Well it's been two years, and 40k miles since I purchased my first Overland Vehicle Systems Nomad 270 Awning. When I first purchased the awning the were basically no reviews or info on the awning or much on the company it's self. My goal was to find a free standing awning, without the need to deploy poles every time I wanted to eat a quick bite in the shade.
Previously I used a 6 foot CVT awning. This worked great, and it's still in the family. Now my grandfather uses it on his built F250. But I wanted something with more coverage so I started looking into 270 awnings. I had seen reviews on the Batwing, but most reviews showed that the supports were a little to weak for extended use. I also looked at other options like the Alu-Cab 270, but found them to be a little smaller than what I was looking for and a lot more money. At the time, I was able to purchase the OVS awning for $764.98. The list price was $899 but with a little digging around I was able to save 15% with a coupon code.
I installed the awning on my GoFastCamper before leaving on a two week trip to Colorado and New Mexico. Little did I know that we would use the awning nearly every day. With the high elevations and cold temperatures we quickly learned that using the awning, the 3 walls, and a propane fire pit we could have a warm place to spend the evenings off the trail. Each evening we lit the propane fire, cooked dinner, and hung out with friends in the awning. We had snow, winds, and rain pelting the awning but it never caused any problems.
Later that year I sold the GoFastCamper to switch to a Super Pacific Camper. The first thing I did, was order another OVS Nomad 270. This time the price went up for $899 to $949. Once again, I found a %15 off coupon on campsaver.com and purchased the awning for $862.90, but $30 in reward points I later used.
This last year my wife and I traveled to Montana for our annual 2 week trip. Once again we used the awning every evening that the weather got chilly or the rain picked up. We used the propane firepit when possible (Montana bans propane fire firepits during bad fire seasons) and the walls, tho bulky are a great way to escape the wind. The biggest test we put the awning through this last but trip was South Dakota. We watched a storm blowing in across the plains and we quickly decided to throw the walls and awning up to have a place to relax and cook. The wind and rain battered the walls all night, but in the morning the awning was no worse for the wear.
Like most things, there are some things we like, and somethings we don't.
Pros:
The cost of the OVS is lower than most similar sized awnings
It's very sturdy, and with no wind we are able to use it without the legs.
The material doesn't seem to mildew, even when wet for days.
The zippers are large and easy to use on the walls.
Cons:
The cover can be tight. There is a trick to rolling the awning up and once you figure it out, it's not a problem
The cover isn't water tight. We often find a little water in the cover after a heavy rainfall
If you don't use the included stakes, water can pool in the middle of the awning.
I'd like more windows in the walls.
After two years, we still use this awning nearly every single month. This last weekend we had a surprise shower come through. We pulled the truck over to the fire, opened the awning, and enjoyed the evening by the fire without getting wet. If we are camped near a trail we often bring just one wall to add a little privacy to camp, and help with the winds. It's easy to heat with a propane firepit in the winter too!
Previously I used a 6 foot CVT awning. This worked great, and it's still in the family. Now my grandfather uses it on his built F250. But I wanted something with more coverage so I started looking into 270 awnings. I had seen reviews on the Batwing, but most reviews showed that the supports were a little to weak for extended use. I also looked at other options like the Alu-Cab 270, but found them to be a little smaller than what I was looking for and a lot more money. At the time, I was able to purchase the OVS awning for $764.98. The list price was $899 but with a little digging around I was able to save 15% with a coupon code.
I installed the awning on my GoFastCamper before leaving on a two week trip to Colorado and New Mexico. Little did I know that we would use the awning nearly every day. With the high elevations and cold temperatures we quickly learned that using the awning, the 3 walls, and a propane fire pit we could have a warm place to spend the evenings off the trail. Each evening we lit the propane fire, cooked dinner, and hung out with friends in the awning. We had snow, winds, and rain pelting the awning but it never caused any problems.
Later that year I sold the GoFastCamper to switch to a Super Pacific Camper. The first thing I did, was order another OVS Nomad 270. This time the price went up for $899 to $949. Once again, I found a %15 off coupon on campsaver.com and purchased the awning for $862.90, but $30 in reward points I later used.
This last year my wife and I traveled to Montana for our annual 2 week trip. Once again we used the awning every evening that the weather got chilly or the rain picked up. We used the propane firepit when possible (Montana bans propane fire firepits during bad fire seasons) and the walls, tho bulky are a great way to escape the wind. The biggest test we put the awning through this last but trip was South Dakota. We watched a storm blowing in across the plains and we quickly decided to throw the walls and awning up to have a place to relax and cook. The wind and rain battered the walls all night, but in the morning the awning was no worse for the wear.
Like most things, there are some things we like, and somethings we don't.
Pros:
The cost of the OVS is lower than most similar sized awnings
It's very sturdy, and with no wind we are able to use it without the legs.
The material doesn't seem to mildew, even when wet for days.
The zippers are large and easy to use on the walls.
Cons:
The cover can be tight. There is a trick to rolling the awning up and once you figure it out, it's not a problem
The cover isn't water tight. We often find a little water in the cover after a heavy rainfall
If you don't use the included stakes, water can pool in the middle of the awning.
I'd like more windows in the walls.
After two years, we still use this awning nearly every single month. This last weekend we had a surprise shower come through. We pulled the truck over to the fire, opened the awning, and enjoyed the evening by the fire without getting wet. If we are camped near a trail we often bring just one wall to add a little privacy to camp, and help with the winds. It's easy to heat with a propane firepit in the winter too!
