Using an additional awning?

[redfoxoline76]

I have a 21 foot hybrid which has a 14 foot factory awning off of the side. I recently noticed many people who had an additional e-z up awning or screen room set up on their site so that they could have room to cook and eat under cover. I am struggling to have enough room to do just this and was wondering what other people's thoughts on this are. Am i just wasting space and money buying the second shelter? Generally it is my wife and one year old son who I camp with but we often have grandparents of friends who stop by for a day or a meal.

[tonymull]

nickthehunter wrote:
Geez!!!! at $450.00 you should be able to push a button and it set itself up. Little pricey for me but here's a Link to make it easy if anyone else is interested.

Thanks for doing the link. We camp for half the year at a minimum, good gear is important. Our awning consists of a blue tarp attached to a couple of eye hooks. Never had good experiences with permanently attached awnings, and often, in campgrounds there's a big rock or tree there. We just use that area under the tarp for dry storage.

[nickthehunter]

Geez!!!! at $450.00 you should be able to push a button and it set itself up. Little pricey for me but here's a Link to make it easy if anyone else is interested.

[tonymull]

Hands down the best cover I've ever used in 50+ years of camping. I'm a gear hog, tried a lot of things, but this is the best. Two people can set this up almost as fast as an easy-up and once it is up it's far superior. Leave the poles in their own bag and use the big bag for the tent part, you have two pretty easily stored pieces. Our camps are in the northwest, WA, BC and AK so it's buggy and often rainy. Of course I own an easy-up, I have 2 or 3 of everything ;-), but I never use it any more. http://www.amazon.com/Eureka-Northern-Breeze-Screen-House/dp/B000EQAUDW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438961965&sr=8-1&keywords=eureka+screen+tent

[nickthehunter]

For us, our awning provides all the shade we usually need for outdoor reading or whatever. But we have a screen house that we use over the picnic table when in areas where mosquitos are a problem. All in all we use the screen house about half the time. An e-z up would provide no bug protection and as we are in the north part of the country we very rarely have any need for additional shade. Bug protection yes, shade no.

[APT]

When you camp do bug bother you? Does the sun beating on your picnic table bother you? These are a couple questions that may help you decide if worth purchasing.

Lots of people use the space under their awning for picnic table. I use that space for a 30"x6' folding table, coolers, and a place to put chairs and bikes when it rains. So we rarely put the picnic table there. Most places we camp have bugs which like food. So we use an 8x20 patio mat under the awning, another 9x9 patio mat under the picnic table, and a 10x10 screen room over the picnic table. It's a Coleman Instant Screen Room that works pretty well. This one is on my wish list. This one may be better for you.

[eric1514]

I've had this screen room for a few years now. I'm traveling in a B so I understand having limited space but this thing folded is only 10"x10"x23". It's a little fiddly to put up but that's the price you pay for a small folded up size. We put it over the picnic table or pick it up and put it over our chairs. It's also inexpensive.

Ozark Trail 13x9 Screen Room.

I hate having flies or bees fly around when I'm trying to eat so I like screen rooms more than just awnings.

[4x4van]

We have a 12'x14 EZ Up that we use during the summer season. Motorhome awning (18') is great IN camp, but down at the beach/water's edge (Colorado River), the EZ Up is used. 115 degrees outside is not doable without some shade! Actually have 2 of them, will use both if we have a larger group.

[tvman44]

We have a 10' x 10' like the EZ-up and the screen for the sides. We like to set up the cover over the picnic table to eat out of the sun, if the mosquitoes are out I add the screen walls with a Therm A Cell inside and we eat bug free in the shade. 🙂

[pira114]

Personally, I like screen rooms so I can eat outside without too many bugs. Plus, our Fed Forest sites are pretty big. I can set up my 12x12 screen room ten feet or so from my trailer with the picnic table inside. Just kinda nice to not be cramped, eaten alive by bugs, portable shade if we need that, etc.. Worth the money for a good one.

[Halmfamily]

We purchased a 12x12 canopy that has two sides that also raise up to make a 12x16 canopy. We purchased it from ****s Sporting Goods. This goes up once the fiver is setup, usually by waters edge when at the lake or next to the awning for additional cover.

[Roo_Camper]

I have a coleman gazebo with screens.. used it last weekend..the dogs can be in there, out of the sun, but still "contained" in an area with us.. ( they could escape under the screen if they wanted to but had no desire) Also was nice when there was a sprinkling.. because the grass there didn't get wet, and of course helped a lot with any after rain bugs.. they are a bit heavy to tote around, but the two of us ( females).. were able to set it up within about 20 mins.. easier to do with 2 people.. we will be taking it again on our next trip...

[tatest]

On the southern prairie, people who have them use them, people who don't will wonder "maybe I should be doing that too?" We don't have much natural shade, it gets much to hot to be sitting out in the sun, and often too windy to keep RV awnings deployed.

In the forests of Michigan, we always found enough natural shade, but wanted screen houses because the biting insects also liked the shade and still air of the forested parks.

Many RV parks will limit where you can put up additional shelters. I don't encounter this much in campgrounds, however, and the campground I use most often has a "one RV, two shelters" policy for RV sites.

[garmp]

We have one by Gander Mountain and really like it.Link
Don't use the screens often, but when you need them they really come in handy. Good product and nice value/price.

[Mr__Camper]

We have both an EZ Up and a screened gazebo. The problem is that we've run into many campgrounds that don't allow them to be placed on the grass. We usually just take the EZ Up if there will be opportunities for bank fishing.