Lightweight caravan sun canopy

Ginny1948
Ginny1948 Forum Participant Posts: 27
edited July 2020 in Parts & Accessories #1

Good morning  everyone. We are looking to purchase a lightweight removable sun canopy for our caravan. We had a fixed one in a bag on our last caravan but we were finding it heavy to roll up to get it into its bag on the side of the van. 
We did miss it last year and now we can hopefully resume our touring after 1st August, ( I am shielding) we would like to replace it with a lightweight one. Has anyone any recommendations? Thank you in anticipation and Happy Safe Touring.

Ginny

 

 

 

Comments

  • old ludlovian
    old ludlovian Forum Participant Posts: 132
    edited July 2020 #2

    Hi ginny try out issabella shadow sunshade .we use one. and find it excellent  on our motor home very light weight .

  • Ginny1948
    Ginny1948 Forum Participant Posts: 27
    edited July 2020 #3

    Thank you old ludlovian, we have actually looked at Issabella shadow sun shade on the net, one to seriously consider. 

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #4

    I have the Isabella Shadow and use on caravan. Brilliant as wife disabled so can easily erect on my own. Just purchased a side for it but not tested out yet. 

  • mnlatham
    mnlatham Forum Participant Posts: 108
    edited July 2020 #5

    We use a Dorema Uni on our caravan. Wouldn't be without it.

  • KeefySher
    KeefySher Forum Participant Posts: 1,128
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #6

    We use a Dorema Monaco as its full length of the caravan, not shorter like the Isabella offering.

    Considering combining with an inflatable windbreak like the Kampa Dometic Air Pro to form a protected area under the canopy

    https://www.holydogwater.com/product/113919428851/

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited July 2020 #7

    We decided not to replace our Fiamma Zip after it wore out.  We looked at the simple canopies, but liked the idea of some shelter at the sides too from wind and rain, so now have a SunnCamp Swift 390 Canopy.

  • Ginny1948
    Ginny1948 Forum Participant Posts: 27
    edited July 2020 #8

    Good afternoon KjellNN thank you for your reply. May I ask are you pleased with your SunCamp canopy? Certainly on our list, also Isabella Shadow, although the Isabella costs twice as much. We must make a decision soon so as to have it for use on our first trip out.

    We also had a Fiamma Zip but found it heavy to roll back into the bag on the side of the caravan, hence the reason we are looking for a much lighter canopy.

     

     

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited July 2020 #9

    Yes, very pleased.  It is lightweight and fairly easy to put up, though a bit more pegging than a simple canopy.  We wrestled with the positioning of the curved front bit the first time, but you soon get to know the best way to do it.

    One thing we found is that when it is very windy the roof gets lifted up quite a bit and when it drops the end of the centre roof pole thuds against the van.  No damage, just an annoying noise.

    So now we take it out when it is windy, the awning is fine without it.  The other option would be to stick a pad of something on the van where it sits to deaden the sound.

    The roof of our Fiamma started falling apart after 10 years, we looked at whether we could get a new roof that would fit with our zips, importers were unsure so we decided not to bother.  It was expensive too!

  • obbernockle
    obbernockle Forum Participant Posts: 616
    500 Comments
    edited July 2020 #10

    We have been using an Isabella Shadow with or without the net side. In very hot sunny countries we found the 2.0M wide (3.6 long) canopy a bit narrow however with the net front up there is a larger shaded sitting area. We have used the Shadow as a rain canopy and its fine. I added some rafter poles to ours which provide extra stability and tension to the canvas and there for less reliance on the pegs and guys. We have sold the Shadow and intend buying iether a Thule Omnistor or Fiamma Caravansotore in the next week or so. We will buy the side blocker with it. These are both bag canopies of coarse. The reason to buy this is the weight is low (11Kg) and they are 2.5M wide. 

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