Awning anchors/ weights?

[Jeffy]

So I finally ordered an ARB 2500 awning and went to the baseball game to use it while tailgating with my family, and not even 10 minutes later a gust of wind came out of nowhere and flipped it over my car, bending the living sh*t out of it.

I didn't even think about trying to weigh it down with anything since there had hardly been any wind, and it was a concrete parking lot so I couldn't use the stakes. I'm really surprised how little wind it took to flip it like that.

So my question is: what do people use in this situation to help keep the awning from flying away like mine did? Im thinking about going cheap and just filling two small buckets with concrete, one for each side. I'm wondering how much weight I'd need though. The last thing I want is the awning bringing 15 pounds of concrete into the air with it and having that smash into my car or a person. But then again I don't want to carry two giant buckets with 100 pounds of concrete each. What have others come up with?

 

[SSDuck8]

DAAAANG, I bet that 2500 turned into a kite. I have used old dumbells. The 20 pounders work well and don't weight too much. Also, you could put the dumbells in the front and guy both ends to them, that way your guying out to 40 pounds. Just a thought.

I bet you came alive when that awning took flight. Hope nothing was damaged too much.

 

[Jeffy]

DAAAANG, I bet that 2500 turned into a kite. I have used old dumbells. The 20 pounders work well and don't weight too much. Also, you could put the dumbells in the front and guy both ends to them, that way your guying out to 40 pounds. Just a thought.

I bet you came alive when that awning took flight. Hope nothing was damaged too much.

I have two little buckets, looks like I can fit about 15 pounds of concrete in each. I was just wondering if that's enough or if they'd become 15 pound head smashers in the next gust of wind.

I was actually digging around in the fridge in the back when it happened, my head was right next to the speaker so I didn't hear anything, but came back out to chaos. I'm pretty pissed, I've been wanting an awning for over a year now and when I finally get one, it lasts 10 minutes. The damage isn't horrible and I was able to bend most of it back into shape, but it's still pretty disappointing.

 

[mscot]

make sure the bucket handles won't pull out or you're back to square one.

 

[Jeffy]

make sure the bucket handles won't pull out or you're back to square one.

Yup, I'm gonna put an eye bolt with a fender washer in the cement as I pour it, that should do it

 

[NoOneBetter]

Ouch, I usually stake them down, but I've never used my awning on pavement. Sandbags that people use for light stands or big stereo speakers might be a more manageable solution.

 

[Jeffy]

Ouch, I usually stake them down, but I've never used my awning on pavement. Sandbags that people use for light stands or big stereo speakers might be a more manageable solution.

Oh good idea. I thought of sandbags but not the ones they use for light stands. Thanks!

 

[Bumbo]

This reminded me of a story…

When I first started ATV riding we setup and EZ-UP and after we went for a ride, we came back and it was nowhere to be found. Either someone stole it, or the wind took it, and it was the latter as we found it miles away in what looked like a mangled gigantic dead spider with white legs and a blue body.

We secure things with either tie downs or paracord… tie it to grills, coolers, rims, whatever you can find close by with weight.

 

[Jeffy]

This reminded me of a story…

When I first started ATV riding we setup and EZ-UP and after we went for a ride, we came back and it was nowhere to be found. Either someone stole it, or the wind took it, and it was the latter as we found it miles away in what looked like a mangled gigantic dead spider with white legs and a blue body.

We secure things with either tie downs or paracord… tie it to grills, coolers, rims, whatever you can find close by with weight.

There was an EZ-UP right near me that didn't have any issues all day, the wind must have caught my awning just right. Normally I would have tied it down to something but the heaviest thing I had was a small barbecue, and that just seemed like an even bigger disaster waiting to happen.

 

[TechWrench]

Another option would be several water proof bags or gallon jugs that you could fill with water when you need the weight to secure the awning, and empty them when they are not needed. Then you wouldn't have to carry all that weight around when it wasn't needed.

 

[Jeffy]

Another option would be several water proof bags or gallon jugs that you could fill with water when you need the weight to secure the awning, and empty them when they are not needed. Then you wouldn't have to carry all that weight around when it wasn't needed.

Also a good idea, but I think I'm leaning more towards sandbags at this point. They'll be easy to stash up on the roof rack when I'm done, and they seem more manageable than concrete.

I still need to hear back from ARB first, I'm hoping they can send me the parts I need soon :ybrick:

Thanks for the input, everyone

 

[DirtElk]

This has been one of my concerns as well when using in an area where unable to stake. Ideally, I can stake it out in front of the awning or use some type of weight. When using on pavement without something to anchor to in front of the awning I have taken to looping a motorcycle handlebar tie down through the lower portion of my rims and then tie the awning lines back to the loops using a midshipman's hitch to keep it taut. I still have concerns if a big wind were to come up and would prefer a weight of some type in front of the awning, but it seems to provide enough downward force on the legs to keep it relatively stable. The downside is the tiedown going backward can make access under the awning a bit cumbersome.

 

[T4RZAN]

The local sporting goods store sell these guys. Theyre weights for an EZ Up type canopy and come in packs of 4. They don't take up a ton of room and I've never had any issues.

EZ Up Weights

 

[Jeffy]

This has been one of my concerns as well when using in an area where unable to stake. Ideally, I can stake it out in front of the awning or use some type of weight. When using on pavement without something to anchor to in front of the awning I have taken to looping a motorcycle handlebar tie down through the lower portion of my rims and then tie the awning lines back to the loops using a midshipman's hitch to keep it taut. I still have concerns if a big wind were to come up and would prefer a weight of some type in front of the awning, but it seems to provide enough downward force on the legs to keep it relatively stable. The downside is the tiedown going backward can make access under the awning a bit cumbersome.

The local sporting goods store sell these guys. Theyre weights for an EZ Up type canopy and come in packs of 4. They don't take up a ton of room and I've never had any issues.

EZ Up Weights

Good suggestions. I've decided to go with the sandbag route, I think that'll be easiest to manage. I can just throw them up between the rails of my Prinsu rack when I'm done.

 

[Jetboy]

I ususally find two big rocks. Then I use two ratchet straps and attach them in a way that usually lifts the rocks slightly or puts significant force on them. So far it works good - but could be dangerous with a LOT of wind. I have some cheap 3gallon ish size dry bags that work pretty good too. And softer if they did go flying. Now that I'm thinking about it I might look on amazon for some sort of very cheap water bags for when I'm near a water source.

 

[Jeffy]

I ususally find two big rocks. Then I use two ratchet straps and attach them in a way that usually lifts the rocks slightly or puts significant force on them. So far it works good - but could be dangerous with a LOT of wind. I have some cheap 3gallon ish size dry bags that work pretty good too. And softer if they did go flying. Now that I'm thinking about it I might look on amazon for some sort of very cheap water bags for when I'm near a water source.

There's not many rocks in the middle of a parking lot lol. That's another reason I'm going with sandbags though, if they do end up airborne, they'll cause a LOT less damage than a chunk of concrete or a metal weight.

 

[Jetboy]

One other alternative for a parking lot - have you ever heard of a whoopie sling? Get yourself a length of dyneema rope and make two whoopie slings. Then attach from the outside corners to your sliders or wheels. Any rope will work. Dyneema is great because it's very low stretch and very easy to work with in terms of making easy tightening rope ends like a whoopie sling. But a couple tie down straps would work pretty well too. The nice thing about the dyneema sling setup is that they would also work for any other sort of tie down or anchor you use. And can be very thin and light and fit easily in the cover - so you don't have to take them off.

 

[e60ral]

just use some coordage and a tautline hitch knot

(or truckers hitch if you want a better quick release)

 

[DirtElk]

One other alternative for a parking lot - have you ever heard of a whoopie sling? Get yourself a length of dyneema rope and make two whoopie slings. Then attach from the outside corners to your sliders or wheels. Any rope will work. Dyneema is great because it's very low stretch and very easy to work with in terms of making easy tightening rope ends like a whoopie sling. But a couple tie down straps would work pretty well too. The nice thing about the dyneema sling setup is that they would also work for any other sort of tie down or anchor you use. And can be very thin and light and fit easily in the cover - so you don't have to take them off.

Great idea. Just pulled a set of whoopie slings off my hammock and will repurpose on the awning.