Has anyone got one of these 3metre depth awnings, any feedback good or bad appreciated. it is available brand new for £310 from the manufactureres. i do realise that it won't be top quality like some of the better makes but it is to be used for an older caravan, that just wouldn't justify paying almost as much for a new awning as the van is worth. The awning that came with the van wasn't very good condition, and we would like a new one rather than second hand.
do you need that particular one because of the extra space or the price?? the tuscany one they make may well work out cheaper, i was on the verge of buying the corsican made by Pyramid but managed to pick up a bargain off flea bay, ive seen them up and to be fair they look ok, and i know you get what you pay for but if your using the main awning once a year like we do them dearest isnt always most practicable...
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Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
I liked the idea of the extra space, My sister and I use the caravan between us with our kids, we sometimes do 4-5 weeks at same site in school hols, with hubbys joining us at weekends. the tuscany one is about the same price, maybe a few pounds more.
if thats the case and you are going to get lots of use im sure it will be spot on for you id say go for it id say any other make is going to cost hell of a lot more...
------------- lifes too short to be sad
Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
Thanks for that firefly, i was also wondering if there was any problem with it being wider with stability issues or is it much harder to put up, Anyone else know anything?
sorry been at work i think if you do a search theres is a thread about the orion 3m, if i remember the guy who had it was inpressed itwas heavier but the more weight the stronger the awning i suppose, make sure you get a tie down kit for it im sure it would be ok...
------------- lifes too short to be sad
Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
HI WE HAVE THE SIZE 12 ORION WHICH WE BOUGHT LAST SUMMER AND FOUND IT VERY GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY ,IT ISN'T TOO DIFFICULT TO ERECT AND ONCE UP IT IS VERY VERY STABLE,WE BOUGHT THE STORM STRAPS TO HELP IN WINDY CONDITIONS AND UP TO NOW IT HAS FAIRED VERY WELL.WE RECENTLY BOUGHT THE ANNEXE TO GO WITH IT FROM GLOSSOP CARAVANS AND THIS IS SUPERB FOR OUR ELDEST TO SLEEP IN [14 YEAR OLD] AND OUR LABRADOR.THE POLES ARE MADE OF STEEL WHICH MAY BE A BIT ON THE HEAVY SIDE BUT WITH THIS YOU GET STRENGTH ,ALL IN ALL I CAN DO NOTHING BUT PRAISE THE ORION AWNINGS
Sounds great, the weight is not a problem for us as we use the same site as the caravan is in storage at. seeing as it's just about the cheapest awning I can find and deeper than the others in the same price range,I think we may go for it, thanks both.
This is from another site, thought it might be of interest, Gypsy.
Just wanted to share my experiences of the 3 meter "Orion" 5 piece awning I bought recently. For anyone looking for a cheaper alternative to the more established brands, its worth having a look at the range of awnings offered by Pyramid Products. First impressions have been very good, and as I only paid £384.00 for a size 13, I can't fault it on price alone - prices range from £310.00 for a size 8 to £405.00 for size 16.
Click HERE for gallery link.
Materials.
The mud walls are made from reinforced PVC, and the main walls and roof panel are each made of a polyester type material which doesn't seem to soak up moisture/rain as much as canvas does, so drying is much quicker and it's extremely waterproof. Hopefully this type of material will stand the test of time regarding tears, degradation etc, and pricewise I would think this is where the main saving has been made.
There are sewn in awning tie down buckles attached to the front edge of the awning which eliminates the need for a strap across the entire roof panel and also the annoyance of strap oscillation noise in windy conditions. I changed the supplied plastic pegs (useless on a hardstanding pitch) with rock pegs.
Frame.
The instructions to assemble the frame are clear and very easy to understand. As far as I know the frame is only available in steel, but with a "quick lock" lever locking system which is far easier to use than the wingnut clamping systems used by other manufactures. Poles can also be stretched with a "Hercules" pole tensioner. The 5 roof poles hook into removable sliding brackets which are attached to a separate beading below the awning channel.
Assembly.
Pole sections are fitted together as a non lockable "push- fit", so great care is needed when extending roof sections as the poles can easily become detached. This can result in the inner pole swinging down on the awning bracket (if not supported by a helper) and damaging the side of the 'van. I also found the "spring buttons" awkward to use. (see gallery link)
To improve pole fastening holes could be drilled in the appropriate places for the spring buttons to lock whilst upgrading the spring buttons to the flatter "dome" type which are much easier to depress and release.
There are a lot of poles on an awning this size !! A further improvement would be to fit "spring connectors" to join the major pole sections together. This would greatly cut down assembly time and avoid confusion.
Spring connectors with an insertion tool can be bought from most accessory shops and are easy to fit.
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Topic: PYRAMID ORION 3M AWNING
