Been wanting an awning for overlanding/base camping that was not a semi-permanent fixture on my roof. My criteria was: easy to erect/dismantle and stow, lightweight yet durable and budget friendly. I looked at both Kelly’s Waypoint and Slumberjack Roadhouse. Each had its attractions, but the prices didn't fit the budget friendly criteria. So I decided to just make my own.
Parts needed would be:
1each 10x15 waterproof nylon camping tarp
1each 1 inch x 10 yards heavyweight polypropylene webbing
2each 1 inch side release webbing buckles
2each 1 inch tri glide ladder lock webbing buckles
1each 3/8 inch grommet kit
2each adjustable tarp poles
Once I had the materials gathered (I already had tarp poles from a defunct tent). I measured from mid-point on one of the wheels, over the top of the Jeep to mid point of the other. I added length to that measurement to go around a spoke and back to a buckle point, allowed for folding back webbing for sewing on buckles and folding webbing ends and sewing them. (Sewing the ends is not absolutely necessary, can be cut and melted.)
The measurement, including allowances came to 260 inches.
I started by sewing a 10 ft side of the tarp to the webbing, centering it and leaving equal measurements of webbing on either side. The webbing lays on the hardtop and the tarp is sewn on top the webbing. After the tarp was sewn on, I laid the tarp and webbing over the rig and centered it. I measured from the sewn edge of the tarp down the webbing to the fender. I didn’t want the ladder adjustment buckle to lay on the fender, so I lengthened the measurement to ensure it wouldn’t, allowed 1 1/2 inch extra for sewing on the buckle, then cut and melted the webbing, repeated on the other side.
This measurement is 8 1/2 inches before attaching the ladder buckles. When the buckles are sewn on, the measurement from the edge of the tarp to the end of the buckle should be 8 inches all told.
With the remaining webbing trimmed from either side, measure down 29 1/2 inches and attach the female half of a quick release buckle using a 3 inch piece of webbing. Thread on the male half at the end of the webbing so it will attach to the female with no twist in the webbing. You want the webbing to make a flat loop. Fold the male buckle end of the webbing twice and sew it (or just melt the end).
Thread the top of the webbing through the ladder buckle, make sure both buckles are on the same side of the webbing, then sew or melt the ladder buckle webbing end. You want the webbing and buckles to lay flat with no twist. Repeat for the other side.
At this junction you can call it good. However, one of the features I like about the Kelty Waypoint was you could single pole it and the pole itself was set back a little from the edge versus being right out on the end. It seemed to me this would be a little more stable. I measured back 16 inches from the edge of the tarp, and sewed on a 5 inch piece of webbing for reinforcement centered on that 16 inch mark, then put in a 3/8 inch grommet.
The tarp came with reflective guy lines, adequate stakes and a stuff sack. The sack was fussy after the addition of the webbing, so I repurposed a cheap old NRA duffle and tarted it up by sewing on a velcro label.
I used it all spring, summer and fall in all kinds of weather with no failures. Using one or two awning poles gave options on how I set it up depending on activity or weather.
The only thing I would have done different is either gone with coyote brown or khaki, or stuck with ranger green outer but with a white inner because it does get dark under it quick in the evenings while it’s still perfectly light out. I added an LED glass lift gate light strip to the Jeep to alleviate the issue, but had planned on adding one before the awning idea had taken root anyhow.
All told, I spent 53.90 to make this, and around three hours to measure and sew it together, and I’m no great shakes at the sewing machine. Anyone who knows their way around a sewing machine could probably knock it together faster.
Tarp: 20.32
Webbing: 8.21
Quick release buckles: 5.30
Ladder buckles: 10.80
Grommet kit: 9.30
My wife and son have used it on her XJ and his YJ, so it’s fairly universal.
Parts needed would be:
1each 10x15 waterproof nylon camping tarp
1each 1 inch x 10 yards heavyweight polypropylene webbing
2each 1 inch side release webbing buckles
2each 1 inch tri glide ladder lock webbing buckles
1each 3/8 inch grommet kit
2each adjustable tarp poles
Once I had the materials gathered (I already had tarp poles from a defunct tent). I measured from mid-point on one of the wheels, over the top of the Jeep to mid point of the other. I added length to that measurement to go around a spoke and back to a buckle point, allowed for folding back webbing for sewing on buckles and folding webbing ends and sewing them. (Sewing the ends is not absolutely necessary, can be cut and melted.)
The measurement, including allowances came to 260 inches.
I started by sewing a 10 ft side of the tarp to the webbing, centering it and leaving equal measurements of webbing on either side. The webbing lays on the hardtop and the tarp is sewn on top the webbing. After the tarp was sewn on, I laid the tarp and webbing over the rig and centered it. I measured from the sewn edge of the tarp down the webbing to the fender. I didn’t want the ladder adjustment buckle to lay on the fender, so I lengthened the measurement to ensure it wouldn’t, allowed 1 1/2 inch extra for sewing on the buckle, then cut and melted the webbing, repeated on the other side.
This measurement is 8 1/2 inches before attaching the ladder buckles. When the buckles are sewn on, the measurement from the edge of the tarp to the end of the buckle should be 8 inches all told.
With the remaining webbing trimmed from either side, measure down 29 1/2 inches and attach the female half of a quick release buckle using a 3 inch piece of webbing. Thread on the male half at the end of the webbing so it will attach to the female with no twist in the webbing. You want the webbing to make a flat loop. Fold the male buckle end of the webbing twice and sew it (or just melt the end).
Thread the top of the webbing through the ladder buckle, make sure both buckles are on the same side of the webbing, then sew or melt the ladder buckle webbing end. You want the webbing and buckles to lay flat with no twist. Repeat for the other side.
At this junction you can call it good. However, one of the features I like about the Kelty Waypoint was you could single pole it and the pole itself was set back a little from the edge versus being right out on the end. It seemed to me this would be a little more stable. I measured back 16 inches from the edge of the tarp, and sewed on a 5 inch piece of webbing for reinforcement centered on that 16 inch mark, then put in a 3/8 inch grommet.
The tarp came with reflective guy lines, adequate stakes and a stuff sack. The sack was fussy after the addition of the webbing, so I repurposed a cheap old NRA duffle and tarted it up by sewing on a velcro label.
I used it all spring, summer and fall in all kinds of weather with no failures. Using one or two awning poles gave options on how I set it up depending on activity or weather.
The only thing I would have done different is either gone with coyote brown or khaki, or stuck with ranger green outer but with a white inner because it does get dark under it quick in the evenings while it’s still perfectly light out. I added an LED glass lift gate light strip to the Jeep to alleviate the issue, but had planned on adding one before the awning idea had taken root anyhow.
All told, I spent 53.90 to make this, and around three hours to measure and sew it together, and I’m no great shakes at the sewing machine. Anyone who knows their way around a sewing machine could probably knock it together faster.
Tarp: 20.32
Webbing: 8.21
Quick release buckles: 5.30
Ladder buckles: 10.80
Grommet kit: 9.30
My wife and son have used it on her XJ and his YJ, so it’s fairly universal.