race shelter. gazebo/easy up : what are you using ?

[andy rob]

Have been quite lucky in not getting wet this season, but am looking @ something like this as some protection from the rain, the car is almost 17ft long so was thinking 6m x 3m
http://www.outdoorlivinguk.co.uk/products/6m-x-3m-...
Any views / experince anyone car share on what to buy & what not to buy ?
Dont want any sides on it, already have awning on motorhome but not quite big enough to get car under
cheers andy

[Barry Ashcroft]

Just make sure it has supports going from the top to the sides to stop it twisting.

[Trev450]

Some sort of foot on the bottom of each upright is also essential so that you can put a weight (spare wheel, etc) on it to prevent it blowing away.

[IroningMan]

I have a 6-post jobbie from Hamilton Classics - massively heavy but very strong. I think they now make them with an equally solid but substantially lighter aluminium frame.

[Hybrids]

Our old 3x3 has finally given up after nearly 5 years.
We also have an awning on the motorhome, but the shelter is handy for storing spares/car etc.

I can't find the supplier of our old one, but we have been looking at this supplier, similar prices to your link
http://www.surfturf.co.uk/

[h_____]

check out galatent.co.uk. awful service, but good products.

[andy rob]

cheers so far............. keep the info coming before I buy

[tristancliffe]

We got ours from SurfTurf, and it's entering its sixth year of use, including some very strong wings, some very heavy rain, and some bakingly hot days. A few of the clips have broken, but have been repaired, and the zipped case that it goes into is getting a bit ragged now, but the awning remains weather tight and rigid.

Highly recommended.

[CharlesElliott]

I'm using one from Surf and Turf, stood up to a gale in Anglesey (albeit with many extra straps). I also looked at Gala Tent but probably went with Surf and Turf on the basis of them having a much better website!

(Hi Hugh!)

[NTEL]

andy rob said:

Have been quite lucky in not getting wet this season, but am looking @ something like this as some protection from the rain, the car is almost 17ft long so was thinking 6m x 3m
http://www.outdoorlivinguk.co.uk/products/6m-x-3m-...
Any views / experince anyone car share on what to buy & what not to buy ?
Dont want any sides on it, already have awning on motorhome but not quite big enough to get car under
cheers andy

I don't think the one in your link would last 2 minutes to be honest. The material is very thin and the legs are a bit spindley....

I ended up with one of these. Initially they cocked up the order but soon put it right with no messing about.

http://www.instantawnings.co.uk/instant-awnings/in...

Its really good but it does weigh over 100kg when packed up

[andy rob]

surf & turf it is then !
Looked @ some of the more expensive ones cheers , just to much £££ for the odd use

[Hybrids]

I had also been looking at these:

http://www.rockawnings.co.uk/

[Dr JonboyG]

Don't know if they're available in the UK but we've been using one of these. It kept the bugs out at Brainerd a month ago, and the rain out at Iowa this last weekend.

[tapkaJohnD]

That American awning is amazing value, but it's in America.

Halfords sell off their own gazebos at this time of year - I got mine for £40.
The intrinsic weakness of all these awnings is that they are unstable. To saty up in any sort of wind, they must have heavy weights at the foot of the columns - as mentioned above, spare tyres are good. But they also must be braced by cords at each corner to a ground anchor - more spare tyres! In most paddocks, you need a bolt gun to get a spike into the tarmac (as F1 does) and the owners do not like it!

I don't have but have seen and examined the Coleman Event Shelter.
http://www.colemaneventshelter.net/



They still need ground anchors or weights at the feet, but are much stronger and stiffer than a gazebo.
John

[carl_w]

tapkaJohnD said:

That American awning is amazing value, but it's in America.

Halfords sell off their own gazebos at this time of year - I got mine for £40.
The intrinsic weakness of all these awnings is that they are unstable. To saty up in any sort of wind, they must have heavy weights at the foot of the columns - as mentioned above, spare tyres are good. But they also must be braced by cords at each corner to a ground anchor - more spare tyres! In most paddocks, you need a bolt gun to get a spike into the tarmac (as F1 does) and the owners do not like it!

I tried using the Halfords one on a windy day. All held down with spare wheels, etc. Gust of wind came, none of the feet moved but it bent all of the support columns...

[spyderman8]

I've seen my fair share of awnings and gazebos wrecked this year in various paddocks, including the one on our own truck which cost megamoney to fix. I would suggest using tie-downs from the top as well as weighting the legs. Can't decide whether sides help or not - they do stop the wind getting under the roof but at the same time get a heavy battering.

[h_____]

CharlesElliott said:

I'm using one from Surf and Turf, stood up to a gale in Anglesey (albeit with many extra straps). I also looked at Gala Tent but probably went with Surf and Turf on the basis of them having a much better website!

(Hi Hugh!)

Hi Charles - hope all is well!

[andy rob]

bought a 6m x 3m from surf & turf & used it this weekend, well happy, thanks for all help