Oh wow, I am so excited to show off and use our 270 Max Bush Company awning!

We'd been wanting one for a long time but thought we couldn't afford it, but after we sent them a pitch, they came back to us with a really good price that made us think we should do it. This car is our forever camper after all, and an awning is worth it's weight in gold when you're camping outdoors in this country, protecting you from rain, snow and the often brutal Aussie sunshine.

So what makes this awning miles above the rest?

Firstly, it's the only one we found that had the extra section that extends toward the front of the car, which would then protect our slide out kitchen, which until now copped both sun and rain. That's just next level for us. You can see the full size of it in this 'from a ladder' shot.

Secondly, it's super strong for a free standing awning, which means it doesn't require poles and it can withstand wind. You do have the option to tie it down with guide ropes for extra security in high winds, as well as tie in other points so the water runs off in the rain.

Jamie and a mate took nearly all weekend to attach it safely and securely to the roofrack. The brackets it came with are super strong, but the holes were slightly off for our roofrack so Jamie had to reengineer them.

He used some heavy duty bolts and some ubolts too! This baby ain't going anywhere. Yes, it's pretty big but it doesn't look out of proportion to our 130 Defender!

Some other features of the Bush Company awning include:

• over 12 metres of shade
• can be set up in less than 60 seconds, which is perfect for quick lunches on the road
• heavy duty stainless steel hinge at rear and front section
• 315gsm poly-cotton rip-stop canvas in olive green colour - and mould and mildew resistant, and pre treated for water resistance
• heavy duty bag to prevent chafing and a triple stitched canvas sleeve
• awning frame made from an extruded aluminium alloy composite, which provides strength and durability as well as elasticity

There's velcro around the edges to fit awning walls too, but we'd have to save up for those. Given how much cover this awning provides, we may not need them anyway.

So excited to head on a road trip next week and try this baby out - rest assured you'll see it in a nice camp somewhere with us relaxing!