on 7/14/06 12:41 PM, Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott at
camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM wrote:

> (Second post: I got a message from the listserver that the first attempt
> was rejected for some reason.)
>
> I'm using a Shadyboy. It's not a Fiamma in terms of setup and teardown,
> and there are two problems with it that I find exasperating, but it's a
> big improvement over the GoWesty one, which is quite clunky to
> set up and tear down.
>
> The two problems with the Shadyboy are:
>
> 1. I bought the optional poles to prevent downdrafts from blowing the
> awning down to the ground (and I'm glad I did). These fiberglass poles,
> unlike the regular ones that the awning came with, have invisible glass
> fibers sticking out of them and every time I handle them I end up with
> tiny, invisible rods of glass in my hands, which is irritating. I've
> learned to use gloves when I handle them. I will probably wrap them with
> thinwall heatshrink tubing and then they'll be fine.

Hmmm, I've got the same Shadyboy & never noticed the fiberglass slivers.
>
> 2. The container tube that mounts over the door is about 1/3rd length of
> the fully deployed awning. The fore and aft portions of the awning are
> held against the side of the van with poles inserted into the front and
> rear ends of the container tube thing and extend fore and aft. This
> works fine: it's clean and sturdy. When stowing the awning, you fold the
> fore and aft portions of the fabric over the center portion, like
> folding a piece of paper into thirds. There are two tiny hooks, like bra
> hooks, that are meant to hold the folds in place up on the opened
> container while you are rolling the awning with its poles up into it,
> but the hooks never hold. I've tried bulldog clips, and they don't work
> either. Maybe Shadyboy has improved on this detail, but as it stands,
> it's frustrating. A second person is needed to keep the folds in place
> during the stowing operation.

Hmmm, mine has little velcro pieces instead of hooks to hold the sides in
place while you roll the whole thing up.  Unfortunately 1 velcro has come
off so I can only hold 1 side in place-should be easy to fix, but keep
forgetting to do so.

The hardest part for moi, is rolling the whole thing up w/ the extra poles
inside & getting it to snap closed-sometimes takes a couple of times-w/ 2
volks, it is easy to take down, but it wouild be nice to do by myself only.

I also had to make little wires to hold the vertical pole halves together so
that the wind doesn't lift it up, the poles come apart, & the whole awning
depresses & bends your roof brackets.  There are holes in the poles to
thread the wire thru, in any event.

Tom B.-shade is good