Awning or not?

[Folkranger]

?

 

[Bobbydaisy]

Yep got both , Dometic wind out fitted when we bought the van use both , the wind out for a short stay or if we stay more than a night we usually put up the awning ( Inflatable Vango Kela 5 ) with a Kador strip to easily drive away if going out for the day .Vango Awning goes up and down in 20 mins . Gives us loads of outside space and somewhere to store stuff when going out . Sits on drivers seat if we don’t use it , not particularly heavy or big when in the bag.

 

[stevewagner]

25 minutes would kill it for us. We may as well caravan, but everyone has different needs.

It would take me 25 minutes to put everything back in the garage every night.

 

[DangerMousy]

The only problem with a separate awning that isn’t attached to the van is that some campsites then charge for it.

We've never been on a campsite that charges extra for an awning - are they really that common?

How big is it when folded?

Not very big at all - I can't measure it right now, but according to the Dometic website, the shipping parcel is 99cm x 27cm x 30cm...that includes the pump though, so the canopy on its own in the bag will be slightly smaller. Only weighs 7.5kg too

 

[Bobbydaisy]

We've never been on a campsite that charges extra for an awning - are they really that common?


Not very big at all - I can't measure it right now, but according to the Dometic website, the shipping parcel is 99cm x 27cm x 30cm...that includes the pump though, so the canopy on its own in the bag will be slightly smaller. Only weighs 7.5kg too

Been to more than a few that charge extra for an awning …a dog ….and anything else they can screw you for

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[DangerMousy]

Been to more than a few that charge extra for an awning …a dog ….and anything else they can screw you for

I wonder if its a UK thing? We don't really stay on campsites in the UK very often.

 

[Brains]

We've never been on a campsite that charges extra for an awning - are they really that common?

Yes, very common in the UK.
But I don't think I have seen charges elsewhere

We always describe our awning as a 'wind out awning', not been charged for it yet.

I think it's there caravan type with the carpets that damage the grass that they really want to change for, not the wind outs that take up little space and don't damage the grass.

 

[Folkranger]

Yes the Brits often charge for awnings of the caravan type. Never been charged for a motorhome awning.

 

[Folkranger]

Didn’t take up the option when I bought it so saved weight. I use a parasol and a water filled plastic base .

Looking at your profile pic I can see that you do indeed save weight wherever you can.

 

[Catpirate]

I have an vango air awning (bought on this site used) as well as the wind out one, for me it is great but I have three kids and a dog to tend to stay at sites longer. It provides great flexibility for me, my motorhome is over 8m long and it is not practical for me to use to drive into towns so I use buses (eldest daughter in a wheelchair so taxis difficult). I tend to stay where a bus route is close and buses let dogs on too.

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[Larrynwin]

Looking at your profile pic I can see that you do indeed save weight wherever you can.

That’s my nett zero vehicle

 

[WillH]

Wind out, proved essential recently in France to keep the van cool.

 

[hja]

Had a wind out on previous Motorhome, used once, to see how it worked. Wouldn’t have bought one for this van, but it came with it.
Have used once in two years, early in July, just to try and keep the van a bit cooler. We could have moved our chairs to shade by the hedge if we hadn’t had it.
We haven’t really been in lots of sun with no shade, either side of the van.
Interestingly, earlier this year, we bought a wind out awning for the back of the bungalow. Once you get beyond about 11am we have no shade at the back. We have used it a lot, OH was very sceptical, but has been won over. We don’t like sitting in the sun, but do like warming shade.

 

[tufty]

We've never been on a campsite that charges extra for an awning - are they really that common?

Yes I think so, the only 2 sites we have stayed on this year both would have charged for an awning that wasn’t fixed to the van.

 

[CazPaul]

Certainly not a fixed one on the van unless it’s already fitted when you buy.

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[kevingarner]

Yep got both , Dometic wind out fitted when we bought the van use both , the wind out for a short stay or if we stay more than a night we usually put up the awning ( Inflatable Vango Kela 5 ) with a Kador strip to easily drive away if going out for the day .Vango Awning goes up and down in 20 mins . Gives us loads of outside space and somewhere to store stuff when going out . Sits on drivers seat if we don’t use it , not particularly heavy or big when in the bag.

Yes, that’s what we do too. When we go out for the day in the van it’s easy to put the loose items eg kettle, into the drive away. Can’t match 20 minutes for up & down though. I work on 45 minutes though that includes the loading of the chairs, table etc etc!

 

[cyberyacht]

A wind-out is quick and easy but comes with a weight penalty. An awning track with a lightweight shade could be fitted and poles pegged out in only a couple of minutes more. Substantially cheaper too, I'll warrant. Both my motorhomes already had them fitted. Jury's out on speccing it for a new van, not that I'm getting one considering my advancing years.

 

[Folkranger]

A wind-out is quick and easy but comes with a weight penalty. An awning track with a lightweight shade could be fitted and poles pegged out in only a couple of minutes more. Substantially cheaper too, I'll warrant. Both my motorhomes already had them fitted. Jury's out on speccing it for a new van, not that I'm getting one considering my advancing years.

You don't look a day over 80

 

[cyberyacht]

Cheeky sod. That pic was from an office lunch about fifteen years ago. As my E-Harmony profile might say - SHAT ( some hair and teeth)

 

[InvictaMoto]

The MoHo came with a Fiamma roll out awning and we use it most of the time when it's nice and sunny. We even invested in windbreak, not to mark our territory, but to stop kids on sites thinking that walking under our awning is the best way from pitch to pitch. It also saves the dog defending his territory....

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[AndyPK]

As stated in previous threads, we have a couple of these Sunncamp awnings in differing sizes to suit the time-of-year…..

 

[the1andonly]

We have and use Both types, horses for courses, even have the option of not using one at all and carry a large toilet tent as a utility tent. Added a separate rail for ease of use. With the Bongo we had 4 different awnings for different uses/periods. a pull out, two different sized side driveaways 2x3m and 6x3m and a rear door awning. On one occassion where drive aways wern't permitted we used the Fiamma and rear awning.

 

[jako999]

We’ve got one on the new van and have had them before but we don’t really use them, more in the rain to cook under. It kind of depends when your fitting it? From new or add on, or how much your spending, it’s around £1500 so just another tick box on the order.

 

[DangerMousy]

This is our inflatable sunshade/awning/canopy...whatever you want to call it

I know a wind-out one would be slightly quicker to open/close, but as can leave ours out no matter the weather we only need to do it once and it only takes 5 mins to inflate so overall its probably quicker

We don't tend to use it on aires, whereas sometimes you do see people with their wind-outs open, so that's possibly one down-side? But as it only takes up 7.5kg of our payload and only cost £300 (plus about £20 for the awning rail and some Sikaflex to stick it on with), for us its a compromise worth making.

Broken Link Removed

 

[Folkranger]

Belt and braces