RPOD DOME VS PAHAQUE DOME
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7001
Printed Date: 22 May 2025 at 12:20am
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Topic: RPOD DOME VS PAHAQUE DOME
Posted By: foadman
Subject: RPOD DOME VS PAHAQUE DOME
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2015 at 5:50am
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Purchased a new M-171. trying to decide if I should purchase the R Dome or the Pahaque partial dome? Two questions: HOPE TO GET MULTIPLE RESPONSES! 1. If you have either, I need to know can you feed either product into the track for it's entire length without climbing on a ladder? The u-tube dealers video shows the dealer standing on the ground pushing the dome through its track without a ladder???? Is this true? If you have the Pahaque partial dome, is ir possible to stand on the ground and push the dome through its track without a ladder? 2. With either dome you cannot fully open the door (180 degrees) with the dome installed. How do you keep the wind from closing the door if you what to open the outer door, close the screen door to air out the trailer. HOPE TO GET MORE THAN ONE OPINION Bill Miller (FOADMAN) ------------- bmiller |
Replies:
Posted By: DavidW
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2015 at 9:41am
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We have the R-dome and live in Ontario. It is effective for creating a living space which you can make essentially bug-free.
Yes, you can slide the R-dome into the track without a ladder, providing that you have Jiffy-lubed the track and can avoid hitting the screws. A small ladder will be helpful when you are inserting the 3 poles but a carefully placed picnic table will work in a pinch. When properly erected, the R-dome will allow you to fully open the door 180 degrees. [Edit - on a 178. Sounds like it doesn't on a 171] The other advantage of the R-dome is that you can fold down the flaps on 1,2 or 3 sides so that you only have the views that you want. You can unzip 1, 2, or 3 sides of the R-dome so that it effectively works like the Pahaque. Given that you also have pesky mosquitoes in NY state, you may well find that the "sealability" of the R-dome is the deciding factor. Anyway, this is your first reply. Cheers, David ------------- David & Liz 2014 R-Pod 178 2019 Chevy Traverse And Lily (our 8 yr old Golden) 
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Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2015 at 9:50am
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We have an R Pod 173 and use the original R Dome as supplied by Forest River. 1) We added a short(4') "pull rope" on the leading edge of the part of the dome that slides into the track. With me pulling this "pull rope" at the front and my wife feeding the dome into the channel from the back, we are able to slide the entire dome into the channel without using a ladder. The idea for the "pull rope" came from someone on this forum-don't remember who. Several other ideas to make it easier to slide into the track-- gently splay the initial track opening wider , spray the track with silicone and replace any screw heads that protrude into the track. 2) You are right, we can't open the door 180 degrees without hitting the dome. however, there is an "L" shaped door retainer that clips into the bottom of the exterior door that holds it securely open at 90 degrees. this works fine I would add that our R dome has the ability to unzip and remove the entire front which makes it almost identical to the Pahaque partial dome. also, the R dome has side windows with screen and roll up flaps which the Pahaque does not have. Hopes this helps. Vann Evans ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9"> 
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Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2015 at 10:38am
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I can push my dome through no problem, I use a small step stool, 1 step, to reach up and lock the middle rafter tight. The dome does everything the Pahque does. AND a whole lot of stuff it doesn't. The Pahque is an awning. Period. The dome can be everything from just a roofed awning all the way to an enclosed screen room to a actual 3 sided closed tent. Have never had an issue with wind trying to close the door with the dome up, if it did, I guess I would just bungy it to the locking point. I am friends with the podder who beta tested the Pahqua awning, and have seen it through it's various iterations. It's ok, BUT it's no dome. ------------- |
Posted By: Mountainrev
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2015 at 12:17pm
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This isn't quite what you asked for, but we have the PaHaQue Visor (as opposed to awning). It provides shade and a bit of protection in the rain, allowing you to leave windows open and dash in and out of the Pod in the rain without getting drenched. We love it. It's very rare that we camp anywhere that has adequate room for an R-dome or PaHaQue awning, but we really missed the retractable awning we had on our previous popups. This gives us most of what we want. I can answer your question about keeping the door from shutting, however. We encountered that challenge with our Visor. The solution we found was to take a nylon strap and tie one end to the metal hinged thingy on the door and the other end to the receiver thingy on the side of the Pod (sorry for the technical jargon). The nylon strap we use is just long enough to make sure that the door does not close. Works great. ------------- 2014 177 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Turbodiesel "I lift my eyes to the hills." 
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Posted By: JohnBG
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2015 at 2:09pm
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I can't tell you much about the visor. I recently bought a new dome for my 2010 171, but I had to change out the aluminum keder channels to accept the newer domes. So far I like the dome. I don't know if the door opens a full 180 degrees with the dome as we're in Florida and run the A/C in the summer. ------------- 2010 R-Pod RP-171 2010 Honda Ridgeline TV |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2015 at 5:31pm
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I have both the r-dome and the paha'que visor. They're very different awnings, used for very different purposes. One is an add-a-room, the other is a minimal awning (visor). I can put up either by myself, reasonably quickly, without a ladder/stool/etc. But, I'm 6'0" tall, and there are times when I'm on tiptoes (notably with the r-dome when attaching the stays/struts). To answer your first question: yes, the keder is fairly stiff (on both awnings) and you can push it into the rail from one end reasonably easy. As far as leaving the door open, wind is rarely a problem inside the r-dome and the door generally stays open in all but the gusty-est weather. With the visor, I'll sometimes use a bungie; but, frankly, if you've got a gusty wind, its generally time to take the visor down anyway. ------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2015 at 8:53pm
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Mine isn't quite what you were asking, either, but we preferred our EZ-ups. Sometimes the site doesn't allow the Dome to be set up due to slope or close trees. Sometimes you want some shade or rain protection away from the pod. We did use the Dome for week-long stays at one place. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: foadman
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2015 at 5:15am
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Thanks everyone for your input! This forum has been extremely helpful. Enjoy Camping Bill Miller ------------- bmiller |