We are looking to get one of these. We’ve seen and spoken to lots of people with the Thule ormistor but looked at a Fiammia caravanstore one today. As they are more or less comparable in price, any recommendations welcome.
------------- 2026
Various weekends, weather and time permitting
April - Yorkshire and Yorkshire
June - Wiltshire and Oxfordshire
Autumn - North and Scotland
For many years we had a caravanstore on a couple of caravans. They sit i a cassette attached to the awning rail. Worked well for us. Now we have a motorhome we have a Fiamma F45 fixed the the van which winds out, also very good.
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
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We had various Caravanstore awnings on several caravans, always bought second hand. We finally changed back to a conventional awning when arthritic wrists made rolling up a problem. On our last caravan the awning rail was quite high, which meant using a step ladder.
------------- Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.
Haven't used a Thule but have got a Fiamma.
I'm with JoannaLesley here. The Fiamma is very heavy for us old men to roll up although it is much easier when using a step ladder.
You need to get right underneath it and keep it close to your chest otherwise your arms feel as though they are dropping off !!
DaveS1
We bought a second hand Fiamma, will see how it goes. Our problem is knees and pegging out. Hopefully this will be easier.
------------- 2026
Various weekends, weather and time permitting
April - Yorkshire and Yorkshire
June - Wiltshire and Oxfordshire
Autumn - North and Scotland
We've had the F45 for six years.
Great ... slightly twisted frame when a storm hit whilst we were out for the day .... one side collapsed due to water pooling ...
Managed to fix it ... then bought the centre curved water deflector rib ... made a great difference.
We generally roll it in if heavy rain is forecast or a lot of wind.
Always use the storm straps at the front of each 'leg'.
We also got a sun deflector screen ... works on either side ... is a sort of fine mesh, so you can see through it ... but reduces sun temp hugely and gives semi-shade ... very useful, especially if camping on the continent, which we always do.
We bought a Isabella Shadow Sun Canopy - it doesn't stay attached to the van - I didn't like the idea of adding weight high up on the van.
The Sun canopy is just a roof section which you can feed through the van's rail and support the front edge on three poles (the smaller version only has two poles).
From scratch it takes even me only 10 minutes or so to put up, and even less to take it down if the weather promises to get windy.
In my van conversion specification, I did not specify which brand of wind out awning to purchase, only for an electric version, and the company (no longer trading) that carried out the van conversion opted for an electric Fiamma F80s.
I had issues with the electrical components in that it was operating intermittently. Replacement switch took ages to arrive. After it was replaced, it was fine for a short while, then one day, the canopy unwound itself when the van was parked outside the house.
I managed to wind it back and hoped it was the end of it. I tried to contact the converter to have a look at it and that's when I found they had gone out of business!
When it unwound itself again shortly afterwards, after I managed to wind it back, I took the fuse out so that it could not unwind again.
I contacted Fiamma for help, and their main UK agent was very helpful.
Originally, I requested to purchase a manual wind out kit to replace the electrical one, and they offered for the whole awning to be replaced instead.
They arranged for a new manual one to be fitted by one of their customers free of charge - I just needed to take my van there which was about an hour or so away.
Based on their after sale care, I would strongly recommend Fiamma.
Apparently, the electric components are not that reliable, and most converters prefer to fit manual ones according to firm that fitted my replacement awning/canopy.
The accessories I had purchased for mine are storm tie down kit (very useful) and a Sun View XL (not used that yet).
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
We have the manual Fiamma 45, also the tie down kit and a central 'rafter' which prevents pooling if caught in a heavy shower. Though we do try to wind it in if bad weather is forecast.
Quote: Originally posted by franbee on 13/6/2024
a central 'rafter' which prevents pooling if caught in a heavy shower.
I quickly checked if I need one of these, and no for the reason that I normally drop one side of the awning/canopy to allow rain water to run off.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
We had a fiamma on our T25 van, it was a roll out one and old, it worked but was a pain to roll up. On our caravan we have an Orminister (I hope I spelt) its a wind out one, much better the old one. Both are good.
------------- Stroke & brain tumour warrior
owner of a 1991 Eriba caravan
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
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Topic: Pull out awning
via mobile 27/4/2024 at 2:17pm
