Dormer Canvas...

Yes,it is Sunbrella. I just purchased a 2019 Classic with soft sided dormers. I think that you get more light and ventilation plus a little less weight with the soft sides. Loving it so far with a few nearby trips. My wife and I along with our Lab Will by heading West this fall.

 

With the Sunbrella soft dormers, are there any issues if the dormers are closed when the Sunbrella material is wet? Does the Sunbrella material need to be dried out before medium or long-term storage? How does Sunbrella fabric compare to traditional canvas material?

 

Any material should be dry when folded away from the natural air or it will mildew. Even hard side dormers should not be put away wet. Especially roll-up awnings always must be dry before storing.

 

What about the hard sided A-frame wall sides that fold in? Do these need to be dry as well for camper storage? I've read numerous posts about (apparently) how much better the hard sided A-frame walls compare to canvas when closing the camper on rainy days?

 

If it was raining when I got home with an Aliner that had hard dormers, I would open it and dry the dormers off with a towel. I see no need to leave it open to dry like fabric material. With Sunbrella soft dormers, I would wipe it with a towel and make sure its pretty dry before folding it up. That's pretty much what I do with the fold-out part of my hybrid camper (Have had several Aliners over the years, but now have a small hybrid with a real bathroom - Getting sybaritic in my old age)

 

I've never broke camp in the pouring rain, but it has been wetish closing up. Aliners are not air tight by any means, open or closed. By the time we get to the next campsite or home it's dry when we open it up. I open it up at the house to dry out the refrigerator from the coils thawing, if we used it.

 

I ‘ll dropped the dormers on mine if it’s going to rain the night before leaving.