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marwayne
Senior Member
Joined: 25 Oct 2011
Location: Edmonton AB Can
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Posts: 1002
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Topic: R-Dome Posted: 15 Apr 2014 at 11:20pm |
650$ is cheep up here there asking between 800$ and a 1000$.
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If you want something done right, do it yourself.
2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.
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PanamaMitch
Newbie
Joined: 06 Jun 2013
Location: Panama City, FL
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 14
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Posted: 16 Apr 2014 at 8:51pm |
Although it is nice for longer stays, it really is a pain to set up. It is cheaply made. The material tears easily. The design of the screen section running along the bottom of the rpod is poorly thought out, requiring the owner to cut it into sections to work. If I had known what I was getting when I purchased it, I would have saved a bit of money and had a local sailmaker sew me up an awning that slides into the same track. With that said, if your willing to put up with the downsides, it does provide significant additional room.
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R-Pod 176T + Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
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NormanHill
Groupie
Joined: 30 Mar 2014
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 49
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Posted: 25 May 2014 at 11:54am |
We used a dome that came with our camper purchase this weekend and I'm a little disappointed in the quality. Ripped in a corner first day and the zippers are terrible. It also seems a a little narrow for the 178 and short for the 178 with a rise kit. Do they make different sizes of these for rpods? On the plus side it kept the area under it dry when it rained.
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sammycamper
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Oct 2012
Location: Minnesota
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Posts: 111
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Posted: 25 May 2014 at 1:05pm |
Yes. I think it's worth the $650 price. We have a 2012 173 model, and I don't know if that's the old or new style. If I had to replace ours, I'd be more concerned about whether the conversion is difficult than the $650 price for parts.
Sam
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2012 rPod 173
2008 Trailblazer 4WD V6
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sammycamper
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Oct 2012
Location: Minnesota
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Posts: 111
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Posted: 25 May 2014 at 1:15pm |
Originally posted by NormanHill
We used a dome that came with our camper purchase this weekend and I'm a little disappointed in the quality. Ripped in a corner first day and the zippers are terrible. It also seems a a little narrow for the 178 and short for the 178 with a rise kit. Do they make different sizes of these for rpods? On the plus side it kept the area under it dry when it rained. | The rip is definitely disappointing. My first impression was that the nylon of our dome was thin; but it has proven to be remarkably strong, and I have no complaints about the zipper. I hope they haven't downgraded materials in the newest ones. Not that it will restore your confidence in the dome, but I would expect warranty coverage for the rip. Sam
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2012 rPod 173
2008 Trailblazer 4WD V6
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sammycamper
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Oct 2012
Location: Minnesota
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Posts: 111
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Posted: 25 May 2014 at 4:00pm |
I'm sorry, but I have to reverse my earlier suggestion. I just browsed around Dick's Sporting Goods, and there are lots of canopy/screen/wind cover options that would leave you plenty of change from $650. The rDome has the advantage of providing a direct cover from the rain when you open the door, and double protection from bugs getting inside the camper. It's not terrigle to setup, but I can't say it's quick; and I definitely wouldn't want to do it multiple times during a week-long stay. My wife and I don't coordinate well when it comes to such things, so I always setup the rDome alone. Maybe that's one of the reasons I regard it as a chore. The rPod is so easy to trailer that I might want to yank it over to the dump station once or twice. I can't do that with the rDome attached. The EZ-up canopies would allow that kind of mobility, and they're probably much simpler to erect and take down in the first place. I don't know how complicated they get when you attach screening or wind protections; but I doubt it's that bad.
So, I guess I would not spend $650 for an rDome or to replace the one we have.
Sam
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2012 rPod 173
2008 Trailblazer 4WD V6
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Hairy Podders
Senior Member
Joined: 05 Mar 2014
Location: Northwest Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 217
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Posted: 25 May 2014 at 7:56pm |
We really like ours after having set it up 3 times in the last month. The first time, it fit poorly. The second time, we adjusted the strap across the end a little tighter & ground a taper into the ends of the channel. Everything seemed to fall into place then. This time it took about 15 minutes while we moved at a leisurely pace. My wife helps bow the aluminum rod & attach the end strap. Other than that I pretty much do it on my own. No rips, No runs, a few errors at first. I threw the "stakes" away that came with the Dome. Then I bought some 12"tempered aluminum military surplus stakes off Ebay. Now I can tie down the dome & everything stays put. I also use a couple of bungie cords on the tie down loops at the lower edge by the camper.
You can have my Dome, when you pry it from my cold, dead hands....
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Darryl, Julie & Lindsey
Cooper & Libby- Devoted Canines
2014 RP178
2006 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
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furpod
Moderator Group - pHp
Joined: 25 Jul 2011
Location: Central KY
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6128
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Posted: 26 May 2014 at 3:44pm |
Originally posted by Hairy Podders
We really like ours after having set it up 3 times in the last month. The first time, it fit poorly. The second time, we adjusted the strap across the end a little tighter & ground a taper into the ends of the channel. Everything seemed to fall into place then. This time it took about 15 minutes while we moved at a leisurely pace. My wife helps bow the aluminum rod & attach the end strap. Other than that I pretty much do it on my own. No rips, No runs, a few errors at first. I threw the "stakes" away that came with the Dome. Then I bought some 12"tempered aluminum military surplus stakes off Ebay. Now I can tie down the dome & everything stays put. I also use a couple of bungie cords on the tie down loops at the lower edge by the camper.
You can have my Dome, when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.... |
feel the same way. going into the 4th season, 3 trips so far this year, still no tears or damage I wouldn't expect from an item of this type thats been put up about 50 times. Use good stakes, get the poles tight.
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Hairy Podders
Senior Member
Joined: 05 Mar 2014
Location: Northwest Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 217
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Posted: 26 May 2014 at 7:17pm |
The first time that we put it up, I watched the Youtube video that someone on here posted. It helped a lot, but didn't show adjusting or staking it down.
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Darryl, Julie & Lindsey
Cooper & Libby- Devoted Canines
2014 RP178
2006 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
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JKPOD
Newbie
Joined: 01 Jan 2014
Location: Finleyville, Pa
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 16
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Posted: 15 Jun 2014 at 10:14pm |
Hello panamamitch & others, Can any member that has a newer R-dome tent room please measure the O.D. round size of the welt portion that slides into the curved "c" extrusion rail that is attached to the side of the Pod? We want to have a local awning business make us an awning for our 2014 R172. From the other posts some have said that the round opening is 0.563" or 14mm. This makes sense to me because a piece of 1/2"(0.50") stainless steel tubing fits inside the channel and slides back and forth. So, just looking for someone to measure the welt for me.
Thanks, John & Kathy M. from Southwest Pa.
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2014 R-Pod 172
2007 Ford F-150
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