The price is easily double what you’ll pay for a similar ARB or Front Runner flat awning, and even more than a batwing like the Rhino Rack compact option. The ease of use, however, won us over.

In other words: there are multiple points of potential failure. And that was the problem I ran into with the first 270 awning I tried, a Rhino-Rack Batwing Compact Awning ($688).

In this episode of Adventure Vehicles 101, contributor Bryan Rogala reviews the Rhino Rack Batwing Compact Awning and the Road Shower 4 —two products that can make camping that much sweeter.

Rhino Rack’s Batwing awning expands out to cover a 270-degree radius and offers up to 118 square feet of sun protection. It’s available with both left and right-hand models, depending on which side of ...