Awning or Easy Up?

[Gizerd]

The pop-up we just purchased has an awning on it. It’s the roll out kind that has legs that go to the ground (not the fancy kind with legs attached to the RV) Darned if we didn’t break it the first time we opened it—we live on a 55 acre farm (aka wind tunnel).

I’m wondering now: Specifically to Fort Wilderness…should we bother fixing it or just bring an easy-up? We’re going to be leaving our camp for large amounts of time to go to the parks. I don’t want to have to take an awning down every morning before I go…

Is there a lot of wind? Or do those trees really do their job?

Do people leave their easy-ups/awnings out all day?

 

[Cousin Ed C]

We stay for the winter. Our awning automatically retracts when the wind is too much. It is set at the most sensitive setting and the four years we used it at the Fort it NEVER retracted. If we leave out at home it hardly goes a day! EZ-Ups are great.

 

[Mcert01]

I would fix it personally. However, I would not leave it up when I went into the parks regardless, especially if you are going in the summer. The afternoon thunderstorms can do some serious damage to awnings. On one trip I remember helping a FW neighbor detach and dispose of his RV awning which had been wrenched off in the wind. Not the way you want to end your day at WDW!

 

[SunshineCamper]

Summer afternoon when the storms come in are the weakest times for the awnings. We were there in July (a few years ago) and saw a storm coming in at DTD. Got back to the ft. and all the damaged and tangled awnings laying in piles at the "curb" or still half attached to the RV's. We were fortunate. Our awning survived (probably due to the angle of the wind) and our First Up (canopy) ripped and the frame broke. It was time for a new one.

 

[KristinU]

I'd go with an EZ Up, staked down at the Fort. And lower it when you go to the parks for the day. We have found that EZ Ups withstand wind better when they're lowered to their lowest setting (like 2-3 feet off the ground), or at least ours does.

Then decide if you want to replace the PUP awning. Do be sure to fill any holes if the screws ripped out. PUP awnings are putsy, but are so nice to add the extra covered space right outside the door, especially when it is raining!

 

[Teamubr]

I'd replace the PUP awning to have it, but at the fort (or other times when you will be gone most of the day), I'd take an easy up.

The downside is having the room to carry the easy up. Up side is it is only $100 (or less) to replace an easy up and you can do it at WalMart. Replacing the RV awning will run quite a bit more and mean a trip back to the dealer/service center.

j

 

[bama_ed]

Having replaced a popup awning, first tell what EXACTLY "broke".

Did the canvas rip/tear?

Did the bag that holds the awning pull off the roof slide track?

Did a pole break?

Did a pole tip snap off or come loose?

Bama Ed

 

[Gizerd]

A pole broke.

There are the two attached poles at each corner, one for the ground and one that swings back up against the trailer. The one that swings up against the trailer snapped in half. It is unfixable as the aluminum bent and bending it back just snapped it right in half like a cookie--not an end, at the actual middle.

Even though this was a seriously cheap, old camper...it was obvious they never used the awning--brand new--perfect canvas, perfect poles and now broken.

-e

 

[2goofycampers]

A pole broke.

There are the two attached poles at each corner, one for the ground and one that swings back up against the trailer. The one that swings up against the trailer snapped in half. It is unfixable as the aluminum bent and bending it back just snapped it right in half like a cookie--not an end, at the actual middle.

Even though this was a seriously cheap, old camper...it was obvious they never used the awning--brand new--perfect canvas, perfect poles and now broken.

-e

Check with local dealers that sell pop ups. We needed a pole and our dealer had a whole awning they were throwing out and gave us the pole from it.

 

[North of Mouse]

The pop-up we just purchased has an awning on it. It’s the roll out kind that has legs that go to the ground (not the fancy kind with legs attached to the RV) Darned if we didn’t break it the first time we opened it—we live on a 55 acre farm (aka wind tunnel).

I’m wondering now: Specifically to Fort Wilderness…should we bother fixing it or just bring an easy-up? We’re going to be leaving our camp for large amounts of time to go to the parks. I don’t want to have to take an awning down every morning before I go…

Is there a lot of wind? Or do those trees really do their job?

Do people leave their easy-ups/awnings out all day?

Sorry about your awning pole. but better at home than at a campground somewhere else, maybe???

No advice on how to fix it, but as to leaving them up at FW we have never had a problem leaving ours up. We give it a good tilt, but otherwise have had no issues. The only time we put it up was during Tropical Storm Fay - happened to be there when it came through.

There are some that close them every day before they leave for parks, so guess it's an individual decision. I would use an awning over an EZ UP, but again just a personal decision.