Awning advice
Comments
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Yes more than a fair bit of advice given I would have said.
Given the advice here, are you still keen on a full awning? Looking at your present awning would double that size be enough? or even more. Decide that first then have a look at your local dealer.
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Amongst the 'diversions' on this thread is a lot of advice. Loads of options for you to consider. It's a bit of a mine field but a trip to a dealer with a good range of awnings will help focus your mind; then see if you can get one nearly new where you could save a lot of money.
Also like your dog
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Phil, we bought a Kampa ari 260 awning. Never owned an awning previously so unable to provide comparison information but we are delighted with what we have bought. Hope what you buy meets your needs.
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I think that the times quoted for erecting full length awnings are a little on the optimistic side.
As with our days with a big frame tent, the awning itself can go up quite quickly (although dragging all that material through the awning rail can be rather 'testing'). However, it's the pegging out that takes ages, especially on a hardstanding. We've seen people still laboriously hammering away over an hour later (there are a lot of pegs on a full length awning with guy ropes).
Think carefully about the length of awning that you actually need.
I agree that your dog looks a cracker, by the way
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I think that the times quoted for erecting full length awnings are a little on the optimistic side
We've timed it. 21 minutes for one of our full awnings including pegging. I've also seen people taking ages but to be fair they take ages with other tasks too.
The other one takes a bit longer - maybe another five minutes to zip the panel in.
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Actually a good point, don't forget the hammer you will use. The mallets (wooden or plastic) supplied with the awnings are usually useless on hardstandings, as are the pegs supplied.
You will probably have to buy rock pegs and buy the heaviest lump or club hammer you can, We use a 2kg one and it really does speed things up. Also I've seen some use drill pegs that can be used with an electric drill (you have to buy the special attachment for your drill). I've read mixed reports about them, but could be useful for awkward places next to the van.
Also a 'puller through' is useful if your awning has an eyelet for this and helps pull the awning along the rail from the ground, and a peg puller outer for the other end of your stay, see https://www.towsure.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=awning+puller
We always time putting the awning up, and I've posted our times, 30 minutes full and 20 porch
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saw someone use a sledge hammer once, quick but a little excessive
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I thought my reply was very constructive, but as it came after pages of whys and why nots and choices, and criticisms you perhaps didn't notice that it ran to several paragraphs!
The problem with forums is that you just can't control what people write, and whilst some want to be helpful, others have their own reasons for writing what they do.
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Phil, good post.
We have a Kampa pro 360 (air) which is a large, well constructed and stable awning. The great drawback with it is that I can't thread it onto the rail by myself, just too heavy. Once on the rail it only takes 20 minutes to erect and peg out. Taking it down and packing away takes about 10 minutes
If we get another awning I think it will be one in a bag like DSB has, can't remember the make and model, but you can use it as a shade or full awning
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As far as feeding in the awning goes, we've found that a quick spray of the awning rail once a year, with the silicone used for spraying Thetford toilet seals, and one person pulling and the other feeding in at the entry point makes a huge difference to the ease, or otherwise, of the task.
I'll time how long it takes us when we're away next, but there's no doubt that the easy-erect poles make it so much quicker and simpler.
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I’ve got two awnings, both Isabela, a Magnum Porch and a full size Commodore, both with carbon poles. I have to put them up on my own but don’t really struggle. I cant do it anywhere near some of the times quoted on here, the Commodore normally takes me about an hour, but a lot depends in the ground conditions for pegging out, grass is much faster and easier than most of the extremely compact hard standings.
I don’t consider the hour spent putting up the awning, and the same to put it away, to be too long when considering the extra space and benefits it gives during the stay on site.
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Hi everyone, a few posts have been reported to me so I will be moderating this discussion. Can I please ask members to keep this discussion on topic, otherwise the discussion will be closed. Anyone contravening guidelines may risk their access to the forum being suspended and further consequences to membership so please do not contravene the guidelines and please keep conversations friendly and constructive. Many thanks.
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Agree personally with your last paragraph. It's a decision everyone has to make regarding using an awning. Once you (one) gets to the point when it doesn't feel worth it then you simply stop.
Like you I believe it's time well spent, someone to put shoes, coats, wet walking gear, and of course the extra living space.
Certainly for me a glass of wine, meals, even a cup of tea, usually tastes better in the awning (usually listening to the sound of the rain on the awning roof of course, but that's fun too)
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We have had all sorts of awnings, full and porch, full poles and whippy fibreglass ones. All depends on what you want to use it for, and how much gear you want to put in it. Only you can decide that. All our awnings, bar the whippy job have been good quality second hand, still got two at the moment! OH could put up and take down easily on his own, just put up canopy, then zip sides in later. Whippy porch was new, cost £60, we only used it to keep wind and rain off van door, store a couple of chairs.
We have watched folks take hours putting awnings up, then spend further hours filling them with unbelievable amounts of furniture and accessories, including duck boards, camp kitchens, ironing boards etc... Their choice and obviously what they feel they need.
Best holiday we can remember with awning was four weeks down at Marazion. We had got to Truro, then in the course of conversation, it became obvious we had left poles at home! Certainly didn't think of driving 350 mile home, we just shoved the awning itself under van, and got on with it. I think we had two light showers the whole month! That was with three dogs in tow as well!
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I had no interest in the TV of an evening so I sat with a few beers & just watched life roll on. C/van door shut, near silence other than the wildlife outside the awning. Yup, I loved my awning, I put it up solo-30mins. It was a Kampa 390 porch awning as I recall. Accepted they ain't for everyone but for me it was bliss
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That's what we like too, Rocky2Buckets. We have used just a sunshade recently, but in early and late season when the dark comes earlier it can be nippy, and we were always reluctant to go 'indoors'. This year we replaced our stolen full awning and in early April it was lovely to sit inside, with one of the panels unzipped half-way, just listening to the birds, squirrels quarelling, the frogs croaking in the river, and the river in the background. We cook inside the awning, so the heat from the oven and hob warmed up the air. We have grass under our feet - no carpet, and I don't care what anyone says, but food (and wine) definitely tastes better 'outdoors'! As the evening temperatures got warmer towards the end of our stay we unzipped the front panels during the day and put them back in again in the evening.
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True on all points Valda
, plus in the Autumn when it's dark sitting in the Awning listening to the Owls too-wit too-wooing is relaxing, that can't be heard that well inside an LV, Awnings really bring you closer to nature.0 -
I once worked on a heritage site where the next-door display was a medieval style blacksmith. Never seen anyone else put tent pegs in with a quick tap then one solid blow per peg!
I'm learning much about awnings here - thanks for all the comments... at least those still showing after removed content
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We have a newly acquired 17 yr old van, used it once and didn't take the awning, and this afternoon I just spent an interesting hour working out where I think the poles probably fit together. (No instructions!) I'll try it with the cover on another time.
Meanwhile, and this IS meant to be constructive!... one of the reasons we've just come to caravans after over 40 years in all sorts of tents & all weathers, is that I've wearied of the faff of erecting then taking down at start and finish of holiday, packing it away, quite possibly in the rain, then having to re-erect the thing to dry it out later. I'm sure we will make some use of our awning, but it's a joy not having to fiddle about with it, and just to have the box on wheels.
I suppose the Air awnings might be the equivalent of our latest light-weight tent, a Quechua, which more or less is thrown at the ground and erects itself. But yes, it still needs pegging out, and still needs folding up in the wet, and isn't so robust in serious weather.
So I'm with the minimalist brigade here!Happy hunting!
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OK, you might yet convert me!
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Like ValDa and Rocky we also love to be in the awning and if possible with the panels open or removed.
We are lucky to live in Cornwall but even there you spend a long time behind a closed door so being outside is a real bonus, in fact, that's why we go to find the sun to be able to do so.
It may be due to our climate here but when abroad it does seem that it's just the Brits that can be found in the van of an evening when most people are outside or in the awning.
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And so do we, when it's warm enough and light enough and dry enough, and we spend many holidays in France without bothering to put up our awning, but early and late season it can even get frosty, and it gets dark very early. It can also rain............... and few people want to sit outside with a glass of wine in the rain in the dark!
As we like to read outside we can do this with the awning light on.......... and later, when the temperatures warm up we can move the awning light forward to the front of the awning and sit outside. In early April this year, on the warmer evenings, we set outside the awning, continuing to feed the barbecue with twigs (the site allows this, even in southern France - subject to local by-laws which may change with the dryness of the season).
An awning at least gives you options, and if you have one you don't always need to put it up! If you don't have one, and in early season or bad weather, then it's either sit inside the van or motorhome, or sit outside in the dark and the rain.
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....but you dont carry a conservatory around with you and errect/dismantle it every trip.....
at the end of the day (or when you arrive on pitch
) everyone makes a judgement call as to whether an awning is worth the effort or not...it seems that those that 'awning' love them and those that dont, dont
personal choice. 1 -
We are looking into getting an awning as we spend around four months in Spain in the winter and although usually sunny (last winter it rained a lot) the wind can be quite cool so we are looking to sit out of the wind in the sun and, hopefully, an awning will allow us to do just that.
We are thinking of a 260 air one and so far, although a little on the expensive side, the Kampa Rally Air Pro seems to be the favourite ........would great if we could find second hand one.
My only worry about an awning is wind as you can get some very strong winds wiping up off the med, in fact one of our neighbours ended up with a damaged awning and van last winter. Can I ask the more experienced members with air awnings how you find them in windy weather? I do realize it's advisable to have the storm tie downs etc, but are they enough?
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Well said Phil ... we have a caravan and have three (yes three) awnings / porchs. Where we are going and how long we are staying will decide which one we take, and we got them over the years. If abroad and staying for a week we will take the large full Bradcott with lightweight poles stores nicely in the boot and take us 20 minutes to erect ... each side can be unzipped out which allows us to vent easily or just have it up as a sun shelter. The second is a three quarter Kampma (non inflatable) but with adjustable legs so suits CL's where the ground slopes, and this is our choice for weekends or short stays in the UK. The third is really a door shelter for one night stops so it keep rain out when the door is open. The whole point like others is for extra storage and to be able to sit out, eat outside when warm enough and for somewhere to keep muddy shoes and wet coats rather than having them inside the van. All of us use them for a variety of reasons. Why do people insist on knocking others or having a go just because "they dont do it that way", and why please do we have to perpetuate this silly distniction between caravn owners and motor home owners .. we are all in the same club and share the same interest! If in any doubt about what size you need then contact the van makers as we did and check on awning manufactures sites for information and prices - the Bradcott awning we got with fibre glass poles and storm kit came in just under £800 if you shop around.
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I think the air awning are just as heavy if not heavier than the fabric of traditional ones, so really it is all to do with the tie down kits and pegging and how the wind gets inside the awning. That's why the one with the skirt going inwards is a better idea as you can also weight it down with plastic bottles of water, boxes... We have used two tie down kits once on a frame awning in a gale in the lake district. Provided that is done properly then it should be ok, Also if things get bad you just let the air out without un pegging and lay it flat, or take it down very quickly which you can't do with a frame. As I said before, if it goes it will only damage itself while I've seen what damage frame poles bashing against a van can do to an outfit.
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We won an Air awning in a competition and erected it just once, on a windy (but not gale force) day. We really didn't think it would stand up to any more wind than we were having - and we've met up with much stronger winds in France and Spain - so we sold it immediately.
Personally I wouldn't go for an air awning................but as has been said, we all think and do things differently.
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