Finally bit the bullet and bought a porch awning - a shiny Vango Varkala 280.
Buying was a bit of a pain in the backside as I tried online but they couldn't deliver before this weekend's trip, despite advertising overnight delivery - this led to a trip up to our local caravan dealer in West Yorkshire. The salesman wouldn't do us a deal on the awning saying that they are selling themselves - (If time wasn't against me I would have left the shop as the chap's sales technique was terrible, and the rest of the shop staff were not interested at all - no greeting or interest in showing us the product, no other customers in shop so not busy.) I will only go back to that place if forced - and if any of the staff or owners of Lowdham's in Huddersfield want to contact me to change my mind then I will supply contact details in exchange for an apology.
Anyway, paid full price (the same as everyone else is advertising it at), got a fiver off a 3m x 2.5m breathable rug and took them both with us this weekend.
Getting it out of the bag its a standard Vango well made and well presented product. The short time to put the thing up is a bit misleading but from getting the bag out of the caravan to being inside laying the rug I think was about 30 - 45 minutes - and thats as a complete novice.
The 'no poles' claim is also misleading as there are 2 steel poles that go at the back of the awning to push the foam pads against the caravan side and offer draft protection, in Vango's defence, I can't think of any other method of doing this.
The airbeams go up easily once you've worked out how the valves and the pump work, and its also supplied with a mallet and 'rock anchor' pegs which are a lot more sturdy that the thin pegs I did Duke of Edinburghs expeditions years ago.
Its light and airy, once up it didn't look as well pitched as in the adverts but I think this is mainly due to pegging out. I wasn't prepared to spend an hour with the pegs making it look like in the showroom.
To get it down took about 30 - 45 minutes also, although I was being really careful about folding it up to put it away as its brand new.
This being my first awning I can't compare it to others, in terms of ease of pitching it seemed straight forward (I only found the instructions once I'd finished), and as for recommending it over any other porch awning, time will tell as to how it stands up against the test of time.
Any questions, please ask!
Buying was a bit of a pain in the backside as I tried online but they couldn't deliver before this weekend's trip, despite advertising overnight delivery - this led to a trip up to our local caravan dealer in West Yorkshire. The salesman wouldn't do us a deal on the awning saying that they are selling themselves - (If time wasn't against me I would have left the shop as the chap's sales technique was terrible, and the rest of the shop staff were not interested at all - no greeting or interest in showing us the product, no other customers in shop so not busy.) I will only go back to that place if forced - and if any of the staff or owners of Lowdham's in Huddersfield want to contact me to change my mind then I will supply contact details in exchange for an apology.
Anyway, paid full price (the same as everyone else is advertising it at), got a fiver off a 3m x 2.5m breathable rug and took them both with us this weekend.
Getting it out of the bag its a standard Vango well made and well presented product. The short time to put the thing up is a bit misleading but from getting the bag out of the caravan to being inside laying the rug I think was about 30 - 45 minutes - and thats as a complete novice.
The 'no poles' claim is also misleading as there are 2 steel poles that go at the back of the awning to push the foam pads against the caravan side and offer draft protection, in Vango's defence, I can't think of any other method of doing this.
The airbeams go up easily once you've worked out how the valves and the pump work, and its also supplied with a mallet and 'rock anchor' pegs which are a lot more sturdy that the thin pegs I did Duke of Edinburghs expeditions years ago.
Its light and airy, once up it didn't look as well pitched as in the adverts but I think this is mainly due to pegging out. I wasn't prepared to spend an hour with the pegs making it look like in the showroom.
To get it down took about 30 - 45 minutes also, although I was being really careful about folding it up to put it away as its brand new.
This being my first awning I can't compare it to others, in terms of ease of pitching it seemed straight forward (I only found the instructions once I'd finished), and as for recommending it over any other porch awning, time will tell as to how it stands up against the test of time.
Any questions, please ask!
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