Fast-Setup DIY Van, SUV, or Truck Awning (Great for Vandwelling/Truck Camping)

[@jessys9868]

Best tarp awning set up yet

[@OverlandOne]

Very nice job. Simple, easy and not expensive. I may be adding this to my van. Thanks.

[@stevebigpine1590]

Nice awning. Could you turn the stainless hose clamps around so the screw is under the cross bar so it doesnt slowly put a hole in your tarp ? Nice

[@RTSChicago]

fabulous - many thanks

[@1dowsey]

Great idea

[@mkoza76]

You probably could get away without the wing nuts for the 2nd tarp. Just place it on the bolts first. Then place the 1st tarp on the bolts & tension the first tarp. Finally, tension the 2nd tarp. The first will hold on the 2nd :)

[@DiegoJordanA]

Hey man! i Ive done some minivan camping before but now I own a Toyota highlander (pretty similar to the RAV4) and was kinda sad of not being able todo all this stuff, so finding your channel is awesome!! I live in Bolivia which is an awesome place to travel around but there are not a lot of good roads (so the minivan had its limitations), we have very long stretches of nothingness so you cant find hotels or motels or anything, regular camping feels a bit more complicated so SUVRVing is an excellent option! I am already thinking of all the places i can go to! I will be a big fan! just a quick question, how did you attach the pipe to the roof rails??? and how do you sleep in very hot and humid weather with lots of bugs???

[@SUVRVing]

Hi Diego! If I can camp in a RAV4, you can definitely do it in a Highlander! Bolivia looks like am amazing place. I've always wanted to go and climb some of the volcanoes there. I go over in the video how I attached the pipe to the roof rails. Basically I use two large hose clamps. The clamps go around the cross bars that go between the roof rails and then through the holes in the pipe.

[@DiegoJordanA]

Hey thanks for that answer man. I went to test the size of my SUV and i will need that head platform you have, also the back seat doesnt fold down completely flat like yours unfortunately but it's not bad either I will have to work something out. I will let you know of any adventures I go on. I have to get your book too!!!

[@noel4854]

In regards to bugs I use screen material over the window. Just cut to size, wedge it with the door, and then tape the bottom part of the screen. Now you can roll down your windows without letting bugs in. The only problem is when it rains but that is why I want to install the awning.

[@lisamallard]

I have that same tarp to do the same thing with I haven't tried it yet I wonder if I could attach it to my van with strong magnets

[@sparkie3231]

lisa mallard I have tried to use magnets to attach a tarp to the back of my pickup truck. the wind whipped the tarp and pulled them off.

[@SUVRVing]

I've tried big magnets, and similar to Barbara's experience, they didn't stay put when it got windy. I was also afraid that they would somehow scratch my paint, but I don't know if that's an unfounded fear or not.

[@lisamallard]

Oh thanks

[@Pinetree282]

Another commenter suggested dent pulling suction cups. 👍👍

[@Metoo1111]

That’s great if you have rails on the roof of your vehicle. But I don’t. I use really strong suction cups and hooks and that has so far worked quite well for me.

[@510bronson]

How well have the suction cups lasted ?

[@amierenaud9502]

This is the best awning setup! I used this trick all summer off my hatchback car! Thank you for the tutorial!

[@ga8065]

I was at Harbor Freight and they now have shade screen tarps, with grommets in just like the regular tarps. A little more expensive than regular tarps. I think about $20 for a 10x10.

[@myadventureoutdoors]

Great simple DIY design.

[@SUVRVing]

Thanks!

[@alltheseflavors]

Very nice! Especially attaching the second tarp to cover the roof & passenger side windows! Brilliant

[@christopherstewart9874]

With time and wind, I would expect the hose clamps to wear holes in the tarp. I'd put the screw part of the hose clamp on the bottom (under the roof rail) and cover the flat part that will be on top of the ABS pipe with a few layers of a heavy duty tape. Other than that, it looks like a very well designed system.

[@motrock93b]

Great setup! Instead of the tarp attachment bolts extending inward using wing nuts to secure the second tarp, you could consider using small threaded hooks with their opening facing down to secure both tarps.

[@OzMan9989]

I’m going to try an idea of using a telescoping pole and quickly attach them to my rack using bungee ball fasteners. Then I’ll use the fasteners on the tarp. Should get me 6-8 feet in width on the tarp awning since I can adjust the length with the telescoping pole.

[@SUVRVing]

Sounds like a good idea 👍👍

[@dddhhh2612]

Like that idea. Though now that I've seen yours be successful, I'd think about having a longer pipe and larger tarp. Thanks!

[@kammt9999]

Nice design on the rack... Id use suction cups instead.

[@DailyOC]

im thinking of trying this but just pinching the tarp between my doors since i don't have any kind of rack

[@wandawas2]

Smart solution for a second tarp onto the other side. Creative and simple indeed. Thanks. Safe travels. Namaste.

[@fishandhooktv3795]

I noticed that with most of your videos you end up including different designs. Is this something that you continue to use? Or have you come up with a better more efficient solution? I’m thinking of making this build this weekend... Love your videos keep up the good work!

[@msafirimhehe]

This is great! I am buying this ideas asap for this season. Thanks..

[@diannesumone2814]

Thankyou so much for sharing 🙏🥰 Great easy set up 👍 lots of good ideas 🙋‍♀️ Di NSW Australia

[@ManCaveTVWest]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@JohnnyDub16]

I've seen some really elaborate "quick setup" awning that take half an hour! This one however is pure simplicity! Up in 2 minutes, no Messing! 👍

[@SUVRVing]

I've been using it regularly for over a year now, and it still works great! Very fast and easy setup.

[@Alynchmusic]

excellent idea! Thanks, I can't wait to try it myself, thanks!

[@laurab9247]

I love it! Especially since I already have all the needed components...and also because it takes almost zero space when it’s put away. Great video!

[@ronkemp9528]

Dude this is a great setup going to use this on my tent trailer THANKS.

[@H.pylori]

Was searching youtube for something like this. Simple, yet effective. I do not want to carry a heavy $250 commercial set up on my rack with a bunch of poles, etc. I like your setup and it has given me an idea of how to attach the tarp to my Jeep Wrangler roof basket. The basket has holes on the top so that I could put the bolts through from the bottom in the upright position and then just put the grommets on and then the wing nut. Thanks for sharing. Thumbs up!

[@SUVRVing]

Yep, that sounds like it'd work great! Thanks for watching.

[@iamthat7351]

we call that a shower curtain in Australia. Tarp is thick

[@SUVRVing]

👍

[@dejacket8029]

nice thank you man, in the process of doing one myself, quite interesting approach...

[@joannsjourneys5904]

Hey Tristan, were the screws and bolts already in the ABS pipe, or did you have to drill holes?

[@trollol_]

Some kind of clip/hook with double sided weather proof tape would work too. Stick a few of those to the roof rack track.

[@rangaroo6385]

Omg you've got the exact same idea as I had for the bolts sticking out of the PVC and attaching the tarp eyelets onto it

[@already.selected]

I'm curious as to how noisy it is driving with that tube attached to the top? Does it not make a whistling sound?

[@roamer3727]

Excellent idea.......I will be using this myself ......Thank you.

[@LittleMo777.]

Thanks so much for sharing this. I have been wondering how to do it!

[@saginawdan]

Once again, a nice straightforward video. I've been doing a lot of research lately as my wife and I are retiring and hitting the road in an SUV. I keep bumping into your videos during my searches. Just thought I'd let you know that your videos are reaching an audience. Thanks - Dan from Minnesota ✌

[@gregoryfoster8179]

I use clamps on my roof rails to secure the tarp, then stake the tarp to the ground as a lean-to in lieu of a tent. Fast and pretty effective to block wind/sun/rain. Can do both sides of course as well. Faster than a tent and drape a large net over all for bug protection. I just retired and typically go solo. Wife only wants hotels and casinos. Lol.

[@saginawdan]

@@gregoryfoster8179 I rig tarps to my roof rack using eye bolts and adjustable tent poles. I think I have 20 bucks into it. I can use different size tarps depending on the need. It works great. I laugh at people spending hundreds on awning systems that only work on one side of the vehicle.

[@billavery6759]

Awesome idea. You could use the tube up top to store two telescopic tarp poles. I think I'll do something similar maybe one on each side so I can set up the tarp on either direction depending on the camp spot. I already have the tarp poles and am always fighting for a storage spot. I may have to increase the tubes to 2" to accommodate the number of poles I typically carry but this is the solution to an ongoing problem I have. Thanks.

[@SUVRVing]

Yep, that would be a good way to go. I wouldn't rely on just pressure fit end caps, though; I'd probably glue one end and use a screw on cap on the other. Thanks for watching.

[@Choppini]

What a great solution, I am going to steal this. Thumbs up

[@trailrunnah8886]

Very clever! I've been thinking about constructing something similar for my Volvo XC70 wagon... I do a lot of mountainbiking, and there's not always shade where we park. I figured something like this would be great to set up quickly as a place to get out of the sun while gearing up or for having the post ride snack/drink. I had an idea in my head that was pretty similar to this...I'm glad to see you've already worked out the details and that it works well!

[@SUVRVing]

Awesome! Glad the video was helpful. Let me know if you make it and how it turns out. I've been using it for nearly a year and a half now, and it works great.

[@TedDixonChannel]

Here's a book idea - SUV RVing in a rental SUV. I did that last week on combo ski trip to Mammoth and DVNP visit. Definitely presents a different set of challenges yet doable and fun.

[@SUVRVing]

Hmmm. That'd be interesting, but I don't know if there's enough there for an entire book. What SUV did you rent? The biggest problem I see with renting one is that you don't really know what the rear sleeping area will be like, like if it'll be flat or bumpy or whatever. That could be tricky to solve on the fly. What was your experience like? For a while now I've been wanting to do something like an "RV in a box" video, where all the stuff needed to sleep in an SUV would fit into a plastic bin or a backpack.

[@TedDixonChannel]

Yea challenge is you rent a class (SUV) then it’s pot luck. Hertz SFO gave me a Ford Escape like the one I own in which back seats fortunately lay almost flat and I at 5-11 fit diagonally. At DVNP had used inflatable pool mattress (filled ~2/3 to help compensate for bumps/angles), inflatable pillow and winter sleeping bag (stayed at motel in Mammoth, too cold/snowy to RV there). So a key to “RV in box” as far as bedding is use inflatables. Also didn’t have but like idea of 12V elect. blanket with hefty LIPO battery on cold nights.

[@barnee27]

@@TedDixonChannel I'm about to try this out this weekend. We have a 2007 Highlander that we're staging things in but we're renting what a "standard" SUV through Enterprise which is listed as a Nissan Pathfinder or similar. We're picking it up a day ahead of time so I'm hoping that leaves me with enough time to make some last minute adjustments on the fly if needed. My biggest concern is getting the bed situation worked out. In our Highlander we have some dog beds under a 3" queen sized memory foam mattress topper but I wonder if a twin size air mattress would fit between the wheel well if we under inflate it like you're suggesting and then we could add in the dog beds and topper, letting the air mattress sort of fill in some of that gap and help level it. We picked up one of those closet bars you attach between the handles inside to sort of accomplish some of what Tristan's gear hammock does. So we added some small loops of paracord around the bar and clipped cheap aluminum carabiners to them so we can attach a number of items to it, including our clothes in packing cubes. Then we're going to try to keep our kitchen and other bigger items in no more than 2 plastic tote boxes that can be moved to the front seats at night. It's definitely a challenge trying to design a system for car TBD but it's kind of fun and most importantly we'll be saving the wear and tear of 2,500 miles on our trusty Toyota.

[@TedDixonChannel]

Matthew Barnes how did it work out? Did you get the Pathfinder after all?

[@barnee27]

@@TedDixonChannel No, we ran into some issues with the rental car location we originally booked with and ended up canceling our reservation and went to an Avis location the day of our trip to find something big enough. We ended up having the choice between a Ford Flex and a GMC Acadia and after folding the seats down on both of them we decided that both would be comfortable enough to sleep in (the Flex folded incredibly flat) and ultimately went with the Acadia because it had AWD (paid off when we crossed into Colorado from Wyoming and were greeted with a cattle guard and dirt road for a solid 25 miles...thanks Google lol). It wasn't a perfect set up but it worked out really well for what we wanted to accomplish. In an ideal world we would have loved having the ability to store some stuff on the roof or on a hitch rack like our Highlander but we ended up putting a lot of stuff we didn't need throughout the day in our bear box at the campground. The bedding we used was okay but with me being a bigger guy I would have liked more support. I think next time we'll under inflate an air mattress under the memory foam topper like you suggested to give it a little more cushion. The topper was compressed under me so I woke up a little sore each morning. We really liked using the closet rod with gear loops because it made it easy to access different items without having to take out a plastic tote and dig through it and it kept the bed area free at night (we did take one plastic tote and a large dry bag but left them in the bear box the whole time but we could have easily moved them to the front seat at night if we needed to). The bar also doubled as some privacy because at night I would just hang a shirt or jacket over the already loaded up bar full of stuff and it would pretty much block out that area. We slept with our heads at the lift gate and feet under the bar. Originally we had hoped to pick up the car the day before the trip and quickly cut some Reflectix for the rear windows but we didn't get to do that. We did use the mesh nets that go over the rear doors though and they did a nice job allowing for some cross flow ventilation and privacy. It rained pretty good the one night and the mesh was soaked but we hung them over the rod and they dried pretty quickly. Most nights at Grand Teton National Park got down around 30 but we had a double sleeping bag (rated for 40 degrees), a couple mummy shaped bag liners (I never got in mine because I sleep warm) and a fleece blanket (for the wife) and we really slept nicely. I actually got a little warm and had to strip down a bit the one night. Each morning it would be close to 40 degrees so I would start the car to let it warm up, throw on a base layer, fleece, light down jacket, and rain jacket if it was wet and work on getting some coffee going outside on the JetBoil and AeroPress while the wife woke up. Definitely think it was fun trying to come up with an improvised rent-ready setup and learning what things I would want to tweak.

[@661EASTON89]

Pretty legit money saver. I’ll try this design 👍

[@bigtransitadventures7449]

That was a great video. Gave some great tips there. Just came across your channel, had to subscribe 👍🏼

[@SUVRVing]

Awesome, thanks for stopping by and subscribing!

[@whitewolf4016]

Your very creative.....👍 Thanks

[@AnnieGill7]

So easy it'sBrilliant! Great job. 👍🏼

[@SUVRVing]

Thanks Annie!

[@katmogstad1692]

Hello Tristan. I’ve been discovering your older videos. Do you still use this tarp setup? I’ve wanted to do something like that but with a roll up window shade instead of tarp. Trying to figure out how to use a larger conduit so the shade stays inside and I somehow pull it out when needed. Similar to a motorized awning one sees on motor homes but more economical. What are your thoughts on this?

[@markwilhelm3892]

ABS pipe tends to bow when it gets heated by the sun. You may not develop that problem as it won't bow between pipe clamps, but if someone wants a longer tarp, and the ends of the pipe extend further than you have yours, I'd imagine it would take on a bowed shape. I'd try IMC conduit, or chain link top rail painted black with Rustoleum's truck bed liner instead.

[@maryfrady7149]

The 2nd tarp over the roof will also help.keep your car cooler. Glad to see you can do that using wing-nuts. I already have those so I just need to get some 1-1/2" pvc and some rebar to hold the pvc into the ground. I bet I can find the pvc in my garage or someone else will. Either way it's inexpensive.

[@roccocalzone5480]

if u out on the passenger side tarp first and then the driver side tarp. boom no wingnuts!!

[@SUVRVing]

Great point!

[@maryfrady7149]

Under 2 min in and I'm already impressed!

[@Halfpace52]

How you put the ankle point in the middle? I can see how on both ends but how the center one was installed ?

[@SUVRVing]

Drill a hole big enough in one side of the middle to fit your screwdriver through

[@BS2Dos]

👍👍

[@aladwanit]

Hi , how did you got the middle scro on the pipe, at the side lift and right it is easy but the one in the middle

[@SUVRVing]

Drill a hole in one side of the pipe big enough to insert a screwdriver through

[@aladwanit]

Really nice job 👍 and it works,,, But how it works with windy 🌬 weather?

[@AdeptSports]

Do you have a link to the tarp?

[@ginnyberg9271]

I love that you use something you already had and I don’t know where you are but that background is gorgeous

[@julierawlins5984]

Does the pipe setup cause any noise when you travel at high speeds?

[@SUVRVing]

Nope. No noise or vibration at all.

[@Chuubie]

So smart! And especially to have the windows open during rain

[@coachrobwille4176]

Thanks

[@foolishevil]

Simple, smart, WAY better than dropping hundreds of dollars

[@freeshrugs63]

Great ideas. Thanks.

[@deetrvl4life875]

And some bluegrass music with this one! ;) Nice job.

[@mynissanpathfinderonandoff5955]

Thank you for sharing, I have Ideas for my set up now!

[@sparkie3231]

Thank You VERY much!

[@SUVRVing]

You're welcome, Barbara. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!

[@VizioB]

Wondering if this can be done with curtain rods that I have left over.

[@joejoejoejoejoejoej]

But with the top box on , one cant have the second tarpaulin.

[@JudyPenmanOnline]

Very nice😊

[@terrytillstrum1712]

Genius

[@dawndamron7391]

I just watched the video about setting up a quick DIY awning. Brilliant. I am stuck on one detail though. This may be a stupid question but how did you get the bolt in the center of the pipe? It looks like the head is inside the pipe with the threads protruding out, but how did you finagle that into place? The only thing I can think of is to drill a larger hole on the opposite side of the pipe, large enough to feed the bolt head through. ???

[@SUVRVing]

Yep, you got it!

[@50nollieman]

what size is that tarp that was used in this video?

[@meyoumovie]

If I’m on asphalt or cement can I stake down the canopy with sandbags or is there a way to stake the canopy down to the cars wheel wells?

[@SUVRVing]

I think you could probably use sandbags

[@barbhayes5613]

I love how you've MacGyver'ed (MacG Classic, not the new guy) all this stuff yourself. It's all so well thought out and planned so there's no damage to the vehicle and your get the most usefulness out of every piece. If you're camping in the summer, the dual tarp setup would also keep the interior of your vehicle much cooler. Brilliant!

[@SUVRVing]

Mostly I'm just picky and want things to be exactly how I want them to be, so to do that I have to make/do things myself. But it serves me well in situations like this, for sure. Thanks Barb!

[@markneimeier8354]

Ok...gotta know something. You say the tarp is secured by 3 bolts and nuts on the outside....how in the world do you get the middle bolt in from the inside?

[@markneimeier8354]

Nevermind...should have read comments first.

[@toothpastehombre]

That ABS pipe setup is great thinking. That was my main hurdle: how do I secure the awning setup cleanly to my vehicle. Thanks man!

[@SUVRVing]

Glad it helped! I love mine. Thanks Peter.

[@bluezbiker1]

hopefully found a new complete roof rack system, Prob is its in Germany but i bought it, fingers crossed.

[@SUVRVing]

Nice! I hope it works out for you.

[@nightwolf1592]

That is genius! So simple like all the best ideas but takes a clever guy to think it up in the first place. Thank you for sharing. My Grand Vitara in Britain getting this treatment soon.

[@SUVRVing]

Fantastic! Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@ga8065]

Watch where you park in relation to the SUN. There is NO shadow under the tarp next to the vehicle, so you have NO shade.

[@SUVRVing]

The important thing isn't necessarily to have shade under the tarp, it's to have shade. Whether it's under the tarp or behind the car doesn't matter to me.

[@WhatsUpWithSheila]

*Brilliant !!!*

[@ruksanayasmin1861]

You are just great I am your great fan

[@SUVRVing]

Thanks!

[@rockngrannyroadwarrior8807]

This was an excellent video. Very concise and well filmed. Simplicity defined. Now if I only had roof rack. 🤪😁

[@SUVRVing]

Thanks!

[@nickseider]

Hey! Very appreciative for this video. My question for you - I do a lot of desert camping, and wind is a regular issue. How does your awning do against wind?

[@SUVRVing]

I also do a lot of desert camping, and I've never had any problems with the awning in the wind.

[@TenthPrestegeisaFAG]

OK, I get the concept - I really do, but in three years am I the only one to notice? You put your chair under there when it's sunny, but ummm... What good does that do when the shade is 30 feet behind your vehicle? I like the idea of the bolts to hold tarp though. I store my tarp, poles, guylines, and all hardware rolled up inside a 4" PVC mounted to roof bars. Just remember to mount it far enough ahead so you can still open the hatch. Don't ask how I know. LOL

[@cowboyscoffee]

Wow just found this idea for shade. Love it

[@deborahanderson5508]

why go thru all of that when you could tie out with secure yet quick knotted paracord.Easy to tie out to sidebar of rack?

[@SUVRVing]

Hi Deborah. That is what I did for my first couple of trips, but it wasn't ideal. This current setup is better for two reasons: 1) It's faster and less finicky than tying it to the rack. 2) Most tarps (including the ones I wanted to use) are wider than my roof rack is long. This means that I could only secure two of the grommets to the rack sidebar, and the end of the tarp with the third grommet was unsecured. I tried various workarounds (like tying a much longer length of cord to that corner and then draping it across the vehicle and anchoring it to the other side), but none of them were as easy or secure as I wanted. The ABS pipe basically acts as a roof rack extender, giving me the extra length I needed to properly secure the short side of the tarp. Does that make sense? This second point was the real reason, and the fact that it's easier and faster to set up is a bonus.

[@bluezbiker1]

Oh, and Toyota don't sell them anymore,

[@andibachrul5942]

Awesome Brother👍

[@gisellegonzalez2628]

Thank you finally a DIY awning that doesn’t sound like rocket science. Definitely doing this!!

[@SUVRVing]

Thanks for watching, Giselle.

[@crazyforcandles1]

how long is your abs pipe?

[@SUVRVing]

A bit over 5 feet

[@sylviajones3249]

Smart!

[@cattleNhay]

your quite the stake it out-er.

[@SUVRVing]

Lol, lots of practice.

[@JoansJunkJournalsAndMore]

Thank you for your videos. Liked and new subscriber. I bought my 1 1/2 inch ABS pipe yesterday, I was going to put it up with those ties, but like your idea of using hose clamps more. Setting mine up today 😊😊😊

[@SUVRVing]

Nice! Let me know how it goes :)

[@JoansJunkJournalsAndMore]

@@SUVRVing 2 years later and still holding up well. I used a heat gun to soften the ABS to conform to the shape of the cross bars of the roof rack giving it a bit more stability. Shared this link many times. Thank you again ☺♥

[@lonewolfoutdoors9870]

That has got to be the simplest diy awning setup I've ever seen. I can stop searching..... this one is going on the tahoe. Thanks!

[@SUVRVing]

Great! Thanks for watching.

[@YumYumGetchaSum]

This is what camping is all about. There's no need to spend $300 on a name brand awning.

[@SUVRVing]

I agree! You can accomplish the same thing for $20.

[@healthydimensionshealthy-d4662]

just starting with the van camper concept...happened upon your video. Brilliant.

[@SUVRVing]

Great! Thanks for watching.

[@amieck7094]

Awesome great idea!!! 👍👍🥰

[@familyrocketship]

Super crafty!

[@SUVRVing]

Crafty is my middle name!

[@AggyGoesOutdoors]

Some U-Bolt brackets may have been a little neater than using jubilee clips to secure the ABS tube 👍🏼

[@SUVRVing]

Heavy duty zip ties would work well too.

[@AggyGoesOutdoors]

Definitely thinking to implement something similar on my SUV

[@kingstonsean]

Put the "other side" tarp on first, but leave it slack. Then attach and secure the main tarp. Now you can stake your "other" tarp. You won't need the wing nuts.

[@SUVRVing]

I wouldn't want to leave the wing nuts out. The tarps move a lot in the wind.

[@kingstonsean]

@@SUVRVing Gotcha. I thought you only needed them with two tarps and just relied on tension when only using one tarp. Guess i wasn't paying attention! 😕 Anyway, you've given me another great idea.

[@wightond1972]

Great stuff ..thank you . Basic DIY ideas... great work

[@SUVRVing]

Thanks!