Awnings

[Martin_E]

Hi all,

I was looking for some advice on what make & model/models of awning the collective on this forum recommend or condemn preferably through experience please.

 

[Damian]

Hello Martin,

We have a Bradcot Active with Easy Alloy poles and find it very good, and Bradcot customer service is brilliant.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

I had a Bradcot porch awning but last year did a tour of Scotland taking in 8 sites. The thought of putting up/ taking down the awning 8 times filled me with dread so I bought a Sunncamp Scenic Plus. This serves all my needs, will hold a table and 2 chairs, clothes airer etc and somewhere to dry the dogs off. On arrival back home I sold the Bradcot (not because it was a bad awning) and I cant see me ever using any awning other than the Scenic in the future. Its so simple and quick to erect. If there was anything that put me off caravanning it was erecting that Bradcot awning, took too much precious time up and was no good for my stress levels hehheh!.

 

[Paul_5077620]

Hi

I second that, we've got a Bradcot, and needed some spares, sorted out really fast by email. Top company.

HTH

Paul

 

[Martin_E]

Hello Martin,

We have a Bradcot Active with Easy Alloy poles and find it very good, and Bradcot customer service is brilliant.

Thanks Damian,

It's a bit of a mine field to know what is good and what is trash, I asked several suppliers about acrylic and polyester awnings and could not get a definitive answer to what is better.

 

[Martin_E]

Hi

I second that, we've got a Bradcot, and needed some spares, sorted out really fast by email. Top company.

HTH

Paul

Hi Paul.

Was this an old awning or do Bradcots suffer from premature problems or was it from a lot of use?

 

[Allyson]

Hi Paul.

Was this an old awning or do Bradcots suffer from premature problems or was it from a lot of use?

Beware I rang Bradcott about my Bradcot Clasic awning which came with my secondhand caravan. The Zips are all faulty and the metal zips have come off. Asked about the guarantee and was told Bradcot Guarantee's are not transferable.

 

[Rod_5041370]

Isabella, Isabella, Isabella, then maybe Ventura.

 

[dazicki]

i agree issabella its quility through and through but be careful because some are harder to put up than others

my sis has nr and its easy to put up my dad has dorema and its easyish to put up but not that great a quility

id go issabella last for years and years and years and years and more years

 

[BrianC_5111810]

BRADCOT

Brian C

 

[BeatBeat]

The first caravan we had came with a NR awning. It was fine put tricky to put up until we colour coded the poles. Problem was it was very heavy so we sold it and bought a Bradcot Active with Easi erect poles. That was brilliant. Light weight and as simple as anything to put up. Our only concern was if grit,sand or dust got in the poles they tended to be difficult to adjust. Which is a bit of a problem for us as most of the time we pitch our van in a farmers field or on various sports grounds ;-)

Earlier this year we p/ex our van for a newer model and splashed out on an Isabella awning. They're not cheap, but quality wise I would say this awning knocks spots off the other two....

If budget allowed I would always go for Isabella in the future.

 

[Longsufferingwifeoffouldsy]

I'm with the Isabella camp - picked ours up for very reasonable sum second-hand, and because they're such good quality even the used ones are are as good as new.

 

[ERICA1]

we,ve just bought an Inaca awning from Barrons at Coppull. Good value for money. They had a good review from several. people we met on site.The poles are all the same so should be no problem. We are trying it out for the first time this weekend.

 

[Fouldsy]

Go Isabella, used ones are hard to comeby in some sizes but it is a very well made bit of kit.

Buy new if you have the dosh.

We are on our second Isabella in two years due to size difference when we changed the van, both bought used, both like new and made

 

[Allyson]

Beware when buying secondhand awnings. I rang Bradcott about my Bradcot Clasic awning which came with my secondhand caravan. The Zips are all faulty and the metal zips have come off. I asked about the guarantee and was told Bradcot Guarantee's are not transferable

 

[SimonB]

we have a bradcot, its great with the easy system poles, found it good quality.

 

[dazicki]

when we got our van it had no awning then my parents traded their van in for a bigger one along with awning few months later we went to buy second hand awning and ended up with their old one (issabella) recognised some writting on mud flat and called my mum the bloke at the shop coulnt believe it and ended up giving us a discount.

when we got home we realised there were no curtains in the bag so mum dug out a photo and off we trot and eventually got it sorted full set of curtains everyone happy but.....

3 months later and mums in the attick and comes across the curtains woooops shed never put them in when she sold it

we were lucky we got a top class awning for very little money and we know how to put it up well should i say my dad does hahahaha

 

[Martin_E]

Thanks for all the replies...it looks like Isabella is top of the wish list, but they don't come cheap do they. I guess it comes back to the same old chestnut "you get what you pay for"

 

[Fouldsy]

Thanks for all the replies...it looks like Isabella is top of the wish list, but they don't come cheap do they. I guess it comes back to the same old chestnut "you get what you pay for"

Sure is true M

 

[KiwiPete]

We have a Bradcot Sport full awning for longer stays and a Sunncamp Scenis Plus porch for weekends. Both highly recommended.

 

[Martin_E]

We have now found a second hand awning that is of the 2004 vintage at a reasonable price unfortunately the budget would not stretch to an Isabella, but we did find a nice Bradcot Classic at good price with alloy quick frame. The only thing we have got to check is the colour it is Teal but have been trying to find one in the flesh that we can look at.

 

[TripHazard]

We have an Inaca its a great awning would buy another if need be but i got this new caravan to fit the Inaca awning from the last one

martin

 

[amanda_5116673]

where can i purchase a 2nd hand awning, i've looked online but not come to any joy

 

[Martin_E]

Hi Amanda,

You will find that most dealers will do second hand awnings, the other option is free adds and the like.

 

[Fouldsy]

where can i purchase a 2nd hand awning, i've looked online but not come to any joy

The best places to look for secondhand awnings are the places most people do not look...Ebay, Caravan Club are viewed by thousands and as such carry a premium price or get snapped up.

We, that is the long suffering and myself smurffed for a few weeks and found that you will have to travel to get the deal you want, but knock them down on price stand your ground and commit to buy.......look at Google and search for Friday Ads, Ad trader, UK Campsite, Preloved...type the name of the awning you are looking for...we always go for Isabella and see what you can get.

Remember the seller is as keen to get rid as you are to buy.

Do not be afraid to walk away there will be the awning you want eventually.

Some friends of ours paid