I like Oztent products and I own an Oztent 4 with all the accessories. Brilliant tents. Their awnings however, really needed to move with the times and incorporate attached swing down poles to help the setup and pack away. That was an instant deal breaker. Hence I paid more and went with another brand. A shame Oztent did not take that extra step. (Enjoy your informative videos).
Fair call, Kevin, swing down poles would certainly make set up a little quicker and provide more support during set-up. What I do like about the separate poles with spigots though, is that the guy rope goes over the top of the pole and remains attached directly to the frame which means there are no stress points on tabs placed within the fabric. That's just my two cents worth though, each to their own. Thanks for the compliment. ~ Ben
The design of this awning is obviously a compromise compared to some of the other awnings on the market, presumably in order to save weight, but in doing so a weak link has been created in the hinge mechanism. The way the setup was done in the video it wouldn't take much to seriously damage the hinges if there was any sort of wind blowing at the time. However, the danger of this could be reduced considerably by a simple change in the setup procedure. Four aluminium poles don't weigh a hell of a lot. If you were to set them to length and slip them into place BEFORE the awning was extended, you could simply carry them around with the arms. This would leave each arm securely supported in place as the awning was extended, effectively reducing the risk of damage to the hinges. Same story when folding it up.
I see a number of negative comments on the Foxwing. This is the original 270 that started the 270 craze, largely unchanged over the years. I have the original, and have owned it for about 7 years. I can tell you from personal experience and traveling all over the country, and Baja Mexico that these awnings are more than durable. Yes, there would be a level of convenience if the support poles folded up into the arms like the bat wing version from rhino rack. However, I can tell you there is a reason that this awning does not do that. I have seen more friends with Bat Wings that have had issues from an engineering standpoint. My awning has been in sustained 30 to 40 mph winds with massive rainfall and has never once had an issue. I don’t think you can say the same thing about too many of the other companies that are out there. I think Oztent knows a few more things about product design then some of these newer companies that have hit the market in recent years.
I personally quite liked this original version, the newer 270 awnings have large frames which provide stability but also make them really bulky and heavy. ~ Ben
I bought a trailer with the fox wing awning installed and it looks like the strap used to secure the awning to the rack once open is missing. Is that a replaceable part? How would I fix that if it isn’t?
This should be a pretty easy fix, Clark. You may find something readily available at a hardware store, it just needs some method to attach to the awning spar at one end and your vehicle, trailer or roof rack at the other, and enough length to go in between. Alternatively, you can buy webbing and side release buckles pretty easily, then you just need a sewing machine to make a couple of loops for attachment at each end. ~ Ben
Hi Shane, this is on old roof rack from Opposite Lock that I purchased over a decade ago, I believe they have changed a little since. As far as I am aware they are a rebranded version of the Frontrunner racks (www.frontrunneroutfitters.com), and I think they are/were also known as WindCheetah racks, but I can't be 100% certain of this. ~ Ben
Ventilation is the key, Kent, it's unlikely to be leaking through the fabric. Check out our podcast episode on this topic - www.snowys.com.au/blog/podcast-dealing-with-tent-condensation/. ~ Ben
@@SnowysOutdoors Hey Ben, yeah watched that video. The tapered walls though were setup as awning at head height so full ventilation. The dew just seemed to fall through. 🙄
@@kentwillis I can't explain this sorry, if it is leaking then there may be a fault with the fabric, but you'd most likely find a single point where water collects and drips. If what you are seeing is a layer of moisture on the underside, then it's more likely a build-up of condensation, but it must be for another reason. If you are using heaters under your awning on a cold night, for example, you may still be creating enough differential in temperature for condensation to form. I can't be of much more help sorry. ~ Ben
@@kentwillis yeah, same sort of fabrics. No reason to season it though, it won't hurt, but the fabric is all seam-sealed so good to go straight outta the box. ~ Ben
it doesn't look like those extra ropes create a gutter rather than somewhere for the water to pool up and place weight onto the awning. I don't do that with mine. Just dropping the poles down in height works well enough.
Great info and products except this model awning, there are too many moving parts to it get wrong. The owner takes care when setting up, it's a pity the rest of the family will not!
I reckon there are just as many moving parts on this awning as there are on others, Rodd. You do need to take care when setting up though, as with any tent, it's at the partially setup stage that damage is most likely to occur. ~ Ben
It is waterproof, Zul, you just need to set it up to direct the water away from the vehicle. It has guy ropes in the middle of each section to help with this, and there is a little gutter/donwpipe configuration to help manage any water that does collect on the vehicle side. See here for more info - ua-cam.com/video/OktNeN8L_Tg/v-deo.html. The only thing that isn't catered for out of the box is any gap between where the awning is mounted and your vehicle, if you have a gap here and want to stop water coming in you'll need to add a strip of fabric or a tarp. Hope that helps. ~ Ben
Thanks for your thoughts on this MrFrankenstein007. We see these as an alternative to the Darche awning but share a similar level of quality and functionality. Just in the interest of others doing their research on these awnings, what is it about the Darche awning that you feel is remarkedly better than the Oztent offering? ~ Ben
@@SnowysOutdoors Don't get me wrong they still a great awning I nearly bought one. I don't like the Foxwing using tent poles for its arms where as Darche use a 50x75 aluminum arm which is much stronger and can be self supporting without the poles(assuming there's no wind). I've seen the Foxwing in person and found it too flimsy. That's just my opinion, this is still a great awning for its price. I'd be interested in seeing a comparison between the Foxwing and the new Kings 270 awning.
@@SnowysOutdoors hi, if I may offer a suggestion, with respect, I would recommend that they have the poles attached to the awning struts so that as you're opening up the awning you are able to lower them offering better support. The bag will need to be made larger I think but the benefits would out way any negative impact. Other manufacturers are offering this. Cheers Ian
@@Ian-le3bu yeah, I've seen this on Darche and 23Zero awnings, I'm sure there is some rationale behind Oztant not doing this. The benefits I can see for not having the poles attached are first that there is less stress on the hub at setup, especially if the upright poles are not put in place as the awning was unfolded. Secondly, it makes for a more compact unit on the side of your roof rack, some of the other awnings are pretty big and heavy when packed up. Just my two cents worth. ~ Ben
Nice... after watching will buy something better what rubbish. Will pay for no pole one as that's just way to much work, like 30sec tent is 15 to 30 min job
@@krump743 it's 10mins atleast with the pegs and front up. 5mins if tent with pegs. 30secs is only out of bag and rough shape. Seen many that it's more the 30secs out of bag along lol
@@ausguy4385 you need to get ya self a long coach screw and some washers and a few links of chain to use as tent pegs. Then bring a 18v rattle gun to drive those suckers into the ground. Can have all the legs done, in like a minute or two. Hammers on pegs is so yesterday 😉🤣🤣.
This guy is a star presenter, pay the man his worth snowys dont let him go lol. Oztent make great tents but this awning is absolute garbage. Such lazy engineering from what is a great company.
Thanks for your compliments, krump 7, I'm glad you like my presentation style. Sorry you're not impressed with the awning though, I'm no engineer so can't pick it apart in that respect, but we've had good feedback on them otherwise. ~ Ben
@@SnowysOutdoors Watch another 100 of 270 Swing videos..... I am looking for one to fit a Ford Van.. So I will do my due diligence. to see everyone I can..
G'day everyone!
Wanna see all its features?
Head on here: ua-cam.com/video/OktNeN8L_Tg/v-deo.html
Fantastic very informative I had no idea what the extra guide lines were for makes so much sense now!!
Glad to have helped
~ Lauren
I like Oztent products and I own an Oztent 4 with all the accessories. Brilliant tents. Their awnings however, really needed to move with the times and incorporate attached swing down poles to help the setup and pack away. That was an instant deal breaker. Hence I paid more and went with another brand. A shame Oztent did not take that extra step. (Enjoy your informative videos).
Fair call, Kevin, swing down poles would certainly make set up a little quicker and provide more support during set-up.
What I do like about the separate poles with spigots though, is that the guy rope goes over the top of the pole and remains attached directly to the frame which means there are no stress points on tabs placed within the fabric.
That's just my two cents worth though, each to their own.
Thanks for the compliment.
~ Ben
The design of this awning is obviously a compromise compared to some of the other awnings on the market, presumably in order to save weight, but in doing so a weak link has been created in the hinge mechanism. The way the setup was done in the video it wouldn't take much to seriously damage the hinges if there was any sort of wind blowing at the time. However, the danger of this could be reduced considerably by a simple change in the setup procedure.
Four aluminium poles don't weigh a hell of a lot. If you were to set them to length and slip them into place BEFORE the awning was extended, you could simply carry them around with the arms. This would leave each arm securely supported in place as the awning was extended, effectively reducing the risk of damage to the hinges. Same story when folding it up.
Good feed back, thanks. This is common sense that could be applied to most awnings of this style really. ~ Ben
Super informative, thorough and clear, as always Ben. Thanks. Certainly helps us make an informed choice.
I'm glad it was useful, David. ~ Ben
I see a number of negative comments on the Foxwing. This is the original 270 that started the 270 craze, largely unchanged over the years. I have the original, and have owned it for about 7 years. I can tell you from personal experience and traveling all over the country, and Baja Mexico that these awnings are more than durable. Yes, there would be a level of convenience if the support poles folded up into the arms like the bat wing version from rhino rack. However, I can tell you there is a reason that this awning does not do that. I have seen more friends with Bat Wings that have had issues from an engineering standpoint. My awning has been in sustained 30 to 40 mph winds with massive rainfall and has never once had an issue. I don’t think you can say the same thing about too many of the other companies that are out there. I think Oztent knows a few more things about product design then some of these newer companies that have hit the market in recent years.
I personally quite liked this original version, the newer 270 awnings have large frames which provide stability but also make them really bulky and heavy. ~ Ben
Can I buy the separate bag including the straps, poles, ropes etc? I bought a secondhand car with a 270 but it didn’t come with that poles etc
We don't sell the bags separately sorry, you would always reach out to Oztent to see if they can help - www.oztent.com.au/. ~ Ben
I bought a trailer with the fox wing awning installed and it looks like the strap used to secure the awning to the rack once open is missing. Is that a replaceable part? How would I fix that if it isn’t?
This should be a pretty easy fix, Clark.
You may find something readily available at a hardware store, it just needs some method to attach to the awning spar at one end and your vehicle, trailer or roof rack at the other, and enough length to go in between.
Alternatively, you can buy webbing and side release buckles pretty easily, then you just need a sewing machine to make a couple of loops for attachment at each end.
~ Ben
Hi love the video but this one about the foxwing would like to know what brand of roof rack you god and we’re you get it from thanks
Hi Shane, this is on old roof rack from Opposite Lock that I purchased over a decade ago, I believe they have changed a little since. As far as I am aware they are a rebranded version of the Frontrunner racks (www.frontrunneroutfitters.com), and I think they are/were also known as WindCheetah racks, but I can't be 100% certain of this. ~ Ben
Hi Ben, any suggestions on how to control condensation/water dripping through the tapered walls? Thanks
Ventilation is the key, Kent, it's unlikely to be leaking through the fabric. Check out our podcast episode on this topic - www.snowys.com.au/blog/podcast-dealing-with-tent-condensation/. ~ Ben
@@SnowysOutdoors Hey Ben, yeah watched that video. The tapered walls though were setup as awning at head height so full ventilation. The dew just seemed to fall through. 🙄
@@kentwillis I can't explain this sorry, if it is leaking then there may be a fault with the fabric, but you'd most likely find a single point where water collects and drips.
If what you are seeing is a layer of moisture on the underside, then it's more likely a build-up of condensation, but it must be for another reason. If you are using heaters under your awning on a cold night, for example, you may still be creating enough differential in temperature for condensation to form.
I can't be of much more help sorry.
~ Ben
@@SnowysOutdoors thanks Ben, do you know if they season similar to a tent/swag?
@@kentwillis yeah, same sort of fabrics. No reason to season it though, it won't hurt, but the fabric is all seam-sealed so good to go straight outta the box. ~ Ben
Is it possible to mount it on the bottom of the tulle?
Because of the rooftop tent, there is interference when mounted on top.
I'm not quite sure what you mean by mounting it on the tulle sorry. ~ Ben
it doesn't look like those extra ropes create a gutter rather than somewhere for the water to pool up and place weight onto the awning. I don't do that with mine. Just dropping the poles down in height works well enough.
That will certainly help too, DENMONKEY, thanks for your suggestion. ~ Ben
Great info and products except this model awning, there are too many moving parts to it get wrong. The owner takes care when setting up, it's a pity the rest of the family will not!
I reckon there are just as many moving parts on this awning as there are on others, Rodd. You do need to take care when setting up though, as with any tent, it's at the partially setup stage that damage is most likely to occur. ~ Ben
all youtubers promote foxwing in hot weather only. nothing in the rain how does it work
It is waterproof, Zul, you just need to set it up to direct the water away from the vehicle. It has guy ropes in the middle of each section to help with this, and there is a little gutter/donwpipe configuration to help manage any water that does collect on the vehicle side. See here for more info - ua-cam.com/video/OktNeN8L_Tg/v-deo.html.
The only thing that isn't catered for out of the box is any gap between where the awning is mounted and your vehicle, if you have a gap here and want to stop water coming in you'll need to add a strip of fabric or a tarp.
Hope that helps.
~ Ben
How much $?
We've got up-to-date pricing on our website, Shane, check it out here - www.snowys.com.au/foxwing-270-awning. ~ Ben
Way too complicated. The 30 second awning is simple and faster to set up. Nice coverage though.
I've not had any experience with the 30 Second Awning, Karl, so can't comment on pros or cons of each, but it looks like a good product. ~ Ben
Darche's version is 100% better but more pricey
Thanks for your thoughts on this MrFrankenstein007. We see these as an alternative to the Darche awning but share a similar level of quality and functionality. Just in the interest of others doing their research on these awnings, what is it about the Darche awning that you feel is remarkedly better than the Oztent offering? ~ Ben
@@SnowysOutdoors Don't get me wrong they still a great awning I nearly bought one. I don't like the Foxwing using tent poles for its arms where as Darche use a 50x75 aluminum arm which is much stronger and can be self supporting without the poles(assuming there's no wind). I've seen the Foxwing in person and found it too flimsy. That's just my opinion, this is still a great awning for its price. I'd be interested in seeing a comparison between the Foxwing and the new Kings 270 awning.
@@mrfrankenstein0079 Don't buy anything from Kings...its cheap crap
@@SnowysOutdoors hi, if I may offer a suggestion, with respect, I would recommend that they have the poles attached to the awning struts so that as you're opening up the awning you are able to lower them offering better support. The bag will need to be made larger I think but the benefits would out way any negative impact. Other manufacturers are offering this. Cheers Ian
@@Ian-le3bu yeah, I've seen this on Darche and 23Zero awnings, I'm sure there is some rationale behind Oztant not doing this.
The benefits I can see for not having the poles attached are first that there is less stress on the hub at setup, especially if the upright poles are not put in place as the awning was unfolded.
Secondly, it makes for a more compact unit on the side of your roof rack, some of the other awnings are pretty big and heavy when packed up.
Just my two cents worth.
~ Ben
Nice... after watching will buy something better what rubbish. Will pay for no pole one as that's just way to much work, like 30sec tent is 15 to 30 min job
It's not going to suit everyone, T W Adelaide. ~ Ben
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 the 30 second tent is not a 15 minute set up job, thats including the fly and all the ropes. Awning is rubbish tho.
@@krump743 it's 10mins atleast with the pegs and front up. 5mins if tent with pegs.
30secs is only out of bag and rough shape. Seen many that it's more the 30secs out of bag along lol
@@ausguy4385 you need to get ya self a long coach screw and some washers and a few links of chain to use as tent pegs. Then bring a 18v rattle gun to drive those suckers into the ground. Can have all the legs done, in like a minute or two. Hammers on pegs is so yesterday 😉🤣🤣.
Looks like a total pain in the ass
I guess it's not for everyone, George. ~ Ben
This guy is a star presenter, pay the man his worth snowys dont let him go lol.
Oztent make great tents but this awning is absolute garbage. Such lazy engineering from what is a great company.
Thanks for your compliments, krump 7, I'm glad you like my presentation style. Sorry you're not impressed with the awning though, I'm no engineer so can't pick it apart in that respect, but we've had good feedback on them otherwise. ~ Ben
NOPE,, In this day and age... you can do better.....
What are your suggestions? ~ Ben
@@SnowysOutdoors Watch another 100 of 270 Swing videos..... I am looking for one to fit a Ford Van.. So I will do my due diligence. to see everyone I can..