270 XT Awning Mk2

270 XT Mk2: pole-free 270° awning for short racks, up in 30 seconds

The 270 XT Mk2 throws 8m² of shade around the side and rear of your vehicle, with no poles to fuss over. It runs on a single pivot, so setup is one smooth movement: unzip the bag, swing the arm out, then clip the tension strap on the outer arm to the vehicle to tighten the canvas. You'll be in the shade in under 30 seconds, which is welcome when you roll into camp after dark. Fewer moving parts also means less to line up with a headlamp on.

Picking the right Bush Company awning

The 270 XT Mk2 only needs 1.1m between mounting points. That suits short dual cab racks, canopy racks and load bars that can't give the 1.8m between front and rear brackets the bigger awnings ask for. At 27.8kg it's 5.7kg lighter than the 270 XT MAX, so it's the lightest awning in the 270° range.

• 270 XT Mk2: 8m² round the side and rear, 1.1m minimum rack, lightest of the 270s.
• 270 XT MAX Mk2: 12.2m², with more front and side coverage than the 270 XT Mk2 for families and bigger groups; needs 1.8m between brackets, 33.5kg.
• 180 XT MAX: 8.53m² straight down the side, keeps barn doors and tailgates clear; needs 1.8m.

Travelling solo or as a pair, or running a shorter rack? The 270 XT Mk2 is the smarter buy, not a compromise. If you want extra shade along the front and side for a family or a bigger crew and you've got 1.8m of rack, step up to the MAX.

Freestanding, rated to 50km/h

With nothing on the ground, there's no pole to sink into wet sand, trip on at night or rattle loose on corrugations. The B-Tech^® Alloy main arms are fully gusseted for maximum strength. Gusseting stiffens the joints against twisting, so the frame holds its shape and keeps the canvas tight without any help from the ground. The rear arm has a honeycomb cross-section for its full length, which adds torsional strength without adding weight.

It's rated to 50km/h freestanding and to over 90km/h when poled, guyed and pegged down securely. Guy ropes and pegs come in the box. In windy conditions, use them on the non-trussed arm to stop it lifting.

Packing up is the same movement backwards, into an oversized 450gsm PVC bag that swallows the canvas easily, even when it's wet or dusty.

Stainless steel headstock: where the strength starts

The whole awning pivots on a heavy-duty stainless steel headstock holding the stainless steel hinge pin shafts for the arms. It carries the full load of the open awning into the vehicle mount, so it's where an awning's strength is won or lost. Stainless steel resists salt spray corrosion, lets the arms swing freely through dust and corrugations, and holds its shape under load. The rear L bracket mounts straight to it.

One seam, fewer leaks

Every stitch line across an awning is a spot water can get through. The 270 XT Mk2 is cut from an ultra-wide roll of 315gsm acrylic-treated polyester ripstop canvas, so the whole 270° awning has just a single seam. It's tested to a waterhead of more than 1000mm (ISO 811:1981), treated for UV, mould and mildew, and finished with triple-stitched sleeves and reinforced attachment points at every load-bearing corner. Wet it down before its first trip so the core-spun thread swells and seals the stitch holes.

Two brackets, 1.1m, done

The price includes two height adjustable heavy-duty stainless steel L brackets. One mounts to the stainless steel headstock at the rear of the awning, and the second goes no less than 1.1m from the rear bracket. On a long rack you can add a third in the centre for extra support (not supplied), but the awning only needs two. Packed, it measures 2300mm long × 210mm high with a 170mm wide frame, and fits inside a standard roof line without overhang.

Running a Bush Company rooftop tent? The optional Awning-to-Tent bracket fixes it straight to the tent for a low, tidy profile on the road.

Add walls when the weather turns

A 50mm triple-stitched strip of genuine Velcro^® loop runs the full length of the valance around the outside edge. It's rated to hold 3kg per 50mm length, which makes it ideal for awning walls. Velcro also means no zip rubbing on the canvas while it's packed away tight in transit. Run a single canvas wall or mesh wall as a windbreak on the exposed side, or add the 270 XT Wall Kit to close it in and turn 8m² of shade into a private room. Single walls have full-length YKK spiral zips on both sides, so you can zip canvas and mesh walls together for more coverage.

Usage guidance

• In windy conditions, use the supplied guy ropes and pegs on the non-trussed arm to prevent upward movement.
• In heavy rain, run guy ropes off 1-tonne webbing straps between the arms to shed water and reduce the risk of pooling.
• Lubricate the hinge pins in the headstock regularly to keep the arms moving freely, especially if you use the awning often in salty coastal conditions.
• Don't leave it up in snow: the weight stretches the canvas.
• Wet the canvas down thoroughly before first use.
• See the awning installation instructions (PDF).

Shipped direct from The Bush Company.