Lots of opinions on Canopies

I do have the 4 sided clam, and set it up most trips. I don’t have the zipper mod, I just set it up nearish wherever makes sense for the site, and besides, the 4 sided is I think too small to nestle in. Sometimes that is behind the galley a few feet, sometimes it is to the side. I usually add the side walls, and it is my changing room / middle of the night luggable loo location.

I got the 4 sided before they made a 5 sided. Every once in a while I think about getting the 5 sided and think about the zipper mod… but so far I haven’t been able to justify the want vs need. Maybe if the 4 sided one gets damaged in some way… but it’s holding up like a champ, lol. I just re-sprayed it with water sealer and then put it away after drying out for the winter.

as for holding up in the wind, if it’s not windy, you don’t need the guy lines, if it is windy, easy enough to guy the 3 sides down for extra security.

I do also have a NB, but I am a single traveler, and it can sometimes be a pain for one person to set up, but I can do it. If the forecast is 90% chance of torrential rain I will bring the NB (if light rain, I’ll just take the Clam). I can cover the 550 almost fully, but yes, you can’t zip one side shut, I just drape that side over the tongue. Since I’m a single, I set it up super close to one door, so I only use the one door, and I can have plenty of room in the galley area and one side.

 

A clam wouldn’t suit us, particularly, as we have other alternatives previously mentioned in this thread.

I did want to chime in to say that Amish craftspeople in Pennsylvania are not the only people who could modify a clam or tent. Look for local flag, awning, and sail making/repair businesses - in my experience they are super affordable and are used to piecework and repairs. If that’s a factor for you in evaluating canopies…

 

Answering questions…
Is your NB a 10x10 or the 12x12. 12x12
Is your CI at regular or SUV height? SUV
How much room in the tent eaves for the hatch when opened inside. Any rubs? No rubs, lots of space.

fyi, my typical shelters are… in order of use. Keep in mind I’m a weekend camper mostly, so only go near where I live, which usually has mosquitoes.

1. Clam 4 sided, and the 8ft sunbrella, because that combo is the most compact, and most versatile for me.
a. Nothing at all (but clam and sunbrella are along)
b. Clam up, for changing room/luggable. But never needed to use sunbrella
c. Clam + put sunbrella up over the hatch only while hatch in use (if raining), and if raining clamped-on dollar store squares of cut up plastic tablecloth for the exposed edges by the hinge, because there is a small gap there.
d. Clam + sunbrella up all day, if at the site, and hanging out, and sunny and I want the shade , but it’s hot and don’t want to be in the clam.
e. Bonus: Take the sunbrella along on adventures during the day, for nice shade wherever I end up when out and about. Sure it does not go along when hiking, but I’ve ended up at car accessible lakes/beaches, and I like my shade when it’s summer!
2. The NB is rarely brought along, usually only if forecast it’s known that weather will be very inclement, like rain all the time. But it does also make a good envelope when it is cold out, so yes, if I’m doing cold weather camping, that’s another reason for the NB. That said, I usually only bring the NB about once a year.

 

On the Clam, each of the panels have an eyelet in the center with guy rope attached. On mine, I added some carabiners clips to each rope so that it is quick & easy to remove and replace the guy rope from the eyelet when putting the wind / rain panels up and down. With guy ropes attached to each panel, the Clam will withstand a lot of wind, but if you are going to camp in a snowstorm like Cosmo in the Vestibule video above, be prepared for the roof to collapse. The NB will most likely stand up better to that load, but even those aluminum poles have a limit, and once you reach it they'll probably bend to the point of needing replacement, whereas Cosmo just shoveled the snow away, and popped the roof back up. The same may be true for real heavy winds, nothing is damage proof.

 

I'm really disappointed that Pahaque has abandoned the cottonwood model apparently in favor of snugging up to little guy. The 10x10 cottonwood was probably the best solution that ever was created, as it stood up to high winds well, and it provided the ability to put sides on it if you needed protection from wind and rain. It lasted us from 2013 until 2020 under heavy use.

I have a CLAM, but have found that they are too hot --- the screen keeps bugs out, but also acts as a barrier to airflow. The way the zippers work also do not allow you to "back into it" - its not really a galley protection area like other solutions --- just a bug house. These are also tricky to put up the first few times. Do it wrong, and you'll be working on that puzzle for a few hours. Don't ask how I know. I'm looking for one in the dumpster from a frustrated camper to cut out the screens and see if its rigidity is affected too greatly.

I found the Coleman Event Shelter last summer...It comes from Europe, but amazon got it to me reliably. I saw it in a tearjerker gathering video -- it looks a lot like the Pahaque, but the poles are rigid. I'm not sure how it will stand up to wind or how tough the fabric is. I havn't even opened it yet. The rigid poles are also steel and reportedly are a bit rust-prone. Then of course is the difficulty of assembly....I hate spending a lot of time setting up for a 2 night stay.

https://www.amazon.com/Event-Shelte...leman+event+shelter+pro&qid=1638799864&sr=8-3

I also picked up a King Camp SUV awning....I have high hopes for this one.

https://www.amazon.com/KingCamp-Ver...ywords=king+camp+awning&qid=1638800344&sr=8-4

 

I spent a few months last year working with Pahaque's Customer Service team to see if their side tents would work with Camp-Inn trailers. After some testing with a sample docking collar that they provided, the answer is 'yes' per the caveats and images below. The dimensions of the collar fit the door opening and are at the proper height off the ground. In my assessment, the Pahaque tents are nicely designed and well made. We are looking forward to using our new tent in a couple of months when the weather warms up a bit.

There are two caveats. The first is aesthetic--are you okay messing up the clean lines of the Camp-Inn to have a functional side tent? Pahaque offers an installation kit for other teardrop trailers which was modified to work with Camp-Inn trailers based on this investigation. The kit requires you to install a flexible drip/gutter rail around the door (see the images below). For me, the answer is a definite 'yes' for several reasons. IMHO, I don't think it looks all that bad and some of you will disagree, but it's entirely a personal judgment. It can be easily removed without damage and, for our family, it makes the Camp-Inn far more functional to the extent we plan to keep it for a couple more years rather buy a Casita. The second caveat is functionality. The design of the Pahaque mounting collar uses an elasticized band around the flexible drip rail which must be tightened to keep it from slipping off. The metal drip rail on the Little Guy and T@G trailers is probably deeper and certainly more rigid making it less likely to slip off. The flexible drip rail works, but it's maddening the first time you try to attach the collar (almost a two-person job). If you don't get the band properly tightened, it pops off. The second time is easier and I'm still working on ensuring I remove as much slack in the cord as possible. We haven't used it in the "wild" yet, but I'm expecting it will be just fine. It's a simple mechanical problem that should work if I get the tightening technique right.

Net-net, this is as good a solution for a Camp-Inn side tent that I have been able to find. It's roomier than the Camp-Inn side tent and offers a screened area on three sides with privacy panels. If you decide to buy this tent, you need to cut the flexible drip rail provided in the installation kit into three pieces:

* 17-1/2" between the hinge plates
* 49-1/4" for the lower segment
* 54" for the upper segment

See the installed image below (the upper and lower pieces begin at the hinges and meet at the door handle). Be very careful to install the piece between the hinge plates offset enough so the bottom of the drip rail is positioned at the outside edge of the hinge pin body. This allows the elastic band to stay seated inside the drip rail. Also, ensure the upper and lower pieces meet the hinge body so the rail bottom is at the outside edge of the hinge body. Once you have installed the docking collar so that it fits securely, don't loosen the band when you remove it. If you retain the settings, it makes reinstallation much simpler.

These are the Pahaque side tents that work with the special installation kit:

5x7 Trailer Side Tent/ScreenRoom

10x10 Trailer Side Tent/ScreenRoom

Camp-Inn Mounting Kit

We have the 5x7 tent, but the 10x10 also works since it uses the same docking collar.

Good luck!

 

Looks great garyeb! I really like that door seal! What with western forest fires in late season camping the last few years we’ve been doing more early season trips- that door seal looks mosquito proof!

 

The door seal is certainly mosquito-proof and the screens on the other three sides will definitely keep those nasty buggers out.

 

Its nice to see some love from Pahaque, but its the galley that REALLY needs cover especially in the rainy times. The cottonwood was AMAZING for this purpose. When it was in production, every gathering we went too I'd see a new one...they were popping up like wildflowers...

 

We use the REI Alcove with windwalls to cover the galley. I used rotus8's designs to 3D print the bow stay holders. Works great. Now we need to test for tent pole interference between the side tent and galley cover on our next trip out.

 

I’m thinking *maybe* I can use this method to make a similar tunnel-like seal on my ARB awning room.

I’m guessing that there is 1/8” shock cord in the trailer end of the tunnel? And that it stretches around a J shape you adhere to the trailer?

Trim-Lok has this product:
https://www.amazon.com/Trim-Lok-Drip-Rail-White-Height/dp/B01CJRGX5M

garyeb, does that look about right? The shape is about 0.9” wide, and the J comes out about 0.5”

This could be the last missing piece in my awning/room project! Much more effective and elegant than my previous idea… did I mention mosquitoes?

 

Hi Seth,

You are spot-on on with the caveat that the Trim-Lok drip rail from Amazon as noted below may not be the best:

1) It is a fairly thin shock cord as you note--1/8" sounds about right. It uses cord locks (two, left and right) to cinch up the slack in the docking collar. The cord is basically seated in the full circumference of the drip rail.

2) During my testing, I purchased the same drip rail you noted above from Amazon. It's less rigid than the similar product PahaQue uses in their kit. I initially gave up on it and asked PahaQue to send me more of the material they use. Based on my feedback, they modified the installation kit to provide enough drip rail to go completely around the door. In retrospect, I think the drip rail from Amazon might work. As I note in my post, the challenge is keeping the cord seated in the drip rail as you take up the slack. The cord locks PahaQue provides are cheesy and seem to slip. I plan to replace them with better locks from REI or another supplier. I think I can avoid the problem of the collar popping off if I can really take the slack out of the cord.

3) The PahaQue design has the docking collar as a separate piece that zips into the trailer-facing sidewall. It's actually easier to install the docking collar separately and then zip it into the tent, but can be done while attached to the tent.

Overall, it's a functional design subject to the issue I note. I really can't think of another approach that permits me to remove the drip rail if I choose. More rigid attachments might be more secure but at a cost of attaching the rails (or whatever) with screws. I really don't have the heart to drill holes in the trailer.

Hope this helps.

Gary

 

Thought I'd add my 2 cents worth. We tow with a pickup truck that has a camper shell, so we have a little more flexibility in what we can bring with us. We have a small collection of tent and canopy solutions that we usually bring with us, BUT we try to deploy as few of them as possible:

1.) WolfWise Pop up Tent - This is our bathroom/shower tent. Though not a "canopy" per se, it's a part of our canopy/tent stuff that we often set up. Super quick to set up and take down, and can be placed at the edge of camp. Folds into a relatively compact disc.

2.) ARB Awning with Deluxe Room - Allows us to just use the awning for shade, or deploy the full room if we need either a screened shelter to hide from bugs or opaque walls for the trusty 5-gallon potty bucket when we're not using the WolfWise tent (#1 above). Can only be used immediately next to the trailer.

3.) Clam Traveler Pop Up Canopy (4-sided) - Light and portable, easy to set up when it's just my wife and I. We can fit a small folding table and two chairs inside. Useful when we want a shady area away from the trailer, or when obstacles like posts or rocks prevent us from setting up the ARB Deluxe Room (#2 above).

4.) Gazelle Gazebo Pop Up Canopy (6-sided) - Bigger than the Clam (#3 above), and a little more work to set up than the Clam. Allows us to cover an entire picnic table when we have guests or children with us and it's buggy out. We don't normally bring this one with us, but it's useful to have for certain occasions.

5.) Patio Umbrella with Hitch Mount - I realized very quickly that the 2-inch receiver we had added to the back of the trailer for bicycles (an option from Camp-Inn) could be used with a mount I found on Amazon to hold a patio umbrella over the galley. The umbrella unscrews in half for portability, and the whole thing is quick and easy to set up and take down. No, we haven't had any issues whatsoever with tripping over the mounting bar. This patio umbrella setup is one of our favorite mods!

 

Thanks Gary - much food for thought as we prepare for another mosquito-intensive early season.

I’m getting that you recommend the Pahaque install kit in my situation, that it should have less flex when you’re attaching the docking collar via shock cord.

Mike & Lisa, it looks like you too have the larger ARB 2500 (8’) awning & room. Do you have any experience to share on:
a) do you unzip the big panel to get in/out of the trailer? Is it a problem? We’ve not used our awning room much as of yet.
b) any issues with the trailer fender and the drape of the awning room in that area? Any approaches? I have some hooks that suction cup to the trailer to help draw the room to a tighter pitch.

Like you we have a variety of bits and pieces. Our starting point was PNW drizzle and mist, mosquitos have only been an issue lately as we re-orient to early season to avoid wildfire smoke. So bad.
1. 13x13 Coleman canopy over the picnic table
2. 8’ Sportbrella over the galley, bungied to the bumper & hatch handle. Takes one minute!
3. 8’ ARB awning on passenger side, sometimes with a privacy tarp hanging/staked from forward edge.
4. Backup REI Alcove/walls for the galley when needed
5. Lightspeed pop-up shower enclosure, usually used for changing clothes and keeping a cooler in the shade
6. (recent) REI Screen Room, usually with a camping table/chairs in it. After dark hangout. Somewhat flimsy…
7. (recent) ARB Deluxe Awning Room, hasn’t yet seen much use.

We don’t bring everything in our mid-suv on every trip, we only put up what we need, and we are still optimizing for mosquito season!

P.S. To those who’ve not experienced it, I have to say that the big awning hanging off the trailer is the coolest! It does a lot to improve our camping experience in sun and drizzle, it’s mostly self-contained, it’s huge, it’s quick, it greatly expands the pleasant living area around the camper!

 

SethB, I think ours is the smaller one...it's the 2000mm x 2500mm. To answer your questions:

a.) Yes, we unzip the big panel to get in and out of the trailer. We often leave it mostly unzipped, with it zipped slightly at the bottom to provide a lip to keep debris from blowing in from under the trailer. We will zip it fully closed if there are bugs or critters we're concerned about. Basically, no big problems for us. It would be nice if there were a better seal with the door, but we prefer the ARB over the other options and we can live with it.

b.) It does drape over the fender a bit...that hasn't really been an issue for us, though. Of greater concern is the zipper from the big panel hitting the side of the trailer when it's windy. I bought some rubber edging off of Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DCFDVZR) and cut it into half-inch pieces, which I put on the sides of the zipper channel; the rubber keeps the aluminum from getting scratched when the wind blows, and cutting into smaller pieces makes them easy to put on and take off. Otherwise, we use stakes when we're in soft ground to tighten up the perimeter of the room, or sandbags/rocks to weight and shape the interior corners when on hard ground or pavement.

 

I suddenly miss my 150 crew cab the SUV or cute-utes today just don't have the cargo capacity. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who has an addiction to this - I've accidentally become somewhat expert on carrying useless weight.

I have 3 types of covers.

1. For keeping "us" dry -
   1. ARB awning and screen room (2000x2500) - The awning will probably be used every trip. A place to cover a table so we can play cards just relax in the shade. The room -- not sure how we'll use it. I think that depends on how hard it is to set up, and how it handles wind.
   2. Camp Inn Side Tent - probably our backup to privy shelter for dry camping.
   3. Privy Tent Similar to this --- Dry camping only This one is really fast to set up
2. Keeping Galley Area Dry -
   1. A "King Camp" Tent needed to protect the galley area from rain. Probably the short trips --- weekend warrior trips. Small, light...
   2. Coleman 3mx3m Event Shelter Pro - BEAST! But I supsect it will give better heaveir duty use. I've seen this standing up to some pretty bad rain.
3. Uncertain use
   1. CLAM Shelter - Doesn't' breathe well - At all. I think I will explore removing screens and possibly opening a section up to make it a galley cover like Cosmo did with his.

I think the ARB and King Camp will take care of most of our needs most of the time, but I like flexability.

I have to admit, the Class A with the automatic leveling jacks, 3 pushbutton slide outs, and 20 foot long awning, multizone AC and Heat, 80 gallons of fresh water, full bathroom and Kitchen... kind of spoiled me. But I don't miss the $600 tires (X6) the constant worry of "What happens if the slide doesn't come back in?"

 

Our experience with the 2500x2500 Deluxe Awning Room:

• Fairly easy to set up, once we learned the systematic order in which to do things.
• Must be staked or weighted inside to deal with wind. We’ve only had it up in the driveway and in a partial-old-asphalt-pad campsite, neither of which allowed staking.
• Like many such things it is near impossible to get wholly back into the bag at a campsite. I think I bought some straps for the next use.
• A little fiddly in general, but with all the poles already set up with the awning it seems very worthwhile.
• The tarp-material floor seems waterproof and sturdy, but isn’t a pleasant material. At some point we may throw a camping sand mat/rug in there.

 

Awning is the more important piece, but I expected the room as you described. I figured the heavy tarp plastic is durable but loud to walk on. I suspect the camping rug will be a necessity.

I tried setting my ARB awning on a moderately windy day and immediately regretted it, and rolled it back up without dropping the legs. It was also sub-freezing, and IMMEDIATELY remember that Aluminum is one of the best heat transferring metals --- my hands were frozen to the point where I coulnd't move them....I'll try again when its above 50.

Tying down on any tent is crtitical. Sails on a ship work well for a reason. I'd be careful to warn about weights these become projectiles when the wind grabs them. Think of a 10x10 tent (EZ-Up at a fair or festival) weighted down with cinder blocks which become weighted projectiles when an unexpected storm blows through. I've seen it. Tie downs won't be any more effective --- but they won't bring ballistics into the discussion

Wind is a force of nature not to be trifled with.

We're hoping for a coupel weeks to play with this --- we're running from the cold in February.

 

We have 3 Alcoves with wind walls, one Pah A Que cottonwood canopy, and one Pah A Que 10 x 10 Screen room. Yep, we’re camping hoarders.