Rhino-Rack Batwing Awning - Roof Rack Mount - Bolt On - Driver's Side - 118 Sq Ft

by: Richard06/09/2022

In all very happy with the BatWing awning. I do wish it was heavier duty fabric! No issues during the first year of use. Would purchase again!1310633

Richard

6/12/2023

Very happy with the awning.

Mike L.

9/6/2023

@Richard Awesome! We hope the # RR33100 BatWing awning makes your outdoor adventures more comfortable.

Installed this Batwing on my Intech Micro Toy Hauler - Only thing I had to do was buy some 2" bolts so that I could bolt her to the rack. Easy to install and super easy to set up. In a few years I can tell you how well it holds up. From the looks of it my guess would be that it will hold up pretty well. 541676

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Super nice and easy to install. Needs better quality hinges and not plastic. I’ve already started modifying the hinges myself using 3/4” eye bolts.1676693

by: PepperJack09/25/2019

Overall Very Happy. It is mounted on driver side of 2001 Tacoma with bed topper. Some things I would have liked to know at time of purchase:

-It really is a large amount of space, when opened. (We got it so that we have a place to be other than the cab or the bed when its raining) Lots of space to work or relax, with great rain coverage

-I don't think I get a full 270 degrees with it (maybe 265 degrees), meaning when opened up, it doesn't quite come all the way around to the back corner of the tail gate and sit straight inline with the back of the truck. Instead it angles out slightly leaving a slight gap between the awning and back of the truck where rain can drip in.

-The plastic hinge pieces WILL break eventually. its not a big deal, you probably won't even notice till you go to put it away. mine came with a couple extras and changing them out is easy. In a year of heavy use, I had one break. I do think making these parts out of aluminum would be an improvement.

-It is very very fast and easy to use. takes about a 60 seconds to set up or put away, so we end up using it way more than we originally thought we would. the strings and stakes take longer but on a not-windy day, you really don't need them.

-You will need to get creative or just buy the zip on extension when the sun is at an angle. It is easy to lower one side or the other but then the ceiling is very low over your head

Does exactly what we want: lets us enjoy outdoors more and actually be outside when truck camping, despite the weather. Would buy again. Will be buying an extension or 2. 707418

by: Chad w11/19/2020

Overall, this awning is great. I use it in the Southern California deserts and it is very easy to deploy, provides nice shade coverage and stows easily. If you install and remove regularly it will scratch your roof rack but this is minor. Make sure you include a hammer with your kit as using the pegs on each leg is a must.913889

Great product, customer service is the best!1517017

Good quality. Lots of shade. Easy to fold up. 638587

Everything I expected and more. Well built, easy and intuitive setup/repack, and could install myself in about 15 minutes. Also, amazingly fast shipping.515727

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It arrived really fast. I haven’t installed it yet,, but I’ll let you know. 668763

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by: Mike10/10/2022

Love this awning! I installed a Batwing awning on a RAM Promaster High Roof van. Had to purchase extended legs for it so they will reach the ground. It is great to be able to be protected from the elements at both the side and the back of the van and while moving between side and back.
Some things to be aware of:
1) At least one ladder is needed for opening and closing the awning in this high-roof situation. And it is best to do it with 2 people.
2. With the crossbars mounted on the vehicle's standard middle and rear mounting posts, the awning does not completely cover the sliding door. The front 24 to 30" or so of the door is exposed. If the crossbars are mounted to the front and middle mounting points, most of the sliding door will be covered, but the awning will not extend as far out on the rear.
3. Rain will come through between the side of the van and the awning. The crossbars need to be shifted as far to the driver's side as possible in order to minimize the gap between the side of the van and the awning.
4. The height of these vans makes the awning even more susceptible to being pulled up by wind gusts. Make sure the awning is secured to the ground. This is another reason why it is best to open the awning with 2 people.1446061

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I was looking for an awning that covered the tailgate of my truck bed and I already had an awning that hung of the side of my truck so instead of buying a second small one I sold off my existing side awning and purchased the Batwing. I had read great reviews about the previous model and was confident that the new one would be even better.

When the awning arrived I was very disappointed just by looking at the packaging. It looked like it had been thrown around whenever it was handled and had several punctures in the cardboard box. It also had a ton of extra tape on the ends as if it had been opened before or fell out during shipment. After opening up the box I was relieved that there was not any significant damage to the awning itself.

Ok on to the awning itself...
During initial setup in my driveway I was wowed at how easy everything was to setup by myself. I love how the poles are held in place to the mounting plate with magnets and to deploy it all you have to do is grab the top one, pull it away and the rest of them release on their own. Another thing I love about the Batwing is that the vertical support legs are built into the awning itself. They deploy and pack away very easily. I did not stake it down or guy it out during this test setup. The awning comes with hardware and brackets to mount onto your roof rack though you may need different hardware depending on what rack you have. The coverage this awning provides is just what I wanted and it's features make it well worth the investment.

One thing I would change is I wish the cover was fully zippered instead of 90% zippered with a Velcro closure at the back end. The hinge is exposed and water runs inside and gets the awning wet. I live in the Pacific northwest and a little bit of rain has found it's way to the front of the awning.494460

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by: David V.12/02/2019

This is the one piece of camping gear that once it's set up people just come by and say "whoah".
First off, it's huge and the amount of coverage it gives is amazing and makes single panel awnings just look silly in comparison. I love how easy it is to set-up which makes it a no-brainer whether or not to deploy it, always yes.
Here's a few tips after using it for a year...
If it's windy at all stake it down and if you have a buddy to help with setup all the better. These things are like giant sails and I've snapped a few of the hinge pieces due to big gusts and not staking it down. The GOOD news is that the hinges are designed to snap under load (instead of the more expensive arms) and are easily replaceable and you can do it with basic hand tools by yourself so keep the spares they give you in the stake pouch.
You can extend the coverage with the zip-on panels ...or just get some spring clamps and attach a sheet/tarp/towel/whatever for the extra shade.
I had someone come up and chat me up about the awning and he asked this simple question, "if you had to do it over would you buy this one again?". 100% yes.728847

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We received the Batwing Awning last week and immediately went to set it up. The packaging leaves a bit to be desired as it is mostly just the awning inside a box with no real protection. But ours arrived just fine. The installation supplies came in a separate box which for some reason wasn't delivered the same day. Not a huge deal but a bit of a bummer. We ordered the optional Yakima round bar install kit as well.

Installation is pretty simple and quick. The installation manual is a bit convoluted and not super clear in my opinion but really looking at the parts it is pretty easy to figure out how it installs. We installed the "L" brackets to the rack first using the Yakima mounting kit. We left the u-bolt a bit loose so the brackets could move a bit. From there, there are 4 t-bolts that slide in channels so we slide those in. Now for lifting the actual Batwing, it will depend both on your size and vehicle. We used two people and it was easy. We left one end on the ground and lifted the other till we could installed on of the t-bolts. From there one of us lifted the other end up and the second person slide the bolts to where they needed to be and installed the nuts. Then it was just a matter of tightening everything down. We did snug the t-bolts down and then loosened them a half turn which left the batwing slide in the tracks for positioning.

One thing to note with the mounting. There is only one spot for the U-bolt to go through the "L" bracket. Depending on how your bars are setup you might not have all that much adjustment possibly as to how far out the batwing will be. On our bars there is only about 2.5 inches of bar and then the Yakima "feet" that mount the bar to the trailer. The L bracket and u-bolt are such a design that we had to mount it to those 2.5" which has the batwing approx. 1" over the edge of the trailer. We would have liked to have it recessed over the trailer but the Yakima feet prevent this. This isn't a problem with the batwing but just something to consider.

After we had the batwing mounted we decided to open it up. If you have watched a video....it really is that easy. Undo the end Velcro flap, unzip, and flip the cover over. Then just grab the front and pull the bar out. Then just start walking it out and it opens right up. It does sag quite a bit and I wouldn't leave it unsupported for long. Or if its windy I would consider doing one section at a time and staking it down before opening it up more. Once its open pull down the support leg and set it to the height desired. The legs are just tall enough to clear the rear hatch on our teardrop. Our teardrop is a "off-road" model and does sit a bit higher so regular height teardrops would have no issue. To put it away its pretty much the opposite. Though we started at the far end, folded the leg up, then moved to the next pole. Putting the Batwing away was overall simple and easy. The magnets hold the poles in well enough. We got it to zip the first try though it was a bit tight. When rolling the material to put it away try to spread it out instead of letting it bunch up in one spot. Overall for our first time setup/deployment took around 5 minutes and putting it away took about the same. Future times should be quicker.

Of note is to make sure you stake it down and use the guy-wires if its at all windy. We didn't for the driveway setup and a slight gust (around 10mph) was enough to lift one section up for a moment. it does act like a big sail so just make sure to have it properly secured if its going to be windy.

As for use, it provides a lot of cover. Especially for shade! For rain protection it will work well. Though you might end up with less "space" if the rain isn't straight down.

On our teardrop the edge by the door barely goes past the door so any sort of wind could most likely blow rain on the door. Same at the last section it barely covers the rear drivers corner so again it might not fully protect against rain. But it still does provide a lot of coverage. We do plan to get one of the available wall sections to attach for if we do need rain protection.

We are very pleased with both the quality and the ease of use of the Batwing. We recommend it!543881

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by: Bryan Baker09/13/2019

I've had the Rhino Rack Batwing for 1 year now and it has held up to many weather scenarios. From blistering sun to pounding rain and wind, it hasn't failed me yet. Every trip we go on, people are amazed at it's size and simplicity. And they're even more impressed by how affordable it is versus a conventional awning. I have been very impressed with the quality of this product and would promote it to anyone looking for an 8 foot awning.703293

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Definitely the awning to get for the smaller SUVs. Deploys easily for one person. Was also easy to install.1775064

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The compact Batwing was just the right size for our camping trailer. The awning was easy to install and easy to set up. Very anxious to enjoy it this summer. I would definitely recommend for those seeking shade in a clever product.????815139

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Overall, a great build. Installed easily. Pairs really nicely with the Pioneer Platform. I've read some other concerns about how the back end doesn't seal up tight from water when storing. This is true, but unless you are parked with a forward slant, the water should stay out of the unit or dry out fairly quickly. The ease of setup and overall coverage of the batwing design is superb.1284911

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by: Joe06/27/2019

We just got back from our second long trip out west and I didn't want to give a review of the awning until we returned.

To be honest I'm not happy with the Rhino awning.

For starters the cover leaks badly. After every rain I need to open, drain and let dry to prevent mold.

The front of the support has already cracked. This doesn't effect operation but is disappointing.

The legs of the awning supports have also have broken and no longer adjust, not sure if I caused this or they have just seized in one of the pole sections.

The awning can not be set up in the lightest of wind unless it's fully staked out with guy lines. Doesn't sound like a big deal but negates the advantage of setting it up quickly, a $50 big box store awning can be set up as quick.

For the price it's not worth the cool factor and I wouldn't recommend to a friend for purchase.

Hope this helps663562

Fast shipping and great communication. I bought my crossbars from etrailer.com and came back for the awning. They were cheaper than [another company], too.

Item arrived early and well packaged. Got to install it today and everything worked and the awning deployed well. Would recommend and would buy from etrailer again.1137540