The $60 DIY Awning I built for my Subaru Forester

[@PrithwirajGhoshRoy]

So I did build myself a version of this awning and it was close to $60. The Locking rings were definitely more expensive than what you got. Other than that everything else seemed pretty on point. Few pointers for anyone else who wants to build. 1. Use 2X paint on the PVC it will hold. I tried using something random old stuff I had laying around and it got messed up. I had to re paint the whole thing. 2. Tape off your ends before painting or else you can’t put the caps back on. The additional layer of paint becomes an issue. Also sand both ends and inside the cap for smooth closing. 3. Make all jokes atleast 1/8” larger than pin. 4. Aligning the holes will be an issue so keep that in mind. 5. Set up time is not like one of the store bought awnings. This takes atleast 10-15 minutes to set up. Which I believe will improve with use. Thanks again awesome stuff can’t wait to use it.

[@softroadingthewest]

Nice, happy to hear you made this work! These are *excellent* tips. In fact I've pinned your comment to the top to ensure more people see it. :-) I painted mine with the caps in place to keep the joints clean. I've had to retouch it many times due to branches etc scraping paint off. The holes alignment definitely requires carefully thinking through, and even so, I had to mark up conduit outriggers marked to ensure I extend the right one in each direction and get the holes facing the proper direction. Setup is definitely slower than a real awning but once you've done it a lot it gets much faster...I've got it down to about five minutes. :-)

[@PrithwirajGhoshRoy]

Am gonna take it out to the beach sometime next week I think will be able to say how well this set up works is slightly higher winds compared to wilderness setup.

[@premierpowerwashing6634]

@@PrithwirajGhoshRoy Hey! How did the awning hold up in the wind at the beach?

[@PrithwirajGhoshRoy]

Google Review it didn’t. The winds were too harsh for the awning to stay in place so I decided to take it down instead of tearing it up. Will have to try it out in more of a wooded area I guess.

[@premierpowerwashing6634]

@@PrithwirajGhoshRoy I'm mainly going to be using mine for the beach. Winds are typically light to 10 mph. Think it will hold up? I might reinforce it with conduit running horizontal on the sides.

[@niptacular]

Made this for my Subaru Ascent. I was on a trip with my Son, realized we didn’t have enough shade, and remembered you made this video. Quick trip to a hardware store on our route, a few hours of labor, and we’re golden! Thanks for the inspiration!

[@20DYNAMITE06]

If you suspect you were going to encounter bad weather on your trip, adding one more longer telescoping pole with a tennis ball over one end, and propping it up in the middle would be a simple way to add some pitch to the roof to prevent sag from snow or improve rain runoff. But in truth, your design is pretty much perfect as is!

[@softroadingthewest]

That's an excellent idea. On the one rainy trip I had, I made the outer legs shorter and staked out an extra guy line to the center grommet to create a valley to drain off the rain, and that kept it from accumulating puddles, but the downside was that it made the tarp lower along one side and effectively reduced the usable space underneath. A center pole creating a high point is a great idea to shed precipitation while maintaining full height - thanks!

[@richardsmith5249]

Rather than shortening the legs, you could move the bottom ends of the legs outwards, so you could lower the edge of the tarp enough for runoff, but not inconveniently low. Depends on how much runoff you need. Probably wouldn't be so practical with snow.

[@Taeerom]

If you in stead lower (or remove, of you have a large enough tarp) one leg, you can still keep height as well as get the required sloping for rain or snow fall off.

[@urby5633]

Just wondered if the wind caught and flapped the tarp around would this not move the middle pole and would it not fall out if not secured???

[@stevbarto]

I'm sitting here trying to add up in my head how many times you could have something rip or break and replace it before you even come close to the price of a "nice" vehicle awning. I really like this design. I feel like overlanding has become kind of commercial, most channels make you feel like you need a tacoma or a jeep, then thousands of dollars of "overlanding gear" on top. I'll never get to that level because the price makes me dizzy.

[@algolemo5041]

I saw this after I was 80% complete with my own awning. I have 4' wide banner material that I sewed together to make 4' x 8- I folded all the edges and sewed about 4" from edge to create sleaves on all 4 sides- like a trampoline frame. I used plastic pvc in 4' lengths and only glued the couplers/elbows on on side of each length, it comes apart and stores as 4'.

[@softroadingthewest]

Nice! Sounds like a clever adaptation! It's been fun to see and hear about the various ways people have evolved and improved this.

[@jamesharper855]

Great vid. We build a very similar awning for our porch at Burning Man every year. All of our PVC, rope and hardware are a few sizes larger to withstand the occasional dust storm with 90mph winds. We arch the front of the porch like an old Quonset hut. This helps to be a little more aerodynamic and less like a wing, gives better uv protection early and late in the day, flexes more and most importantly looks cool! We first messure out floor plan and use a hammer drill to put 2' rebar into the Playa about 18". The PVC slide over the rebar. It really works great because it flexes fantastically under extreme conditions. Then we stake additional rebar to tie down to. We've been using the same PVC for 12+ years now with no issue. Love the stuff! Just don't forget to bring some tennis balls or something to cover the rebar sticking out.

[@Melliottfineart]

DUDE! I have been designing one of these in my mind for about a year now. Thank you so much for the video, you have filled in the missing pieces.

[@softroadingthewest]

Haha, happy to help! This went through a number of versions on paper before I finally ended up at this design. It continues to work well for me. Thanks for watching!

[@psycholocke4090]

if you have center grommets you vould also use your stakes innthe middle and slope halfe the tarp slightly down. also you could use some cordage to create either a cross or a center line to prevent the saging in the middle.

[@softroadingthewest]

That's a great idea, there are center grommets along two sides of the tarp and I could indeed make use of them - thanks!

[@ArkansasOffroad]

Finally. An awesome DIY awning that is actually simple enough to use. Thanks!

[@gonnafish]

Nice work, thanks! Heading to Lowe’s for materials. Some have suggested extra holes and pins through the pvc. Instead of this which will just allow more rainwater into the pipe, I will carry nylon zip ties if I need them and then just nip them off at days end. Happy trails!

[@lsc66416]

I have only just discovered this channel, and I'm loving it! I love the humour and that you give credit to others who inspired your own journey.

[@ScullyBrewing]

I did a similar project on my suburban and eventually did it on both sides with additional holes drilled so that i can also throw a third tarp over the rear, tied to both side poles. Complete coverage

[@ScullyBrewing]

You can save even more money buying used tarps at an army surplus store

[@flowrob6861]

Nice do , we used individual knotted loops for each grommet to keep fly tight to roof rack . Nasty weather gets 2x4x4 " blocks with poles to create needed pitch .

[@m.l.3649]

Hi, could you help me better understand how you knotted loops through every grommet? I think I have a notion pictured but I have never really worked with roping or tarps much to be sure. Thanks in advance (^_^)

[@MauroMarzorati]

Completed this over the weekend. It took me three tries/prototypes to modify it to fit my vehicle, because I wanted it biased forward rather than centered, due to the shape of the hatch door. First attempt was a 2-member configuration with 6-ft segments of 1/2 and 3/4, both conduits. The inner bent/kinked at the joint due to rigidity. Scrap that. Retry with outer of PVC. Too floppy having 4-ft cantilever with just 2-ft inside the PVC. Next attempt as described 3-member 5-ft segments. Too floppy still having the conduits independent inside the PVC housing. Third and final 3-member but with 6-ft segments. Rear outrigger telescopes just 16-in out and the front telescopes 32-in giving a 24-in overlap of the conduits inside the PVC housing for added rigidity/stability.

[@softroadingthewest]

Glad you found a configuration that worked for you!

[@johnbarack9440]

Thank you! You must have been a farmer in a previous life. -- Creativity born of necessity and the ability to see things free of the constraints of normal usage. As an FYI I hope will be useful sometime: There are "heavy duty" wire ties with a tab that allows them to release. Use them then reuse them. Run one through the center grommet and around the PVC mount. Afterwards leave it attached to the grommet until the next time. Thank you again!

[@stujd1539]

For my 2005 Outback, I started with a Dune Quickstop awning which was great but not that good for longer durations. I brought a 4m length of 40mm square aluminium tube and custom made a couple of brackets to mount the tube on the roof rails, along the length of the car, a few plastic hooks from a marine chandler to hook the main tarp to the bar, a bag of tent poles and ropes from the local reuse shop, a couple of cheap 4m x 3m and 3m x 2m poly tarps and a DIY eyelet kit from the local hardware store. The small tarp is for the side nearest the rear of the car and the large one for overhead, both joined using toggles and small loops of shock cord through extra holes made using the grommet kit. Takes 5 minutes to set up and makes multiple nights out camping in any weather a joy. I use a 12v 5m LED strip hung across the front for lighting. With a camp fire just off to the side I can sit under the awning in any weather and still enjoy a campfire and the great outdoors.

[@softroadingthewest]

That sounds like an awesome setup!

[@rrouhayem]

Great video and setup, If I may add, you could use a 3rd pin to secure for the hole in the middle of the tarp to the pvc pipe. This will give you extra protection near the car in rainy weather I like the idea from the comments of using a 3rd pole and tennis ball in the middle of the tarp to hold it up in bad weather

[@hootsmagoon]

Instead of another pin, just use a ball bungee cord to loop around the pvc pipe and the middle hole in the tarp.

[@sketch2620]

@@hootsmagoon or Velcro

[@waaliwakki]

I've added pole center with tennis ball for rainy or snowy days, allows water run off and snow from building up. Great yawning dude!

[@alvashoemaker8536]

ACTUALLY, I LOVE going to a hardware store; the assortment of "things" is, often, astounding; however, MANY are puzzling to me...THIS vid gave me practical ideas...YOUR awning's a great solution; THANKS for sharing...👍😁👣

[@thiamata5346]

This is what we did...we bought a 6x8 heavy duty tarp, and a 8x10 heavy duty tarp. We have a 2015 Chevy Silverado with a Snugtop topper. My husband bought some high quality commercial velcro from HD a little pricey, so we put one long strip and a little bit the full length of the top on drivers side and we put the same on length on the passenger side, depending what side we want to relax on and a short length on the tailgate side to have the 6x8 for cooking. Then we bought some adjustable Poles that extend to 8', I bought 2 sets. It's easy peasy, easy to store and carry. We have shade!

[@wanderfullife4.068]

So I made a version of this with heavy duty magnetic carabiners tent tarp and poles. Total cost was $40. Thanks for the video. Now working on my DIY roof deck:)

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

Thanks for the shout out Donald! I’ve become lazy, I now bring an easy up with me. Setting it up is so... well... easy. The key to transporting it is using a hitch cargo basket. I like how I can set it up at camp, go on an excursion and then return back to it 😃

[@softroadingthewest]

That's an *entirely* legitimate solution IMO and in fact I looked at them and seriously considered that option when I was researching how to build my awning...like, why am I going through the trouble when I could just buy this for not much more and be done with it? At the time I didn't even think about the convenience of being able to drive away from camp and come back with it still set up...that's a pretty big plus. Space is just too much of a factor for me though to transport that when I'm loaded for camping. I wouldn't call it lazy...you've got a fast & easy shelter solution, I would call that "smart."

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

softroadingthewest look into the hitch cargo baskets. They one I have I purchased at Walmart for $59. It tilts 45 degrees so it doesn’t affect my departure angle much. Actually, during my entire 5 day Utah trip with Sandra, Liana and Gabe I had it attached to my FXT. I also used it on my 5 day trip to Arizona and also had it attached the whole trip. I haven’t run into any snags.

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

softroadingthewest to add, the hitch cargo basket now opens up so many cargo opportunities. It’s great for carry around wet and dirty gear. Add a $50 cargo bag and you can now store a bunch of smaller items. The best part is that the basket is at the rear of the vehicle and the wind drag is minimal.

[@softroadingthewest]

Definitely not happening for me. The back of my car is my kitchen. I've got too much weight in my saggy rear already anyway...might be time to look at some springs upgrades.

[@garyaanderson214]

Great economical build.Whenever I use tarps and lines I use the old taut line hitch knot.Look it up the boy scouts use this.It is an adjustable sliding knot that you can add more tension to the tarp as the sun wind etc stretches tarp.Very easy to add a bit more tension as needed.

[@softroadingthewest]

Oh that's a great tip! I'm terrible with knots in general and my brief time in the boy scouts was not terribly helpful or informative, heh. :-)

[@ayost62]

I did something close to the same but used big suction cups that stick to the vehicle and found collapsing poles on amazon. I use glow in the dark para cord so it helps with visible at night also I would attach glow sticks to the tie lines to help. My son was running around and clothes lined him self with the tag line and it still held up. Another thing to carry is ratchet straps you can hook in the holes and tie the trap to a tree and pull it tight that way to.

[@softroadingthewest]

Tying to trees is a great idea! I'm usually camped near trees and could probably do that some of the time instead of the vertical poles.

[@ayost62]

@@softroadingthewest it works out really good so that way if you are camping for a few days you can just leave the awning up. Also you can combine more tarps to make a super awning lol.

[@idahoverland_208]

Andrew I almost went with the suction cup too, but really wanted a larger tarp and needed an outrigger to maintain height to walk under it rather than have one corner stuck to my window or hood. In the end I will re-use my extending pole saw pole instead of PVC and conduit. I think Wanderlost Overland also used a pole like that too. I still may order a suction cup to add more versatility now that I know it works for you.

[@benyiphoto]

Loved this idea. Basically copied it almost 100%. Worked perfectly. Thank you for ALL your great videos.

[@softroadingthewest]

That is awesome to hear!

[@crv20051]

I am watching this again post your change to the Frontier. The opening still made me laugh and I miss seeing you in the Rubasu, but thanks for posting this and look forward to your ongoing Frontier updates.

[@garywells3874]

Lucie looks like a great little helper. Nice set up.

[@riverrat1149]

Loving your DIY. I built one years ago that came off the rear over the open hatch and folded down on the sides forming walls. That was my old ea81.

[@munstergeo7417]

Awesome. The simplest ideas are usually the best. I'd not have done anything differently. I have a commercially produced, roll out (winds in and out using a long cranked handle) awning on my RV and it suffers in windy conditions too. I'm certain that they all do. I'll definitely be adopting this version for use with my car. Thanks for sharing in an informative and entertaining way.

[@melstill]

Kudos for making your own. I can't figure out why to spend more then that on a camping awning. It's so simple why make it expensive.

[@Platypusbear943]

This is so epic on so many levels, I love it, you guys are fantastic. ❤️

[@Billy28376]

You are a genius by way of necessity. See a problem fix a problem. If it works it ain’t stupid. Good work.

[@norvinluna]

I used your video to set up a awning on my jeep renegade, it's 12'x12' works great rain or shine so far. Lots of room for activities.

[@demosthenes15]

Really like the idea of nesting the two pieces of conduit to pull out of both sides of the pvc. I built one with two pieces of pvc nesting inside one another and (for rigidity) added conduit inside the pvc pipe that extended out .

[@softroadingthewest]

Sounds like a great solution!

[@demosthenes15]

@@softroadingthewest I see that in newer videos you must have picked up a proper awning, and moved the DIY one over the rear hatch?

[@softroadingthewest]

@@demosthenes15 Yes, I got a great deal on a used small awning. The larger DIY awning is actually far more useful for me on the rear where my kitchen is. I can pitch my tent with its door just under the far edge of the tarp, and have a whole covered living space, able to move from tent to kitchen and back without stepping out into the rain.

[@demosthenes15]

softroadingthewest Nice! Which one did you pick up? I got myself a Yakima Slim Shady that I really like, and I can move my DIY awning to the back of my truck if I need to. But I’m also eyeing that SJK Roadhouse Tarp if I can get a deal on one.

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

I’ve been designing and redesigning one for my truck and now have the missing piece thanks to you. Great video Cheers mate and happy trails

[@dfros1957]

I think this is the best awning video I've seen yet. Thank you .😊

[@toddhoffmaster6057]

I like that awning. I am always looking for the less expensive way of Overlanding. Thank you for the video.

[@drc1883]

Nice job, I'm gonna follow your lead. Only add I would make is to also pin that center tarp hole to your extender rod in case the wind gets up, it would be more secure. Thanks!

[@uol1051]

Made similar awning with old 225 sf ripstop spinaker. Bright red, and sporting a number, but free. The cut lends itself to a center pole/tennis ball also.

[@softroadingthewest]

Free is the best! Great idea!

[@dgas71]

Nice awning! I've seen a few of these diy videos and I like how you keep it simple and easy to set up. The nesting of the poles is a great idea. Thanks for sharing.

[@dgas71]

@softroadingthewest I finished buying the materials to build my awning for a camping trip next week and I'm looking forward to the finished product. I found that the cost of conduit is a bit higher here in Canada (...at least where I live). I managed to save a bit on the tarp and some telescoping tent poles. Did you cut the metal conduit a bit shorter than the schedule 40 to allow for the end pins?

[@bingolicious3391]

OK, that start caught me off guard, haha! Great job!

[@Manoffire260]

Great video! I do very similar, but have a smaller tarp on my roof and hooked to the awning, acts to cover the “gap” from the roof rack AND it sheds a lot more water. It’s kinda like a big shingle. I also have a center clip stretching the bigger tarp. I just put whatever is available to weigh the rest down on the roof...

[@RangaPirate]

Sweet job. Nice work. In addition, you could add a 3rd clip-pin (and hole) to the centre eyelet to help displace some load on the end eyelets.

[@IntoTheMystery13]

That’s funny, I clicked on this thinking it was a yawning video and instead I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Well done

[@codywhite]

This is really great. I will opt for suction cups on the car side since I am without a roof rack but the rest is great! Thanks

[@bertbattersby9220]

Add a pin to the center of the awing this will give better strength in winds. Also, have a rope that goes over the awning from one steak pin to the other steak for higher winds.

[@OmarConAche]

@softroadingthewest perhaps add a couple more grommets to the tarp along the car side to fasten to the PVC pipe with some of those locking pins. Should help ease some of the stress on the outer edges of the conduit as well as help add rigidity to the tarp allowing for less sagging from rain and lesser whipping from the wind. Just a thought.

[@softroadingthewest]

That's a great idea and even better, should be super simple to implement. I even have the stuff I need to add grommets (if I can remember where I've stashed it). Thanks!

[@davidenorth]

Just found your channel. Great sense of humor. You running through the trees made me chuckle. I use a similar setup off my 10x10 canopy at art shows. The awning gives my crew of 4-5 somewhere cooler to sit during breaks.

[@brunoethier896]

Very ingenious way to make it extensible on both ends! I'll definitely consider this for a DIY trailer I'm planning.

[@robertwest4299]

Lol. First video I’ve seen of y’all’s (I was searching for diy car awning) and I had to say y’all’s intro was hilarious

[@drewneel6716]

Thank you for making this, it gave me a great starting point to make one for my outback

[@marknimiroski130]

Great video. I copied your design exactly and it worked perfectly for my minivan. The only thing that might be helpful is a materials list. I had to pause and zoom in on your video at several points to see what size locking pins and U-bolts you were using, etc. I had a cheap blue tarp old school canopy already, so I saved a few bucks there. I did add a few grommets for extra attachment points along the roof. Upgrading the ground support poles to telescoping ones will be key because the piece-together ones are frustrating..

[@akalinh]

Fabrication simple, mais utile et bien faite! J'adorerais avoir des magasins de bricolage comme ça punaise! Le rayon quincaillerie à l'air juste énorme! 😍

[@softroadingthewest]

On a vraiment de la chance d'avoir ce magasin dans notre ville. C'est une entreprise locale - ça ne fait pas partie d'une chaine nationale comme la plupart des magasins de bricolage, mais c'est énorme, il y a vraiment tout, et les prix sont aussi bas que les chaines. J'adore avoir n'importe quel prétexte pour y aller. 8^D

[@akalinh]

@@softroadingthewest Comme je te comprends! Je serai pareil dans ton cas! 😂

[@marcusmaurice6696]

Definitely like this design. I've been kicking around the idea myself.

[@marcusmaurice6696]

I finally built it. I like it

[@grn9209]

I created one for my Tahoe taking ideas from some of the same videos👍🏼. Works great!

[@dmann1209]

Excellent intro, I had a good laugh. Excellent content, especially the parts selection.

[@danhohman]

Another great one Donald! The intro was perfect! That Lucie is a natural! Colin did a great job on the camera too. Very nice design and I enjoyed the suggestions in the comments too! You’re building a great community here!

[@softroadingthewest]

Thanks Dan! We had fun with this and the feedback has been very interesting...it's given me a few ideas for improving my awning and hopefully can help other people develop an even better design.

[@swidahooverlanding2867]

A couple of suggestions. I think I would add another attachment point for that center grommet on the vehicle side. I think it would give you a bit more stability in the wind plus would close the gap vehicle and tarp. Also, the placement on the roof rack out that far might be a limb catcher, which could rip the awning off if big enough. Great job on the build though. I have been thinking about how to make a bat wing awning and a shower stall. Got some good ideas running through my head so I guess I should do like you did and just do it... Great job, George.

[@softroadingthewest]

JUST DO IT GEORGE!! 8^) Heh, it's always interesting to move an idea from your head to the physical world. The way this turned out is quite a ways off from what I originally visualized in my head (it's funny how physics and three dimensions can work so differently in your imagination). I'll be curious to see what you come up with for the batwing and shower. I meant to film it and forgot, but I do just hook a bungee cord on that center grommet and attach it somewhere on the roof rack when I need to pull that tarp more taut over the side of the car. And the PVC housing definitely snags branches (as evidenced by the already-beat-up paint job) but then so does the rest of the car (as evidenced by the plethora of pinstriping). I've casually considered integrating some kind of DIY limb risers since overgrown forest appears so regularly on my menu...that might help to sweep the branches up and over, though so far no calamities, and I've had that thing up there for about a year now. As another commenter pointed out, I'd probably be better off with the thing moved inward a bit anyway to eliminate the coverage gap next to the car. Thanks as always for watching and get to work on that bat wing! 8^D

[@drexldog]

@@softroadingthewest I'd also add 2 more guy lines, one on each vertical pole. Would help with stability when the wind picks up.

[@softroadingthewest]

@@drexldog That's a good idea, the kit did include more lines and stakes and I'll give that a try next time I'm in windy conditions. Last time I was in a lot of wind, the poles would get uplifted, so an additional tie-down makes perfect sense.

[@drexldog]

@@softroadingthewest "Behold, the power of the wind" ~Captain Sheldon, from the movie White Squall. I guess if it gets bad enough that tarp is just going to act as a large sail. I think your pegs will play a big role in keeping those poles down as well. I'm sure you've got good quality ones. I've heard people at Burning Man have had to use lengths of rebar because of the high winds in the desert. Hope it doesn't come to that for you 👍 I really like this design, by the way. The outriggers are a great idea.

[@ninja5672]

Looks like it would be easy to loose the end caps. I would attach them to the end of the extended poles when you attached the tarp, that way when it comes time to put it all away, they are right there at nearly the last step. Or I would add a "dummy" cord to them to keep them attached to the vehicle.

[@mikemcray5144]

Great design! Gonna build that for my '04 Forester in the coming weeks for our holidays, cant wait to put it to the test!

[@stephengreen2898]

That “Yawning” “Awning” intro was Sew Sub Tile!!! Loved It! That must be your new video Star DAUGHTER! She is a Natural Young Person OFFSPRING... Needs no New Tires or lift kit!

[@LadyTSurvival]

works awesome... the only thing i would change is on the vehicle side.... add a middle attachment point for the tarp so that it doesnt let alot of sun in the gap between the tarp and the pole .

[@edtam268]

Thanks If you're going with a friend with a roof rack. Have spare PVC pole assembly for their rack, park next to each other and share the awning is possible too. (This way the square tarp can easily provide shade)

[@torreVs]

Simply clever solution

[@danhodgins4015]

Awesome awning setup! Gives me lots of ideas for our build, thanks for sharing. One thought - hopefully you have the nested conduits secured inside the PVC outer shell, otherwise in the event of a car acccident they would be flying javelins. Again, fantastic tarp setup and I can't wait to get started on ours.

[@softroadingthewest]

That's one of the purposes of the pins. As it happens, this setup did survive an accident which totaled this Forester.

[@danhodgins4015]

@@softroadingthewest - good call on the pins, sounds like they did their job.

[@lilyh7712]

You're like the MacGyver for this era! Kudos on your innovative design! (Subbed)

[@nj4x4fever2]

I have a simple solution if you ever want to screen in an area of your porch to keep most bugs out. If you go to Wally World online and order sheer curtains for about $4-$7 a pack there is two long sheer curtains in the pack they look like bug screen. First time I used them to create a bug net for my hammock. you can have several panels that can be attached with paracord Velcro or even magnets. There is a seam for a curtain rod top and bottom. The top you can just use a cord to attach it to your awning setup.I have used several sheer curtains to make a makeshift mini tent the fabric hangs off the back of my hatchback using dollar store fridge magnets you can get 6 for $1.00 I then can sleep with my hatch open to let fresh air in. My car I am too tall for the rear hatch space, if I lay down I have 5’8” of space but I can’t close the hatch I’m over 6’1” tall. If you want a diagram or even a photo, I’ll put something together and post it to my Instagram, I just started to follow you. I’ll post the sizes of the sheer curtains and a part number if you’re interested. Btw I really like this video. Keep up the great work. I’m still deciding which year subie I should get. If you had to buy another Subaru, would you buy the same model and or which year would you prefer?

[@softroadingthewest]

It's so funny you mentioned that, I was JUST thinking about something along those lines the other day but couldn't quite think of what kind of material would make sense - that's a brilliant idea! No diagram needed, I have a specific implementation in mind, but I just couldn't visualize what to use. Thank you!! There are people out there successfully adventuring in all years of Foresters, Outbacks, Crosstreks, and even Imprezas and Legacys. I would check out various models to see what feels best for you, as well as research the quirks of each drivetrain (because they ALL have their plusses & minuses so you have to pick your poison). I would also check out vehicles that are not Subarus...plenty of other legitimate choices out there. For me personally, the 2011-2013 Forester made the most sense for my purposes, for more reasons than I can possibly elaborate on here, and maybe I'll do a video on that subject at some point, but yes, if I were to buy another Subaru, it would almost certainly be another 2011-2013 Forester.

[@jameswacker7483]

Have you considered attaching the middle grommet with a bungee? The loop and ball style. Would tighten the tarp a bit. Also, you could leave the guylines attached to tarp for quicker setup.

[@softroadingthewest]

Yes, I've used a bungee on the middle grommet and in fact I intended to film that detail but forgot. Keeping the guylines attached to the tarp is a great idea that hadn't occurred to me. I got tired of them getting tangled up in the bag and took to painstakingly wrapping each one around a stake, but I think there would be no tangling danger if they were simply attached to the tarp grommets...thanks!

[@sherrymuzykazekestravels6793]

Cool! Love how easy your design is!

[@dennischeslock7782]

What work for you may not work for others, but that was a great idea. I use a 6x6 canopy. Dennis

[@matthewlockhart3226]

Great set up! Thanks for making the video. In the past I've created a similar tarp using conduit and a 8x10 brown/silver tarp from Home Depot. On hot/sunny days I would put it silver side up and was amazed at how much sun/heat was reflected. It was unbelievably cool underneath it. On normal days I would just put it up brown side up to blend in a bit more to the surroundings. The tarp material was a bit stiffer which helped in heavy rain and wind. I really like how your poles nest in each other. I'm definitely going to incorporate that idea into my system. Thanks again.

[@softroadingthewest]

I had it up for protection from the desert sun a couple of weeks ago and out of habit installed it brown side up (if it's not obvious, this one is brown/silver as well). It wasn't excessively hot out and the shade did the trick, but it didn't even occur to me we could've stayed cooler still by flipping the silver side up. I'll do that next time and see if it makes a difference. I can see how a heavier tarp would be less prone to wind & rain pushing it around. If this one fails (and I suspect it will at some point) I like the idea of just getting a heavy tarp like yours to replace it with. Thanks for watching!

[@lonedog6687]

I would like to see you add 2 more grommet holes to your tarp at the points where you already have the pins at the end of the pvc... I also like the suggestion previously made regarding a floating pole to create a high spot for run off. Nice video, great ideas !

[@L-lp9fl]

Great money safer, did mine as well, with a bit sturdier poles and double corner pegs Thanks for sharing!

[@haiyanqu698]

Thanks so much, this design is very smart, and your instruction is clear and easy to follow, much appreciated!!

[@felipfelop8220]

Ok good vid,but being a brit,we can give you a couple of pointers,use narrower pvc tubing,you could use a couple of old aluminium crutches instead,keeps the weight down and move the pipe closer to to the centreline of the car,use your second pvc pipe closer to the edge to store your outrigger poles for the tarp and your fishing rods,lastly set your outrigger poles of your tarp at odd angles to deflect wind,adjust vehicle first with current weather data,dont bother with a centre pole and a tennis ball,it will only cause stress on the tarp unnecessarily

[@PromasterHOF]

Add a grommet to the middle of the car side of your tarp and hook it to your mounting pole on the cars roof rack. That would give you better protection from the rain and snow

[@kogiekobayashi3421]

Thanks for sharing this, cost effective DYI project.

[@SanDiegoSail]

Thanks for putting these videos together. I have a 2010 forester I've been thinking of setting up for more camping. Had you considered putting another pin for the center grommet on the car side. It looked like the end poles were flexing a bit. That might spread the load a bit.

[@softroadingthewest]

Well, what I've done at times is just hook a bungee to that center grommet and attach it somewhere on the roof rack to pull it more taut. Ultimately I think an additional pin like you said probably makes more sense. The outriggers definitely flex when I pull everything good and tight, despite each having fully half their length complexly encased in the PVC pipe housing. Good luck with your Forester camping build and thanks for watching!

[@David-ki6jq]

Thanks for the great ideas. I might have to beef up the design a little to cope with the howling wind and rain we have in the UK ☔

[@isshinryu11]

Well prices certainly have changed! total cost for all hardware is $46.71 in FEB 2023. No tarp or polls. Question, the 1/2 conduit goes inside the 3/4, so the 3/4 goes out one end and the 1/2 out the other? Why not cut 3/4 to 2.5 feet and just pull out the 2 ends to make 10 feet? Great idea for my honda element!

[@softroadingthewest]

You need that extra length to remain inside the outer PVC sleeve to give it strength and stability when they are extended. The only way I found to have enough length of conduit both sticking out and remaining inside the PVC was to to nest the two pieces of conduit. There are certainly other ways to approach this. This is just what I came up with. :-) I ended up adapting this setup to my current rig after my Forester was totaled, but didn't use any pipe at all mounted on the vehicle. I have a video about that too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnPOkpmspLF2eNU

[@premierpowerwashing6634]

Yes! As always awesome video. Very informative and plan on making one similar for my lifted Sonata haha.

[@MarmaladeOutdoors]

I’m a new subscriber and am really enjoying catching up on your videos and learning. I liked this idea but am going with two strong suction cups that have hooks that the grommets fit onto. I don’t have the roof rack you have and this keeps me from having to buy and build that pole system and it can be transferred to any type of car or van. I have a small suv so going to buy a 6’ x 8’ tarp and two painter type extendable poles that have a point at the ends that will also fit in the grommet holes then of course just stake them out. Keep up the great work and I’m learning a lot planning for my own car camping set up.

[@softroadingthewest]

That's a great idea!

[@redyellowpink01]

Very good design and definitely some ideas here that I'll be stealing. Mine will have a be a little smaller and sturdier as i live in Scotland where the weather is terrible and places where i would pitch up are smaller

[@johnsimpson8198]

Great idea man, deffinately worth the money!

[@wunderbratsche]

Fantastic! I'm now fairly confident I can build one even with my limited skills. Thanks, man!

[@TheAdventureZombie]

Great idea, I like how compact you made it.

[@istp1967]

Beauty in Simplicity 😎

[@TheTattooedRonin]

Love this one good tips and its cool that your daughter helps you with these videos. Awesome job you two!!

[@abcschneekatze]

I use my 14.5 long kayak on the roof, to mount the tarp :-)

[@softroadingthewest]

That's brilliant!

[@Blue.Crawler]

I did the same at WBM2019

[@ratherbfishing455]

I hope that it doesnt warp it.

[@reypasco5721]

I knew it will work... I'll assemble mine this weekend

[@flyingcat2054]

I know what you mean about no shade with car camping! Just finished 5 days boondocking and where is some shade in this July heat?? I even have a Prius, but needless to say the ICE will kick on 3xs an hour to recharge the hybrid battery!😱which is loud! I don't like that noise, though everyone else will boast, "it doesn't bother me". I like the hardware you used as I can do that, no welding involved😀. I want to get an airy camo panel for the side too.

[@rayperez5944]

How about adding a center PVC pipe with an end-cap on the center to create a ridge.

[@softroadingthewest]

That's a great idea!

[@nate-beard]

Haha, we're neighbors! Maybe you'll see a similar awning on my 4runner in a couple weeks parked at W.M. Thanks for the great vid!

[@DIYcamperNATE]

I like it, but I think when I build one I’m going to make some sort of adjustable riser on the vehicle side so it actually slopes down to shed water.

[@softroadingthewest]

Good idea. The poles I used here are in segments, so I could remove one segment from each to slope the tarp downwards. After the car in this video was totaled in an accident, I adapted this awning to my truck canopy and replaced the segmented poles with telescoping poles that are both stronger and allow fine-tuning the height. I have a short video about it if you're curious: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnPOkpmspLF2eNU With both versions, when it rained, I would usually stake a guy line attached to the middle grommet on the outside edge to form a trough and keep water from pooling. You can see that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKbSaIuCYtuDhcU Good luck with your awning build!

[@scottharris6423]

Very clever! I will use your ideas, since I am going to prep my van for overlanding. Thxs!

[@VanGoWanderlust]

You’ve reached awning nirvana. Thanks for the idea!

[@justinbrown2044]

I tried making something similar but when opened in the wind, it didn't stand a chance. Definitely thinking about spending the extra money to get one with side supports.

[@softroadingthewest]

Yeah, wind is definitely the Achilles Heel on this. We tried to use it atop a central Oregon butte we camped on and had to immediately abort the setup. I set it up a few weeks ago at a time when it was calm and the wind picked up later, and it actually held through stronger wind than I would've thought possible...then an extra strong gust shut us down, LOL. Thanks for watching!

[@50nollieman]

do you think instead of having a pvc pipe on the roof a couple of magnets would work? Industrial magnets with 25,35,45 or even 95lbs of force? I think 3 magnets with 25-35lbs of force each would work. So thats a total of atleast 75lbs holding it down

[@joshuabrooks555]

Exactly what I was looking for! Thank you.

[@StealthGTI]

Excellent video. I went more the JonDZ route with the extending pole, but used your link for the tarp kit. I'll install everything this weekend and test it Monday. Oddball question: What compelled you to mount it on the driver's side? I assume most awnings are on the passenger side since sliding van doors are on that side, campground hook-ups are often on the driver's side, and roadside stops can have the awning open over the grass instead of toward the road. Just guessing, though. What are your thoughts on this? Keep up the good work! -Scott

[@softroadingthewest]

I sleep in my car. My sleeping platform runs along the passenger side of the car; the rear drivers side door is my access in and out and thus where shelter is the most needed in my particular case. :-) I've actually since relocated my DIY awning to the rear to provide protection over my "kitchen" area, and for protection along the drivers side I've added a small "real" awning I picked up used for very little money. Almost kinda sorta 270° when I deploy both. You can see that full setup in some of my more recent videos: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2Kvm2Vre5ylgJo kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHK8YqGFgMmjnMk Thanks for watching, and good luck with the awning build!

[@StealthGTI]

@@softroadingthewest - Makes sense. I took my awning out for a test along a river. It was a little windy, but I managed to get it setup. Unfortunately, the extra tension on the guys bent the thin aluminum used in the extendable pole. It no longer slides smoothly... barely at all. I bought some PVC and conduit, as done in your video, with the exception of the 1/2" portion. I THINK I can get decent results with a 7-foot length of PVC and an equal length of 3/4" conduit inside. I'd only extend the conduit to fit a 10x10 tarp, which would leave plenty inside the PVC for support or rigidity. If it doesn't work, at least it's not expensive to add the 1/2" conduit or redesign. I'll post a photo in IG and tag you, if it works that way.

[@softroadingthewest]

@@StealthGTI That seems like it could work. Simplifies the build and the setup a bit as well. It occurs to me that the weak link might be having the one corner of the tarp attached directly to the PVC housing (if I'm understanding your intention) instead of to metal conduit. Though again, worst case scenario, if the PVC end breaks, you can simply cut it off and proceed with adding the 1/2" conduit to the interior. Good luck! Saw the IG post, tag me again when you've got it all built!

[@StealthGTI]

@@softroadingthewest - I hadn't thought about that weak link. I accidentally put the rear end cap on too tight to make sure the conduit didn't fall out during its first ride home. Sure, I could get it off with a set of channel locks. Instead, I think I will pound it on harder, drill a hole for the rear keeper clip, and operate the conduit from the front. That way, the rear corner of the tarp will be secured through a thicker piece of PVC than just the pipe wall. I'll be sure to tag you again when I have new photos.

[@softroadingthewest]

@@StealthGTI Oh that's a good idea... I would think that would add quite a bit of strength. I look forward to seeing the end result!