summer and drier in the rain, making every camping trip more enjoyable, comfortable, and memorable. Comparing options side by side can help you find an awning that best suits your needs within your budget. If you need more information about car awnings, please refer to our website.
