Product Spotlight

Carefree's
FullTimer Awning

A few weeks ago while visiting Carefree of Colorado in Broomfield, CO, to preview the company's new One Touch awning, RV News also noticed another awning that peaked our interest.

It was a large blue awning attached to the side of the building near an employee break area. When we asked about it, we learned that it is Carefree's FullTimer awning, designed for people who go into the campground for the season and don't want to worry about rain or wind -- they simply want to put their awning out and forget about it.

Tom Faludy, president of Carefree of Colorado, told RV News, "There are a lot of people who go out and camp for the season and leave their awnings out permanently. Traditional RV awnings were not designed for this type of use. Sometimes the RVer will try to put bows in the awnings, but that stretches the fabric.

"We decided to come out with a fabric that has pockets as part of the canopy for our pre-bent aluminum struts which are captured in Velcro panels. The canopy is reinforced where the struts are placed. On the ends we have what we call the "gaters" that literally take the sides of the canopy and stretch them to the rafter arms. What it does is makes the wind just slip underneath this fabric. It's as stable as can be."

According to Faludy, the awning has remained up 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week since August 1998, and it was obvious to us that it showed almost no wear and tear -- remarkable considering that it has withstood the 100-mile-an-hour winds, snow, rain and other environmental elements.  Faludy said, "There were days when I could barely keep the door open from the strong winds as I ducked out to look at the awning and it was as solid as a rock."

Carefree introduced the awning without much fanfare for this specific market, and Faludy reports that it is catching on in the Northeast, but admits that most potential customers haven't been exposed to it.

RV News felt that the product could be the answer to a lot of consumers who either park their RVs for the season in one location or those who have semi permanent vacation homes, destination campers or RVs such as park trailers.

Faludy continued, "The interesting thing about this product is that the consumer can buy it as a total awning complete with arms and Fiesta hardware, or, they can buy a FullTimer replacement canopy. So if they have an old canopy from a conventional RV awning we will send them a canopy that will fit any kind of awning that they already own. But instead of just universal replacement fabric, this is the FullTimer replacement fabric, and it will come with the reinforcements with extra ribs and the pre-bent aluminum bows.

Suggested retail for the Full-Timer canopy is just $329.95

"Believe me, for people who go to Arizona, Florida, Myrtle Beach or other snowbird destinations this is just what they need for a worry-free awning. Just put it out and forget about it."

RV News agrees. It's a product that will solve a problem for a specific type of RVer, and dealers and parts and accessory stores should be aware of it so they can help this type of customer find an excellent solution to their RV awning problems associated with destination camping.

RVN