Adding awning to Argosy - pull out or patio style?

[Jum]

Our 26ft Argosy does not have an awning and we're wanting to add one.

A new Zip Dee is ~$3500 shipped, plus either I install or get it installed for extra. A patio style from Marti's or Shelley's is under $1000.

I like the open-ness of a patio style as you don't have to walk around the awning arms but takes a lot more setup. You have to store it while traveling vs a Zip Dee being on the trailer.

Any feedback?

Resale value isn't a factor - we bought the trailer for $10,500 and have put another $13,000 in it plus I'm currently doing an 800W/560ah solar/lithium setup also so we're already beyond what it could sell for but are building it out for our needs.

Here are pics of each style.

[overlander64]

Greetings Jum!

My suggestion would be to definitely consider the convenience of the ZipDee. I have had rigs with the old-fashioned rope and pole awnings as well as my 1964 Overlander that I opted for the ZipDee.

I travel solo, and a rope and pole awning just became too much of a problem for setup on a regular basis, particularly for a longer trailer like the Overlander (26-foot). True, the ZipDee is an expense, but with the weather guard cover that protects the fabric from UV exposure when the trailer is in storage, the awning fabric lasts a very long time. With regular care as outlined by ZipDee that awning continues to look and function like new for years. The one that I had installed on my Overlander is now over 20 years old. It still looks and operates just as it did when it was new. I can easily deploy the awning myself, as well as store and lock it for travel; but I know that I would no longer be able to fight a rope and pole awning of the size used on the Overlander.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

[Bubba L]

Jim, as Kevin mentioned, a ZipDee would make more sense if you’re traveling alone. A rope and pole awning would take forever to set up alone. But, since my wife and I travel together, we prefer the rope and pull awning. My wife ordered the awning material and sewed the seams and grommets herself for both our trailers. We use adjustable paint poles from a box store. It takes us about 5 minutes to se up. For a rainy period we can adjust the awning for drainage. If we have wind our ropes have a spring and pulley on the end to allow awning bellowing without the stake pulling out. If you need pictures let me know. Bubba

[Jum]

We went with a patio style from Marti's. She (Kelly) is/was running her winter sale and I couldn't pass it up since she had one premade in a pattern that my wife was all about.

[Stefrobrts]

Originally Posted by Bubba L

If we have wind our ropes have a spring and pulley on the end to allow awning bellowing without the stake pulling out. If you need pictures let me know. Bubba

I have a vintage style awning we have never setup yet. I'd like to see your spring and pulley setup.

[Jum]

Me too.

[Bubba L]

I’ll post some pictures of the spring and pulley used on the rope and pole awning shortly.

[Bubba L]

This is the pulley and spring assembly. You can get everything at a box store. You will see a spike in the ground with a washer to keep the rope from slipping off the head of the spike. That small loop of rope is attached to the bottom of a spring that has a pulley on the other top end. The awning cord is threaded through the pulley and kept taunt by the wooden handle.



The fiberglass awning poles are actually higher quality telescoping painters' poles and screwed onto the end is a paint roller with the roller assembly cut off leaving a spike to slip through the awning grommet.


Here you see the pulley and spring in use. Normally the two end awning poles would not have been dropped as they are, but rains were forecasted, and this keeps water from pooling on top of the awning.


Hope this helps,

[Jum]

You sir, are a genius. I love the setup and use of everyday objects.

[Bubba L]

Originally Posted by Jum

You sir, are a genius. I love the setup and use of everyday objects.

Thanks Jum. Just trying to build a better mouse trap that works for us.

[Stefrobrts]

That is awesome, thanks!