Visit our Popular Forums

mum@home · 08-25-2011, 12:53 AM

This summer was a mosquito-fest in the mountains. We were considering a bug enclosure tent but, I am wondering about these Tropic Room Enclosures. Wait until Mr. mum@home discovers this thread...

I can't seem to find any current reviews on them.

Do they keep the bugs out from under the trailer?
Do they keep out the no-see-ums too?

If you own one, do you like it?
If you own one, what improvements would you like to see?

What is the general cost of them?

Thanks in advance,
Mrs. mum@home

Jack46 · 08-25-2011, 05:14 AM

I am interested in following the replies to your question as well.

wasagachris · 08-25-2011, 06:41 AM

I have one from a Carefree of Colorado awning on my 73. It worked pretty well at keeping the bugs out, not totally but good enough. there is a skirt that attaches to the bottom of the trailer and goes down to the ground and it attaches to the sides of the screen room. The whole thing is anchored to the ground with tent pegs. It gets a little lumpy on uneven ground but still works.
It is time consuming to set up, probably 30 minutes to attach it to the awning tube, attach the side to the awning fabric and the sides of the trailer, attach the skirt to the trailer and to the screen room sides. So putting away your awning in a hurry because of incoming foul weather is not possible. If it's just a rainfall then you can drop one side of the awning to let the rain run off and the screen room just sags.
I am going to get a new one for my new zip dee awning once I get it installed on the trailer.
I don't know what they cost as my original came with the trailer.

tkasten · 08-25-2011, 06:54 AM

We decided not to include the screen room when we installed our new Zip Dee's on our 65 Safari. We had one for our SOB camper and did not like the amount of time and effort to install and take down. We now set up a screen tent right in front of our awning. It works really well. Keeps out bugs and we even grill in it during rain.

bobmiller1 · 08-10-2014, 07:08 AM

We stayed at Twin Knobs campground in Kentucky, (oart of Daniel Boone National Forest) Awesome campground and will definitely return, there is not a bad site there.We were there the third week of August 2013, schools must start early there because the place was quite empty. We visited the campground in our 2001 390XL and used the Tropic Room, set up time is about 30 mins. Definitely a must. The bugs there are about one and a half inches long, they look like large bees. Never got stung but we are glad we had the Tropic room.

Protagonist · 08-10-2014, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mum@home

This summer was a mosquito-fest in the mountains. We were considering a bug enclosure tent but, I am wondering about these Tropic Room Enclosures. Wait until Mr. mum@home discovers this thread...

I can't seem to find any current reviews on them.

Do they keep the bugs out from under the trailer?
Do they keep out the no-see-ums too?

If you own one, do you like it?
If you own one, what improvements would you like to see?

What is the general cost of them?

Thanks in advance,
Mrs. mum@home

My enclosure isn't a Zip-Dee, it's a Fiamma, but that's because the awning on my Interstate is a Fiamma as well. Whether I take it depends on how long I'll be camping at that site. The Fiamma enclosures require you to use a ladder to install them, and for a solo camper like me, setup time is about 45 minutes on a good day. So if I'm only camping for a weekend, I don't bother; it wouldn't be up long enough to justify the set-up. But if I'm going to be there more than five or six days, then I do set it up, even if bugs aren't a problem. The extra covered storage— and extra shade— are always appreciated.

Enclosures don't keep bugs out from under the RV because they don't enclose under the RV. For that you would need a skirt to wrap around the bottom edge of the trailer or motorhome, and even then they wouldn't keep out ants. And they don't even completely keep bugs out of the enclosure, either, because if there's an opening where YOU can go in and out, bugs can go through the opening at the same time you do (you can bring bugs in with you). But they do cut down on the bugs considerably.

You can also make it more effective in keeping out bugs by spraying permethrin on the fabric of the enclosure around the edges of the door. Keeping bugs away from the door helps keep them from going through the door.

No-see-ums can go through some screens, so if you want to keep them out, spraying the screens with permethrin is the only way I know of. But then again, no-see-ums are just an annoynace, not a health hazard like biting or stinging insects.

As for cost, since mine isn't a Zip-Dee my answer would be meaningless to you, but I suspect that if you're handy with a sewing machine and can make your own pattern, you can buy the screen material and make your own cheaper than you can buy a pre-made one. If you do that, you might still want to go to Zip-Dee and buy those long tubular bags that you fill with water to weight down the bottom edges. I bought Zip-Dee water tubes for my Fiamma awning to save having to stake down the edges, so now for the first time I can use my enclosure on a paved campsite and don't have to park in dirt or gravel to set it up.

78SovIntl31 · 10-30-2014, 05:54 AM

I enquired about one earlier this year (February) from Zip Dee.
I like the concept, but am still on the fence. - my awnings are 23 years old. So I think I might wait untill I'm up for replacement fabric.

At the time, a Tropic Room for a 21ft awning sells for $1259.00(USD) plus UPS Shipping

Protagonist · 10-30-2014, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 78SovIntl31

I enquired about one earlier this year (February) from Zip Dee.
I like the concept, but am still on the fence. - my awnings are 23 years old. So I think I might wait untill I'm up for replacement fabric.

At the time, a Tropic Room for a 21ft awning sells for $1259.00(USD) plus UPS Shipping

Or look at it this way… If you wait until you get the repalcement awning fabric, then you've got two big expenses back-to-back so the Tropic Room might be harder to afford then. If you really want a Tropic Room go ahead and get it as soon as you can afford it. You can use it perfectly well with the old awning too.

AWCHIEF · 10-30-2014, 07:32 AM

When I got my new to me Safari it came with a never used ZipDee screen room. Looks like the previous owner never finished installing all the buttons and snaps required to set it up. Now most are missing. I need to contact ZipDee to see what I need. I would like to have it usable by next summers bug season.

PaulnGina · 10-30-2014, 10:07 AM

My 1987 Avion 34W had a Zip-Dee screen room on it at one time, but unfortunately, the only things left of it are the snaps along the body of the trailer. I would LOVE to have the room again! Maybe one of these days.

78SovIntl31 · 10-31-2014, 06:06 AM

Protagonist,
My awnings are in nice condition (especially for being 23 years old), but I am afraid that a new tropic room will make my fabric look old and tired. - either way it will cost me a tropic room, and new fabric for my awnings.

pattydoug · 02-09-2015, 05:35 PM

We are going to re=ask this question but would REALLY like to hear from ZipDee Screen Room OWNERS who have actually used them. Everything else is just ......

AWCHIEF · 02-09-2015, 06:43 PM

This has been ask several times. Same low number of responses. I really do not think it is a popular option.

pattydoug · 02-10-2015, 06:45 AM

Someone must be buying them or they wouldn't be making them.

Sent from my iPod touch using Airstream Forums

AWCHIEF · 02-10-2015, 08:16 AM

OK, I should of said - Not a popular option with Airforum members or airstream owners. You might try your question on the SOB forums.

KJRitchie · 02-10-2015, 09:06 AM

What happens if the wind comes up suddenly and you have to take it down quickly? I find the Zee Dee not the easiest to deploy and retract quickly and could image a screen room makes it harder. I would go with a good screen tent as mentioned before.

Kelvin

switz · 02-10-2015, 09:06 AM

Not all Airstream owners use this forum, so the size of the response crowd is smaller than the OP may have thought.

AWCHIEF · 02-10-2015, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

What happens if the wind comes up suddenly and you have to take it down quickly? I find the Zee Dee not the easiest to deploy and retract quickly and could image a screen room makes it harder. I would go with a good screen tent as mentioned before.

Kelvin

That is a concern I also have. Trying to decide if it is worth the effort to install and use my Tropic Room.

Protagonist · 02-10-2015, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

What happens if the wind comes up suddenly and you have to take it down quickly? I find the Zip Dee not the easiest to deploy and retract quickly and could image a screen room makes it harder.

A screen room would make the awning more difficult to retract if wind comes up. But by the same token the awning— with screen room attached and the walls properly staked down— has a higher wind resistance than an awning that doesn't have a screen room because the staked-down walls add stability. There's also less uplift force on the awning because the screen acts as a partial windbreak.

That said, the time to take down a screen room and retract your awning is when you first wonder if you should, exactly the same as when taking in your awning if there's no screen room attached.

Foiled Again · 02-10-2015, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkasten

We decided not to include the screen room when we installed our new Zip Dee's on our 65 Safari. We had one for our SOB camper and did not like the amount of time and effort to install and take down. We now set up a screen tent right in front of our awning. It works really well. Keeps out bugs and we even grill in it during rain.

MUCH MORE PRACTICAL and if the wind destroys it, it doesn't rip the crap out of the side of your Airstream where the awning braces attach. (DO set it up a few feet away from the side of the A/S and anchor it down so that it doesn't fly into your A/S in a sudden storm.) These shelters can come down in about 3 minutes flat if the wind whips up.

Paula