How to Choose the Right 270 Awning for Your Roofnest Setup

Quick answer

For most Roofnest owners, the right 270 awning comes down to coverage versus footprint. Choose the Big Wing 270 if you want maximum shade and a full camp setup, and the Little Wing 270 if you want fast, compact shade with less weight and a smaller packed size. If you are starting from scratch, the Condor Overland 2 Air + Big Wing 270 Awning Bundle is the simplest way to get a matched tent and awning in one purchase.

A 270 degree awning wraps shade around the side and rear of your vehicle, so you can cook, sit, or sleep without chasing the sun. But the label "270" hides real differences in packed size, arm length, and how the awning interacts with your rooftop tent. This guide walks through the decisions that actually matter: coverage, fitment, mounting, and whether to buy a bundle or build your setup piece by piece.

Roofnest sells two 270 awnings in this family: the Big Wing 270 and the Little Wing 270. They share the same deploy-from-a-hard-case idea, but they are aimed at different rigs and different trips. The right pick depends less on brand loyalty and more on how much shade you need, how much weight you can carry, and whether you want a wall kit to turn the awning into a weatherproof room.

Coverage: how much shade do you actually need?

The first decision is coverage area. A 270 awning is not a single size; it is a shape. The Little Wing 270° Awning provides 71 sq. ft. of coverage from a sleek ABS hard case. That is enough for two camp chairs and a small table, or for keeping a doorway dry. It deploys quickly and uses no zippers on the main canopy, which removes a common failure point on cheaper awnings.

The Big Wing 270 is the larger option, and it is the one bundled with the Condor Overland 2 Air in the Condor Overland 2 Air + Big Wing 270 Awning Bundle. Larger coverage is not automatically better: it adds packed length and weight, and it changes how the awning behaves in crosswinds. If you camp in exposed areas, plan to stake or guy the awning even when it feels calm at setup.

• Measure the side of your vehicle where you want shade before choosing; a 270 awning sweeps rearward, so rear bumper accessories can interfere.
• If you mostly need a dry entry and a small cooking zone, the Little Wing 270 is usually enough.
• If you travel with a family or want a full outdoor room, size up to the Big Wing 270.

Big Wing vs Little Wing: the real trade-offs

The Big Wing 270 and Little Wing 270 differ most in coverage and packed footprint. The Little Wing 270° Awning is built around a compact ABS hard case and box-section aluminum arms on heavy-duty aluminum hinges. It also includes integrated battery-powered LED lighting, so you can keep using the space after dark without stringing separate lights. That combination suits smaller SUVs, crossovers, and anyone who removes gear between trips.

The Big Wing 270 is the choice when shade is the priority. It pairs naturally with a larger rooftop tent such as the Condor 2 XL Air, which packs a large sleeping area into a compact footprint for three or more sleepers. A bigger tent usually means a bigger camp, and a bigger camp usually means you want more covered square footage. The trade-off is weight and wind exposure, so check your roof rack's dynamic and static load ratings before committing.

• Little Wing 270: lighter, smaller case, integrated LED lighting, 71 sq. ft. of coverage.
• Big Wing 270: more coverage for larger camps, better matched to full-size rigs and family setups.
• Both awnings mount to the vehicle, not the tent, so tent and awning can open to opposite sides.

Fitment and mounting: what to check before you buy

Fitment is where most 270 awning purchases go wrong. The Condor Overland 2 Air + Big Wing 270 Awning Bundle notes a specific constraint: the tent opens to the opposite side of the vehicle from the wing. For example, if you order the passenger-side option, you will need to install the tent so it opens on the driver side. That is not a defect; it is how the bundle avoids the awning and tent colliding when both are deployed.

Before ordering, confirm three things: which side of the vehicle you want the awning on, whether your roof rack has enough real estate for both the tent and the awning case, and whether your crossbars are rated for the combined static load when people are inside the tent. If any of those are unclear, choose the smaller Little Wing 270 first. You can always add coverage later with a wall kit, but you cannot shrink a Big Wing after it is mounted.

• Check the awning's fitment option (driver or passenger side) against your tent's opening direction.
• Confirm your rack can hold the tent, the awning case, and the mounting brackets without overhanging the vehicle.
• If you are unsure about load ratings, consult your rack manufacturer before purchase.

Should you buy a bundle or build your own setup?

A Roofnest awning bundle makes sense when you are buying a tent and awning at the same time and want the two to be matched for fitment. The Condor Overland 2 Air + Big Wing 270 Awning Bundle pairs a durable aluminum-shell Condor Overland tent with the Big Wing 270, and the catalog lists the bundle at USD 2695.00 against a comparison price of USD 5390.00. Bundles also reduce the risk of ordering two pieces that fight each other at the mounting stage.

Build your own setup if you already own a tent, or if you want a different combination, such as a Meadowlark 2 XL with a Little Wing 270. The Meadowlark 2 XL weighs just 120lbs and offers a nearly queen-sized sleeping area for two, with room for up to three. Pairing that lighter tent with the lighter Little Wing 270 keeps the whole roof load down, which matters on smaller vehicles. Buying separately costs more in some cases, but it gives you exactly the coverage and weight you want.

• Bundle when you want a matched tent-and-awning fit and a simpler single purchase.
• Buy separately when you already own a tent or want to mix coverage levels.
• A wall kit can extend a smaller awning's usefulness without adding a second awning.

Walls, weather, and when a 270 awning is not enough

A 270 awning is shade first and weather protection second. If you camp in wind-driven rain, the Little Wing 270° Awning - Wall Kit zips onto the Little Wing 270 awning to provide 360 protection and privacy, with two exterior doors, mesh ventilation options, and a third interior door for access to the back of your vehicle. Color-coded zippers make installation easier in bad weather, when you least want to guess which panel goes where.

A wall kit does not turn an awning into a four-season shelter. It reduces wind and rain intrusion, but the awning still needs to be pitched with attention to wind direction, and you should lower or stow it in high winds. If your trips regularly involve severe weather, plan for a hard-shell tent and treat the awning as a fair-weather living space rather than a storm shelter.

• Add a wall kit if you want privacy and wind protection, not just shade.
• Stake or guy the awning whenever wind is forecast, even if it feels calm at camp.
• Stow the awning before driving and during high-wind events.

Decision rules for choosing your 270 awning

• If you drive a smaller SUV or crossover: Start with the Little Wing 270° Awning. Its compact ABS hard case and 71 sq. ft. of coverage fit vehicles that cannot comfortably carry a larger awning case, and the integrated LED lighting keeps the space usable at night. Smaller rig, smaller awning: choose Little Wing 270.
• If you camp with three or more people: Choose the Big Wing 270, especially if you pair it with a large tent such as the Condor 2 XL Air, which sleeps three or more in a compact footprint. More people means more gear and more seating, which needs more shade. Big camp, big shade: choose Big Wing 270.
• If you are buying a tent and awning together: The Condor Overland 2 Air + Big Wing 270 Awning Bundle is the matched option, but only if you install the tent to open opposite the awning. Confirm the fitment side before ordering. Bundle only if the opening direction works for your vehicle.
• If you already own a rooftop tent: Buy the awning separately and match it to your tent's weight class. A lighter tent like the Meadowlark 2 XL pairs naturally with the Little Wing 270; a heavier tent can support the Big Wing 270. Match awning weight to tent weight, not the other way around.
• If you need privacy or wind protection: Add the Little Wing 270° Awning - Wall Kit to a Little Wing 270 rather than upsizing to a Big Wing. The wall kit provides 360 protection, two exterior doors, mesh ventilation, and a third interior door for vehicle access. Walls solve weather; a bigger awning solves space.

Product facts that affect your decision

• Little Wing 270° Awning: Deploys quickly from a sleek, durable ABS hard case, providing 71 sq. ft. of coverage with no cumbersome zippers on the main canopy, box-section aluminum arms on heavy-duty aluminum hinges, and integrated battery-powered LED lighting. The compact case and no-zipper canopy make it the easier awning to live with on smaller vehicles and quick trips, while the built-in lighting removes one accessory from your packing list.
• Condor Overland 2 Air + Big Wing 270 Awning Bundle: Pairs the durable aluminum-shell Condor Overland tent with the Big Wing 270 awning; the tent opens to the opposite side of the vehicle from the wing, so a passenger-side awning option requires installing the tent to open on the driver side. This is the clearest example of why fitment matters more than specs: the bundle is designed so the tent and awning do not collide, but only if you install the tent with the correct opening direction.
• Little Wing 270° Awning - Wall Kit: Zips onto the Little Wing 270 awning for 360 protection and privacy, with two exterior doors, mesh ventilation when the main door panels are open, and a third interior door for access to the back of the vehicle. If you choose the smaller Little Wing 270, the wall kit is how you close the gap on weather protection without buying a larger awning.

Which 270 awning fits your setup?

Best for

• Owners of smaller SUVs and crossovers who want fast shade and a compact packed size
• Campers who want integrated LED lighting and no canopy zippers to snag or break
• Buyers who already own a lightweight tent such as the Meadowlark 2 XL
• Anyone who wants to add a wall kit later for privacy and wind protection

Not for

• Large groups who need maximum shade and a full outdoor room
• Owners of full-size rigs who regularly host three or more people under the awning
• Campers who want a single matched tent-and-awning purchase without choosing fitment separately

Pick the Little Wing 270 when you want compact, quick shade with integrated lighting, and the Big Wing 270 when coverage matters more than packed size. If you are buying a tent at the same time, the Condor Overland 2 Air + Big Wing 270 Awning Bundle is the matched route, provided you install the tent to open opposite the awning. Whichever you choose, confirm fitment side and rack load ratings before you order, and add the Little Wing 270° Awning - Wall Kit if weather protection matters as much as shade.