Celebrity death match: Awning Vs Gazebo

It is fast becoming the latest ‘Patrol or Cruiser’ argument around campfires everywhere. Which is better, a vehicle-mounted awning or a standalone gazebo? It’s not a straightforward answer though. As with every comparison that compares two similar products that essentially do the same thing, it depends on your specific needs as a camper. 

If we boil it right down to the bare bones, it really comes down to the fact that awnings are generally quicker to set up and pack down. And gazebos offer more coverage. If one of those options sounds better than the other, then you’re off to a great start in making your choice. 

However, this fight is more difficult to predict than you may think. There are a lot more things that have to be taken into consideration. So, let’s ring that bell and get ready to rumble.

Round one – it’s a question of space

Different 4X4s have different amounts of cargo space to play with (duh). This is something that will have to be factored into your decision. Awnings require roof racks to be installed before you can fit one. And if your vehicle has a decent lift and tyres equipped then the increased height may not be ideal for getting into the local underground carpark. 

With that said, a gazebo in the back of your rig takes up a fairly significant amount of real estate too. Folded up they’re roughly the size and shape of a single swag. You’ll have to make the call on whether the shade is worth the space. If you already have five swags in the back, cooking gear, clothes, recovery gear, tools and for some reason a pre-inflated beach ball because you don’t think things through, adding in a gazebo is not going to be easy. 

Keep in mind that a gazebo will offer a lot more space when set up than an awning. Most of them offer around the 3m by 3m mark. Which is more than even a large 270-degree awning can offer. They’re taller too, so if you’re a professional basketballer or just like your headroom, this could be a factor. On the flip side, awnings can be angled down for extra protection over a swag or tent in heavy weather. 

This round really comes down to two things. How much coverage you think you’ll need and whether you’re comfier carrying twenty-odd kilos off the side of your roof or in the back of the rig. This will obviously vary from vehicle to vehicle and person to person. Let’s call it a draw.

Round two – time is money baby

Set-up and pull-down times are a factor with pretty much all forms of remote shelter. This one is no different. Awnings are hands down the winner here, but, and it’s a big one, if you have two or more people to help out the disparity gets a lot smaller. 

Pretty much all awnings are able to be set up and put away by one person. This is even more applicable to the solid arm swing-away style 180 and 270-degree awnings that are generally up and away in under a minute. The roll-out versions take a bit longer but are still essentially hassle-free.

If you’re putting your gazebo up on your lonely then budget at least a five-minute set-up. And a little longer for pull-down. Not insurmountable, but worthy of consideration. However, if you have one or two extra sets of hands to help, those times are essentially halved and the process is miles easier. 

The crowd roars as the awning takes round two. 

Round three – kicking back or on the move?

You can’t really make a decision without factoring in the type of trip you generally do. Are you someone who likes a sneaky overnight mission to a nearby secret spot to reset by yourself? Or are you more of a head to a favourite campsite and spend a week in a place with a bunch of mates? Or perhaps you’re a hybrid of the two – you head out on weeks-long trips with the family but are constantly on the move towards a destination like Cape York? 

For shorter trips by yourself, you have to give it to the awning. But if you’re pitching camp for a few days (say, on K’Gari) with friends but want to still be able to drive your vehicle around without folding an awning away every day, slap that buy-it-now button on that gazebo you’re looking at. 

On the Cape trip where you’re moving camp every day or two but still want the shelter available, we’re going to narrowly give it to the gazebo, purely because those trips are rarely done solo and if you have a partner or a kid or two handy then the effort in getting the gazebo up is nullified, plus you’ll have more room to kick back while keeping out of the sun. 

The gazebo rallies and take out round three.

Round four – liveability

Living with an awning or gazebo again really comes down to your individual needs. Both have mozzie-net compatibility (which we strongly recommend no matter which option you go with btw) so you can cook, relax or just enjoy nature out of the elements without being the main course for nature’s various bloodsuckers (mozzies, not lawyers). 

A gazebo can be carried with you down to the beach. Or driven away from to go exploring without packing up half your campsite. It’s not reliant on the vehicle being there. An awning doesn’t take up any cargo area, is quick and easy to whip out and can be angled to keep your swag or tent dry during even wild weather. 

Are you picking up a theme here? Both are throwing (and taking) the exact same number of punches in this slugfest. The winner is only going to be determined by which side of the arena you’re sitting on. 

For a couple who drive their Jimny away every second weekend to the local beach so they can roll out the swag and get some sea air, an awning strapped to the side of their rack is going to be perfect. It won’t take up a bunch of (very limited) room and suits their quick and easy trips away. 

For a family of four who take the dual cab LC79 out to the High Country and set up for a week at Sheepyard Flat for the school holidays, spending the days wheeling the tracks and seeing the sights, then a gazebo will scratch that itch nicely. 

Oof. Both sides landing telling blows this round, another draw. 

Let’s go to the scorecards – Gah! just give me the answers

You really could list the advantages and disadvantages of both (so we did below) without actually coming closer to a definitive answer. Both awnings and gazebos have to be pegged down to prevent them from being turned into kites in windy conditions – even the ones that say they’re freestanding.

Gazebos are generally better at preventing water pooling thanks to the pitched rooves, but modern awnings have pretty much got this licked too. Both are excellent at providing protection from UV rays, although be warned, cheaper versions of both will still allow skin damage to happen (seen more commonly with low buck awnings), even though you think you’re in the shade, so it’s really worth paying the few bucks extra and grabbing a decent quality item.

At the end of the day, it’s a tight draw. The real winner is the person who has both. That way they can tailor their camp coverage to the trip they’re doing, who they’re going with and how long they’ll be camping for. 

Gazebo advantages

• More coverage (a good way for short-wheelbase vehicles to get a lot of shade)
• Higher roof
• No need for a roof rack
• You can go for a drive without pulling it down or be used away from the vehicle
• Generally cheaper

Awning advantages

• Always attached – won’t take up space
• Easier and quicker to set up – especially modern units
• Can be angled down for greater protection during storms
• All the cool kids have them
• With wall attachments can become an enclosed tent

Gazebo disadvantages

• Bulky and cumbersome
• Extra-person/people are needed for quick set-up and pull-down
• If you don’t have room in the back, you’ll need a roof rack anyway
• Higher possibility of wind damage

Awning disadvantages

• Solid-arm types are more expensive than gazebos
• Unless pegged down can be wind damaged
• If the vehicle needs to move, so does the awning
• Cheaper units will still let sun damage occur