Why don’t you have an awing ?

We'll set up our small awning (half umbrella) even for one night stays. Fast, easy and protects the door from rain and sun. And I'll admit that I just like the cosmetics of it. It gives the bare looking side of our T@B a more complete look IMO.

Now if you're talking about side tents, we sold the one that came with our (used) T@B. Never used it. We much prefer a popup canopy that can be setup at any location on the campsite.

@MOS2 we have a 320 S BD and love our Isabella awning, purchased through All Pro Adventures. It attaches using the Keder rail. Easy to put up and take down once we got the hang of it. Being 5'5" I need a three-step step ladder to reach the top. Holds up through pretty strong winds. We've never had trouble with it in a storm.

We don't use an awning (yet, but it's been six years so..... maybe never?). We love the huge amount of light coming in through the windows and normally don't want to limit that. When we absolutely need shade, we use fitted baby crib sheets to cover the windows while they are open (they fit quite nicely!!).

The one reason I do want one is as a rain porch over the door. Like a mini-visor. I looked at using a 320 visor, but they are basically as big as the 400 visors.  I don't want to limit the door from opening all the way when not raining. So, no solution found yet...

We bought the All Pro shade wing…used it maybe three times…one time the wind caught it and collapsed it. Haven’t used it for the past two seasons. I know some love and use theirs a lot but the All Pro limited the door swing too so it was more restrictive than expected. 

I use a KingCamp SUV awning.  I ended up sewing on a Keder rail strip as I liked how it made it more secure.

Pros are:

• it was about $120
• it's great when it's raining as it keeps water out of your trailer when going in/out
• it keeps the front of the trailer cooler when it's hot
• it provides shade for two people to sit
• it packs up nicely and doesn't take up much space

Cons are:

• It takes about 20 minutes to get fully setup if you count nailing in the tent stakes (but much less time than what I read for people with the nice All Pro or Pahaque varieties).  Tear-down is much faster
• it flaps a lot when it's windy and may blow up and over the trailer in high winds
• putting up in breezy weather by yourself is a creative process
• taking it down in breezy weather is a creative process

Involve a friend if you set it up for the first time.  You'll figure out how to set it up by yourself soon enough.  The sew-on keder rail insert strip made it even easier to attach.  Hire a seamstress who has an industrial sewing machine to sew on the strip.  I hand-sewed it and it took foooooreeeever.

After being awakened in the middle of the night from a fast moving storm that blew it up and off the front of the camper (before I had the keder rail insert sewed on) I've been trying to figure out an easy way partially disassemble it without fully removing it for the evening or times when I'm away from the camper. I've got a half-baked idea that involves unclipping the supporting poles and rolling all the poles up in the awning all the way to the keder rail like a rug.  And with some well placed sewed-on velcro strips I could let it just hang rolled up on the side of the camper.  I was going to try using carabiners at the base of the tent stakes to let me keep the stakes in the ground, but quickly disconnect for temporary roll-up.  I am going to try it out when I have the time and I'll post if it works.

AnOldUR said:

We'll set up our small awning (half umbrella) even for one night stays. Fast, easy and protects the door from rain and sun. And I'll admit that I just like the cosmetics of it. It gives the bare looking side of our T@B a more complete look IMO.

Now if you're talking about side tents, we sold the one that came with our (used) T@B. Never used it. We much prefer a popup canopy that can be setup at any location on the campsite.

Where did you get the umbrella and how is it mounted? Thanks! 

We've had quite the adventure over the years as far as awnings go. A lot of trial and error in many different conditions. Lost a few to storms too (it seems to be a right of passage).  We finally figured out that we had 2 separate needs and settled on 2 different items that work best for us. First, we needed something that was quick and easy to put up and take down that provided a little shade and rain protection on the door side of camper when we're just stopping overnight. For that, we use a simple 9 ft half umbrella with a folding base strapped to door handle and with adjustable paracord guy lines with spring buckles attached to the handles at each end of camper. Can set up/take down in less than a minute and handy if a big storm is coming. Second, we needed something that provided wind, rain, bug and sun protection for us and our camping friends at rallies and was relatively easy to put up and take down. For that, we use a 5 sided Clam Quickset Venture with built in wind panels. Easy to set up and take down although usually have to stake it out. It easily has space for 4 chairs and a table and it's only 5 ft when folded up so it fits in the bed of my truck.