Just curious if you always use you’re Awning/Extensions?
We have just got both the Awning and Extension for our
Montana 6P. We will probably always take the Extension as it’s nice to have
something to sit outside yet remain sheltered (we have poles for the doors to
act as an awning but they don’t work too well due to the sloping front).
We will only use the closed Awning when away for more than 5
days as it’s too much effort putting up and down.
I have an extension for 2 of my tents and very rarely use them. The tents obviously suit us as they are as I have never felt cramped or wanting extra space.
I do use a seperate utility tent for cooking in though.
I use the extensions on my Yukon and Nevada every trip as they make great kitchen areas. There isn't one for the Carolina so I have to make do with a tarp and windbreak for that but again I do this every time.
------------- Mar - Milarrochy Bay - 9 days
Apr - Drayton Manor - 1 day
May - Saxdale - 4 days
May - Nantcol - 9 days
July - Weymouth - 1 day
July - Rozel Bay - 14 days
Aug - Corfe Castle - 2 days
Aug - Saxdale - 4 days
Sep - Stratford - 2 days
Oct - Stainforth - 2 days
Dec - Saxdale - 5 days
To be continued.....
we've never felt the need to own extensions/awnings...the only thing we felt we were lacking and would really like to have was a covered outdoor seating area, so went with a XL tarp instead...we do have to take it down if the wind really picks up, but leaving the pegs and guys in situ makes re-pitching it a piece of cake...it literally takes seconds...being able to continue to sit outside even if it starts to rain has been a godsend...it makes such a difference to not have to scoop everything up, rush inside with it and zip up the front door every time the heavens open...
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"tereba nessa, kemer wyth"
.~*MOONIE*~.
Snowdonia - Peak District - Brecon Beacons - Lake District
I have the awning and extension for my montana 6. If there is rough weather, the extensions are vulnerable. The poles are much thinner than the tent poles and the open ended nature isn't good. The awning is much more streamlined and therefore resilient. The awning can also be fully opened so it covers everything the extension does and more. If you need both just remember to take the ext. down if rough weather is forecast, if you only need one, use the awning.
I always use my Gelert extension on the Carolina - there is only me and the dog but I use it as my kitchen area and it is nice to sit in if the weather is not up to much but am still getting the fresh air. Cant imagine not using it now.
------------- Sue
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
Can I just add, my comments were meant as friendly advice based on my own experiences. Having re-read them they appear more like orders barked from a nazi stormtrooper. Sorry about that!
Hauled the awning for my Monty to France, didn't get it out of its bag. My pitch wasn't quite big enough after parking the car and my trailer, instead of sacrificing more outside space decided to not use it.
We were there for one week and the weather was gorgeous so the little cooking I did was outside, too hot to cook inside anyway.
We have the front canopy extention for the Tenby 10 and bought it on the grounds of using it only for long stays or wet stays....... as we haven't had a dry camp yet it's had ALOT of use! I now don't thing i would camp without it as it's now part of the tent and I have become a old hand at getting it up and down quickly! I will add it does tent to be put up either last or the next day on a late pitch.
Oh also just remembered to say, when it pouring down we get it piched quick and push the trailer inside the canopy so we can get beds etc out of trailer in the dry!
------------- April-Norfolk 7nts, Oxford 2nts, Defford 2nts
May-Symm Yat 3nts
June-Defford 2 nts,Pembridge 2nts
July-Tabacconist 2nts, France 19nts
Aug -Bosworth 2nts, Winchcombe 3nts
Oct -costwolds 6nts
Got the enclosed front extension for the Icarus 500 Had it up just the once in windy weather which broke a pole and collapsed it....Taking it later today when I'm off on holiday to a beach side campsite...Don't know if the Icarus will fit on the pitch with the extension...But if not the 4x3 mtr tarp I'm taking as back up should suffice for extra cover when needed..........
Jelboy.
------------- Campers of the storm,Into this world are born
I love the fact you can make the Montana as big or small as you like, however when we put the Awning up as a trial when we went away caming for weekend, unless your going for 5 nights or more, seems too much work?
My wife and I are in agreement if we go caming between 3 and 4 nights we only take tent and extension. If we go away 5 nights or more we take everything.
I haven't got an awning for my tent. I've just got back ( last week) from camping with 2 families and we used a pop up gazebo, with 4 sides. 4 sides were great but not always needed. 5 boys out and about playing then sometimes they were in the big living room of the biggest tent with the 5 adults in the gazebo. However we were all in it at some stage. It worked really well as we had 3 pitches with a large, medium and small tent around the gazebo. We put 3 gas bottles to three of the legs and left it up when we went out. It was only the last 2 nights that we put the guy ropes up. The site didn't charge us and the pitches were generous.
Soooooo, I'm thinking rather than spend £120 on an extension just use the gazebo when necessary and pay the extra pitch fee. We already have the gazebo so the cost of that is not a factor. Any thoughts? Please.
One of the features that sold me the Hypercamp Escala 4 is the ability to put the front panel on the middle frame, allowing the front section of the tent to be used as an integral porch area, where I can cook, sit and relax, without the need to put up a separate awning.
I have put up a small tarp in the front when it was really sunny though, just to provide a bit more shade.
DK
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