We just ordered the Batwing Awning on our new Grandby. The best reason is that my wife liked it, but I liked it also. We will be taking it to Baja with us in January and it will really get a workout, as putting the awning out is usually one of the first things we do when we make camp. Not only that but we usually stake it down and leave it for long periods of time. BTW, our Baja trips are usually 2-1/2 months.
This will be our third awning. We have an A&E TransAwn 2000 that we've been using heavily for 29 years on both our VW Vanagon and our 1998 FWC Shell (I move it from the van to the FWC for our winter trips to Baja). The awning has made 4 trips to Baja on the van and 15 trips on the FWC with only 1 mishap when I didn't stake it down. I was able to repair it myself and it's still going strong thanks to tolerances that allow for it not being perfect anymore. It will now stay on my Vanagon as we ordered the Batwing for the new Grandby.
Our other awning is a 2008 Fiamma F45 which came standard on our Casita Trailer and has made 4 trips to Baja plus numerous other trips. My personal feelings about it is that it is over designed, and not nearly as survivable as the old A&E. It has collapsible rafters that fold in a hard wind and is most vulnerable when trying to roll it in during a high wind. It definitly takes 2 people as 1 person cannot hold the awning down and wind it in at the same time. The one stiff center rafter has to be removed for winding in. We have had it billow up like a paraglider as the rafters folded up. The leg hinges are also made of plastic, of which I've had to replace 3 at $26 each. Granted I overloaded them while trying to stake them down, but if they were metal they would not have failed. The other problem is that the tolerances are so close that sometimes I have to wind the awning in 3 or 4 times to get it to lock in the case. I don't know why they couldn't have built it with more tolerance, except it worked well on their computer. Their fix is to add a strap around the case so it doesn't come open on the road.
Given the option of the Batwing or the Fiamma it was a no brainer for me. First, like I said, my wife liked it, but as I looked it over I could see that it was all made of metal (except the canopy of course). It will be easy to add lines to the ends of the 3 non collapsible rafters to stake it down. Yes there is a hole around the hinge where rain can come through but it is on the corner of the camper where we won't be hanging out anyway.
Here are my reservations: 1. How well will the ripstop canopy hold up given that we will be leaving it up in the Baja sun for long periods? 2. How easy is it to fold up in a strong wind? Can I do it by myself? 3. Both my A&E and my Fiamma are 10 ft awnings, and the Batwing is only 6-1/2 feet, although on both the side and the back. It will lbe a whole different campsite. 4. Cost. If my wife is happy with it, it will be worth it. 5. How easy will it be to add tarps or shade cloth for additional shade. (there is no slot to add hooks like on the other two awnings). 6. The zip-up case is not as nice looking as the Fiamma case or the A&E. It should hold up well however as it is made of sun resistant material. We'll see how the zipper does exposed to blowing sand.
I will try to update this after we return from Baja in April. We should know by then how well it will work for us, except the long term durability of the canopy over years of use.