Awning advice

Phil, good post.

We have a Kampa pro 360 (air) which is a large, well constructed and stable awning.  The great drawback with it is that I can't thread it onto the rail by myself, just too heavy.  Once on the rail it only takes 20 minutes to erect and peg out.  Taking it down and packing away takes about 10 minutes

If we get another awning I think it will be one in a bag like DSB has, can't remember the make and model, but you can use it as a shade or full awning

As far as feeding in the awning goes, we've found that a quick spray of the awning rail once a year, with the silicone used for spraying Thetford toilet seals, and one person pulling and the other feeding in at the entry point makes a huge difference to the ease, or otherwise, of the task. 

I'll time how long it takes us when we're away next, but there's no doubt that the easy-erect poles make it so much quicker and simpler.

I’ve got two awnings, both Isabela, a Magnum Porch and a full size Commodore, both with carbon poles. I have to put them up on my own but don’t really struggle. I cant do it anywhere near some of the times quoted on here, the Commodore normally takes me about an hour, but a lot depends in the ground conditions for pegging out, grass is much faster and easier than most of the extremely compact hard standings.

I don’t consider the hour spent putting up the awning, and the same to put it away, to be too long when considering the extra space and benefits it gives during the stay on site.

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Agree personally with your last paragraph. It's a decision everyone has to make regarding using an awning. Once you (one) gets to the point when it doesn't feel worth it then you simply stop.  

Like you I believe it's time well spent, someone to put shoes, coats, wet walking gear, and of course the extra living space.

Certainly for me a glass of wine, meals, even a cup of tea, usually tastes better in the awning (usually listening to the sound of the rain on the awning roof of course, but that's fun too)

We have had all sorts of awnings, full and porch, full poles and whippy fibreglass ones. All depends on what you want to use it for, and how much gear you want to put in it. Only you can decide that. All our awnings, bar the whippy job have been good quality second hand, still got two at the moment! OH could put up and take down easily on his own, just put up canopy, then zip sides in later. Whippy porch was new, cost £60, we only used it to keep wind and rain off van door, store a couple of chairs.

We have watched folks take hours putting awnings up, then spend further hours filling them with unbelievable amounts of furniture and accessories, including duck boards, camp kitchens, ironing boards etc... Their choice and obviously what they feel they need.

Best holiday we can remember with awning was four weeks down at Marazion. We had got to Truro, then in the course of conversation, it became obvious we had left poles at home! Certainly didn't think of driving 350 mile home, we just shoved the awning itself under van, and got on with it. I think we had two light showers the whole month! That was with three dogs in tow as well! 

I also have no problem at all with people taking an hour or more to erect an awning. Just not for me.

Advice to the op - I have never found that food or drinks taste any different when sat in an awning.

I had no interest in the TV of an evening so I sat with a few beers & just watched life roll on. C/van door shut, near silence other than the wildlife outside the awning. Yup, I loved my awning, I put it up solo-30mins. It was a Kampa 390 porch awning as I recall. Accepted they ain't for everyone but for me it was bliss