Latest on Air Awnings
I have been looking now for a couple of years at getting an air awning. I posted a couple of years ago ago as was looking then but having been at the time sat on a site when three vans pulled up, two with air awnings both of which had deflated in parts by the following morning, I held off.
However...it had become a must now so I need to get on with it!
Im considering either the Kampa Club Air PRO 390 PLUS Caravan Awning 2019 which seems slightly more traditional or Kampa Rally AIR Pro 390 Plus LEFT 2019.
I understand from other posts that Kampa seem a decent awning and we have an old 260 which has lasted well. What are members experiences though of the bladders puncturing as I saw? The bladders do seem expensive to replace given what they are and if they fail regularly it appears t be a circa £70 bill every time?
Also I know some had problems with them fitting properly against the van..with an issued about pegging it under the van before inflation. Any issues with damaging the bladders doing that.
if anyone has one of these awnings I would also be glad to hear any views on them good and bad before I commit
Many thanks in anticipation
Comments
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We had a Kampa air awning a couple of years ago which has been sold on.
The awning itself was fine and has been improved since, but I would suggest looking into a couple of things.
The material makes quite a difference to the weight, we purchased the top spec material, which was a Pro360 but it proved to be a very heavy bit of kit so choose the material that suits your ability to manhandle it. The 390 if the same material will be a heavy bit of kit that all has to be dragged through the rail.
As with any awning the pegging down is still the same so is not an issue.
The other thing that we found annoying was the fitting of the curtains, which have now been improved, but do check it out.
The only thing that I never got to grips with was the folding up of the awning on leaving site, again this was probably down to the heavier grade material we chose.
But no problems with the deflating and the Kampa is pumped up in one go, maybe all are these days, but makes life easier.
One thing we found but could not fathom out why, the air awning always gave more condensation than our conventional Isabella, again perhaps the material. We always use hard standing, so not a damp grass or soil issue.
To improve fit against the van, at the time of our purchase there was an accessory of upright poles to fit in the corners to help with this, we used a couple of uprights from our Isabell instead which seemed to help.
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Ok...so have taken the plunge and ordered the following:
https://www.campingandleisure.co.uk/kampa-club-air-pro-390-plus-l-h/
Hopefully give us a decent bit if space. Couple of questions
is it necessary to purchase the Kampa roof lining?
if I need to dry it at home...can you just pump it up and lean against a wall with the corners pegged?
Many thanks and early July looks good for sites opening
Thanks to Oneputt and Bluemalaga
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I have had various Kampa air awnings over the last six or seven years and have been pleased with them. Good quality - excellent back-up from Kampa on the one occasion we needed it and very sturdy.
We currently have an Air 390 Grande which is a full 3m deep and it is a heavy bit of kit to get on the awning rail - even with the side panels removed.
The other thing to think about is that - being such a heavy fabric, they are difficult to dry at home if it has to be packed away wet. That's why we bought, as well, a Sunncamp Air 390 for winter use - much lighter and very easy to dry overnight in the garage if it has been packed away wet. It was 'only' £350 in an end of season sale, so well worth the investment in my opinion.
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Richardandros....also have you had any problems with leaking/condensation....I saw a lot of negative reviews although assume most reviews are given by dissatisfied customers on Trustpilot?
There seemed a lot of disagreement as to whether leaks or condensation. I have a little Rally 260 poll awning and only ever had very minor condensation and no leaks
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MDD - Before we got the Sunncamp, I did think about inflating it in the garden to dry out but so far, haven't tried it. I even thought about putting some awning track up on the house for this purpose - but haven't bothered. Providing it's not too windy, I would have thought it would have been OK.
As far as leaks are concerned, I can categorically say that in that six or seven years - and with three Kampa awnings - I have never experienced a leak of any sort. The instructions tell you that when new, it is possible to get a small leak through seams until the stitching swells up, but I haven't even experienced this.
Condensation is another matter, however. With modern impermeable fabrics - whatever the make - you are going to get condensation in certain conditions. It is just a fact of life and you have to learn to manage it. These fabrics aren't like the 'old' cotton ones that can breathe - but then, they're much more waterproof than cotton.
The Sunncamp is actually worse than the Kampa because, being lightweight, it's more of a nylon fabric than the Kampa and more prone to condensation.
There are vents at the top of each side panel - sometimes difficult to see because they have a cover, fastened with velcro. Make sure those are open. But even they're not enough and in bad condensation conditions, we just make sure the doors are unzipped slightly at the top to increase air flow.
In my experience, the roof lining is worth buying. It doesn't actually do that much to stop condensation (but it does help slightly) - but what it does do, is stop it dripping on your head!
If the condensation has been particularly bad overnight, opening both doors in the morning usually clears it fairly quickly. As I said, it's just about managing it.
We are away (in normal circumstances!) all year round and our awnings have experienced fairly extreme circumstances, including 50 mph winds and torrential rain without any ill-effects whatsoever - and of course, you have the reassurance that however it might bend and flex in the wind, it's not going to damage your van as a poled awning might.
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MDD
Due to the weight issue, I carried out a small mod to the awning which assisted in pulling the awning through the rail.
As the caravan has a more gradual slope from the front of the rail rather than the tight bend at the roof at the rear end of the van, we always loaded from the front.
To assist with this, I fitted a brass eye in the flap that protrudes from the roof line of the awning. When loading into the rail, we attach a fairly long guy rope with a quick release hook attached. ( I have fitted these to all my guy ropes as it is easier to clip on) this enables the OH to ease the awning through the rail as I push it into the rail.
If you need a translation of this garbles account, please ask.
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Kampa sell, or maybe that is "did sell" a pulley based contraption to haul the awning around the rail.
This is not a recomendation, just an observation.
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Ok thanks for the additional comments and advice.
i put it up today..and yes felt the weight but once it slid on the Caravan it was far easier to put up.
One problem I have experienced using the pump is that when connected to the inflation point, the pump did not show any pressure. I disconnected it and tried connecting it to the deflation point and it immediately showed a pressure measurement. However, it showed 6psi when the minimum suggested is 9psi but the poles were rock solid, in fact I was wary of trying to inflate them any more for fear of bursting them.
Has anyone experienced this at all and any advice?
Aside from this, a lovely awning
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MDD - it sounds as if Kampa have changed the design slightly. On all of ours, there has been just one inflation point - and to deflate, there are turn buttons / valves on the outside of each of the vertical poles - across the front of the awning. Open these and the awning deflates.
I use an electric pump (well worth the investment!) with a pressure switch. From memory, I think the recommended max pressure is 11psi. I always set ours to 9. It's also worthwhile - in present weather conditions, particularly - to check how the poles 'feel' and let a bit of air out if you think the pressure is getting too high.
One way or another, I wouldn't get too hung up about what the pressure reading is - providing you don't go over the maximum. If the poles are firm enough, leave them as they are. If they are too soft - when it gets windy, you will soon notice! I did read somewhere - don't know how true it is, that the Kampa poles can actually take up to 24 psi before they go bang. (Not recommending you try it though!)
With regard to the last point on your OP - you have probably realised by now, that since there are no air poles alongside the van - pegging it out slightly under the van isn't going to damage a pole. There are just foam pads there, which aren't going to be damaged. I always manage to get a good seal against the side of the van and although I bought a set of poles to give that extra seal, I have never yet, found the need to use them.
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Richardandros
im not sure they have changed the design. It just seems that the valve in mine is ongoing one way so isn’t measuring the pressure. It is doing when I switch it to the deflation valve.
I have emailed Kampa to seek advice
Many thanks for your help
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concur with all you have said, but add that Kampa have a limpet system that helps keep the side of the awning against the van, so i have poles and limpet system which works very well, not cheap but have found to be a good investment.
would not like to put in 24 psi and you certainly would not achieve that with a hand pump i wouldnt have thought
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk1CBl7mQt8