Awnings
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Awnings
An almost vital accessory for the avid 4WD or camping enthusiast, awnings can completely reinvent the way you travel, camp, and spend a day at the beach. With quick and easy setups, you can find 4WD awning sizes in intervals from 2m up to 3m that are suitable for Utes, wagons and small SUVs. Adding extra functionality to your vehicle without taking up storage space is just one of the many advantages to attaching a 4WD awning to your roof rack with the added benefit of protecting you from harsh UV rays with their UPF50+ sun rating.
How do I choose a 4WD awning?
It was not so long ago that an awning consisted of just tarps and ropes tied to the side of your 4WD. Today, quality awnings are made from ripstop fabric blends with anodised aluminium alloy twist-lock poles. The only thing you need to think about when purchasing an awning for your vehicle is the size you want and any add-on accessories such as sidewalls to stop you getting sandblasted, or a mesh room to keep the mozzies out. At BCF, we've got a cracker range of 4WD awnings such as XTM awnings and Darche awnings that are easy to set up (taking only a couple of minutes to erect and deploy) along with poles and the universal L brackets.
What makes a quality fabric for 4WD awnings?
Waterproof and ripstop fabric (particularly canvas) are the most highly recommended materials for a quality 4WD awning. Built to withstand the diverse Australian climate, the heavy-duty ripstop fabrics are woven using a special reinforcing technique that means you can take your awning to the beach or the outback and not worry about it breaking!
If you want to step up the playing field a little and indulge in some luxury, an additional feature you can look for includes a UV resistance rating of 30+ to reduce the hazards of UV light. At BCF, our 4WD awnings have a rating of 50+.
What style 4WD awning is best?
Choosing the right style 4WD awning for your adventure is vital. From instant awnings to side awnings, there's plenty of products on the market to find what you need and what best suits your vehicle. Whether you're an avid traveller looking to pop something up during a roadside pit stop or you love bush bashing and camping, you can always find a car awning suitable for shade and shelter.
At BCF, we stock the ever-popular side awnings. An extremely versatile addition to your vehicle, 4WD side awnings are installed to the longest side of your vehicle giving you the advantage of larger coverage, parking your vehicle as a windbreak and a more secure mount. They are quick and easy to set up and take down, packing securely into a heavy-duty PVC bag for easy transportation and storage.
How do I install my 4WD awning?
Mounted with just a couple of brackets to your roof racks or cage, 4WD awnings are easy to install. Simply take your time to measure before drilling any holes, and you should be good to pop it on with a few bolts. The awning, its framework, and the PVC storage bag are all attached to the base, so there's no need to worry about fitting all those parts together – just ensure you don't mount the awning upside down! Any awning you purchase from BCF uses and includes the universal L-shaped bracket system.
If you're wondering which side of your vehicle to mount the awning, both sides have their advantages, but the passenger side does seem to be more popular.
Awning set up tips
Pegging your awning down is always a wise choice, even if it's not windy. If you leave your camp and the wind picks up, you're risking damage to your awning and vehicle if the poles and material start flapping around. Most awnings will have a loop of rope at the base of each pole to help secure it.
If it's raining, adjust one leg to be lower than the other so the water runs off it. This will help reduce the risk of water pooling which can lead to mould stains. To further discourage mould, never leave your awning rolled up while it's wet for long periods of time. If you must roll it back into its bag while it's wet, always deploy it again as soon as possible to let it dry out.
When you mount your awning, make it as flush as possible to your roof rack, particularly if it's on the passenger side. This will help prevent damage to the awning from brushing and snagging on trees and other protruding objects you might pass on the road or out in the bush.
Awning Accessories
Adding to an already innovative and versatile product, you can equip a range of optional accessories to enhance the way you use your awning. These additions include the handy side wall awning to add another layer of protection against wind, sun, and any pesky insects. These side walls include hook and loop straps for a quick and easy installation along with reinforced 'O' ring peg points with galvanised pegs to lock it down securely.