What are peoples thoughts on air awnings?
Have they improved, in design, over the last couple of years?
Have they improved, in design, over the last couple of years?
Air Awnings.
- Thread starter DaveA1
- Start date
Nice to sit back and watch as the electric pump does the inflating.
They are heavy.
Almost impossible to level on a slope!
Take just as long to peg down.
Frighten the proverbial c*** out of you when a tube explodes!
They are heavy.
Almost impossible to level on a slope!
Take just as long to peg down.
Frighten the proverbial c*** out of you when a tube explodes!
We had the Air Ace and after a few uses sold it as too heavy to pull through awning rail. We actually found it quicker to erect a normal awning rather than an air awning.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGibcUJBWew
No, if you think about which one to have. The ones with the single front beam (and a not attached separate middle joist) are well within the capabilities of one person. We have one of these, as does Hutch. We also have a large 4 beam Vango. That would be much harder work for one person as the weight tends to drag it down out of the rail opening as you are trying to feed it through. It is also ridiculously heavy to carry.
would suggest you go somewhere with display awnings and try lifting one in a bag.
mel
Another vote in favour of air, currently have a single beam 220 for weekends and winter, also Vango Riviera 390 for stays of a week or more,also looking at a Quest 325 at the moment, for between the two.We have had several over the years, learnt that the early ones suffered with UV degradation and colour fade, but never had condenastion problems, never found weight to be a problem, air suits us as we normally use fully serviced hard standing pitches which tend to be level.
I use a kampa awning pulley system to pull mine through, i have a vango airbeam kalari 4.2mtrs, im female and small, its great in the fact that the awning doesnt slide back down once you get it goingand you can stand at the front in order to feed it through the channel whilst pulling it from the rear with the pully system - if that makes sense to you. there are videos on utube that probably explain it better
I’ve got a kampa awning 3 mtr so near enough covers the side of the caravan, I struggled to start and then on the advice of I think Mel I bought the kampa pulley kit which wasn’t expensive and now I can erect the awning on my own, I erect it without the windows zipped in, I put them in once the main part is erected and then put the windows one at a time, not too hard at all.
Best awning I’ve had and the kampa is the best to date of many I’ve tried over the years
Best awning I’ve had and the kampa is the best to date of many I’ve tried over the years
Not sure but I don't think Kampa make awnings any more as they have been taken over by Dometic. We also had a Kampa air windbreak and a Kampa air sun canopy. Although they were okay we have now sold them although they were not even two years old.
Biggest hassle was weight and secondly was removing air to fold them up to put in the bag. Our normal windbreak was a lot quicker to erect than the air windbreak and also did not mark the grass like the air windbreak plus you needed a million pegs to keep it in place. The sun canopy was nice, but a real hassle to fold up to put away. We decided it was a lot quicker to use the poled sun canopy.
Not much difference in time erecting either poled or air awning depending on size of awning, but poled version is easier and quicker to pack away. However up to the individual to decide which is best for them, but if buying an air I woudl certainly look at the isabella range.
Well took your advice, went off to have a look at some air awnings.
Came away with a Star Camp 225 (made by Dorma) Almost identical to Hutches, and one of thoughs Dometic Awning Pully, What-nots, thanks Chatter. Sucker for a good sales pitch--------- me.
Came away with a Star Camp 225 (made by Dorma) Almost identical to Hutches, and one of thoughs Dometic Awning Pully, What-nots, thanks Chatter. Sucker for a good sales pitch--------- me.
Last edited:
Right size as not heavy to pull through awning rail. Enjoy but make sure that you use it at least once in the next 6 months or better still within the next 30 days.
They are a bit if a Marmite thing. Having had both I can say there are fors and against for both. I now have a 360 air and love it. But if on a seasonal pitch I woukd go fir a poled version every time. Two of us (late 60's) can erect our air in 4.5 minutes from bag opening to fully inflated via a single inflation point. (but not pegged down) We leave all the panels in for erection.
Sloping pitches front to rear of caravan) can cause issues, but not many pitches are sloped these days. Never had a bladder pop, but I never inflate to full PSI and always check if I have inflatedcearly morning and tje sun comes out later. The solar gain can be significant.
Sloping pitches front to rear of caravan) can cause issues, but not many pitches are sloped these days. Never had a bladder pop, but I never inflate to full PSI and always check if I have inflatedcearly morning and tje sun comes out later. The solar gain can be significant.
Air awnings are great and we have a Dorema magnum. Easy to erect BUT if an air beam pops then the only repair is to replace the beam with new. Bit of a hassle if you’re half way through your holiday in the wilds of France. Recommend you buy spares and as stated don’t inflate to full pressure in hot weather.
The beams weak spot is the end crimp.
Cheers
The beams weak spot is the end crimp.
Cheers
I carry a roll of clear Gorrila tape, really good for the airAwning tubes.
Being old fashioned we have a poled awning so no tubes to worry about or worry about checking tubes when the sun is shining. LOL!
Yeah, tried that, tried mastic sealer tape, super glue even a warmed up steel bar to try and reweld the seam. All failed. A straight forward puncture isn’t the problem. As you say tape usually works but once the end weld has popped then it’s game over.
If it's the end weld, then try using , a food vacuum sealer, to weld another couple of seals, no need to vacuum it of course.
Yes good tip that maybe the way to go. Good thinking Curruthers. Still not something I would want to pack in my holiday bag 🤔
Facebook
Twitter