We bought our first caravan two years ago and think the time is right now to look seriously at buying an awning. Been looking around and we think we want a 3m deep full awning. Obviously top price is the Isabella range. Looking at going for an Isabella at £1900 or a Ventura at £1300 approx. My question really is is the Isabella worth the extra £600, what do you get for that (is it just the name, quality of material, ease of putting up or all of the above?) all these things are important to us and we want to get it right the first time, I'm happy to save money but not compromise on the quality. Any advice appreciated
Awning advice please
- Thread starter eatonl
- Start date
Hi eatonl, with Isabella you defiantly get quality. The thing is do you want to pay that much. There are other makes that are just as good and cheaper. You have done the best thing by asking on here about the awnings. I have not had an Isabella so cannot answer for them. I have had Outdoor revolution with the lightweight poles and totally go against the poles as they are rubbish in any sort of bad weather. Steel poles are best for me. The fabric faded after only 6 months continues use and it leaked on the corners where the pole goes through the fabric. What I am saying is don't get one of these. I have a Kampa 330air pro now and it has been up for two months with all the wind and heavy rain we have had it has not moved or leaked at all. There are no poles in it other than the back ones to keep it against the caravan.
I've had all sorts the best being the Bradcot and Isabella. A long time ago our NR awning did very well.
The best poles imo are the quick fix " iso fix" carbon fibre from Isabella. Others do them too.
Look around a site and I think you be surprised that a lot of the older models still in use are Bradcot or the Izzy. In fact go on a seasonal and that will tell you everything.
That said some of my friends have gone the air inflated Kampa route which also look very sturdy and good quality.
The best poles imo are the quick fix " iso fix" carbon fibre from Isabella. Others do them too.
Look around a site and I think you be surprised that a lot of the older models still in use are Bradcot or the Izzy. In fact go on a seasonal and that will tell you everything.
That said some of my friends have gone the air inflated Kampa route which also look very sturdy and good quality.
Hi
My wife and I have just returned to caravanning after an 8 year break enforced by ill health, we have had NR awnings Isabella, sunncamp and a couple of other light weight ones. By far the best was the Isabella you get quality and it shows. However with our new caravan we had an air awning put in with the welcome pack, we have just returned from a short break trying out the van and accessories at St Neots and found the air awning to be unbelievable it blew us away ease of putting up speed and less hassle than a full size, no steel poles to dent the caravan sides or to fall on your head, easily mnageable by myself even with 2 dodgy knees. I would say buy what suits your purpose and forecast useage, if that makes sense.
Bob
My wife and I have just returned to caravanning after an 8 year break enforced by ill health, we have had NR awnings Isabella, sunncamp and a couple of other light weight ones. By far the best was the Isabella you get quality and it shows. However with our new caravan we had an air awning put in with the welcome pack, we have just returned from a short break trying out the van and accessories at St Neots and found the air awning to be unbelievable it blew us away ease of putting up speed and less hassle than a full size, no steel poles to dent the caravan sides or to fall on your head, easily mnageable by myself even with 2 dodgy knees. I would say buy what suits your purpose and forecast useage, if that makes sense.
Bob
Consider if you need a full awning or will a decent porch [air or otherwise] give you the room you need? I find the small porch we have is easy to erect and gives enough overflow space to enhance the caravan.
Mel
Moderator
Have a think about your usual caravan use. If you like lots of short trips away then a very large expensive awning may not be the most practical. Some of the private sites are not keen on the 300 deep awnings either. However if you do long trips away in Britishweather then you can't beat the Isabella quality.
I have to say that we are also converts to air awnings for speed quality and convenience.
Mel
I have to say that we are also converts to air awnings for speed quality and convenience.
Mel
Without doubt we would recommend a Bradcot awning with 'easy alloy poles'. Very well made, strong zips, Tencate roof and when it's hot, the end 'windows' roll up to reveal a strong mesh window, which lets the air circulate through the awning when you're out. Especially helpful if your fridge vents into the awning.
We have a Bradcot porch awning and the quality is excellent. Buying quality is for us the better option as the cheaper ones do tend to be made from poorer quality materials and can have a limited life span. Cannot speak for the cheaper one you quote though as not had one.
Have to agree a large porch awning is a better option for most as the awning should last longer than the caravan if you buy a good one. A porch should fit the next caravan but a full awning probably will not as even if you buy the same model caravan the profile will probably have changed.
A word of warning with a porch though check the size to make sure it does not have a pole across a window.
Have to agree a large porch awning is a better option for most as the awning should last longer than the caravan if you buy a good one. A porch should fit the next caravan but a full awning probably will not as even if you buy the same model caravan the profile will probably have changed.
A word of warning with a porch though check the size to make sure it does not have a pole across a window.
I am in the market for an awning as well and have been pleasantly surprised for the enthusiasm for the air style ones. I am certainly thinking about that style of short break awning for our caravan once we have it (ordered but not yet collected). It seems that the ease and speed that they go up is the major benefit with the resilience to blustery weather being another very positive attribute. As I am buying from new with the intention of keeping my caravan for a fair few years the lack of rigid poles to damage the sides is also an attractive feature. The reviews for air awnings in PC magazine have also steered me towards them; again the ease of erection and so on.
We had an Isabella on our folding camping and it was an amazing awning, but as others have said you have to pay for it.
We bought a new van so had to buy a new awning. We bought a Camptech Savannah full awning. On our first trip out with it a few weeks ago we had a nightmare. The zips certainly weren't up to our other awnings, NR, Isabella and Dorema, and in the morning which is when I usually use it as I get up early it was like sitting out in the rain. The condensation coming down was horrendous, never ever experienced this before with our other awnings. We even phoned the dealer up while we were on holiday, we were devastated thinking what have we done.
However, we returned the awning to the dealer and he agreed the zips weren't right and offered to exchange for another awning. We too have ended up with the Bradcot Aspire 390 Air awning with a free electric pump. Yes it cost us a fair bit more money, but after watching several people on the site putting up air awnings we hope we have made the right decision. Roll on next year so we can test it out.
Hopefully no more arguments trying to get the awning up after a long journey.
We bought a new van so had to buy a new awning. We bought a Camptech Savannah full awning. On our first trip out with it a few weeks ago we had a nightmare. The zips certainly weren't up to our other awnings, NR, Isabella and Dorema, and in the morning which is when I usually use it as I get up early it was like sitting out in the rain. The condensation coming down was horrendous, never ever experienced this before with our other awnings. We even phoned the dealer up while we were on holiday, we were devastated thinking what have we done.
However, we returned the awning to the dealer and he agreed the zips weren't right and offered to exchange for another awning. We too have ended up with the Bradcot Aspire 390 Air awning with a free electric pump. Yes it cost us a fair bit more money, but after watching several people on the site putting up air awnings we hope we have made the right decision. Roll on next year so we can test it out.
Hopefully no more arguments trying to get the awning up after a long journey.
We have a dorema air awning; not sure how good it is yet as we are still to pick up our caravan and awning but I went with air for the ease of getting them erected and the lightness of the packed away unit.
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Try the Isabella Ambassador Seed awning – click here to read our new Practical Caravan review.
Try the Isabella Ambassador Seed awning – click here to read our new Practical Caravan review.
If you plan on going abroad, you may find a 3m deep awning will be more difficult on some continental pitches. The CC continental sites listings do give typical pitch sizes in m[sup]2[/sup], Some can be as low as 80m[sup]2[/sup] - just a point to bear in mind...
We bought a Ventura Pacific 4 years ago as wife didnt like the windows in the doors but the quality is great esp with the light carbon poles. We changed the van last year and had it increased in length and otherthan having to buy 2 new poles for the roof it is easy to put up and take down.
There are several videos on you tube showing how to erect and pack it away.
We have had it erected thro some real storms/wind and never troubled it.
We had a Cadet porch awning that we found took longer to erect than full size.
Not to sure about Air awnings I feel they still need to be tested longer before I risk that money.
I do like tha
e look a Dorema Mistral looks good size and erects on similar principal as lightweight ones ie only 1 pole.
There are several videos on you tube showing how to erect and pack it away.
We have had it erected thro some real storms/wind and never troubled it.
We had a Cadet porch awning that we found took longer to erect than full size.
Not to sure about Air awnings I feel they still need to be tested longer before I risk that money.
I do like tha
e look a Dorema Mistral looks good size and erects on similar principal as lightweight ones ie only 1 pole.
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