Which Poles

[Sam_374394490]

Hi

We are buying our first awning, and would like some advice as to whether we should get steel or alluminium poles.

I know that the steel poles are heavier and cheaper in price, but do they stand up to the wind better than the alluminium poles.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

(We are looking at the Bradcot awnings)

 

[George_5073090]

Hi Sam

Through personal experience alloy poles every time,easy to put up and can be done solo.

 

[Steve L]

Hi Sam.

We have currently got an Abbey 540 with a 10ft deep full awning. We are using steel poles at present as we have got the awning up on a seasonal pitch. The steel poles are deffinately stronger but by the same token, they are very heavy. at a guess I'd say nearly 50Kgs. Comparable aluminum poles would be about half that weight as they need to be thicker profile to maintain strength.

I have used carbon fibre poles before. They are much lighter but I don't think they would stand up to the strain of windy winters very well.

It realy is down to personal choice. If you only caravan in summertime then carbon fibre would be fine, but if you intend going out in gales and snow then I'd stick with steel and take up weight lifting!

Steve L.

 

[Mr C]

We had a Bradcott alloy poled awning wrecked in Cornwall last year, it was well put up, best ever and well tied down ,but the alloys just bent as did the steel poles in vans around us , extreme weather I know but we only had the awning one year ! We now just use a cheap sunncamp lean too, does us , if we ever did go for another full awning we would look at fiber poles.

 

[Dustydog]

If you can afford it go foe carbon fibe x poles. They are light and incredibly strong. I have to disagree with Steve and say they are stronger than either steel or aluminium.

They can be bent beyond belief and will usually spring back to straight, unlike ally or steel.

I have used them for the last six years and have witnesses who will testify our Isabella with Carbon fibe x poles withstood the storms at Trewethett Farm last year.

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Phillipcharnwoodforest]

Hiya, we have got alloy poles on our current porch awning and find them o/k, strong enough and light aswell, onm our previous full awning an Isabella this had carbon fibre poles and they were IMO much better. They were lighter, more flexilbe in the wind and in are IMO stronger than alloy or steel. If a

 

[Mikey1]

Have to agree with Dustydog on the awning poles.Try and get XL or carbon poles as these have more flexibilty,they can tolerate more bending whereas steel or alloy cannot and just break.

 

[mistermac]

Hi Sam.

We have currently got an Abbey 540 with a 10ft deep full awning. We are using steel poles at present as we have got the awning up on a seasonal pitch. The steel poles are deffinately stronger but by the same token, they are very heavy. at a guess I'd say nearly 50Kgs. Comparable aluminum poles would be about half that weight as they need to be thicker profile to maintain strength.

I have used carbon fibre poles before. They are much lighter but I don't think they would stand up to the strain of windy winters very well.

It realy is down to personal choice. If you only caravan in summertime then carbon fibre would be fine, but if you intend going out in gales and snow then I'd stick with steel and take up weight lifting!

Steve L.

Hey Steve

We've got an Abbey 540 too - how are you finding it?

Mac

 

[mistermac]

Hi Sam

Depends on your awning and how big it is.

The alloy ones (especially the Bradcot system) are SO easy - one man operation. They're also much more expensive.

However - the steel ones ARE stronger. No doubts.

I've got a full awning with steel poles and also a Bradcot Portico Plus with alloy poles. Each do a separate, different type of job.

Depends how much you want to spend I guess.

Mac

 

[Mikey1]

Mark Mac

are you saying steel are stronger than alloy or carbon fibre?

 

[Sam_374394490]

Thank you Everyone for all your help.

I have just got what I think is a good deal on a brand new 2009 Bradcot Classic Awning with easy alloy for

 

[Heethers]

Sam l bought a new Harrington awning in October of last year from Discover Leisure, l asked if l could up grade to carbon XL poles and how much would the difference be in price.

Discover told me it would be

 

[Dustydog]

Nigel

What they told you is absolute rot.

We currently have an Izzy 1080cms, and that's big, using carbon fibre x poles. The Izzies are one of the heaviest awnings on the market!

I'm amazed at the differing views on this subject so will throw the gauntlet down to all on the forum, including dealers , manufacturers and boffins from PC mag.

In terms of strength and overall reliability I say:

1st Carbon fibre x

2nd Steel

3rd Aluminium

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Dustydog]

Whoops; I meant 1090cms.

Dustydog

 

[Mikey1]

I have an Isbella 1050 with carbon poles so the weight issue is a non starter.

Bend a carbon pole and a steel pole and see which one bends first.Steel/alloys only has a certain stretch ability whilst carbon has much much more.

Why do they build racing cars out of carbon fibre?

 

[Sam_374394490]

Sorry guys, didn't mean to start a debate.

Ideally we would have loved an Izzy with carbon poles, but for some of us just starting out it is all down to the pennies I'm afraid. If our Bradcot turns out (pardon the pun ......pants!!)

then we will have to review the situation next year.

I thought I had chosen what was best for the money that we had to spend.

 

[Heethers]

Thanks for the info Dustydog, "too late now" went with the advice from Discover who l thought would know about their own products, wished l had found this forum last year would have saved 50kg in weight just for the poles not including the awning which l reckon on another 20Kg.

Also my bad back having to man handle it out of the boot, mind you l think l have solved that problem will get the wife to do it, just havn't got round to telling her yet.

Nige

 

[dwebbie]

Hi,we have just returned from a week in Exmoor. Whilst putting our awning up, we had a gust of wind that caught hold of the awning and manage to snap the 2 corner and centre alluminium pole fixing that go along the front of the awning. So i would go for carbon from now one.