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Topic ClosedPOLL: How often do you use your r-dome?
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Poll Question: How often do you use your r-dome?
Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics
3 [12.50%]
11 [45.83%]
3 [12.50%]
4 [16.67%]
3 [12.50%]
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podders Helping podders - pHp
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: POLL: How often do you use your r-dome?
    Posted: 26 Mar 2011 at 4:10pm
I'm curious, fellow r-pod owners.  How often do you use your r-dome?

-edit-

I've changed the first option from "Every trip" to "Every trip - even one nighters" for clarification.
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Mar 2011 at 4:29pm
Our dealer included an r-dome when we bought our 2008 RP-171.  Although we didn't find it difficult or particularly time consuming to put up, I knew we wouldn't be using it much when we began using it: zipping and unzipping the front panel, rolling up the sides and tieing them in place and then unrolling them again later got old very fast.  There was far too much fiddling around for us.  And, based on our past experiences with tents, I knew that we were in for a domestic disturbance if I insisted on using the r-dome all the time.

As a replacement, I bought a simple awning that takes a minimal amount of effort to set up.  We always use it, even for one nighters.

Our r-dome does see some occasional use, tho.  If its going to be a wet/rainy trip and we're staying for at least two nights, we'll bring the r-dome for a little extra "inside" space.  If we're camping with friends and its going to be rainy or cold, we'll bring the r-dome and use it as a gathering spot.  But, for the most part, our r-dome sits on a shelf in the garage.
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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Posts: 133 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Mar 2011 at 4:38pm
every time I campBig smile
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2011 at 6:00am
When I had my RP173, my R-dome went straight to the garage and stayed there.....never saw daylight again.  The only reason I had it was because it came with the Pod.  This was so for 2 reasons:
 
1. It looked like way too much fooling around for me at this stage of my camping career.  I wanted as little set up as possible; otherwise, I would still be in a pop-up - with a smaller TV and getting way better mileage.  (My old Coleman Taos had an UVW of 995lbs.)
 
2. My dog.  As I keep her tethered at all times, I am certain she would have been getting tangled up in it and bringing it crashing down.  Again, way more fooling around re-setting it up - over and over.
 
It also seemed to me that (like a pop-up or tent) if packed wet, it would need to be set up again, once home, to dry out.  Again, more fooling around.
 
I like your simple awning and could have probably made it work by doing angled braces attached to the Pod - like a traditional awning.  I kind of did this with the pop-up and tied the ropes to the picnic table.  That way there was nothing for Dixie (and her predecessor) to get tangle in. 
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Posts: 1214 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2011 at 7:43am
    We used our r-dome once in south Florida. It was very hot and it looked liked the the r-dome fabric would not hold up well with the sun. The two vacations we were up to North Carolina and Tennessee we did not camp for more than three nights at a time, and did not feel it was worth putting it up.The r-dome does give more room and if the time and place were right we would use it. That opurtunity just hasn't happened. We have only used our Rpod for a total of about five weeks in two years. We have camped camped at a campground eight times.       David and Danette
2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
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Posts: 7 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2011 at 9:53am
   my wife  & I both have physical problems, so we don't use it at all. I't would be just too hard for us to put it up. We did put it up once but it was just too much of a problem for us. 
R-POD 177- Gitty up go
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Posts: 114 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2011 at 10:38am
We have only camped twice so far with the new pod and dome.  I set up the dome the first time in the driveway just to get the feel for it.  I was surprised how easily it went up.  It helped that I watched that video on you tube. 
The first time we actually camped, I set up the dome and wound up removing the entire front section.  I don't care to be that closed in and didn't like the constant zipping and unzipping to get in and out.  The second time we camped I put it us (without the front) and it totally works for us.  We can roll up the side flaps if we want a breeze of leave them down if it's chilly or have neighbors too close!  I do install the little screens that slide into the bottom tracks as it helps keep our Doxies from wandering underneath the pod.
I keep the whole thing stored in a big Rubbermaid tub which makes it easier during setup and breakdown.  The front section is in the bottom just in case we need it.  The rest of it gets shoved in with the track area at the top for easier setup next trip.  That will also help if we have to break camp while it's raining.
My girlfriends son and his wife camp with us some.  When they decide to come we will put the front panel on and they can sleep inside the dome in their sleeping bags.
Bottom line is.....we LOVE the dome!
Sherrie & Carol,
Henri, Jay & Tanner
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2011 r-pod 177

Let's go camping!
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Posts: 6 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2011 at 2:42pm
Bought a 177 last May.  I left home on June 1st and camped continuously until September 23.  Never used the r-dome.  It looks too tricky to set up and will block the light and views from coming into the windows.  Also, it can get windy where I camp in the Eastern Sierra so it might blow down.  My r-dome is useless to me.   Cry
Al & Kathy
R-Pod 177
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Joined: 26 Nov 2009
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Posts: 3990 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2011 at 4:16pm
We stopped carrying ours as we also have 2 easy ups.  the several places we camp we use the trailer for sleeping and then we are working in another area so the easy ups are at that location.  if i was going to be sitting at a place for maybe a few days I might think about taking it.  The other thing I do not like about it is that we can not open the door fully when we used the r-dome.  
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2011 at 5:58pm

We've used our two EZ-UPS for years, and they are truly easy-up (don't get me started on how they are definitely not easy-put-away).  If it rains or is windy I can clamp a tarp around the sides and/or the top.  Far less fiddle-factor than with the R-dome.  We do set it up when we are staying more than a weekend, and if they are calling for nothing but rain on a weekend.  

A downside we found last year when we were at the beach...  We were under a tree.  Which was often full of birds.  Birds which liked to have fun with target practice.  After getting home I used Oxyclean to scrub the R-dome's roof... which didn't help a bit (amazingly).  Permanent stains.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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