T@B awning or Visor XL?

Photomom

Given the lead time for these products, it's getting to be time to order one or the other. I expect to do 95% of the cooking outdoors and need a covered area for rainy days. It is very important that whatever we get can be put up by one person. 

There are are pluses and minuses to both - what have your experiences been? Especially if you bought one, regretted it, and switched to the other. 

Verna

Visor XL-- 5 minutes to install and set up, 5 minutest to take down and put in its bag. Quick and easy shade. If you have concrete, just attach ratchet strap downriggers (buy inexpendive 6' ones at Walmart instead of using the included paracord) to 4-gallon water jugs (or whatever is handy) instead of two tent pegs.   

I do not have the awning, so I cannot give an opinion. I have not used my T@B tent yet. 

jkjenn

Verna said:

Visor XL-- 5 minutes to install and set up, 5 minutest to take down and put in its bag. Quick and easy shade. If you have concrete, just attach ratchet strap downriggers (buy inexpendive 6' ones at Walmart instead of using the included paracord) to 4-gallon water jugs (or whatever is handy) instead of two tent pegs.   

I do not have the awning, so I cannot give an opinion. I have not used my T@B tent yet. 

5 minutes or less. I love the Visor XL. Ability to cook will depend on which direction the wind is blowing. However, I realized I am far more likely to set it up because it takes so little time to set up and pack up.

Photomom

Thanks, any awning people with advice?

Not interested in the tent - we have a very nice Eureka screen house with roll down sides that we'll use when we're camping for longer periods. It takes a couple people a half hour to put up or take down, so it's not well suited to quick trips or when I'm out by myself. 

Ratkity

Visor XL and Tent experience here. VisorXL - ditto on what Verna said, but I haven't had high winds to deal with as of yet (I'm an east-coaster). Another plus for VisorXL is that it dries FAST. The VisorXL will not protect you from heavy or driving rain when you want to cook outdoors.  It'd be downright miserable if it was a heavy cold rain to boot. 

The tent stays wet and has to be laid out to dry (for days), but boy, is it nice when you need extra space and cooking in it would not be an issue - has plenty of ventilation. Went to a gathering and set it up - weather uncooperative with cold rain (no high winds) - was wonderful not to track mud and such into the T@B and nice to sit outside in the tent with ceramic heater going and visit with people. One caveat, you cannot use your pull-out step to get inside your camper. I have an adjustable step that is separate from the camper that I use. It's handy for other things and folds up nice, so I don't mind having to carry it. Another caveat, with any tent, you need to lay an under-floor layer to prevent sticks and sharp things from poking holes in the floor. Pahque sells a nice footprint under-floor mat for it that is well made. It dries fast btw. 

Just reviews about the awning (which I have no experience) that has the sides for it, seems to be what might suit you best. Sides would protect you from winds and someone said 15 min for 1 person to put up. 

Cyclonic

It really depends on the camping we are doing.

The visor is great for one or two night stands, it is easy to put up and keeps the doorway shaded and dry.

If I am staying longer, or if heavy rain is predicted, I go with the awning.  It is a hassle to put up, but creates a large space to work in that will stay dry unless wind is driving right into the front of it.

We stayed at Disney for two weeks last year and used both, I had the visor out front and the awning in the rear of the T@Bpole.  I used the awning as our kitchen space and this worked very well.

Tabaz

I have the XL visor and awning.  Both are awesome products for the T@B.  If I could only have one, I'd go with the awning.  It provides more shelter than the visor and takes only a few extra minutes to pound in 2 or 3 tent pegs.  Plus the sides can be rolled up for a "visor-like" experience.

Nomad

I have the VisorXL and love it but agree with OutbackAZ. The visor gives you a nice little shaded area to sit and be out of the elements but if you need more space than for a couple chairs and table - cooking gear for instance, it's too small.

Photomom

Thanks, everyone, sounds like the first purchase should be the awning. The teardrop shop is reporting a 7-8 week lead time for them!

Verna

@Boo, two weeks ago, a strange burst of wind about 40 to 45 mph came out of the blue one morning. I went outside immediately in the continued 20 mph or so winds and took my Visor XL down. One of the sections of the shock-corded pole was broken. I called Jason at Paha Que and I had a replacement section of pole in 3 days.  This is why I have 5 Paha Que products. They stand behind their lifetime warranty, they do use materials superior to most, and they're small enough to be on a first name basis with their customers. This is the second time they have helped me in a pinch, and I'll stick with them. Their products may outlive me!

Verna

Boo, it was a sudden 40 to 45 mph gust. It was fine in 20 mph, but why risk another shot at 40 to 45 mph?

Tabaz

Boo - wind is wind. PXLated has a great fix for the visor wherein he secures the front of the visor with two ski pole looking struts. I imagine the time to install the ski pole fix with the visor would be the same as the 3 tent pegs for the awning. They are both great products.

driftless

We have both the visor and the awning and use the awning way more than the visor even for one night depending on timeat the campsite.

Tabaz

Regarding Lead times from the Teardrop Shop, unless you are ordering a special color trim, you may be surprised at how quickly your order is filled.  My visor was shipped within two days of ordering, the awning one week and now the canopy was shipped within two days of placing the order. I specified grey on grey, so that may be more of a stock color.

Nomad

Over the 17 months I've had very high overnight gusts come up and whip the Visor around like jello. Have broken (split) a pole twice. Fixed with super glue and electrical tape. It was gusts of 45-50 that did me in. But, the rest of the tents, awnings, etc. were piles of rubish on morning light.

Ratkity

PXL hit the tent peg on the head. In the end, it doesn't matter what product you buy. If you don't have your product securely tied down (extra effort in the SW, apparently), the entire structure will pretzel. 

One TearJerker gathering in PA, I had a 3-legged awning (one leg wouldn't lock, but I could stake it). It was a Coleman "ezup" awning tent I used with my Reverse TD - rem door was in the rear of these units. The awning was not only tied down to the front of the TD (nicely pulled over and protecting the vent when open), it was tied to twisted metal tent pegs in the ground AND to two nearby trees. Had to use a step ladder for the trees so I wouldn't decapitate myself and marked the lines to the tent pegs. My Coleman awning (no sides) held up to the day's bad rain storm and also survived the second storm that night that brought rogue high winds (>40mph gusts) that pretzeled the unprepared. The state park was full and so was their dumpster. Expensive and cheap products in the garbage. Didn't matter. 

When we were leaving, another front started coming through pushing 20-30 gusting winds. Taking down the awnings took at least 3-4 people to stop creating a sail and causing damage. The plus of the VisorXL for me would be that it *is* small enough for me to easily handle and take down in situations where the wind could grab it and break the pole. 

The only reason I spent the extra $$ on the Pahque products instead of sewing up something that could easily fit in the keder rail was Pahque's product guarantee. I had heard of their guarantees, but am always skeptical until I hear people who have had troubles report that everything was covered with no questions asked - PLUS responsiveness to the problem was swift and professional. This forum has provided me with that information over and over.

TL;DR
Buy the product that suits your needs and don't try to predict the weather for the next 10 years of camping. Secure whatever you buy as best as possible, keep an eye on the weather and read the forum posts for mods to help secure your product in areas where tent pegs are impossible to pound in the ground, there are no trees or you are forbidden to tie to trees - and finally, don't put it up if you don't feel comfortable with your current conditions.

Verna

boo said:

Verna said:

Boo, it was a sudden 40 to 45 mph gust. It was fine in 20 mph, but why risk another shot at 40 to 45 mph?

Gotcha, reread your post 40-45, not 20. 

It's OK, Boo, I was typing fast, just like the wind ;-)

Nomad

And she did a combination of steady, sustained keystrokes with gusts of enlightenment.

Ratkity

PXLated said:

And she did a combination of steady, sustained keystrokes with gusts of enlightenment.

I read that as "with gusts of excitement". Time to clean glasses! LOL

Nomad

Or new glasses - Just got mine ... I can now read the exit signs far enough in advance to actually make that exit.

Photomom

Ordered a silver/silver awning to match our T@B on March 2. Unfortunately the TDS put them on sale today thru the end of the month :-( Rats!

ScottG

I feel your pain, Photomom--my awning shipped last week. You win some, you lose some.

Anybody want to talk about the value of buying a fixed-price heating oil contract this winter? Ha ha.

Photomom

Lol. We contract with a guy to plow our driveway. I think he's been here 2 or 3 times this whole winter!