budget air awning

[craigmason71]

Hi fellow caravanners both my elderly disabled parents struggle to put up our current pole awning and have decided to swap to an air awning which will be easier to erect our caravan is a sterling europa 500L Awning Size (cm) - 924
what would be a good awning for them no dearer than £600

 

[audiorob]

I just had a quick look at Towsure website for you to gain some ideas. I think for the price your parents may be looking at a porch awning - depending on what floor-space they need. Several air versions are advertised between about 400 and 650, and of course many at higher prices. It would also be worth adding in the price of an electric pump to save any effort apart from threading through the awning rail. If you can measure the side of the van so that the width of the porch won't foul any hatches or windows that need to be opened. Depending on the age/condition of the current awning there is still a vibrant second-hand market so that might ease the cost a little.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

If both parents are disabled will they be able to feed the awning into the awning rail in any case ?

 

[Dustydog]

If both parents are disabled will they be able to feed the awning into the awning rail in any case ?

I think you are right WC.
The Kama Rallye Air awning 330 is far harder to thread through the awning rail that the Izzy.
Why?
Well the Izzy four doors are added later whereas the entire weight of the Kampa has to be dragged through.
Not quite as easy as they pretend imo.

 

[Martin24]

In agreement with DD and WC the extra weight may make it unfeasible. Mrs B would struggle with one on her own but finds the izzy manageable with each bit being inserted at a time.

 

[KeefySher]

When booking in to / arriving at a site, would requesting assistance from the staff or other campers be worth doing?

Although I can easily put up our Aspire Air 390 awning on my own, I have been approached by nearby campers asking if I need a hand when deliberately arriving solo to pitch up then go and collect the girls.

On the first occasion of using the awning with a hired Disco, couldn't find the battery to connect the pump to, so I asked the nearest Discovery user for assistance. Happy to help they were.

Funny, friendly lark this caravanning

 

[gyp]

Some 2017 models of Kampa awnings have removable sides and fronts.
Zip out sides on Rally Air pro , fiesta air pro , Ace air pro. Zip out fronts on Ace & Fiesta .

Have just ordered an Air Pro Ace as can remove both side and Front panels. See their web site for details.

Best of luck !

 

[thedoog1]

We have the 2016 Kampa rally pro 330 air and we take the sides out to make it easier to thread onto the rail. It does make it easier and lighter.
Not sure we like it though i have put it up for sale today, probably go back to poles.

 

[Mel]

Would they be better with one of those Fiamma type jobs that you leave on the awning rail and then just unroll and put the legs and sides on? Or no awning at all. You do see a lot of folks with awnings with not a lot of use other than storage.
Mel

 

[Lionheart]

The Doog: What didn't you like about it? Was it like a "feel" thing or was there a problem with it? Sorry, just thinking about the awning we want.

 

[thedoog1]

Lionheart, there was nothing actually wrong with it. i found it heavy to carry about, did'nt actually think it was faster to erect than our poled version it replaced. Wife did nothing but moan so i have sold it and gone back to Kampa rally pro.

Steve

 

[Dodger524]

I have recently brought a second-hand Kampa Air Pro 330 and put it up for the first time last week. I found it quite heavy to move around in its bag before unpacking it. Once spread out I found that feeding it through the first vertical section of the awning rail awkward as it wanted to drop out as soon as I let it go. This was solved by instructing my wife to support it. Once I had got it as far as the horizontal section it became easier. I attached a dog lead and used that to pull it along the rail into the required position. Pumping with the hand pump was very quick and easy and I suppose the pegging is the same whichever type you have.

 

[Mel]

We also find our air awning heavy to get through the rail. Still rate it though.
Nice idea on the dog lead. I,ll Nick that plan. B)
Mel

 

[Dodger524]

I'm working on a plan to allow the dog to do the pulling. :lol: