Awnings ! Air or Poles ?

We are in our 4th season of a Bradcot Aspire Air 390 awning, that was £899 including the pump. Excellent bit of kit that has withstood storms that brought down Isabella poled awnings.

We also have a Dorema Monaco sun canopy that is very similar in quality of fabric to the Bradcot AA

There is another thread below this on air awnings for recent discussion.

There is a 'clearance' Bradcot Aspire Air2 + pump here: https://www.bradcot-awnings.co.uk/catalog/aspire-air-260-2-free-12v-electric-pump-ref-1602

That will be a ‘no’ and an ‘I don’t think so’!

Whist not a race I can put up our Magnum as quick as our friends put op their Air Vango so I don’t see any speed advantage.

In strongish winds theirs collapsed several times in one corner and has been exchanged once and repaired once when beading detached.

They also tend to be heavier and therefore more difficult to handle

well for me had both and an air awning is certainly quicker. Thread through the awning rail, that's the same for both types.

Now for a pole you have to get them out arrange them in the right order for the middle and ends, then there is the ones going downwards and the one going to the van. Assemble in a certain order, then tension each one, (don't forget the poles that fit into the awning rail back of and any pads. To make things easier maybe you have taken out the doors?

For an air awning, get the pump (electric or manual) and its up and ready for pegging in a few minutes all nicely in tension. Taking it down is super quick, unpeg, let the air out out pull out from rail roll up. No putting poles away.

The better ones (Kampa) have tie down attachments and they withstand really strong winds. Also a pole awning goes and those poles can do serious damage to your van as theseriousy flap around. So such concerns with an air one.

I suggest you try inflating at a local dealer, you will be sold!

As per the other air vs pole thread, an air awning is heavy, both to thread through & to pack up.

Can't disagree with what you say MM, but personally I wouldn't  have a pole awning anymore, too much faffing around for me.

indeed will never go back now, and the combined weight of poles and canvas is certainly heavier than an air awning

I can’t speak for the Air Vango, but I’m very familiar with Kampa products. And there is absolutely no way that finding, laying out, extending, threading, temporarily guying, metal poles can be achieved as quickly as pumping up our air awning. Collapsing corners is another common argument against air awnings. We have practical experience of the effect of very strong winds on our air awning. The air poles will buckle in, then spring back in the strongest gusts. Nearby metal framed awnings also buckled in, bent and couldn’t spring back.

There are only two real reasons not to buy an air awning - weight, cost.

There is just one reason to buy an air awning, it’s more convenient.

Of course, some people just like traditional equipment, so they will avoid anything which they perceive as new fangled. There’s room in the world for both. Inaccurate opinions I’m less comfortable with.

Once their weight penalty has been resolved, and the cost reduced, air awnings will inevitably become the only type made. We’re not at that point yet.

Meanwhile, some manufacturers are still selling poorly designed and made products. Maybe that includes your friend’s Vango, I don’t know. The market leaders measured by sales volume and recommendation, are Kampa.

Reluctantly I agree with you for once 😉 but not everyone is capable of handling the weight of an air awning.  

Last year we had problems with our air awning  (Kampa 400 ??) in heavy wind on the barren waste lands of Southport's new bit. Turns out it was the pump that was at fault & wasn't capable of inflating it enough.

Our two (porch and larger) Kampa Air awnings have never waivered in winds and storms, except once when pegs pulled out in high wind - that could/would have happened even with a pole awning. But the awning still stayed upright, albeit flapping about.

i would say much quicker to erect than a pole awning, especially as I use an electric pump, meaning I can get on with other tasks whilst it is inflating. (It has an auto cut-off at preset pressure).

no question about it for me - an air awning every time.