Sun canopy for caravans

We have a Fiamma canopy for use instead of an awning for the short breaks. Not cheap but good quality.

We have the Shadow. It works really well, is strong and easy to put up.

To my mind the benefit to the Shadow, over the Fiamma which I also have, is the ease with which I can swap it with my main awning.

The Shadow can be stored in the van whilst I am using my main awning, which you can't do with the Fiamma which is very rigid and heavy.

It used to be a choice between canopy or awning; now I can have both with me and use whichever is the most appropriate.

With have a Thule wind out canopy that can turn into an awning when necessary.  Not cheap though.....

David

Clearly the Thule wind-out has to be allowed for off the "user payload". what David is its weight as I feel this is not trivial?

The longest Shadow the 5 metre is 5.3 kgs though this can be carried in the car if available weight allowance is critical.

The Shadows only come out 2 metres, so storing chairs under them would not ensure these don't get damp from blown rain, though seem to keep the worst of the dew off. I frequently leave my Thors folded and stored vertical on their sides under mine unless rain is possible, then I don't.

You can add the front and or the side "Nets" which would give far better blown damp protection.

the small 4m comes in at 42.4kg and the largest 6m comes in at 57.6kg. that's for the omnister.  

Thanks, much as I would have thought.

i would suggest there can be few mainstream UK caravans that could lose an extra 42 kg let alone 58, out of their payload?

Most owners will want a battery at say 22 and a mover at 35 + kgs and want to carry more than a dumpy cylinder of propane, so over a 100 kgs has gone from the user payload before any bedding, clothes crocks etc. Then there is its affect on side to side tyre loading.

Adding that large and concentrated  mass high up, over 2.5 metres off the road and asymmetrically, is inevitably a bad characteristic for rolling stability.

We have just bought a Sunncamp Swift canopy as an alternative to our Isabella awning for short stays. It’s easy to put up and surprisingly roomy. Not the most robust on offer but represents good value for money at just over £100 for the smallest version. Worth a look!

We have a Vango 3m sun canopy for our Coachman, there is also a 4m one as well. We would recommend it, we can put it up in 10 minutes, very lightweight only needs 4 pegs. Stands up to high winds very well and rain. Won't break the bank buying it either.

+1  great addition to ours also,they are lighter than fiamma

You are absolutely right Ocsid.  Our Thule canopy is around 32kg.  That together with the motormover is just about covered by the weight upgrade we were given on the Valencia.  We do, however carry quite a bit in the car these days - in fact most of the outside stuff, including aquaroll and wastemaster.  However, we have recently moved to a really small collapsible bucket which is based on the 'ballcock' idea which we use for serviced pitches - saves bulk and weight 

David