awning care

[clair8998]

We've been touring since early 2021 (covid caravanners (sorry!)) and have loved every moment of it! We bought a new awning when we had our first caravan (Vango Kalari 420) and like almost everything we first bought including the caravan, we've now upgraded it - it would have saved us a small fortune if we'd known then what we know now (I am very aware we're still learning though). The awning replacement was not just from choice - I have to admit that we just didn't look after it properly and the skirts were ripped from not making sure pegs were out, beading repaired many times through lack of care etc etc. We've just bought a Vango (we like the brand) Riviera 390 and intend to make this one last a lot longer than the previous one by taking proper care of it. I have googled until my head is spinning! Do I need to reproof it? Should I do anything special other than making sure it's dry before being packed away? Your knowledge and advice is greatly received! Thanks Clair​

 

[woodsieboy]

If you bought it new, you should not need to reproof it until you find it leaks,just make sure you pack it away dry and clean and you should enjoy years of use from it, we have one of the same make and model, and we put ours up without the panels, and add them in later as we find it easier to feed through the channel, this is our third Vango and have had good service from all 3, still using the other 2 as well, just different sizes for different trips away. We like hardstanding and find a soild groundsheet helps reduce condensation in the awning

 

[audiorob]

I agree with the previous post - if you do have to decamp when wet it is important to dry and clean the awning as soon as possible. Also to try to pack away in similar fashion to when it was purchased- you do see some just getting screwed up and stuffed in the bag! I would expect a quality awning to easily give 10 years of service if looked after and barring storm or accidental damage!

 

[woodsieboy]

I am guilty of stuffing a wet awning in a bag! If it is absolutley soaking we just roll it up and stuff it in a large plastic sack we keep just for that purpose and when we get home we erect it to allow it to dry off. We are lucky to have a garage big enough and once dry pack away as usual, we also find microfibre towels are good for drying off a slightly wet awning before packing up.

 

[Bluetonic]

Many times we have had to pack up wet awning. Luckily we had a car port so could hang it all out to dry when we returned home.
Ours is a 15 year old (I think) Isabella and has never been reproofed and is still waterproof.
It's had a lot of abuse from weather and kids and me being a doughnut at times

We've been touring since early 2021 (covid caravanners (sorry!)) and have loved every moment of it!

Don't apologise, we all start at some time, covid was as good a reason as any. Some people love it and have stayed around, others have blown a load of cash on something they hate