Best quality full Awning for Bailey Pageant Bretagne

[Polly3]

Hi folks,
Anyone got any advice on the best quality full sized awning (particularly for windy weather - Scotland !). Also can anyone tell me what size I would need for Bailey Pageant Bretagne 2005 - I've been told it's 1000, and that the Doreema wouldn't be suitable as it stops at that size for one awning and starts at that size for another (either being tight or too loose and that an awning with that measurement in the middle would suffice - it's all a bit confusing). I tried our local awning centre and was 'put off' by the sales assistant's lack of knowledge/helpfulness (they've just lost a sale!)
Thanks
Polly

 

[TD42]

without doubt the best quality awning is Isabella awnings ,but these are very expensive the size you require is 996 for the bretagne as per the owners manual. you may pick up an isabella for a reasonable price of e bay .I know isabella do a cheaper range of awning which are very good but for the life of me I cant recall the name.I would also recomend getting the light weight fibre poles assteel are very heavy & aluminium does tend to bend undee severe conditions

 

[HenryB1]

I would agree that Isabella is the best quality awning that you can buy in my opinion. I have owned a number of different makes of awning over the last few years and the Isabella that we currently own is the best by far. We purchased a 2006 Capri Lux early in 2007 when it was classified as last years model, from Michael Jordan Caravans. Only difference, patten on curtains. As a result we paid just over £800 for an awning that should have been around £1300. I suggest that you try various dealers as we move into Autumn and winter as many will have stock or forward purchase commitments that they wish to shift at discounted prices. This year we changed caravans and our awning was 975 but new van needed 1030. I contacted Isabella who told me they could alter van at cost of just over £260 plus carriage. I agreed, the packaging materials arrived next day, awning picked up following day and returned two weeks later. Great service from Isabella that saved me the huge cost of trying to sell the small awning and buy a new larger one. The other benefit of Isabella is that most of their dealers carry spares. Our previous awning was a Bradcot and when the aluminium poles were bent slightly in a blow, just enough to stop them sliding in and out of each other I had to order new poles from a third party at considerable cost as Bradcot did not hold spares themselves and I could not get them from a dealer near me. By the way I think the cheaper awnings designed and sold by Isabella are called Ventura.

 

[Ancientcaravanner]

Ventura is the brand name for the cheaper version of the Isabella. Still a very good awning.

 

[Bill.D]

We have a Ventura and are pleased with it. The awning salesman to his credit said he would gladly sell me an Isabella but could not fault the Ventura. I believe the Ventura is an Isabella made in Eastern Europe rather than Sweden. I think the Isabella may have slightly better stitching but I don't think you will be disappointed with it if you buy one.
Bill D.

 

[Polly3]

Looks like an Isabella it will be then, I'll start investigating - thanks to all for your comments.
Polly

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Polly
My previous Bailey pageant S5 Vendee was exactly the same size as your Bretagne. We had a secondhand Isabella capri Lux, hardly used , cost me £500. It was a 1000cm size and fitted perfectly. I sold it on 3 years later for £450.
Go for the Izzy but make sure you get the carbon fibre poles including the veranda pole . I think you may strike lucky but don't get too embroiled bidding on flea bay. You can pay far more than you need to.
I still have an Izzy and imo it's worth saving a little harder to get the best.

 

[TimM]

We have an Isabella Commadore Alpha and are very pleased with it. Our strategy was to have a relatively small (2 berth) caravan, as at that time our tow car was not that big, and a large awning. Its 3m wide as opposed to 2.5 and that makes a surprisingly big difference when set up on site for any length of time. The other thing we like about our awning is there is no centre part between the front windows so when we are not using them it becomes a large completely open sun canopy. We aim to carry this awning over to the next caravan. I don't think they make this exact model any more but a 3m wide awning is also worth considering.
My only criticism is that threads pull out along the stitched seams where the material has been cut, but apart from that its a very good awning. I would echo the point on carbon fibre poles and I think some if not all of them have a quick overcentre catch rather than wing nut on the poles which must make setting them up far easier.