Newbie with awning question
Hello all. I hope someone can help.us. we have just purchased our first caravan and it has come.with an awning. From the look of the paperwork it comes with, it is a massive full length awning. With many poles. We got the caravan as we were fed up.with
tent poles so are not sure we want to use an awning this size. We would. Just like to get a porch awning so.we have some where to get out of any rain and get wet clothes and shoes off. My question is how do.I know the size I would need. My booklets say
awning size 885 cm but I don't know what that means and I only have a 2 berth so it's not 8 metres long. Please help!!!
Comments
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The height of the awning rail is one factor. Probably like tents it gets quicker with practice! You might like to consider a porch that pumps up. i would go and look at some in the flesh. As a single person I find a porch very easy to put up. Buy the best you can once you have made sure of the size you want. Best of luck.
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To find the correct full awning for a full length caravan you measure from the ground, around the length of the awning rail and back to the ground again. Full awnings are designed to fit snug with no spare fabric either end. Generally heavier to handle due to the type of fabric etc used.
porch awings are a universal fit as the side rails are not used. The roof is attached at the awning rail, the sides hang down from that!
porch awings tend to be between 230> high at the sides with multiple plastic ladder fixing to enable a perfect fit regarless Of caravan.
a full awning can take ages to thread through and erect, where these days, porch awings can be bought in different widths and Lengths And take maximum of 20 minutes, about 10 minutes with practice. ( times taken by one person putting an awning up)
full awnings usualy only get used these days for a week or longer stay. Most use a porch awning for their choice full time. With a ground cover down and the draft curtain up, they are idea for winter as well as summer.
I have forgot to say a lightweight summer porch can start at about £100 and expect to payanything up to £900+ depending on material used, size and whether airbeam or poles.
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The height of the awning rail is one factor. Probably like tents it gets quicker with practice! You might like to consider a porch that pumps up. i would go and look at some in the flesh. As a single person I find a porch very
easy to put up. Buy the best you can once you have made sure of the size you want. Best of luck.I'm the opposite, wouldn't touch a pump up with a barge pole. Get an Isabella it will last you a lifetime and will be perfect all year round, Winter included 80 mph winds come what may, you cannot control the weather it's the best you can get.
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You will get the exact awning size from the caravan manufacturer's website. We have a full awning and a porch awning. We use the porch awning for weekends and sometimes full as long as a week away, if it's cooler weather and we think we won't be able to
use the awning for meals etc. In the summer we keep a large table and chairs and recliners in the full awning. The full awning does take a little while to erect, but doesn't have to be done as soon as you arrive on site. We seem to get a lot
of "fun" out of putting it up and my better half often talks through gritted teeth, bu twe wouldn't be without it.0 -
If I was to be flippant I would suggest watching caravaner of the year, but that wouldn't help you much
All the above posts contain
good advice. We have a 3.5 Fiesta Pro which is very heavy. The non pro versions of the Kampa range are a lot lighter but not as sturdy0 -
We have a Kampa ace air 400 threading on rail is two person job due to weight but the rest of the set is a solo job we can get it up and fully pegged down in 20 mins. I can fully recommend an air awning full or porch.
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I have an isabella porch awning. Not been brave enough to actually put the thing up yet though..... Divorce in a bag..... Just carry it around for ballast..... Keep hoping to find another similar when away so I can see how it's supposed to look. But not
seen another yet! Looked on you tube but no help there either. Destructions as clear as mud. lol does the CC do a course in putting up awnings or just caravaner of the year? (Was it as good as top gear??)0 -
porches are usually harder to put up than full awnings J
generally just find someone with a similar style porch and beg for mercy,
most of us willing to share our expertise
Oh and keep smiling if it kills you, a sense of humour is essential when trying any awning. don't forget to pack rolls of insulating tape (one of those pound shop packs of different colours) and work out a system to colour code the poles, lay them out on
the ground first to workout which go where. If you stare at them long enough and move them around a lot someone may actually take mercy on you and offer help
Alison
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isabella actually have good videos on their website for putting up the awnings
http://www.isabella.net/uk/support/assembly-instructions0 -
We have a small two berth caravan. Initially we got a Kampa (360 I think) air awning. This was quite heavy so we keep it for longer stays and invested in a porch awning for weekends. We wanted the smallest/lightest possible and quick to erect. We ended
up getting a new one from either Amazon or Ebay for about £70. It basically has three of the flexible poles which just thread throught. It takes us less than 10 minutes to put up. It is big enough for two chairs but for us we just really wanted it for storage
and to dry the dog when it's raining. It can make a little noise when it's quite windy but other than that it serves us great and at a fab price.0 -
It's a winter. Bought in a weak moment in the end of season sale. I've never seen so many poles & clips in my life.Waiting for warmer weather. Too cold this weekend for messing about! Need to refill the gas bottle so we don't freeze. Hopeing to get to High
Onn. Only done weekends so far & it seems a lot of effort to put up for a couple of days. Will laugh if it isnt all there... It isn't in the box anymore. Kids jumped on it so it 's now graduated to a bag in the boot.0 -
Well I think you have some very good advise sofar. As to the size as has been said it is the measurement from the ground around the awning rail and back to the ground at the other end..I have both, a full Isabella and a Kampa porch. The Isabella is really
very good and takes me around 1 to 1.5 hours to put up and pegged down, The Kampa takes around 45 mins. With the full awning I take the panels out and add them when the main section has been errected, with the Kampa it all goes up in one. Both have there uses
but for the use you seem to want the Kampa or similar would be fine. Best of luck0 -
Hi,
We have been through lots of awnings in the past - Full Bradcots- heavy porches - lightweight porches but have now finally settled on Kampa 200 - AIR- in our opinion - superb.
CAN be done solo - but if there are two of you- a quick tug through rail ( bear in mind only 2 x metres ) half inflate - takes it's shape - align it all up to position YOU want - clearing door - windows - whatever your reqirement - peg the van side corners
down - final inflation - peg rest down - hey presto - open a "stubby"!!0
