Awnings

What a dastardly question - sorry couldn't help it.

I don't think there is much in it. We have always had Bradcot and only changed when we changed vans. We have had three  and no problems with the actual awning itself but two poles have had to be replaced due to the locking mechanism sticking - they are the 'easy fit' lighter alloy poles , but easily replaced. Apart from that the awning have all lasted well (the longest time was 6 years) no fade, zips all worked... in stayed put in some very strong winds. 

Our Bradcot awning is over 30 years old but it is canvas and they have changed to man made ones now but it is still good quality. Both makes should serve you well and basically I would look carefully at both and see which looks the best for your use or is the best bargain, but it is really just about 50/50. 

Try EBay for an Isabella awning, I bought my last 2 awnings on there and still using my last one, you can sometimes get a £1000 awning for a snip, no need to buy new but you can still get long lasting quality, well worth a look, especially as a lot of people are going for air awnings now, pole awnings seem to be on eBay a lot more.

We bought a new Isabella Porch Awning at the Caravan Show last year and used it for the first time at the Centenary site in the New Forest in March. The weather was awful and we were really upset to find it leaked like a sieve and everything got soaking wet.

We complained to Lowdham's who told us new awnings need to weather in and it would be fine after a couple of uses. They were clearly not willing to replace it. 

We gave them the benefit of the doubt and took it to Cornwall a couple of weeks later. Lo and behold the same thing happened. We contacted Isabella and had the same sort of dismissive reply that awnings need to "weather in:.

We had no choice to carry on using it, being on a 2 week holiday, and indeed it does now seem to have stopped leaking.

We are still in dispute with both Isabella and the supplier.

Has any one else experienced this with an awning?

At present all I can say is our old Bradcott gave us years of good service and we will not be buying an Isabella awning again.

Be warned!

I'm sure much is down to personal preference.  As far as we're concerned, we have had both a Bradcot and a Dorema - we preferred the Bradcot.  However, this has been years ago and I suspect both brands have moved on a little since.

David

We have a Bradcot Aspire Air awning that has given sterling service since new, now in our 5th season with it. Not had to weather it in.

We also have a Dorema Monaco sun canopy that has withstood thunderstorms and not leaked.

Both are made from Ten Cate fabric which I understand is a polyester/pva blend.

We recently bought, a few weeks ago, the Bradcot Residencia full awning with steel poles.

We only bought Bradcot because that is what they had in the shop, and me being me didn't want to wait, its a shop, I want it now!

Looked at the Kampa Air porch and Bradcot Air porch with extension piece. The Kampa was winning as the Bradcot didn't have valves between the air bladders, so if one went down they all did, which is only going to happen in use, so like the aqua roller running out, never at a convenient time.

But then we thought about what happens when we change our caravan, would the porch awning fit, answer No as the favourite caravan at the moment is the same length as current but with an extra side window, then chuck in the mix our seasonal pitch and the Bradcot Residencia won.

Its never leaked from day one, we bought an Isabella pole tensior, a must as during the process of erecting I find relaxing the tension to add the other poles, adjusting the frame, then nipping up the tension again a benefit to a quick setup. Also a 3 step ladder and magnetic spirit level helps. We can put the awning up and carpet down in under an hour, if your a practical person the traditional poled awning, porch or full is nothing to worry about.

We also replaced all the plastic pegs with rock pegs, lump hammer to put them in, mole grips to take them out. We also have two Kampa Limpets for the wheel cover.

The minus point, the clips for the ladders that are sewn into fabric hoops over 6 have snapped, a design flaw in my mind.

I have used Acetal rod to replace them bought from Plastics Direct (6mm dia) but I would caution anyone buying what ever awning to check these clips and what can be done if they snap.

On our seasonal site there are some awnings that have these clips moulded into the fabric, if they break I doubt an easy repair could be done, maybe rendering the awning redundant!

Ps,

The other huge benefit of the Bradcot Residencia full awning, no guy ropes!