When is an awning not an awning?
I am 73 and have a heart problem. We bought a Kampa Air-pro to make life easier, which from an inflation point of view it certainly does. However, last year at Trout Beck, having driven 12 rock pegs into what seemed like concrete, I vowed never to put up another awning, ever again! After just one week away this year we're missing it already. Looking around the Dulverton site we noticed quite a few Fiamma sun-shades, which would at least give us a little more space and cover from sun/rain. Then came the epiphany, rather than selling the awning and buying a Fiamma, why don't we just put up the Kampa without walls? It would be lighter to carry and quicker/easier to erect, with only half the pegs to drive in. Anyone else doing this? Any tips on setting up/using such an arrangement? I also understand that the club doesn't charge for Fiamma type shades, so when does an awning become a sunshade? Your thoughts/ideas always welcome.
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CAMC doesn’t charge for any sort of awning.
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The club doesn't charge extra for awnings so it won't save or cost you anything. Have you thought of using grass pitches where they are available? Its much easier to drive pegs in to grass than the hard standings.
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If you keep to awning pitches there will be no issues at all.
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I think the first question you need to ask yourself is do you need the enclosed space that an awning offers or do you just need a covered area.
If it is the later then make life for yourself easier and get a canopy. The bonus you may not have considered is the faff that hauling something as heavy as the Kampa into and along the awning track can be.
The majority of the time we use a shade. Although we liked our Kampa Pop-Air we got rid of it and now have a lightweight Vango blow up at less than 1/2 the weight, very similar in footprint and use it only when we have to due to poor weather.
Colin
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I have a Kampa/Dometec 390 and often erect it without the panels and leave them out unless the weather turns bad, it is so much easier, I also have been through serious heart problems and would not advise having a Fiamma bag canopy as you need at least a 4 meter length to be of any use, I had one before this Kampa and found you need 2 to unroll and erect and the same in reverse they are not light, for your Kampa awning Dometec/Kampa do a pulley system to aid pulling the awning onto the van I use it all the time, I guide the awning into the rail and the wife uses the pulley to pull it through I also use a long handle peg extractor for pulling the pegs out, there are gadgets out there that make life easier.
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Geoff - I have similar problems and we always opt for a grass pitch in the summer where we can - and only use hard standings in winter when, I have to concede, they are almost a necessity. I was beginning to struggle with our heavy Kampa 390 Grande, getting it on the awning rail - so we sold it and went for a Thule Omnistor with the Veduta room. An expensive alternative, I accept, but slightly easier to erect. What I have found a great help is using 'Peggy Pegs' which go in with a drill and are so easy. They're supposed to be OK for HS as well but I haven't had chance to try them on that surface, yet. Just using the Omnistor as a sunshade is so easy and takes very little effort.
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Any traditional type awning, be it pole or blow up will require some pegging out, obviously less if the sides aren’t in use. Something like this will also require an awning pitch, although currently with CAMC, there is no extra charge.
Fiamma’s, used without sides, are very easy to use, roll out, peg in two support poles, that’s it. Without sides in, and pegged all around, they can be subject to weather damage, so any wind and it will need rolling back in, but that takes around a minute to do, provided it isn’t stuffed with furniture etc underneath. Put in sides and it becomes a fixed awning, so will require an awning pitch, without you can use a Club non awning pitch but have to roll it out only to size of your pitch. It mustn’t impinge into the safety gap.
I think it will all depend on exactly what you need an awning for as to what might be best for you. We stopped using an awning with our caravan, we just took a small waterproof beach type tent to throw fold up chairs in, a few other bits in if it rained. We preferred a lightweight plastic table with a parasol. Easy and light to take with us, easy to put up, take down, store.
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I've tried those as well - with the same experience as you have had. Peggy Pegs are nothing like that and although an expensive solution, are well worth it in my opinion.
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thanks for all your replies, sorry about my confusion re charges - derrr! I think I have peggy-pegs but I only thought the bolt head was for easy removal rather than drilling in, I shall try it next time out. All good stuff, thanks again.
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I can emphasise totally with the OP. We have a Fiamma Coverstore and a Kampa Pro 330 (ie not air). Basically, we use the Kampa in UK and the Fiamma when travelling to sunny climes. This year because of the forecast for inclement weather we decided to bring the Kamp on our France/Germany trip - BIG mistake. Expecting mixed weather we have experienced very hot weather with just a couple of sessions of rain but no wind. On a site near Lake Constance the ground was like concrete and I struggled getting my nail type pegs in and then getting them out: pegging out proved to be the longest and hardest part of the procedure. In future I will stick to my rule of taking the Fiamma when going o'seas. In UK if we are staying at sites for less than 5 days we will probably take the Fiamma, as has been said, if it is windy it can be rolled in in a minute or so.
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I had to take my Fiamma down a number of times in the wind but the last time was 3am in the morning we were woken by the sound of the awning rattling around I found one storm strap peg had come out both canopy pegs were on the verge of coming out It would have been impossible to roll up in the wind so managed to drop it and get it out of the awning rail, that was the last time we used it, I then bought the Kampa and on this version all panels can be completely removed no more sleepless nights.
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"I think it will all depend on exactly what you need an awning for as to what might be best for you. We stopped using an awning with our caravan, we just took a small waterproof beach type tent to throw fold up chairs in, a few other bits in if it rained. We preferred a lightweight plastic table with a parasol. Easy and light to take with us, easy to put up, take down, store."
agreed...to me the question is what do you want an awning for...I realise that we are fortunate to have loads of storage space in the MH garage for slinging the chairs or bikes in if the weather changes...no need for an awning or extra 'tents'..our Fiamma wind out is all we've ever needed...
if rain is gentle, straight down and the weather is warm, then a wind out canopy will give extra cover but if bad, we wouldn't be sitting in any sort of awning/tent, we would be in the van...
for caravanners, an awning seems to be a mandatory addition to the myriad kit carried, sometimes taking ages and much effort to erect and disassemble. But why would you want to sit in one of the weather is fine and when it's not, what's wrong with being in the van?
awnings also take up loads of space on a pitch, especially with a car and caravan as well...sometimes leaving no spare space to actually sit out and enjoy fine weather🤷🏻♂️
If one was suffering with the conditions a few posters in this thread have reported, then surely the question is...why bother at all?
Being used to moving on perhaps more often than the typical caravanner, we always think ourselves fortunate that we don't have the 'awning ritual' on arrival and departure days...mind you, it's sometimes pretty entertaining...though not for those who find it a real struggle....perhaps don't bother🤷🏻♂️
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When we had caravans we never used more than a lightweight porch awning and that was only on rare occasions. So, BB, an awning is not a mandatory addition. What myriad kit are you referring to? Would it be something like the amount of gear some folk stash in the garages of their motorhomes? Perhaps that’s where you got the idea of myriad kit from.🤷🏻♂️
As to why folk want awnings, we have a contributor to CT who frequently tells us of his multiple cooking appliances and other stuff he sets up in his awning and what great use he makes of it and I’m sure he will enlighten you at some point.
However, no two of us are the same, thankfully, and we each have the freedom to choose our method of vanning and I don’t see any need to question the ways of others. It would be so much nicer if we just lived and let live.👍🏻
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We rarely use an awning these days. We started 25 years back with a Trio large porch, not easy to erect, then got a Fiamma, and eventually sold the Trio.
For this, larger, van we bought a Fiamma Zip, which lasted about 10 years before the roof bit started falling apart. A new one was very expensive, so we bought an inexpensive Sunncamp canopy porch, sides but no front.
When DD and Co started using the van, they needed something more enclosed, so we went with a Sunncamp porch, cheap and cheerful. We see a lot of them about.
On our present tour, after a week with DD and the boys, using the awning, we are not staying anywhere more than 5 nights, mainly just 4 nights, so we are not bothering with the awning. We sit in the shade of the van, leave our aluminium table and chairs outside, and bring out whatever cooking appliance we decide to use. We did the same on our Easter tour, though the weather then was not conducive to cooking, or sitting, outside.
Much less hassle!
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That's not what I was referring to. I was answering the OP's question on: '...charge for Fiamma type shades, so when does an awning become a sunshade'
There might be an issue on using a sunshade on non awning pitches and hence my reply. Awning or non awning the OP may have equal difficulty for putting pegs in which I thought was obvious and therefore didn't address, but of course it's site dependent anyway.
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Of course MHs have awnings too, not only the smaller 'drive away' versions but very big ones too and on my last couple of club sites visits there were quite a few MH with awnings so it's not a totally caravan thing as has been portrayed.
I actually think for myself it's an advantage that caravans have over MHs, the ability to almost double your living space especially with small families, or have a porch for coats and shoes as we do, and have it up for the whole of the stay without any need to un-attach it when going off site but I'm not going to turn this thread into one style is better than another. Its what works best for one's touring style. Let people choose what they want to enjoy their time away, it's their effort and time?
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for caravanners, an awning seems to be a mandatory addition to the myriad kit carried, sometimes taking ages and much effort to erect and disassemble.
Not for us YT. We didn’t start caravanning until our 50’s after 30 plus years of tenting. The main reason for the change was more comfortable beds and not putting a tent up anymore.
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Steve, you might well be an exception for whatever reasons but on sites I've visited awnings are very popular.
however, should putting an awning up (on a caravan or a MH) become difficult then, as I and others have mentioned, a wind out Thule or Fiamma will give shade from sun, shelter from rain (to a degree) and is simple to deploy and wind back in, gives more space on the pitch..and can be used on a non awning pitch.
nothing about MH V Caravan, merely similar advice to others....if it's hard work, what's wrong with asking the question 'why'?🤷🏻♂️
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I like the ‘drive away’ awnings. I tried those windy out things but nothing can be temporarily overnight stored for fear of theft, wind & rain creates the need for sides which then makes it look boxy & ugly. I gave it a run for a while then sold it on🤷🏻♂️. Drive away awning also books your spot for your return-win win👍🏻😊
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I think another drawback with the wind-outs is that they’re at risk left out in windy conditions. If you’re going to start pegging down storm straps as well as the canopy legs and fit a rafter bar to it, you might as well peg out a small awning.
As I understand it, some folk find the drive away type tricky to park next to on returning to the pitch in order to connect the tunnel fabric to the van but I suppose that’s down to their manoeuvring ability. Otherwise, it seems a great idea as you can still up and go👍
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Drive away Awning-trick?, yup I get that. I use *technology to solve that. I have a 3”x3”x6” wood block with 2 steel spikes to hold it in the ground, I drive that into the ground when I first set up, when I return I gently touch it-Bosh jobs a gud un, perfect alignment👍🏻😊.
*old technology👍🏻
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Getting back tot he title.
We were at the Brighton site a couple of years ago. We wanted an awning pitch so we could use our Isabella Shadow on but none was available. The lady in reception told us we could put the Shadow up during the day but it should technically come down at night. She then added that due to our small caravan size [Shadow and van had smaller footprint than most "normal" vans] and size of our pitch, she would not be coming around at 11pm to check.
I must admit I always enjoy the awning or not debates.
I think the Brits [all of us on this side of The Channel] are a fairly unique bunch. Large awnings seem to be the norm. Travel abroad and I'd think it fair to say if you see large caravans with an awning then it belongs to one of us. If it has a canopy it is more likely to be owned by one of our Continental brethren.
Colin
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Something simple is all it needs👍
PS. I’ve just had a thought. My van’s got a wind out on one side and an awning channel on the other. I could have a drive-away as well as the wind out and also use the tailgate awning at the rear🤣🤣🤣🤣
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I think you would like this set-up from back in 2011 that we used for a long pitch when in France.
Colin
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I remember, about 20 years back, on our previous van, when we still had both the Trio porch and the small Fiamma canopy, we used the Fiamma on short stops, but had taken the Trio for longer ones and had put the Fiamma in the rail on the other side of the van to transport it.
We arrived on the Club Haycraft site and were putting up the Trio when the warden appeared on our pitch and said "you cannot put up that thing on that side you know" , pointing to the Fiamma. It took a while to convince him that we had no intention of doing so!
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I've been mulling this one over and I'd be surprised to find anything "in the rules" to say it is not possible. The awning and van must sit within a defined area for fire regs. Some awnings erected with a canopy would have space to do this, so why could the canopy not be used on the other side of the van instead?
Coin
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Well first of all it was 20 years ago and therefore we can't be sure if the same response would be given today?
As caravans can go in either nose in or reverse the awning can certainly go on any side but it's some combination of car caravan and awning (OK the caravan has to be in the middle) and what the warden may been referring to is having both the awning and Fiamma at the same time?
However the only applicable rule now is maintaining a 3m distance between parts of neighbouring outfits. So yes it would be allowed if the car could go under it and the edge of the Fiamma would be 3m from the next outfit, or there is a clear 3m space if it was car, Fiamma, caravan, awning. Not usually possible on club sites although it does happen on the end of a row for example.
But in reality I've only seen one such occurrence in over 20 years of using club sites and that was the wardens' caravan who had a full sized awning each side, and it was certainly well away from anything else. I can't see it being a problem or rather happening although I suppose a MH could if so desired?
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Geoff, We reached the stage of life where any sort of awning or canopy was too much trouble, so we gave them all up and carried on without any of them. We relished the time and trouble it saved and the mobility we gained,
But a friend who was similar in age and also beginning to struggle felt he had to give up caravanning altogether because he simply couldn’t grasp that it was possible to continue without any sort of awning.
Your turn to choose!0
