Shade is luxury… especially in the desert that is so easily accessible outside of Los Angeles County.
We’ve hauled out a 10’x10’ pop-up tent out to the desert before, in addition to other gear, and quickly found that it was not practical. The amount of space the collapsed pop-up tent took up was ridiculous - spanning the full length between the trunk hatch all the way to the center console. Some might have considered tying the pop-up tent to the roof rack… but that would have been a hassle (and potential injury in waiting) to load/unload.
A roof rack-mounted awning had been on my radar for a while. With a handful of other trips coming up, I decided to invest in one. There are many solutions providers out there, including ARB, TuffStuff4x4, Roam Adventure Co. and Tepui to name a few. I decided on ARB partly out of brand loyalty (haha) and partly because I found one “cheap” on Amazon. The ARB awning comes in three different sizes:
ARB 1250: 4.1 ft by 6.9 ft (1250 mm by 2100 mm)
ARB 2000: 6.5 ft by 8.2 ft (2000 mm by 2500 mm)
ARB 2500: 8.2 ft by 8.2 ft (2500 mm by 2500 mm)
For most 4Runner owners, the most popular choices are the 6.5 ft x 8.2 ft and 8.2 ft x 8.2 ft models. Tacoma or Tundra owners may opt for the 4.1 x 6.9 ft model, which usually fits nicely above the cab. The main differentiation between each of these awnings is length. For the 2017 4Runner, the 8.2 ft x 8.2 ft model will extend roughly 1-2 feet beyond at least one end of the roof rack, depending on how far rear or forward it is mounted. I opted for the 6.5 ft x 8.2 ft model since it is slightly shorter than the length of the roof rack and was more aesthetically pleasing.
In addition, the 6.5 ft x 8.2 ft and 8.2 ft x 8.2 ft models are alternatively available with a sleeve in the middle of the awning (running parallel to the vehicle), through which a separately purchased LED light strip can be run. In the end, I decided to purchase the ARB 2000 Awning with Optional LED Light Strip since extra light (in the future) will be helpful when setting up camp at night… though I have not yet purchased the LED light strip (runs off 12V).
The awning came wrapped in a thick bubble wrap encased in a hard cardboard tube. I used three ARB 813401 Awning Brackets to mount the awning to my Southern Style Offroad Full-Length Roof Rack using a few 1/4-20 t-nuts, studs, and nuts. The awning mounted very securely and does not budge (I’ve used it as a handhold to get up to the roof at times).
Set-up is breeze as well. The usual process takes less than a few minutes with two people. It would be difficult for someone with a short armspan to set up the awning themselves.
Fully unzip bag.
Unclasp velcro holding furled awning to aluminum backing.
Unfurl awning slightly, and extend horizontal support arms from backing approximately perpendicular to vehicle. Loosen support arms by turning lower portion arms counter-clockwise.
Fully unfurl awning and detach/extend legs to full length. Place legs on ground.
Insert pegs on horizontal support arms into holes at end of awning.
Fully extend and tighten all leg locks.
Install guy lines as needed.
We’ve been out on a few trips in the heat and were thankful for the shade our new awning provided. It’s also nice to have the convenience of a pop-up tent without having to carry it within the vehicle!
