180 XT MAX™ Awning

How is the 180 XT MAX™ Awning manufactured?

The combination of forward and rear folding arms means the 180 XT MAX™ Awning provides an incredible amount of shade (+/-8.53m²) around your 4WD for you to set up your camp kitchen, or just a shaded seating/chill out area. When extended the rear of the awning measures a total of 5.84m.

The 180 XT MAX™ Awning has a heavy duty stainless steel hinge at the rear and front section of the frame, all of the arms are made from an aluminium alloy, and the front and rear single arms are strengthened with a honeycomb cross section throughout their length.

The 180 XT MAX™ Awning is made in South Africa from the finest quality components.  The awning bag is 460gsm poly-cotton rip-stop canvas with YKK Zippers.  In contrast to PVC awning covers, the canvas allows the awning to breath while keeping it dust/dirt free and moisture is able to wick out through the zipper reducing the risk of mould or mildew.

The rip-stop material on the bag also reduces the risk of large running tears in the bag as a result of contact with tree branches, and the front and rear sections of the bag have a double layer of canvas providing extra protection.  The canvas on the awning itself is a 320gsm poly-cotton rip-stop canvas in The Bush Company’s traditional olive green colour that is mould and mildew resistant. There are no seams in the canvas section (not including the edges) and the canvas is pre-treated during manufacture for water resistance.

Like any canvas it should be seasoned before use by pre-wetting and drying, and over time if the stitched areas show signs of water ingress this is easily treated with a canvas aqua proof product to seal the stitch holes.  Where the canvas is attached to the ends of the trussed awning arms there is additional triple reinforcement to eliminate chafing, while the front and rear arms slide into a triple stitched canvas sleeve.

What is the Structure of the 180 XT MAX™ Awning Made of?

The structure of the awning is made from an extruded alloy composite which has been specifically designed to provide the elasticity, strength and durability we require.  The main bracket for the hinge is constructed from  stainless steel providing huge strength.  The arms on the awning have been gusseted for additional strength, which enables the awning to be fully free standing without any poles in even very strong wind conditions.

We do not supply poles for the awning as it does not need them, but we do supply guy ropes and pegs for use in extreme wind conditions to prevent damage to your roof rack or vehicle.  The guy ropes attach to the heavy duty webbing loops attached to the canvas at the ends of the arms and also midway along each canvas section.

In conjunction with the natural rake of the awning, the guy ropes should be used to prevent pooling of water on the canvas and to guide water runoff in preferred places. We do not recommend leaving the awning up unattended during snowfall due to risk of canvas stretching as a result of excessive weight.

Around the inside edge of the awning is a 50mm thick triple stitched velcro strip which can be used to attach the optional awning walls enabling you to fully enclose the area to provide protection from the elements or additional privacy.