Awning advice

We are looking into getting an awning as we spend around four months in Spain in the winter and although usually sunny (last winter it rained a lot)  the wind can be quite cool so we are looking to sit out of the wind in the sun and, hopefully, an awning will allow us to do just that. 

We are thinking of a 260 air one and so far, although a little on the expensive side, the Kampa Rally  Air Pro seems to be the favourite ........would great if we could find second hand one.

My only worry about an awning is wind as you can get some very strong winds wiping up off the med, in fact one of our neighbours ended up with a damaged  awning and van last winter. Can I ask the more experienced members with air awnings how you find them in windy weather? I do realize it's advisable  to have the storm tie downs etc, but are they enough?

Well said Phil ... we have a caravan and have three (yes three) awnings / porchs. Where we are going and how long we are staying will decide which one we take, and we got them over the years. If abroad and staying for a week we will take the large full Bradcott with lightweight poles stores nicely in the boot and take us 20 minutes to erect ... each side can be unzipped out which allows us to vent easily or just have it up as a sun shelter. The second is a three quarter Kampma (non inflatable) but with adjustable legs so suits CL's where the ground slopes, and this is our choice for weekends or short stays in the UK. The third is really a door shelter for one night stops so it keep rain out when the door is open. The whole point like others is for extra storage and to be able to sit out, eat outside when warm enough and for somewhere to keep muddy shoes and wet coats rather than having them inside the van. All of us use them for a variety of reasons. Why do people insist on knocking others or having a go just because "they dont do it that way", and why please do we have to perpetuate this silly distniction between caravn owners and motor home owners .. we are all in the same club and share the same interest! If in any doubt about what size you need then contact the van makers as we did and check on awning manufactures sites for information and prices - the Bradcott awning we got with fibre glass poles and storm kit came in just under £800 if you shop around.

I think the air awning are just as heavy if not heavier than the fabric of traditional ones, so really it is all to do with the tie down kits and pegging and how the wind gets inside the awning. That's why the one with the skirt going inwards is a better idea as you can also weight it down with plastic bottles of water, boxes... We have used two tie down kits once on a frame awning in a gale in the lake district. Provided that is done properly then it should be ok, Also if things get bad you just let the air out without un pegging and lay it flat, or take it down very quickly which you can't do with a frame. As I said before, if it goes it will only damage itself while I've seen what damage frame poles bashing against a van can do to an outfit. 

We won an Air awning in a competition and erected it just once, on a windy (but not gale force) day.  We really didn't think it would stand up to any more wind than we were having - and we've met up with much stronger winds in France and Spain - so we sold it immediately.

Personally I wouldn't go for an air awning................but as has been said, we all think and do things differently.

yes, well put, fully agree.

Wow 8 pages.

Bikes and the dog have to go somewhere.

Cornersteady.

Absolutely agree with you regarding the silly Caravan verses motorhome  "debate" we have had motorhomes for years but we could always see the advantages to owning  a caravan, so much so that we have now changed to a caravan as it's what we need for long stays in Spain.....but we may go back to a motorhome in the future, who knows?

Valda.

 Thanks for the advice we are now edging away from an air awning now and thinking Kampa All Season......also a heck of a lot cheaper as well.

ChrisRogers.

Had to laugh at you photo as that could have been our dog lying there, we have an identical brindle lurcher, even the ears are the same.

Well get a full size Bradcott then with alloy easy pole system.  Fantastic quality like Valda said.  We bought one 6 years ago and have ended up using only once a year when we go to France.  The reflective roof helps keep it cool.  I never use in the country;  too big and I fear having to dry it out so have a medium size porch awning.  Much easier to put up!

Am I allowed to quote my own post?

I do so because I wanted to update it for we have just put it up for the first time on our Lunar Clubman. This van has the higher entry point in the awning rail (at about 5') which is much easier to feed the awning into than the bottom entry on our last van. We also used a 4m long dog lead with which my wife was able to pull the awning at a better angle. The result was that the awning went through the rail very easily and quickly.

The unpacking, pulling into the awning rail and pumping up took a little less than ten minutes. Banging in the rock pegs took just as long as last time and still creased me. I must find and easier alternative to that or maybe just start going to the gym everyday. 

Screw in pegs?