Inflatable awnings
I see a lot of Inflatable Awnings for sale .Are they any good ?.Are they lighter than those with poles ? Are they any lighter ,Etc ? Thanks Bob
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Always used a conventional Isabella for 20 years but because of my age and the awning weight 4 years ago bought an inflatable Prima I have had inflatable problems in that the tube valves leak unless they are very, very well tightened also the connecting pipes have split therefore the 4 tubes have to be inflated separately. Overall disappointed but compared to the Isabella not a contest but price wise a big difference I would recommend to for a good quality one,they are certainly lighter and easier quicker to erect.
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Yes they are certainly popular on any sort of site. We have had both and now would not go back to ones with poles.
They are, or can be, actually heavier than pole awnings but this depends on the type, a simple small porch air awning probably won't be but as you get larger the weight increases due to the air bladders which have to take air pressure. So it's probably a two person job to pull them through the awning rail.
But... once you've done that then there is no putting in the poles one by one, or working out which pole goes where, or any tensioning, you simply attached the hand or electric pump and the awning goes up in quite a short length of time fully formed. After that you still have to peg it out of course.
Putting it away can be done in a fraction of the time compared to a pole awning, unpeg, let the air out and then pull it out which is far easier than threading it in and no putting the poles away.
We've had ours out in high winds and it's been fine providing you peg it out properly and/or use a tie down kit (which many now have already sown in), and in fact it can't do much damage if it does go unlike a pole which could make a nasty dent somewhere.
There have one or two reports on here about the air tubes bursting but I've not seen that happen (and it won't be due to high temperatures as often stated) and more likely due to a defect in manufacturing.
We have a Kamp large awning and a small Suncamp both of which has served well all year round. Go to a local dealer and they'll often give you a demonstration or ask someone on site.
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+1, I like them a lot, I’d never change back either. Drop it where it’s wanted, open the valves plug the pump into the vehicle set inflation pressure switch on & walk away. I keep an eye on it due to kinks appearing, they take a poke & it’s away again. Superb. Yup, I bought storm straps as a back up but haven’t needed them yet. I use the thick heavy rubber ring attachments that tend to expand in high winds & reduce when wind abates👍🏻
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A by-product is that relationships with Mrs C when putting up the awning have improved significantly too!
None of that no I meant that other (bleeping) pole
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A pleasure and thanks for relying back (doesn't always happen).
Not too sure about that question sorry, ours are 5 and 8 years old, used extensively (which one depends on the length of time spent away) and still going strong. So there should be some good ones about?
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I am another one who has used poled awnings in the past but when we returned to caravanning about 10 years ago, made the switch to air awnings and I wouldn't go back either.
We have two air awnings - a Kampa 390 Grande which is a full 3m deep and a Sunncamp 390 which isn't quite so deep. The Kampa is extremely good quality in terms of the material and its versatility in terms of door opening options etc - but it is very heavy to get on the rail - even with the side panels removed. At over £1000, it was also quite expensive.
The Sunncamp is also very well made - but is lightweight and much easier to get on the rail. It's not quite as flexible in terms of door opening options but at £350 in an end of season sale about 4 years ago, it was much cheaper.
Another thing to consider is what to do if you have to pack it away wet. The Kampa is a pain to dry at home - being a big lump - but drying the lightweight SC is easy and that's why it's our preferred awning for winter.
I use an electric pump and the Kampa takes 3 minutes to inflate - so effortless! We have had them both out in 50 mph winds and although they may flex a bit now and again in the gusts, both have been fine and, of course, no worries about poles damaging the van.
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We have a Vango Varkala which has multiple beams that you inflate independantly, rather than a single inflation point. The advantage is that if you get a puncture, only the one beam deflates and needs replacement. I don't know about other types of air awnings so can't comment on how this compares.
We have found two issues. First, when the wind is high, the ends of the tubes rub againts the caravan. Over time, this wears the inner tubes, and then they burst. We have lost 2 since 2017, and I would recommend having spare inner tubes to hand as nobody stocks them. You can buy them direct from Vango Spares
Secondly, the uprights on air awnings are not height adjustable like they are on traditional ones. This is ok on a flat and even pitch, but if you pitch on an uneven one, the awing can look quite twisted.
Overall, we are quite happy with it, and tend to use a Fiamma pull out in the Summer, but if I was in the market for a new awning today, I would buy a traditional one..probably an Isabella
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Another thing to consider is what to do if you have to pack it away wet. The Kampa is a pain to dry at home - being a big lump - but drying the lightweight SC is easy and that's why it's our preferred awning for winter.
Yes agree with that, we do have a solution - we bought four cheap pulleys from B&Q and had them fixed in the roof of our garage with lines between them. lay the wet awning on them and then pull it all up and leave for few days.
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That made me chuckle, Corners - you haven't seen my garage. It's so full of woodworking machinery, I struggle to get near anything! There certainly isn't any room to incorporate your good idea. We tend to spread the awning out in the hall at home (laminate floors so no damage) and it dries overnight.
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@ TimboC ... The advantage is that if you get a puncture, only the one beam deflates and needs replacement. I don't know about other types of air awnings so can't comment on how this compares.
The various tubes on my Kampa single point inflatable awning all have an isolation valve at each end. 👍
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I swapped to an Kampa Air awning in 2017. It was a total disaster, not because of the quality etc, but because the fit had not been thought out. Version 2 for my van came along in 2019 and it i a different beast in that the fit is very good.
I do not find it much quicker to put up than previous pole awnings but it is unbelieveably quick to take down and pack away. The only problem I have found is the weight getting it into the awning track. I am converted and have bought a smaller lightweight Vango Siesta for short stays. This is a generic camapervan style that fits our low Eriba and is a good compromise on quality, price etc.
I do believe there is still a market for frame awnings. If you need something very large then they should still be a consideration. Our previous Fortex frame awning was twice the floor space as our current Kampa air awning but was not twice the weight and only took an extra 10 minutes to put up. At £2,500+ it was however also in excess of twice the price.
Colin
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On one of mine, can't remember which but fairly sure it's the Kamp, there is a hole at the end that takes an 'awning pulling pole', not sure what the technical name but it's metal with a handle at one end and a hook that goes into the hole and about a few feet long that does the same thing. I think Kamp do one too but there are cheaper ones about too.
Your sounds a cheaper option, if you already have a dog, and in which case you could train it to do the pulling?
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I'd thought about one of the pullers, but the awning rail set-up on an Eriba will not allow it's. Image a gutter running all the way around the van, about 200mm down from the flat of the roof. When the gutter gets to the end of the sides it does a radius turn and then continues across the end of the van before turning again onto the back of the van. You would be pulling in several directions.
Photos attached of 2017 version 1 that used to pull out of the track.
Colin
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I may have missed someone else making this suggestion.
Kampa do inflatables with removable front and side panels e.g Club Air range. This allows you to erect the awning much lighter. Fitting the panels after inflation. Another advantage is with storage. We have two bags with main awning in one and the sides and fronts in the other. Sharing the weight is an advantage. Using this method means I can put it up single-handedly and not over strain my rapidly ageing body- now 78 years young.
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