Making life easier with an air awning!
Comments
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3-in-1 also do a silicone spray and we tried it for the first time this holiday, brilliant. Also a little trick I discovered to keep our Air-Pro tight against the caravan wall. Found it difficult to knock a peg in under the van so I attached bungee straps
to the base of the uprights, ran them round the bottom of the wall and clipped them to the chassis. They held tight and straight for the fortnight.0 -
We love our Kampa Rally air pro but it is heavy to pull through the awning rail, so if exertion to do is an issue, it may be best to get a lightweight one. The air pro is heavier weight material. Other than that initial two-person pull through, it's a cinch.
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It's heavy because unlike a conventional awning you are supposed to erect it complete (I guess to keep the shape when you inflate it). But if you find it too heavy I reckon you could put it up without the walls, then attach them before inflating it.
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If you have room try taking some small stand steps.
Makes a big difference pulling round the awning channel if you are pulling level with the channel
Totally agree. I found the caravan step wasn't high enough to give me a straight pull on the awning in the rail so I bought a set of 3-step aluminium steps from B&Q for less than £20. Very light and just the right size to fit underneath the fixed bed in
the van.0 -
Just back from a 2 week break using our new air 390 and very impressed with its performance. Not to difficult putting it up, little struggle with the awning rail and gave up with the electric pump. Easy enough using the manual pump provided. Had some condensation
first couple of days then opened the sides flaps and that sorted the problem. Didn't have to touch anything for the whole 2 weeks. So easy to take down, bit of a struggle getting it back into the bag. But very happy with our purchase.0 -
.... bit of a struggle getting it back into the bag. But very happy with our purchase.
Our Kampa air awning was taken down in a gale, rolled into a ball & shoved unceremoniously into the back of the car. I dried it out & packed it away at home.
You're right about getting it back in the bag!
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Leave the deflation vales open, lay it on the ground inside out (roof on ground, tubes facing up), fold each wall to centre, fold in a second time, then roll it tight towards the deflation valves. Rolls up a treat and fits easily into the bag. The air annexe isn't so easy as it has no deflation valves, you have to loosen the nut on the inflation valve and just leave it for an hour or so. I agree about the electric pump, waste of time and money. Mine's on EBAY!
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Leave the deflation vales open, lay it on the ground inside out (roof on ground, tubes facing up), fold each wall to centre, fold in a second time, then roll it tight towards the deflation valves. Rolls up a treat and fits easily into the bag. The air annexe
isn't so easy as it has no deflation valves, you have to loosen the nut on the inflation valve and just leave it for an hour or so. I agree about the electric pump, waste of time and money. Mine's on EBAY!We have a 390 Kanpa rally air pro read this post with intrest . Ours is getting really easy to slot in the rail now its been used a few times and I use the Kampa electric pump to pump it up ,hated it with a passion at first but now I know about the intricacies
of button operation its fine and i plug it into the caravan power socket ,after i checked its fusable spec . Certainly wouldnt recomend it . I have a bit of a heath issue so wouldnt choose to pump it by hand , I do pump our 260 air awning up though it quicker
. How long does it take to pump yours up manually0 -
Leave the deflation vales open, lay it on the ground inside out (roof on ground, tubes facing up), fold each wall to centre, fold in a second time, then roll it tight towards the deflation valves. Rolls up a treat and fits easily into the bag. ....
You have to admit, it's harder to do than to describe!
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I have back problems and thought I would have a problem using the manual pump but it literally only took minutes, I made myself comfy on a chair and then just got on with it.
Write your comments here...
I too have back problems which is why I switched to inflatable in the first place as working overhead with poles etc was taking its toll. Honest Mollysmum, it really isn't difficult at all. I think with these things we need to accept this will take a little
time, but it saves time the next time you want to inflate it. I've never counted the number of pumps, but I reckon from bag to last peg I can put up my 330 in about 45 minutes (the old Isabella took over 2 hours). In fact we're so impressed we're now considering
buying a 390 or an Ace0 -
Leave the deflation vales open, lay it on the ground inside out (roof on ground, tubes facing up), fold each wall to centre, fold in a second time, then roll it tight towards the deflation valves. Rolls up a treat and fits easily into the bag. ....
You have to admit, it's harder to do than to describe!
youtubeHad a look at the elapsed time on the video ,about 11 mins . Its quicker with the pump ,i'm sure it doesnt take that long . I had an issue with our's taking a long time to go up ,the big inflation vale was leaking a liitle ,so tightened ok for about 7 days
and then it looked a little low , further investagation when i took the valve out, there was material not trimmed properly holding o ring off ,trimmed it now its fine. Its easy when you can isolate tubes . Now i've cottoned on dont have to take inflation valve
out ,0 -
I thought the video was very good and helpful. The procedure in my opiniion defiitely gets easier the more you do it. On our first effort (Kampa air pro 260), the only similarity between ours and the one on the video was the colour of the thing! Now we have people telling us how good it looks. Still suspicious that they might be taking the mickey.
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I notice all the comments on air awnings have come from caravan owners, is there any motorhome owners looking in that can comment on air awnings/drive away awnings, ive found 2 that i quite like in the Kampa Pod travel maxi air and the vango Galli tall,
cant quite make up my mind and not sure what else there is out there, looking for comments on this from a motorhome perspective although i would assume views shouldnt be any different.0 -
Exactly.
It takes 2 bottles of beer to get the awning up using caravan steps but only 1 using stand steps.
That a 50% saving
Write your comments here...Very good comment Fysherman but I like a drop of red wine. Can you please estimate the equivalent in spirits please? (in imperial measures if it is not too much to ask).
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It took us 65 minutes from start to finish.to put it up here in Hillhead on a hardstanding probably quicker if on grass.great awning as for taking it down in minutes. The hardest part is pegging it down lots of pegs to do.As for packing up it is easy when
you have done it a few times. Pumping it up takes around 50-60 pumps.0 -
Exactly.
It takes 2 bottles of beer to get the awning up using caravan steps but only 1 using stand steps.
That a 50% saving
Write your comments here...Very good comment Fysherman but I like a drop of red wine. Can you please estimate the equivalent in spirits please? (in imperial measures if it is not too much to ask).
I will need to do some research in order to answer this but I am happy to help.
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Test.
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if you are struggling..........you will find an air awning hard work...due to the weight in the air tubes..they are a pig to pull along the rail..also being 6ft 5 would help..
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