Air awnings.

[Dazzzzbo]

Hi all.

Just wondering what people’s take are on air awnings. I can see the massive advantage of weight but are they just as strong or should I say strong enough. I’ve seen some Kampa ones that look excellent and will be in the market for a new awning next year.

Cheers

 

[Mel]

Oh Dazzzzbo, you are opening a can of worms. There are now more arguments about whether poled Is better than air, than when actually putting the beast up. Dan Trudgian recent video and the generated comments being a case in point.
I can only say that I have had nothing but good experiences of my Kampa Rally Air which we have had for 7 years and is well used. It has withstood really strong winds and never leaked. Similarly good but less tested is our Vango Rapide Air.
The disadvantage with air awnings is that they are generally hard to pull through the awning channel as you are pulling the weight of the air beams as well as the canvas.
Some folks report all sorts of issues with leaking Air beams and leaking canvas. I can only say, it has not been a problem for us.
Not sure that they are necessarily quicker to put up than a poled awning ( after you are well practised with the poles) but imho they are more straightforward.
We do have a full poled Walker awning which we use sometimes and is great, but the Kampa is our go to awning most of the time.
Mel

 

[otherclive]

I still prefer a poled awning. One reason being that I can spread the weight of awning and poles around more flexibly.

 

[Craigyoung]

Short & sweet , but poled awning for me to !

 

[Clifford_374377114]

We have had a Vango air which is easy to put up. Slightly more weight to pull through the channel but heavy to carry as canvas and 'poles' are all together.
Cliff

 

[SeaDog]

I agree with all that has been said, over the years we have had about five full sized poled awnings, three porch poled an then we purchased a Kampa 400 Ace with poles. We found that this model pooled water on the roof so returned it and are now on a Ace Air 400. It is heavy pulling the awning through the channel but a bit of furniture polish on a rag, pulled through certainly helps.
We remove the sides which takes some weight off, but once through it takes the same amount of time to peg it down.
We had a pole explode whilst on a CL, I contacted Kampa and they delivered a replacement to the CL the next day.
All in we are pleased and while I can still pull it through the channel we will continue, the hardest part is getting it out the car and placing it near the caravan. Hope this helps.

 

[JTQ]

Hi all.

Just wondering what people’s take are on air awnings. I can see the massive advantage of weight but are they just as strong or should I say strong enough. I’ve seen some Kampa ones that look excellent and will be in the market for a new awning next year.

Cheers

I am not understanding the claim of massive weight saving?

If a light duty poled awning or a light duty air awning are compared they will be way lighter than a heavy duty canvass air or poled awning, which is little surprise.
There are some very light flexi glass fibre rod poled awnings out there and there are some very heavy steel poled awnings, then again there are some light pole sets made of carbon fibre reinforced tubes. Being air or poled the weight choice is wide, weight saving is not the territory of one technology.

Where weight is a direct issue is with all the air ones I have seen the weight of the bladders or at least the rafter bladders is built into the canvass, so like for like canvass weight used, the air type version is that much heaving to feed through the rail.

 

[Dustydog]

Apologies to Mel but my Kampa Rallye Air is in the loft, been there four years now with one punctured leg and spares! It is very heavy to pull through the awning, suffers condensation even with the extra roof lining.
My carbon x Isabella poled unit has never ever let me down, is pretty easy to erect, I do it myself, and has withstood some very severe weather.
I too am a pole man

 

[mogarage]

Not sure this will help, but we bought a Kampa Air Expert (I think that's right) to replace our Isabella Magnum - mainly because I have very poor co-ordination and didn't want to ding the caravan side any more when I lose control of a pole! Not having the heart to get rid of the Isabella (fantastic quality and has weathered some severe storms with no issues) it found a spot in the garage to retire to. Fast forward to this year - new van, GRP sides, less prone to "dings", we took the Isabella out for an airing - so that we could decide if we were going to keep it. Up it went no problem - so now, should we get rid of the Kampa? Next outing came with the Kampa in the boot. Yes it's heavy, but I use an awning pulley to get it in the rail (I've replaced the rubbish cord with decent para chord). So up it went, no problems - and no decision to get rid of either. In summary, we like them both - and are keeping them both.

 

[Kevin2306]

Isabella Minor with carbon x poles for me. Just loaded it in the car actually and pretty light per bag to be honest. Easy to erect and with correct pegging and a suitable storm strap, faces all the weather I’ve encountered.
We did have a Kampa fiesta air pro, it’s was heavy, bulky and always looked scruffy, never could peg it down correctly.

Kev

 

[CustardAvenger]

My only experience with awnings is with a drive-away (motorhome) awning which was used for an old caravan which was the wrong shape and height for a modern caravan awning.

Our Kampa awning was huge but fairly easy to pitch; it leaked badly into the sewn in groundsheet so was returned. Tried again with a smaller Vango drive-away (I still have it pending a trial on the Sprite) and this was much better; however the sewn-in groundsheet makes pitching on hard-standing pitches a problem. It was a bit of a pig to pack away, mostly due to the Airbeams; easier when you're not being rained on!

 

[Dazzzzbo]

Hi all.

Just wondering what people’s take are on air awnings. I can see the massive advantage of weight but are they just as strong or should I say strong enough. I’ve seen some Kampa ones that look excellent and will be in the market for a new awning next year.

Cheers

I am not understanding the claim of massive weight saving?

If a light duty poled awning or a light duty air awning are compared they will be way lighter than a heavy duty canvass air or poled awning, which is little surprise.
There are some very light flexi glass fibre rod poled awnings out there and there are some very heavy steel poled awnings, then again there are some light pole sets made of carbon fibre reinforced tubes. Being air or poled the weight choice is wide, weight saving is not the territory of one technology.

Where weight is a direct issue is with all the air ones I have seen the weight of the bladders or at least the rafter bladders is built into the canvass, so like for like canvass weight used, the air type version is that much heaving to feed through the rail.

Sorry I automatically thought that the air awning would be much lighter. I have a 3m quest pole awning and the poles are a ton weight. I thought that an air awning would weigh roughly the same as a poled awning canvas then you didn’t need poles.?

 

[Kevin2306]

Having loaded my isabella awning today I can comment as follows.
With the awning and carbon x poles in separate bags it is all quite manageable to carry by one person. It is also easy to fold and pack away.
Our previous Kampa air awning was quite bulky to fold into its bag, I always thought it needed two people to carry it without the risk of popping my back.
I’m quite able and strong so assume this situation could get harder.

You could always visit a dealer and ask to lift one in stock?

Kev

 

[Dazzzzbo]

Having loaded my isabella awning today I can comment as follows.
With the awning and carbon x poles in separate bags it is all quite manageable to carry by one person. It is also easy to fold and pack away.
Our previous Kampa air awning was quite bulky to fold into its bag, I always thought it needed two people to carry it without the risk of popping my back.
I’m quite able and strong so assume this situation could get harder.

You could always visit a dealer and ask to lift one in stock?

Kev

. Hi thanks for replies.
I have a heavy quest pole awning at the min and a Suncamp swift porch awning. My new van come with a big porch awning the type that has the fibreglass poles. I was going to splash out on a Kampa one but will probs just use the lightweight one that come with the van now after reading this.
Many thanks.

 

[Hutch]

I think , it depends on what your going to use your awning for. Are you going to sit in it in the rain during the day, or in the evening, before retiring, or for just holding wet coats and your outdoor chairs and table for the night time. It's horses for courses. We have a 260 Suncamp air awning that we prefer, but also an Go outdoors Carbon lite 390, for more than a week, both very light and reasonably sturdy, but not storm proof.

 

[Dazzzzbo]

I was using the big awning for sitting in and set a tv up for the kids. However my new van is better set out so will spend more time in the van. My quest awning is solid with the winter poles but it must weigh 8 stone and is starting to show signs of wear and tear.
I’ll see how I get along with my big porch awning before I splash out.
Cheers

 

[Big S]

Personally I wouldn't go back to a poled awning, air awning all the way for me. We have a Trigano Panoramic 410
( https://www.practicalcaravan.com/reviews/awning/49744-trigano-panoramic-410 ) and is so much easier to put up than a full awning with poles and also to take down. I'm not so sure whether it is much lighter though than a full awning but it is certainly easier to put up and take down.
.

 

[Buckman]

We bought a Kampa Air Ace 400 in 2015. We found it very heavy to pull through the awning rail. The you had to pump it up and it is not a matter of a couple of strokes. Next condensation was a very big issue followed by pooling on the roof. We sold it and bought a Isabella Magnum.
We find the Magnum easy and quick to erect. Pegging down is about the same. The Magnum will outlast the Air Ace by many years and still retain a good value. No condensation issues and no pooling of water on the roof.
I think the Magnum is about the same or cheaper than the equivalent size air awning?

 

[Mel]

Isabella have brought out an air awning, Air North Cirrus. Think this is the first for The Isabella brand name; although there is one under the Ventura badge?
Will it tempt any Isabella fans on here?
Mel

 

[Buckman]

Isabella have brought out an air awning, Air North Cirrus. Think this is the first for The Isabella brand name; although there is one under the Ventura badge?
Will it tempt any Isabella fans on here?
Mel

At nearly £2000 I don't think we will be that tempted! :woohoo:

 

[Tourer-Jez]

I'm certainly no expert in comparing pole vs Air, but I have a Kamp Air Pro 390 and love it. I can set it up and take it down on my own, whilst the wife sorts out the inside of the caravan. I used to have a manual pump, but ditched that for a 12V Kampa Gale pump which simply switches off when it reaches the desired pressure (in around 4.5 minutes). The added benefit is that there are plenty of isolation valves in the awning which can be closed once inflated to prevent one minor leak from deflating the whole awning.... so if you do get a leak you know which section to check and then repair with a puncture kit. Just remember to open all the valves again when deflating.

 

[Tuningdrew]

We started with poled awnings but due to my ignorance found awning erection a real chore. Bought a Kampa Fiesta Air Pro. After fighting the thing into the channel (so heavy!j it certainly pumped up easily enough and that’s where the advantages of an air awning finish. Took just as long to peg out, always looked slightly squiffy apart from the one time we had a billiard table smooth, level pitch. constantly leaked or rained condensation and the horrible air beams were a constant intrusion until we fitted the roof liner which just directed all the condensation into one place. The guy ropes it needed to pull it into place and hold up the front canopy were a constant irritation to me and two dogs on tethers so after four or five outings we sold it. Final nail in its coffin was when we were sitting out in it during a fairly violent rain storm the wind blew hard enough for the frame to collapse, knocking over sideboard and table wrecking a mini fridge , kettle etc and breaking bottles of beer and wine.Also put a big ding in the caravan wall.
Decided then to abandon awnings altogether but after by chance seeing a video by Steve Biggs putting up a full awning on his own I resurrected our Isabella Capri and following his technique had it up in seemingly no time at all. Certainly easier than the Kampa. Always looks straight and true because of the adjustability of the legs, no intrusive air beams and no guy lines.

 

[Dazzzzbo]

We started with poled awnings but due to my ignorance found awning erection a real chore. Bought a Kampa Fiesta Air Pro. After fighting the thing into the channel (so heavy!j it certainly pumped up easily enough and that’s where the advantages of an air awning finish. Took just as long to peg out, always looked slightly squiffy apart from the one time we had a billiard table smooth, level pitch. constantly leaked or rained condensation and the horrible air beams were a constant intrusion until we fitted the roof liner which just directed all the condensation into one place. The guy ropes it needed to pull it into place and hold up the front canopy were a constant irritation to me and two dogs on tethers so after four or five outings we sold it. Final nail in its coffin was when we were sitting out in it during a fairly violent rain storm the wind blew hard enough for the frame to collapse, knocking over sideboard and table wrecking a mini fridge , kettle etc and breaking bottles of beer and wine.Also put a big ding in the caravan wall.
Decided then to abandon awnings altogether but after by chance seeing a video by Steve Biggs putting up a full awning on his own I resurrected our Isabella Capri and following his technique had it up in seemingly no time at all. Certainly easier than the Kampa. Always looks straight and true because of the adjustability of the legs, no intrusive air beams and no guy lines.

I could handle squashing the fridge even denting the van but draw the line at squashing my beer . We managed to get out heavy awning up in about 30 mins last time but it’s past it’s best.

 

[GrizzlyBathplug]

Purchased a Vango Montelina air awning, fairly easy to put up & inflate, but a bit of a *uggar to deflate & fit back in bag.
Is there an easy way to deflate air awnings, to expel all the air from beams, used it twice, & never got it back in bag first time?

 

[woodsieboy]

Hi Grizzly
We open all the valves in ours and leave it for about 10 minutes, then when it is flat on ground fold and roll the material furthest away from the valves first, normally goes back in the bag OK. I haven't tried it but our pump has a deflate setting, so I presume you connect it to the valve and it will suck out the air