Awnings - Which? Where?

[Chrisgr31]

So the caravan needs an awning. It came with loads of awning poles but no cover for them!

So there are the traditional awnings with great big poles weight a ton, and take longer to erect than a tent. There are the lightweight fibreglass pole versions of the same thing, and there are porch awnings.

Then there are different manufacturers and within those manufacturers they have different ranges, oh and then you can buy new or second hand.

So whats everyone got in awnings? My suspicion is in the ideal world you'd have a big heavy awning for a week or more away, and lightweight porch for weekends, but is that what everyone does?

[Chrisgr31]

surveyor said:

We have a full traditional type, a 2/3 lightweight porch awning and a 1/3 lightweight porch awning that came with the caravan and I don't think has been used.

The downside of the Vango to me is that the hardest part is pegging the awning down. The poles are actually very straightforward.

Strange you should mention the pegging down issue as just been discussing it in the office and a fellow carvanner said exactly the same. Whats the point as the time consuming bit is pegging it down.

Having said that I assume ome advantage of an inflatable is that there will be none of the standard awning dings in the side of the caravan.

[Chrisgr31]

hornetrider said:

We've got a full bore full size Dorema awning with just the standard presumably steel poles. Takes me an hour on the nose to set up on my own including pegging, groundsheet etc whilst the mrs is organising the inside of the van and taking care of HR Jr. It's a piece of piss to set up when you get used to it and figure out a system of doing the poles in the right order etc.

Wouldn't be without it as it basically doubles your available space. Hence we leave our dinette made into the bed for us as we don't need that space as living space. It's also got plenty of room for my daughter to play in as well as having a dining table, chairs and all the rest. Recommended.

Just bought one very similar to this on Ebay, and then discovered a neighbour down the road has an awning that they need to get rid off as it doesnt fit their new van!