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Awnings?
Posted: 13 Aug 2017, 14:27
by tea42
I'm a newby to Campers and I am wondering about awnings. I have borrowed my sons Hymer a few times. It has a sun awning which pulls out to give some shade which we need being fair skinned. We are an old couple and wont ever have more than the two of us in the Camper. I can see that if you are exploring one area and staying several nights it might be good to have an awning to erect and keep your spot. But, a simple sunshade might be all thats needed so you would have to keep putting it up. Our Camper is a Devon with a side lifting roof so a permanently attached sunshade would be difficult to attach?
I also see second hand awnings for sale with the comment "only used twice, or came with Camper which has now been sold" type comments which doesnt give me confidence?
What are the views on the usefulness of awnings...
Re: Awnings?
Posted: 13 Aug 2017, 16:11
by Karen&co
I really like having an awning on the side of the van, it more than doubles the space, we tend to cook out there with single burner gas cookers, Lovely to sit in the awning and watch the campsite wake up in a mornings while drinking tea
Also if it's pouring down then there's somewhere to put wet things and indeed get your wellies on. We got an awning with the van, it's currently in Wales so we bought a cheap light weight one to use as we can't get the other at the moment. I think we'll put it up for sale when we get the other back or replace it with an airbeam if we treat ourselves
Re: Awnings?
Posted: 14 Aug 2017, 10:55
by NicBeeee
I am Interested Interested in the 4x4 pull out awnings, always ignored the fiamma ones as anything above a slight breeze causes issues, wondered if these would be better, sometimes it's nice to have cover for wet days when I can't be bothered to erect the stand alone one.
Sent from my F3111 using Tapatalk
Re: Awnings?
Posted: 15 Aug 2017, 20:25
by a1winchester
I think you have answered your own question in a way.
We only use our awning if we are staying in one spot for a few days or more. If we are touring there's no real need.
The awning we have is an inflatable and takes next to no time to set up, and it's very nice to have the extra living space next to the van, but we manage very well without it.
If there were more of us then it might be more of a necessity.
I don't find any need to 'keep our spot' on a campsite. We usually adopt the common practice of leaving our step (marked with reg. no) in our place so newcomers know it's not vacant.
I will say that a benefit of a stand alone awning is that you can leave gear in it that you don't need when you go out for a jolly or day trip so you don't have to pack everything away all the time. So if you are thinking of an awning, a full zip up job would be my choice rather than just a freestanding sunshade.
Re: Awnings?
Posted: 17 Aug 2017, 08:47
by tea42
a1winchester wrote:I think you have answered your own question in a way.
We only use our awning if we are staying in one spot for a few days or more. If we are touring there's no real need.
The awning we have is an inflatable and takes next to no time to set up, and it's very nice to have the extra living space next to the van, but we manage very well without it.
If there were more of us then it might be more of a necessity.
I don't find any need to 'keep our spot' on a campsite. We usually adopt the common practice of leaving our step (marked with reg. no) in our place so newcomers know it's not vacant.
I will say that a benefit of a stand alone awning is that you can leave gear in it that you don't need when you go out for a jolly or day trip so you don't have to pack everything away all the time. So if you are thinking of an awning, a full zip up job would be my choice rather than just a freestanding sunshade.
Thanks for your comment. Its what I was thinking. After seeing one of these and watching the videos on this website I have purchased one. It doesnt have any attachment tunnels but from what I have heard they are a bit of a pain anyway. Only £200, which is cheaper than a Khyam or Vango.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/air-seconds ... 58157.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Will report back on how it works out.
Re: Awnings?
Posted: 17 Aug 2017, 09:25
by ChrisTriple
We have one of these for when we don't take the kids.
https://www.khyam.co.uk/driveaway-awnin ... ct-200-p87" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Quick and easy to put up and takes next to no room in the van
Re: Awnings?
Posted: 17 Aug 2017, 10:20
by tea42
I had a Khyam Rigidome tent for years, it was awesome. I have been on campsites in bad weather with tents all around wrecked and the Khyam was untouched. But, it wasnt suitable to adapt for the Camper so I have just sold it to fund the purchase of the air awning that I bought.
Re: Awnings?
Posted: 17 Aug 2017, 14:55
by bigbadbob76
We have a Khyam compact 300 and tbh it's a PITA.
It's huge (3m x 3m) and putting it up in any kind of wind is a recipe for marital strife.
Once it's up it's pretty much fine and provides loads of space but it's very thin material and flaps about even when tensioned as best we can.
We got it thinking we'd need it to be 3m wide to cover the sliding door when it's open.
Now I'm not convinced we do.
I'm going to experiment with thicker tarpaulin material and make my own.
Re: Awnings?
Posted: 19 Aug 2017, 12:33
by ginja_ninja
Hi,
I went a bit silly last year and got a Khyam Motordome 380 (
https://www.khyam.co.uk/driveaway-awnin ... wning-p714" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). Its HUGE (we've used it as a marquee when a few families went away one weekend!) but has the benefit of 2 double bedrooms for when the kids wont share the roof any more. Wasnt cheap, but the amount of windows etc etc makes it a real boon when onsite for a few nights. Made for a really comfortable two week stint this year even surviving a Cornish gale. Although its big and heavy (20kg i think!) its up in about 2 minutes and then its a case of putting the pegs and guys in. Bonus is the length was designed to fit into a VW with side kitchen.
We have a sun awning as well, but that has only been used for the sun once, normally its a roof to keep the rain off our picnics
Re: Awnings?
Posted: 20 Mar 2018, 14:54
by tea42
In the end I did decide to get a simple sun awning - https://www.funkyleisure.co.uk/vw-t2t25-camper-van-sun-canopy-awning--brilliant-orange-10771-p.asp
… and for a more permanent drive away awning, this from Decathlon - https://www.decathlon.co.uk/air-seconds-base-xl-inflatable-camping-shelter-id_8358157.html
This doesnt actually connect to the bus with a tunnel but the end is flat so it butts up very nicely. I had a Khyam tent once but the Air Seconds Base is far simpler and easier to erect, with practice literally a 5 minute job. Only £200 too. There are similar tents too which can be connected up. The videos are worth watching.
Re: Awnings?
Posted: 22 Mar 2018, 15:20
by NicBeeee
NicBeeee wrote:I am Interested Interested in the 4x4 pull out awnings, always ignored the fiamma ones as anything above a slight breeze causes issues, wondered if these would be better, sometimes it's nice to have cover for wet days when I can't be bothered to erect the stand alone one.
Sent from my F3111 using Tapatalk
Just an update, bought one of these from direct 4x4 and for the money I reckon its pretty good, I did drill a couple of holes in the front ally rail to attach 2 storm straps just in case, has already withstood a gale in Wales and likes to shred water, is very easy to put up and down with little to go wrong or is that is not easily fixable, also lightweight and easily removable as you can fix it to roof bars.
Re: Awnings?
Posted: 22 Mar 2018, 15:21
by NicBeeee
NicBeeee wrote:NicBeeee wrote:I am Interested Interested in the 4x4 pull out awnings, always ignored the fiamma ones as anything above a slight breeze causes issues, wondered if these would be better, sometimes it's nice to have cover for wet days when I can't be bothered to erect the stand alone one.
Sent from my F3111 using Tapatalk
Just an update, bought one of these from direct 4x4 and for the money I reckon its pretty good, I did drill a couple of holes in the front ally rail to attach 2 storm straps just in case, also there is nothing to stop you drilling lots of holes in the rail for as many guide ropes as you would like, has already withstood a gale in Wales and likes to shred water, is very easy to put up and down with little to go wrong or is that is not easily fixable, also lightweight and easily removable as you can fix it to roof bars.
Re: Awnings?
Posted: 22 Mar 2018, 15:49
by lodgey62
What's a PITA?
Worked it out now.
Re: Awnings?
Posted: 24 Mar 2018, 21:40
by bigbadbob76
lodgey62 wrote:What's a PITA?
Worked it out now.
or as we say here... a pain in the bahookie.