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Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:42 pm

Hi,

My wife and I have a '76 westfalia. We've looked at several options for awnings/tents we can hang from our bus to give us a camping deck(sort of). The most logical one will cost $300, and it's from the "bus depot" website. It is called "the hamburg". Any thoughts or clever ideas?

I'm telling my wife we can rig something, but she is doubtfull. Any imput that will make my life less costly will be appreciated.

B.C

:roll:

Fri Mar 02, 2007 12:30 am

Did you take a look at this one? I've had mine for about two years now. It's simple, inexpensive and works well. I especially like the dome design. It gives a nice amount of head room unlike the permanently installed awnings. It all packs up into a nice bag for storage.

http://busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=A7905

Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:22 am

A set of adjustable tent poles from WalMart, a 10x10 poly tarp, a couple of spring clamps, two wooden dowels that will fit into your rain gutter, rope, and a couple of stakes. That is what someone on this forum suggested earlier and it works for me. Cheap and you can get the parts anywhere.

Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:53 am

Calumet wrote: A set of adjustable tent poles from WalMart, a 10x10 poly tarp, a couple of spring clamps, two wooden dowels that will fit into your rain gutter, rope, and a couple of stakes. That is what someone on this forum suggested earlier and it works for me. Cheap and you can get the parts anywhere.

Ditto!

Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:05 am

Calumet wrote: A set of adjustable tent poles from WalMart, a 10x10 poly tarp, a couple of spring clamps, two wooden dowels that will fit into your rain gutter, rope, and a couple of stakes. That is what someone on this forum suggested earlier and it works for me. Cheap and you can get the parts anywhere.

I agree as well.

tent poles from wal-mart - $9
tarp from harbor freight - $3
plastic clips from harbor freight - $4
daughter posing for the camera - $priceless

Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:24 am

Calumet wrote: A set of adjustable tent poles from WalMart, a 10x10 poly tarp, a couple of spring clamps, two wooden dowels that will fit into your rain gutter, rope, and a couple of stakes. That is what someone on this forum suggested earlier and it works for me. Cheap and you can get the parts anywhere.

Same here except I had some spring loaded "bulldog" clips and 3/4" PVC pipe for poles on hand, and rigged mine up for about $5. It aint fancy but it keeps the sun and rain off your head, which is all ya need. Save your money for more IMPORTANT camping essentials, like food and beer. :P

Fri Mar 02, 2007 11:11 am

I have made the same thing, more or less, but with a PU-coated ripstop tent fly fabric, shock-corded Easton aluminum poles, a top-sekret way of holding it on to the gutter (without clamps) correct reflective guylines and proper tent stakes. I was planning on selling them for $95.

Fri Mar 02, 2007 12:26 pm

I like the EZ Awning - have had it two years now. I fiddled with making my own initially - cheap tarp, cheap poles, cheap rope, etc, and got about what I paid for.

Homemade is okay for shade, but in a rainstorm, how well will your flat topped tarps drain? Once some water collects in there, the downward bulge will just get bigger and bigger.

Just my 2 cents. And no making fun of my mother - she's 71 and still camping.

Fri Mar 02, 2007 12:46 pm

anyone have experience with a kelty carport?

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?pro...REI_SEARCH

Kinda like the busdepot, but more deluxe, more $$$

***EDIT***broke down and bought one...really nice! Got pictures in my gallery...

Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:01 pm

I got lucky...mine came with one! I'm assuming it's original.

You can kind of see it here (not open).

Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:08 pm

I like the look of the shadyboy...I would like to get one one day, but right now I just use an EZ-up and stake it up against the side of my bus. That way I can drive away to run errands etc if I need to.

Fri Mar 02, 2007 5:59 pm

Calumet wrote: A set of adjustable tent poles from WalMart, ... Cheap and you can get the parts anywhere.

Baby jesus cries every time you say WalMart.

Fri Mar 02, 2007 6:31 pm

Ordered an EZ-Awning from Bus Depot about a year ago. Still has not shipped. They say they are back ordered. I was hoping to have it for spring camping.

I think they could do better on this. Has anyone else ordered one of these?

Fri Mar 02, 2007 6:41 pm

I bought an easy up tent that was green for 69$ at my local camping store. Works perfect and does not attach to the bus so I can move it I have too! Alot better looking and more sturdy then the bus depot model, plus cheap!

http://www.variflex.com/canopies.html

I purchased the weekender 10x10 model!

Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:03 pm

Looks good. I think Sports Authority sells em. Might go get one tommorrow.

Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:06 pm

Quadratrückseite wrote: I got lucky...mine came with one! I'm assuming it's original.

it is not.

Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:15 pm

Quadratrückseite wrote: ...mine came with one! I'm assuming it's original.

Nope, but that is the kind I want.

Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:41 pm

EZ Gruv wrote: Quadratrückseite wrote: ...mine came with one! I'm assuming it's original.

Nope, but that is the kind I want.
Here's a shot of it opened.

Sat Mar 03, 2007 5:59 am

Try www.rvawningsonline.com I got mine from them .It is a roll up that mounts on the side of the bus. It is a nice unit ,you can get the sides for it also. A bit of money but you get what you pay for.
Karl

Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:35 am

casey79westfalia wrote: I bought an easy up tent that was green for 69$ at my local camping store. Works perfect and does not attach to the bus so I can move it I have too! Alot better looking and more sturdy then the bus depot model, plus cheap!

http://www.variflex.com/canopies.html

I purchased the weekender 10x10 model!

You know, that's a good point about using something unattached so you can drive off whenever you want to. I'd thought about getting an awning with the attached screened-in porch setup to effectively increase the interior of my camping setup. But, my other thought was just one of those free-standing screened-in porch tents. So what if it's not attached, right?

If I really wanted total shade coverage from the bus to the porch I could still attach a tarp between the two. I do now that awnings are nice for shading the camper itself, not just people. :)