Inflatable awnings

Bighammerfan
Bighammerfan Forum Participant Posts: 34
edited October 2018 in Parts & Accessories #1

Hi all. Im considering buying a full size inflatable awning. Does anyone have any experience (good or bad) and what makes are best to go for ?

 

Alan

Comments

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited October 2018 #2

    We've a Kampa Air Ace 400 air awning. They're heavy to feed through the awning rail & they don't have the adjustment that a standard awning has to cope with a slope.

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2018 #3

    This subject has been discussed in considerable depth before but the useless search facility on CT makes finding them almost impossible.  I have a Kampa poled awning - reason the minuses MM  has given (and price!).

  • Bighammerfan
    Bighammerfan Forum Participant Posts: 34
    edited October 2018 #4

    Price isn't really a factor but we go away often but short trips so don't want to spend half my day putting up a poled awning.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited October 2018 #5

    The poles don't take long .... use coloured tape to help identify what goes where.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited October 2018 #6

    It's the pegging out that takes the time and inflatable awnings seem to have far more guy ropes to peg out than a conventional awning. The only advantage ISTM is that if it all go pear-shaped there are no metal pole bits flying around.

  • IanTG
    IanTG Forum Participant Posts: 419
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    edited October 2018 #7

    We have a 3.9m long Kampa Rally Air Pro, and have no complaints at all. 

    Cyberyacht - we have just 2 guy ropes.

    it is a little heavy to pull through the rail, but 2 people can do it. Pegging is really the same as for a pole awning. We use an electric pump which means I can get on with other tasks whilst it is inflating.

  • Simon100
    Simon100 Club Member Posts: 666 ✭
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    edited October 2018 #8

    I have a Vango Arkala, which I think it's very well made and easy to erect and take down. There are a number of reviews on line and some YouTube videos of you Google the topic.

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2018 #9

    OP. Suggest you go to a dealer and have a look at the options yourself, you may find a porch awning more suitable for short trips. I get my Kampa Pro 3.90 up in 20 - 25 mins only needing help with threading through the awning rail. The poles are spring clipped together so just need a shake  and push to get them ready to slide into the slots in the canvas.  For 3- 4 day trips I don't bother with an awning.  We do a lot of continental touring and use a Fiamma Coverstore roll out awning as a sun shade, not bothering to take the full awning.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited October 2018 #10

     .... and some (Kampa) air awnings have a single inflation point, others don't

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,682 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2018 #11

    We've had Kampa awnings for the last four years or so.  First an Air Pro 380 and this year, I swapped it for a 390 Grande which is a full 3m deep and that extra half metre makes such a difference.  The fact that it has fully removable side panels makes it slightly less heavy to get on the awning rail. We have been really pleased with both of them.

    One thing to bear in mind is that big air awnings are difficult to dry if you have to pack them away wet - so if we think that it is likely to happen, we also have a lightweight Sunncamp 'poled' awning.  It doesn't have conventional poles - just two short steel vertical bits and a fibreglass hoop, but when it comes to spreading it out in the garage, or wherever, it's much easier to manage and dries much more quickly than the heavy air awning fabric. It only cost £85 (new) and I would suggest a worthwhile additional investment if you're considering using the van all year round.

  • julzgeraghty
    julzgeraghty Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited March 2019 #12

    We have a Kampa Pop Pro Air 290 for our Fluerette and though it is heavy to get onto the awning rail if you make sure the rail is clean and lubricated (one of my pre-season jobs) then it is much easier.

  • Richard12
    Richard12 Forum Participant Posts: 112
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    edited March 2019 #13

    We have a Kampa Pro ace 400 Air. It is probably our tenth or eleventh awning, when we had poled awnings we thought Isabella were good value but you get what you pay for. We then went onto a Kampa 400 poled version, but found the water pooled on the roof from the word go so our dealer swapped it for an Air 400. 

    I won't say if it is the worst or best but we are pleased with it, one inflation point, all poles can be isolated with inbuilt valves, so if there is a leak only one pole deflates. Yes it is heavy to pass through the awning rail but we remove the front & back sections to make it easier.

    BHF good luck on your choice.

  • Milothedog
    Milothedog Forum Participant Posts: 1,433
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    edited March 2019 #14

    On our second Bradcot Air Aspire. Very happy with it. only reason for changing is we went from a 2.6m to a 3,9m one.

    Very quick to put up/inflate (5 minutes or so) but as said the pegging out takes a while. when initially looking for one we went to a dealer with a large display of awnings. the Bradcot, to us, seemed to be a far better quality product over the other makes  available.

    Just my opinion based on my experience when buying and subsequent ownership . 

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