All about 4WD Awnings

We’ve all seen them, and most of us have got them. The humble 4WD awning has become the go-to accessory for every vehicle bigger than a small SUV.

What are 4WD awnings used for?

The biggest reason is to give shade where there isn’t any. The biggest reason that 4WD awnings have such amazing popularity is because they let you stop just about anywhere, pull out the awning, and have a nice shady spot to sit back and enjoy lunch, or the scenery.

The other thing that they are great for is shelter when you’re camping. When you’re travelling and only staying in one place for a night before moving on, an awning and a swag is a great combination that’s simple and easy to set up, and will keep you dry and sheltered in most conditions.

What types of 4WD awnings are there?

There’s two man types of 4WD awnings: Roll/Fold-Out and 270-Degree.

Roll or Fold Out 4WD Awnings

These are by far the cheapest and easiest to use. Just unzip the bag, roll out the awning, set up the legs and you’re done! There’s a good range of sizes available to suit most vehicles and these can be fitted to just about anything. The good points are that they cost less, and are easy to set up. The only bad points that we can see with a roll out awning is that they don’t provide as much shade as a 270 degree awning, but if you add some awning walls  on you can get a bit closer.

270-Degree 4WD Awnings

These are heavier, more expensive and most of the time are harder to set up. They go from one side of your vehicle and pull all the way around the back to give a full 270-degree range of shelter. There’s a lot of different models with different features and advantages, so if you’re looking for something like this we’d suggest that you take a look at a few models to see what suits your own needs.

How are 4WD awnings mounted?

Most of the time a 4WD awning is mounted to the vehicles roof rack or roof rails using steel brackets. Any good awning will include these brackets, so just be sure to check what is included in your awning when you order it.

While brackets are normally included, they might not suit your own set up so there’s a range of after-market brackets available, and if you are handy with the tools you can also make your own brackets.

Do I need a 4WD awning?

If you’re doing a lot of touring, or stopping places that are off the beaten track where there’s no existing shelter, we think that a good 4WD awning is a great investment and will serve you well.

4WS awning accessories and enhancements

Here’s some cool things that you can add to your awnings to get more use out of them.

• Awning walls – to create more sheltered area
• Tent Pegs – to keep the legs and guy ropes of your awning secured to the ground in windy conditions
• LED Camp Lights – so you can see what you’re doing at night. Just remember that you should never punch a hole through your awnings canvas for a power cable unless you know exactly how to seal that hole properly.