Tent

[Gavin and Bigi]

We are buying a 2008 Autosleeper Warwick Duo - based on a Peugeot Boxer.

Does anyone have experience of tents that fit to this van. Was thinking of one with inflatable "poles".

Thanks

 

[Riverbankannie]

When I looked into buying an awning (tent) to attach to our similar camper, I found out some problems.
They are bulky and heavy and difficult to store when you don’t have a garage.
The airbeam ones have chunky beams and, if attached to the roll-out sunshade over the sliding door, the door will not open
The air beam ones need a pump of some sort to inflate and these are not small items
I would lose the things I like such as the view out of the sliding door and out of rear window.

 

[David and Sally]

Having had some awnings I would go for a fibreglass poled one. Lighter and less bulk to stop doors opening.
Longer to put up but maybe less time to pack.
We have one made by Outdoor Revolution.

 

[iamarobot1999]

We are buying a 2008 Autosleeper Warwick Duo - based on a Peugeot Boxer.

Does anyone have experience of tents that fit to this van. Was thinking of one with inflatable "poles".

Thanks

You,ll be better off with a stand alone shelter alongside the van [Colman event shelter Or inflatable equivalent]
That way you can just drive off without the hassle of detaching from an awning, after all that’s one of the best advantages of a camper van over a motorhome imo.
We scaled down from an 8m MH with awning to a 6M camper van and love the flexibility we have now.
Obviously that’s not for everyone, everything has its advantages and disadvantages Ive decided!
Not sure if there is such a thing as the perfect set up tbh!

 

[sedge]

Think you need to be sure you need either before investing more, in one. Where are you going to use the van and for how long in one place - long enough wherever to go to the bother of erecting it - and yes we have both individually and jointly in the past helped others erect and anchor both awnings on mohos & caravans and Coleman event shelters with and without the caravans/mohos at times - we don't rush to do anything of the kind now we're both older and unfitter. Plus I'm lightweight anyway hence never as good to anchor anything.

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[Guigsy]

Drive-away awnings are OK if you're planning on staying somewhere for a few days. We only use ours a couple of times per year. Most of our trips are touring where we move far too often to make awnings worthwhile.

I've had an Outdoor Revolution Cayman Classic. It was basic, but it was easy to put up and compact. It used poles in a cross arangement that were fairly easy to put in, and made it free standing without being pegged out. The issue I had with it was pretty specific to us.... although there was a sewn-in groundsheet, the doors didn't zip down across the bottom... which meant our cats could duck through the storm flap and escape. If it weren't for that, I'd have stuck with it.

I switched to a Vango Kela because it's pretty much the only cat proof one I could find... It's a similar footprint. But because of the air poles, it's about twice the pack size and nearly twice as heavy. And I don't find it any easier to put up, partly because the air poles have to be in a tunnel design, so it has to be pegged out to make it stand up. This is an issue with an awning that has to be accurately positioned for the tunnel to work. It probably takes longer to errect than the Cayman. It is higher quality, which might partly account for the weight. And the tunnel isn't as flappy. But it also cost twice as much.

 

[Shrimp]

Funny how one sees a lot of Air ‘poled’ tents for sale.
I think they sound like a good idea but they are bulky & heavy and as stated earlier you need more equipment to erect them!

 

[scotjimland]

Over the years we've had several awnings.. with different vans, including an air pole.. .... they all seemed a good idea.. at the time,... then all sold before they were hardly used..

Try without before you buy.. then decide if the cost, weight and inconvenience of erecting, taking down maybe wet, storing in the van.. then dying out when home.. outweighs the benefits

Other considerations.. can't be used on an aire or off site camping, some sites charge extra for them..

For us, motorhomes/campervans are all about traveling .. not staying on sites for days on end .. otherwise you may as well buy a caravan.. which we also had when we had the kids and stopped on sites for 2 or 3 weeks.. then they are ideal..

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

What side is your fridge on?

 

[Gavin and Bigi]

What side is your fridge on?

It's on the opposite side of the sliding door

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[Wee Bold Davy]

I would hold off till you've used your van and got familiar with it. You'll be surprised how much 'stuff' you'll take with you and how little space you have left for such a bulky item, not to mention how much of your precious payload it will use up.
Unless you intend staying on sites regularly for more than 2 nights, in my opinion if it was me I would rarely use it. Enjoy your van when you get it