A topic from 2011 included an r-Dome poll to determine how many campers were using theirs or if they had one. Based on that poll, the majority seemed to be using the r-Dome for trips of 2 nights or more, and a handful used them on every trip. I'm a pretty big fan of the r-Dome, and I'd like to an update from forum members about your r-Dome usage and experiences.

 

So far, we have used ours on every trip, and every trip has been 2 nights. We got our Pod in October of last year, and really have not had a good weather outing with it yet. The first was the best weather, because it was just October cold; but the Pod hadn't been weather sealed properly at the factory, and we couldn't keep it warm. Our dealer took care of that problem, but every trip since has been dominated by nasty weather. However, the r-Dome has impressed us every time. The first time, we were just impressed by its size and versatility. On another trip, we camped through multiple serious downpours. The Pod itself is kind of a nice experience in hard rain, because it feels like such a cozy wrap-around protection from the storm. The r-Dome, though, was amazing. We leave our dogs in crates under the Dome, and they stayed nice and dry in spite of the extremely heavy rainfall all around them. On another trip, it absolutely saved the dogs and us from the most mosquito infested weekend we have experienced in years, plus lots of drizzle. The netting doesn't appear to be no-see-um proof; but it sure does the trick for the bugs we experienced. On the most recent trip, the Dome withstood amazingly strong and relentless winds for 3 days and 2 nights. That particularly surprised me, because it seems like I'm trying to stack a house of cards when I'm putting the Dome up. Once everything's in place, though, it's a remarkable shelter (I'm knocking on wood here).

 

As you say, assembly isn't really all that bad, once you've done it a time or two. We've only had winds high enough to blow the dome down one time, and our camping neighbors were nice enough to take it down for us while we were gone so it didn't get destroyed.

We've used it so much that there might be a few holes in the dome from friction by dragging part of it across the ground during set-up and take-down. 

Once we set it up the first time, we marked the supporting cross bars with a sharpie and it has been much easier to to set up since.

So far, I've just worked the bead past the original screw heads. It gets aggravating, but I haven't taken the time to replace the screws with flatter heads. I recall a post from another member who replaced the original screws with stainless steel flatheads. I did file the ends of the channel to reduce cutting into the bead.

 

Sam

I saw a picture from the Roundup in Oregon where someone had set a tarp with a couple of poles instead of the R-Dome. It got me thinking that maybe I could figure out a way to leverage the existing track to create an awning off the R-Pod. Do any of you R-Dome owners have a close up picture of where the R-Dome attaches to the track? I'd like to see how I could modify a tarp to fit in a similar fashion.

Thanks!

We don't put up the dome when the fire pit is too close, otherwise it is part of the campsite.

-Bryan

There are some talks with Dometic about creating a line of domes that will fit better with Pods with risers.  

We love the R-Dome!  It goes up every trip.  

the 'Dome itself.  It was pretty tricky the first time I tried to instal it due to the wire conduit covers that 

serve the running lights on the fender.  You have to yank the leading edge of the screen past them and

back into the 'c' channel on the forward side.

Then three slits are required-  one to accommodate the axel, and two for the entry steps.  Cut them just

deep enough for clearance and end up with a flap that goes behind the step and hangs back down with the

rest of the panel.

I don't know if you can see from the picture, but I installed a series of grommets along the bottom hem to

stake the panel down and make it more 'escape proof'.  That and good staking of the R-Dome keeps a good

dog good, but in no way results in a space where they can be left unsupervised.  They are very resourceful!

(It also is insufficient to keep the raccoon out at night.....   You still have to take your nightly stroll to the

dumpster.)

Count down is on. First trip in 2 weeks.  We are pretty new to the camper scene. Backing it up - shew.  Took us about 30 min to get it crooked. I'm sure well be come pros. Otherwise we sit in it every night and talk about plans. Any opinions are welcome on the R-dome. 

specifically for the 178.  If so, you should have no fitting problems, risers or not.

Our 'Dome was stitched up for a 'Pod without risers, I think, because when centered in the 'c' channel, it

hangs about 2" off the ground.  This is no problem since there is a very generous rain flap.  We just stake

it down with the elastic loops, and life is good.  We don't use the suction cups.

If a 177 dome is used on a 178, there may be more of a gap at ground level-  I don't know-  but the 

combination of 2" or so greater length and risers will definitely have some effect.  Probably not enough to

discourage you, since we feel that the benefits of the R-Dome are, as the saying goes, "priceless".

 

1. This works for some - grab the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand and move your hand left if you want the trailer to go left, right if you want the trailer to go right.  The steering wheel will turn the right and your TV will go right when you move your hand to the left - but the trailer will go left.  But you don't have to think about any of that which is why the trick works. 

 

2. Make very small turns on the steering wheel, the trailer will amplify everything you do. 

 

3. Sometimes you just need to pull forward a few feet to strighten things out and then start back again, instead of trying to make bigger and bigger corrections while you are still going backwards.

 

4. Never take your eyes off of your mirrors.  The second you do, you will jackknife.  Again, the trailer amplifys everything you do so it will go from a slight angle to a 90 degree angle with just a few feet of motion if you don't pay attention.

 

5. Always have your spotter stay near the camper's left or right rear corner, whichever side is the one you can see with your side mirror.  Never behind where you could run over them but far enough behind that they can see everything back there.  Backing campers are magnets for kids, dogs and picnic tables.  Yes, picnic tables will magically move while you are backing your camper!  My biggest rule for spotters - if they disappear from your side mirror you don't let your foot off of the break until they reappear in one of your side mirrors, no matter how much they keep yelling "c'mon back".

Dometic is not currently making one long enough at the Pod side so that a Pod with risers will have it fit perfectly....YET!

As others have said, with the current domes it will be affected by the campsite you are at.  I've had mine be close to okay, and I've had it be where the rain flaps don't even touch the ground at times. Good stakes and bungee cords fix that decently well.

 

Like FurPod we don't camp without it, because it gives us so much more covered room to setup in (couple of chairs, table, dog crate, etc) once we are in our site.

178's and 18xg models are longer and have a longer keder rail.  Our channel doesn't slope down at the same angle as the shorter models, so we lose a small amount of give and take with our domes there already.

Sounds about right.

I know that FR has been trying to work with dometic to have them make one a few inches longer so that the fit the larger Pods better.

So it may not seem right to you at all but it's all there is.

Again it will depend 100% on how level you are at a campground.  We've had rain flaps barely touch and sometimes they are a bit closer to being normal.  

I'll dig around some today for model numbers, I know I have them somewhere to confirm.

 

I've been looking for years for a little slab of bare land in Minnesota, western Wisconsin, or NE Iowa to simply setup a camper. I envy you for finding one.

 

Those suction cups are an enigma. Every time I setup the rDome, a couple suction cups keep popping off. I make a point of wiping the surface of the rPod with a damp cloth or paper towel, then wetting each cup, making sure that each cup is completely flattened before I bend the hook down to set it in place. I never seem to get it completely right the first time for all of them. After re-setting them - maybe a few times - and adjusting their positions to make sure there's not too much initial tension on the fabric, they work. Once they're set, I've had them withstand some pretting nasty downpours and wind. I suppost that for long-term setups, they would need occasional attention.

 

Sam

 

Our rDome came with an expandable web strap with a grommet hole in each end to receive the ends of the hoop poles that I think serves the purpose of your invention. It would definitely be much harder to setup without it.

 

Sam

buy better suction cups!  are you by any chance still using the ones from factory?  those suck to put it lightly.

a trip to your local home center and you can find much nicer ones that will hold up to all but pretty serious storms, and even then they do pretty well if you have them all lined up and tight.  ours have to be pulled off with force at the end of several days of camping.

i attach the r-Dome so it's staked properly in front by the hitch and can use the suction cups on the front portion.  the back end towards the garage, i use short bungee cords and good stakes to secure it to the ground. the suction cups at this end have to be attached to the side of the r-Pod, so i need to make sure i have access to the rear-side storage compartment or have it emptied out. 

as someone else mentioned, i took a Sharpie and marked the half-way point on the support pole that is threaded through the half dome.  once, i got a system down, it's a breeze to set up by myself.  the picture below shows how the r-Dome looks for me with the garage component.

   

Walt

Does anyone know of a better seller?

If Dometic is the best, is their Cabana what we call the Rdome?

What size do I need?

I can find it by model number that was listed in an earlier post

Thanks

Aside from that yes it is the Dometic Cabana.  Ebay used to sell them but I haven't seen them on there for a while, that used to be a nice place to get them very cheaply.

But for a 178 whatever the biggest cabana you find online should be the one for you.  I'll look around for the model number but maybe someone else will have it handy, I can't find it at the moment.

 

http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3818 - http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3818

yes you will have the screen for the bottom.  it fits in a C-Channel at the bottom.  i think we used ours twice?