Which Awning? Any reviews?

[otherclive]

I am thinking of buying a midi awning rather than the standard full size version. Over the last few years the quick assembly lightweights have come more to the fore, and more recently the air inflatables. Looking at Kampa their 260 poled awning is actually 3kg heavier than the air version (both Rally Pro). Not having experienced a poled lightweight midi awning are they easy to erect without the tensioning that the conventional awnings require.

Quite attracted to an air version as a neighbour shares by his. Says it has saved his marriage. If anyone knows of any comparative reviews it would be helpful, and also anyones own experience. The size will be somewhere between 260 and 390 max, and the Kampa look promising as do the newer Dorema air awnings.

 

[Martin24]

Hello Clive,

We have no personal experience of air and to be honest we aren't interested in going down that route. The pegging out takes just as long if not longer with all the guy ropes.

I don't really like the lightweight awnings as we found it difficult to put up if there was the slightest breeze. We just didn't get on with it and sold it on in less than a year. The only advantage was drying quickly after wet weekend rallies.

We have been really happy with our Isabella Magnum. It goes up easily and quickly, is good quality, hard wearing, folds up nicely. We wouldn't consider changing it at the moment. When we last changed the van it was a deal breaker, if it hadn't of fitted where we wanted it to go we would not of had the van.

 

[LizziePope]

Hi Clive. We've reviewed some awnings and are regularly adding new ones. Please click here – I hope that helps!

 

[thedoog1]

Hi Clive, we have recently changed from the rally pro 260 poled version to the rally pro 330 air. the main reason we changed was we found the 260 a little small. We intended to buy the 330 poled version but found an air one at a really good price. Having used the air version a few times now i am not sure we made the right decision, with hindsight i think we should have bought the poled 330.
I think we were sucked into the air is best easier to put up and all that. The poled rally pro is a good awning easy to put up and better if the pitch is not level.

Steve

 

[KeefySher]

We've had our Bradcot Aspire Air 390 for 2 seasons now. Super bit of kit, can easily put up single handed. No guy lines, but storm guys if required. We have the electric pump that it came with.

It's survived storms that Isabella poled awnings collapsed in.

The only time it was difficult to put up was when I attempted single handed feeding through the lower awning rail entry point in place of the usual upper entry point and it fouled on a glob of mastic in the rail left behind by the over heavy handed mastic gun user at the caravan assemblers, so not really an awning issue.

Like the days of MH awnings when Drive aways first came to the market there were lots of 'human nature don't like change' throw away comments regarding pegging out. In reality pegging out is a requirement of all awnings. We don't always peg every possible point depending on weather conditions

 

[Martin24]

Before accusing people of small minded not liking change read the posts properly.

 

[otherclive]

Thanks for the replies, and the link to awning reviews. Our last midi awning was an Isabella Magnum which still took quite a bit of time to put up. Especially if I were to use the storm restraints which zig zag along both sides and the front lower sections. Where each zig zag reaches down required a peg as well as the normal pegs used to install it. From wha I have looked at on the web there are some air awnings which weigh around 11kg, and others which weigh around 22-26kg.The new Dorema air awning gets very good reviews but seems particularly heavy. I suspect the lighter air awning will be much lighter fabric, akin to my three man tent, so I can understand how they will blow around in gusty conditions. I think will travel down into deepest Somerset where there are a couple of dealerships that have awning erected for display.

 

[Martin24]

Sat here in the midst of storm Doris. Our Isabella Magnum hasn't moved an inch but I am sat here looking at an air awning going up and down like a yoyo. Wouldn't fancy taking a chance walking through it to go out. Just my opinion but a fairly useless bit of kit. Oh quick update, looks like it's about to come down as being emptied

 

[Raywood]

In general you get what you pay for. In general the very cheap ones are less secure and will not last. Once you get over about £500 you are generally getting far more quality whether you go for conventional or inflatable types. If you compare the material you will soon see the difference.

 

[KeefySher]

Sat here in the midst of storm Doris. Our Isabella Magnum hasn't moved an inch but I am sat here looking at an air awning going up and down like a yoyo. Wouldn't fancy taking a chance walking through it to go out. Just my opinion but a fairly useless bit of kit. Oh quick update, looks like it's about to come down as being emptied

On our first holiday away with the caravan we encountered storms that brought down 3 Isabella full awnings, tents and assorted windbreaks. Our Bradcot Aspire Air awning was steadfast. Given it was the very first time we erected it and it withstood the storms unlike the very expensive Isabella awnings we were more than happy. From our experience we wouldn't touch an expensive Isabella full awning, but our top price Bradcot does the job in all conditions encountered thus far.

 

[Dustydog]

Do you have any pics of the Isabellas?
There are plenty on here of air awnings blown away
What realy matters is the quality and type of pegs and storm straps used.
It is they and only they that can challenge a storm

 

[Martin24]

Jenny's obviously good at banging in Quite a lot got taken down as the storm progressed but certainly 3 Magnums standing erect and proud

 

[KeefySher]

Do you have any pics of the Isabellas?
There are plenty on here of air awnings blown away
What realy matters is the quality and type of pegs and storm straps used.
It is they and only they that can challenge a storm

Not seen an air awning in distress thus far since we've had the caravan, but only as until we had the caravan, prior to that a MH for 9 years, we didn't take any notice of caravans and their awnings. We are very pleased with the Bradcot Aspire Air awning thus far, meets our needs in all weathers and as experienced survives storms that brought down 3 Isabella full awnings, a record of fact. Didn't even know what an Isabella awning was until on that first trip and was shocked that those were the only three caravan awnings to suffer failure. The Bradcot and Dorema awnings on other caravans on that site survived. The tents were the cheap GoOutdoors bargain bucket types, so sort of expected to fail.

When we had the MH we had a new fangled canopy awning with zip in front and sides (a fiamma zip) from the get go, the first use was in f12 storms on the Isle of Purbeck one December. Naysayers had advised us not to get 'those new fangled awnings', as they weren't any good on a MH. We used that awning for 8 winters in severe storms, no issues whatsoever.

The first summer season of the MH we got a drive away awning, that unfortunately got destroyed in a storm when wild camping on a headland and we had gone out for the day. We hadn't stowed the tunnel correctly, hence why it got destroyed. User error.

 

[Dustydog]

Do you have any pics of the Isabellas?
There are plenty on here of air awnings blown away
What realy matters is the quality and type of pegs and storm straps used.
It is they and only they that can challenge a storm

Not seen an air awning in distress thus far since we've had the caravan, but only as until we had the caravan, prior to that a MH for 9 years, we didn't take any notice of caravans and their awnings. We are very pleased with the Bradcot Aspire Air awning thus far, meets our needs in all weathers and as experienced survives storms that brought down 3 Isabella full awnings, a record of fact. Didn't even know what an Isabella awning was until on that first trip and was shocked that those were the only three caravan awnings to suffer failure. The Bradcot and Dorema awnings on other caravans on that site survived. The tents were the cheap GoOutdoors bargain bucket types, so sort of expected to fail.

When we had the MH we had a new fangled canopy awning with zip in front and sides (a fiamma zip) from the get go, the first use was in f12 storms on the Isle of Purbeck one December. Naysayers had advised us not to get 'those new fangled awnings', as they weren't any good on a MH. We used that awning for 8 winters in severe storms, no issues whatsoever.

The first summer season of the MH we got a drive away awning, that unfortunately got destroyed in a storm when wild camping on a headland and we had gone out for the day. We hadn't stowed the tunnel correctly, hence why it got destroyed. User error.

Keefy
As a matter of interest and fact can you tell us how many standard pegs you use and their size and material etc plus what type of storm lashing and pegs do you use.
Unlike Martin I don't have a Jenny and know full well it probably takes me twice as long to peg the Izzy compared to the Kampa.

 

[KeefySher]

Do you have any pics of the Isabellas?
There are plenty on here of air awnings blown away
What realy matters is the quality and type of pegs and storm straps used.
It is they and only they that can challenge a storm

Not seen an air awning in distress thus far since we've had the caravan, but only as until we had the caravan, prior to that a MH for 9 years, we didn't take any notice of caravans and their awnings. We are very pleased with the Bradcot Aspire Air awning thus far, meets our needs in all weathers and as experienced survives storms that brought down 3 Isabella full awnings, a record of fact. Didn't even know what an Isabella awning was until on that first trip and was shocked that those were the only three caravan awnings to suffer failure. The Bradcot and Dorema awnings on other caravans on that site survived. The tents were the cheap GoOutdoors bargain bucket types, so sort of expected to fail.

When we had the MH we had a new fangled canopy awning with zip in front and sides (a fiamma zip) from the get go, the first use was in f12 storms on the Isle of Purbeck one December. Naysayers had advised us not to get 'those new fangled awnings', as they weren't any good on a MH. We used that awning for 8 winters in severe storms, no issues whatsoever.

The first summer season of the MH we got a drive away awning, that unfortunately got destroyed in a storm when wild camping on a headland and we had gone out for the day. We hadn't stowed the tunnel correctly, hence why it got destroyed. User error.

Keefy
As a matter of interest and fact can you tell us how many standard pegs you use and their size and material etc plus what type of storm lashing and pegs do you use.
Unlike Martin I don't have a Jenny and know full well it probably takes me twice as long to peg the Izzy compared to the Kampa.

On the Bradcot Aspire Air I use the fiamma type rock pegs (like a 9 inch nail with a plastic T type top), plain shank, 1 in each ladder position with the rubber ladder as supplied by Bradcot. If there is a peg position sewn in the awning, it must be for a reason, so peg it is my train of thought. The Awning has 4 in built plastic clip in storm straps that are 1 inch webbing and again 1 fiamma type rock peg on each webbing strap. Always driven in at an angle toward the awning with a rubber mallet (as taught by dad when tent camping as a child). The awning came with plastic pegs similar to the ones the fiamma came with, but never used either as the metal rock pegs have always sufficed.

The failed drive away awning referred to earlier was still pegged in the ground, just that the spider quick erect frame had snapped in several places and ripped the fabric.

In my box of bits and pieces is the storm strap used on the fiamma zip awning that has the large v section pegs of about 15" length, with the triangular fitting to take the spring unit as supplied. Not use it on the Bradcot Aspire as it comes with the smaller webbing clip in storm straps.

Can only commend the quality and capability of the Bradcot Aspire Air awning, a super bit of kit. Not the cheapest, nor the most expensive air awning, but certainly a good un.

 

[Martin24]

Interesting on the pegging out time. Jenny has looked at people with all their guy ropes on the air ones and thought it would take longer than the Magnum.

She is at one with the awning we have and wouldn't change for anything. It should hopefully see us through to the end of caravanning life.

 

[KeefySher]

Interesting on the pegging out time. Jenny has looked at people with all their guy ropes on the air ones and thought it would take longer than the Magnum.

She is at one with the awning we have and wouldn't change for anything. It should hopefully see us through to the end of caravanning life.

When we got the new fangled drive away awning on the MH the first criticism levelled at it was the pegging out time. I think it's a camping / caravanning / motor homing people thing when something 'new' appears, throw stones at it. As then, now with the air awning, it's part and parcel of the setting up. The air awning takes less time that the drive away, or the roll our zip in on the MH. I generally do the awning, whilst Mrs P does the inside jobs, loo etc. Conjunctionally the kettle goes on or the wine is poured & the G&T made.

Didn't some bloke back in the 1950's climb a big hill for the first time with inflatable tents?

 

[Martin24]

Alas in our household Mrs B has to do the lot so what she's happy with is what we have.