[trailertrash]

Hi all...
I have such a great love for Zip Dees, I just think they're incredibly nice and easy to operate. I had an A+E last year on an Overlander that I traveled through Europe in, and it was OK, but just barely OK...

I know I can't afford to put Zip Dees on everything in my "fleet" and have been trying to figure out a way to get the kind of vintage look that preceeded the ZD's, and affordably. I don't even think the ZD's would look right on my spartans, so I have to find a different way.

Every decent sized city in the US has an awning or canvas company- here I'm really fortunate- we have a hundred that serve the yachting industry, and its pretty inexpensive to have a piece made to my specs. You can go to Sunbrella's website, and figure out who distributes close to you, and ask them who can sew to your specs. I'm going to try a twist on mine- a sleeve for an aluminum rail at the outer top edge for rigidity, and to that I'll connect the upright supports, and a rail on both sides that will have a small piece of aluminum rod- same size as the bead that slips into the rail mounted on the top of the trailer. It will form sort of an upside down "L" and will give support both vertically for lift and horizontally for stand off strength.

I get to see all the little tricks they use in Europe, and while I'm happy with sun protection only, they have a zip on screen room, and it adds a whole lot more space, with not only screens but plastic windows for chilly nights. They eat there and its like having an additional room that is almost the same size as the trailer. They usually stay in one place for a week or 2 though, and it takes a bit of time to set the whole thing up. Maybe it appeals to someone here?