Advice on enclosing current roll out awning

[realgandy]

Evening funsters

I’ve been told we need to have a snazzy outside room on the motorhome. We currently have a roll out Thule Omnistore which is 3.5m long and I believe one option is to get stuff to fill in the three open sides to make a cosy room that can be used when it’s not quite as warm as one would hope outside. Of course there needs to be an option to easily open up parts of it for air flow when needed.

I’m looking for some advice in what I would be looking for, where to get it from etc.

I’ve also seen “carpets” for these indoor/outdoor spaces - any recommnedations in this space too? Would you use them on both grass and hard standing pitches?

Finally… (sorry lots of questions) I’ve seen people tying down their wind-out awnings, assumption is to stop any gusts whipping them off into next door’s plot.

So, what would work if we get the awning sides filled in?

Or is there a better option to do something radically different ?

Many thanks for any advice
Gary

 

[DavidG58]

Anybody buying a safari room , can I suggest you also buy a step up bench, I am over 6’ and can still only just reach our 3m highest point to secure the side roof rails

Ours doubles as a bbq stand or extra seating

 

[Fulham Dave]

Thats what I call a payload - I wonder what that works out to in bottles of wine ??

I am not sure - as we do not drink wine, or any alcohol, in the van I could not even attempt to say

 

[The Wino]

Around 1160 so ok for part timers

Depends if they're standard bottles or magnums of champagne sometimes described as the perfect size bottle for two people..........as long as one of them isn't drinking!

 

[DDJC]

Got a 4 metre Thule G3 that attaches onto the Omnistor. Also got a 4 m Kampa drive away. Also Mrs DDJC sewed together three mossie screens that can clip onto the unrolled Omnistor.

There is no right or wrong option. We use whichever one (or none) depending on where we are going, what we are doing and what the weather is like.

If the location is within walking distance of everything we would want to see, the G3 goes up. It takes 30 minutes to go up or down. Bit longer in the rain perhaps.

If we need to use the bus for travelling around, then we use the Inflatable Kampa drive away. Takes about the same time to put up and peg down, but you obv don't need to dismantle to drive off.

If we are somewhere hot, like southern France or Italy and we are only stopping for a couple of nights, then we just roll the Omnistor out, storm strap it down and sit under. If we think it is mossie country then we pin the mossie nets up. However, we never leave it rolled out overnight. Got burned in the Aosta Valley when a gale pulled the storm pegs and we had to wind in at 2am. Very scary.

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[PaulnMert]

We bought a Berghaus inflatable shelter. Pumped up.and pegged out in about 15 mins. Takes a bit longer to pack away though. From memory 30kg all in. Looked at enclosing a Thule wind out, a lot of weight and money for something very nice that probably wouldn't get used enough.

 

[Diabalo]

I have an Outdoor revolution Techlite Pro, very easy to put up and very usefull when it's raining.

https://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/outdoor-revolution-techlite-pro-xl-awning.html

 

[davidroxburgh]

Hi - we had an Ixeo 585 once. Do look very carefully at storage space. My recollection is that there was very limited outside locker space and many of the suggestions here are both bulky and heavy!

 

[realgandy]

Thanks everyone for your input, it’s been very helpful. As pointed out above, we don’t have a lot of storage (thinking about a rear storage box to sit on the ‘unlikely to use’ cycle rack that’s on the back to help with that).

Having looked at all the suggestions that have been made, prudent googling and YouTubeing has narrowed it down to a Dometic Rally Air Pro… just need to go and have a good look at it now.

Anyone have any recommendations for somewhere in the West Country (we’re in Bath) to spend a fun afternoon looking at these awnings (and possibly a back box too)? There’s a place just south of Gloucester called Attwoolls that looks interesting, any experience of these guys?

Thanks again for all your fantasically helpful suggestions.

 

[starquake]

Thanks everyone for your input, it’s been very helpful. As pointed out above, we don’t have a lot of storage (thinking about a rear storage box to sit on the ‘unlikely to use’ cycle rack that’s on the back to help with that).

Having looked at all the suggestions that have been made, prudent googling and YouTubeing has narrowed it down to a Dometic Rally Air Pro… just need to go and have a good look at it now.

Anyone have any recommendations for somewhere in the West Country (we’re in Bath) to spend a fun afternoon looking at these awnings (and possibly a back box too)? There’s a place just south of Gloucester called Attwoolls that looks interesting, any experience of these guys?

Thanks again for all your fantasically helpful suggestions.

Atwools is good from our visit when we first got the van, the other place thats good for awning displays we've been to is the other side of country in Norwich camping.

Both (had) massive awning displays both times we've been year round. Both also have had more competitivie pricing on them than some other retailers in both areas.

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[Phill D]

Caravan stuff 4 U normally had a good display and variety of awnings; https://www.caravanstuff4u.co.uk/

Henley swan near Malvern

 

[David and Sally]

Thanks everyone for your input, it’s been very helpful. As pointed out above, we don’t have a lot of storage (thinking about a rear storage box to sit on the ‘unlikely to use’ cycle rack that’s on the back to help with that).

Having looked at all the suggestions that have been made, prudent googling and YouTubeing has narrowed it down to a Dometic Rally Air Pro… just need to go and have a good look at it now.

Anyone have any recommendations for somewhere in the West Country (we’re in Bath) to spend a fun afternoon looking at these awnings (and possibly a back box too)? There’s a place just south of Gloucester called Attwoolls that looks interesting, any experience of these guys?

Thanks again for all your fantasically helpful suggestions.

Attwoolls are excellent to deal with.

 

[realgandy]

A trip to Attwoolls at the weekend was fruitful - returned with a Dometic Rally Air Pro ready for action. Now need to find somewhere to park up and check it's as easy as it is supposed to be!

Attwoolls were as described - incredibly knowledgable, friendly and helpful.

Thanks again for all your advice!

 

[DDJC]

A trip to Attwoolls at the weekend was fruitful - returned with a Dometic Rally Air Pro ready for action. Now need to find somewhere to park up and check it's as easy as it is supposed to be!

Attwoolls were as described - incredibly knowledgable, friendly and helpful.

Thanks again for all your advice!

Is it a static or a Driveaway? It would say DA on the box!!

Because, if it is a drive away, you can put it up in the garden without the motorhome and familiarise yourself with it. After every trip we blow ours up and hose it down before leaving to dry and put it away in the shed.

 

[Tonks]

A trip to Attwoolls at the weekend was fruitful - returned with a Dometic Rally Air Pro ready for action. Now need to find somewhere to park up and check it's as easy as it is supposed to be!

Attwoolls were as described - incredibly knowledgable, friendly and helpful.

Thanks again for all your advice!

Thanks for letting us know what you chose in the end! It's always interesting when people who've asked for input post like this to say what they actually ended up buying.

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[realgandy]

Is it a static or a Driveaway? It would say DA on the box!!

Because, if it is a drive away, you can put it up in the garden without the motorhome and familiarise yourself with it. After every trip we blow ours up and hose it down before leaving to dry and put it away in the shed.

That was one of the things that took a while to choose - came down on the side of static in the end.

 

[jezport]