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01-24-2021, 11:16 AM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 59
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eradikate -
Have you used it right next to the van's side door? I was wondering about height issues, as the top of the screen room is just 7.5 feet, so I'm assuming the top side edge is somewhere around 6 feet off the ground -- which is 2 feet lower than the top of my stock-height 2011 2500.
Otherwise it looks like great setup, thanks!
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2011 Freightliner 2500 Sportsmobile RB110S, all electric, 190k
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01-24-2021, 01:57 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 13
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I have a low roof Sprinter 2500 (Sportsmobile build, low roof +poptop) and I have a "clam". I'm the one who started this thread, so that should likely tell you my opinion. Basically, the clam is easy to set up but I find it huge to carry around and a nuisance. It does not belong right up against the door of the van -- yes, you will have trouble with that. I have an awning and I'd put the clam no closer than the outer edger of the awning. It also did not fare well with the winds in the Florida keys -- I had an unbelievable number of rocks along the bottom and had the thing tied to the van in 2 places and boulders in 3 other places (only a couple of stakes would go in that ground), and a picnic table -- it still wanted to sail away. If it was not blowing like crazy, the clam was too hot. I should give it its due -- between with all of the tiedowns and being shaded from the worst of the wind by the van, it did survive better than any other screen room or tent out there. However, I have not used it since.
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01-24-2021, 02:22 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 13
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Not that I would recommend -- the Fiamma "room" and the older Thule room look like pains which is what people on this thread are saying.
I do not intend to change my awning (expensive!) - but the Thule "room" is a tent under an awning and uses the structure of the awning to hold it up. The concept works. The details could get complicated. For me, with the Fiamma awning, there appears to be an easy, essentially free way to make the outer attachments work (rope and knots that slide in the awning channel). It is the attachments on the van side that are iffy. Given how my awning is attached to the van, I may be able to bugger in a way to attach a rail with a "slide channel" to substitute for what is built into the Thule cassette, and I think that would work. There is such a rail with channel and it is not hugely expensive. There are also some bendable poles on the Thule -- light, easy, but fit is unknown. I also do not see (even with a Thule awning) any way to prevent bugs from flying under the van, an issue mentioned by others -- but strong magnets and a piece of screen cloth or ripstop ought to be a cure - at least on a Sprinter, strong magnets are golden.
If anyone has any experience trying any of this ........... ? If the dang thing did not cost so much, I'd just buy and try.
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01-24-2021, 03:04 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thorne
eradikate -
Have you used it right next to the van's side door? I was wondering about height issues, as the top of the screen room is just 7.5 feet, so I'm assuming the top side edge is somewhere around 6 feet off the ground -- which is 2 feet lower than the top of my stock-height 2011 2500.
Otherwise it looks like great setup, thanks!
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I have not. I usually put the Clam at the awning edge or over a picnic table if there’s one or in the shade over a folding table and chairs for a bug-free place to cook/eat. OP is right, if it’s in the direct sun it will warm up a lot. In my van, the storage duffle slides right in one side of my garage and takes up very little room; it is a long bag, though, so it probably depends on your layout. The Clam has tie down loops at the floor and guy-out connections about halfway up each side for stronger anchoring. I haven’t had trouble with it in the wind but there were a couple times I went out to knock it down before storms hit, just to be safe.
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02-18-2021, 11:21 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 113
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I looked at the screen rooms for my Fiamma awning, but wasn't happy with the cost or pack size. I also wanted some additional flexibility in set up location so I opted for a freestanding screen room. This pops up in under a minute and packs away almost as quickly. It provides protection against insects, but isn't suited for rain protection.
Here is a photo of it stuffed under our deployed awning. I could probably get more under cover of the awning if I rotated it so a flat side of the screen room was alongside the van.
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