Thread: Xplora awning thoughts

Just curious has anyone got one of their nz designed batwing awnings and what did they think of them?

Cheers

Well i went and pushed the button and got one, very good price so it looks like ill do a wee review!

So that was a short lived review......... they hadn't processed the order from monday and its going to take another 7 working days to get here, cancelled that order..... SO, there will be a review on the ironman xtr-71 or xtr-143, I can't make my mind up which one yet..........

So went with the xtr 143 and to be honest really glad i did, briefly got it up today, and yes talking of the awning, it says its a two person job getting it up, but managed just fine, again still talking of the awning…….

Now here’s the really cool thing and these guys have a customer for life, i explained the situation around the previous attemptmpts at getting an awning sorted for a trip, and given i was working today there was no way i would be able to pick it up before i finished work, so it would have to be monday before one of my late shifts so i could come in and grab it, i still have a stack of things to get ready and this had really thrown a spanner in the works.

The bloke behind the counter said, i finish at 1 can i drop it off to your place? I can throw it in the back of my truck if you like?

NOW that is service and when you go out of your way to help a customer, man you can screw a few things up in the future but you know what i will come back!

Sadly it started to get wet so a very brief set up of the awning and only a couple of photos but so far i like it. I will take some better photos and give an honest review when i can

ok but retract it in windy conditions.
if you are going to use the stays to the base of the caravan bolt thru the chassis. if you are putting it out on legs use guy wires.
installed a few on caravans and its the wind you have to watch out for

So we had a week up in the sounds on a mates farm, had all sorts of weather and conditions, from wind up the valley, good rain and hot hot sun,so it was a great test of the awning, and yes i used common sense, i used the legs and guide ropes, and NO, not just to keep it safely connected to earth, but also to create channels for rain run-off.



I threw absolute caution to the wind (pun intended) and left it up overnight in the rain ( i may have had a couple of adult beverages!!) and next morning both earth and the awning were exactly where i had left it before getting into my naughty Russian tent!

The awning itself is described as being to be able to left up without supports, and in calm sheltered areas or conditions id feel ok in doing so, but i know my luck and how often the F*ck up fairy visits! it came with plenty of guide ropes and pegs.

The size (143sq ft) is impressive and to be honest there is a section which is able to be removed, or alternatively pegged down create a sloping wind break or with the optional extra poles even further shelter, i removed that portion as the remaining cover was just perfect.



The covered around the back of the truck allowed me great covered access to the 50l fridge, the lighting set up powered from the 160AH LiFePO4 battery, 200w panel and other victron goodies, as well as the gas cooker, without getting wet or cooked by the sun. (and there was some great sun!) in the rain the guide ropes between the poles gave good water run off with very little pooling what so ever. The fabric held up very well as did the stitching and like i said it did get windy.

There is a bit of play or movement in the central pivot area but i think that is to allow for a bit of movement in the wind or just when you move the arms into place, but when unfurled and pegged out there was little or no play and held up really well. when putting it away that play actually comes into your favour as you can slide the arms that fold right around to the back of the truck back about 2-3cms which helps when you fold up the arms, it helps the fabric from getting pinched in the last arm that comes back to fold up.



my only real cock up was on the last day and packing up for the 8 hr drive back i flicked all the guide rope onto the roof of the awning and folded it up, unfortunately a guide rope plastic keeper wore a 1cm hole in the ripstop, so that’s on me and a learning curve. In the future i will simply use small carabiner on the ropes and just unclip as i retract each arm.

With a bit of practice you can put up reasonably quickly and folded, and yes even in the wind but you do need to be a little more deliberate in those moments, but seriously it doesn’t take that much effort and if it does well……

it had a good bit of use in the week and to be honest im reasonably impressed and very happy with the purchase, mind you this is my first ever batwing awning, but paired up with everything else the other half wants to go for another week in January and February so it was a great investment!