Hi. After many years as a happy camper, I bought a van this year as this summer I am living fulltime and working parttime on a campsite. I've been here since the beginning of April and I'm really pleased with the site, my work and my van, a 2007 fixed bed Elddis Avante 544.
I didn't buy an awning before I came down here as I wasn't sure what I wanted. Anyway, a very kind couple on site lent me an awning to try and I've now decided, much to my surprise, that I prefer not having one!
I can see that the advantage is having protected entry to the van door on rainy days but, for me, on every other day an awning seems to be more of a minus than a plus.
Awning downsides for me included losing light from the van, losing my view out of the van windows, worrying about the awning in the v windy conditions we get here.
I am guessing that it might only be other solo vanners who feel the same ie other people who don't need the extra space offered by an awning.
Has anybody else found this? Or is just me, lol.
------------- Tackling life the Western District way
We've never had an awning. Having done some sailing in the past, I am well aware of the power of a sail. An awning is just that - a sail. It is attached to the caravan by a single rail.
When the wind blows, the forces acting on that rail are a lot greater than you think, causing the rail to "work" and allowing water to enter. I have no proof of this, but it's quite a widely held theory. We have just bought new, but whenever we have bought a second hand caravan, I have always rejected those that had used awnings.
In any event, I am no longer fit enough to start messing about with an awning when we arrive. It's like having a tent and a caravan to deal with at the same time.
each to there own i suppose,we could not manage without a large awning,with all the stuff we carry including three bikes.wellies,coats,and a large external food store for tins ect.if its warm it is much easier to eat in the awning,especially if we have all the parents visiting.if we do not have grandchildren we take a porch awning.
------------- the only silly question is the one you do not ask.
After years of putting up an awning we went for a bigger van.Its great at the end of a break not having to look at the sky to see if its going to rain,or knowing that you still have to put it up and take it down.They do stress the rail and ive always been worried about water ingress.
Each to their own but where weather allows it we prefer to have an awning.
Cant lose having that certain something a tent offers that a van does not so this way we get most of the positives of each.
I bought a caravan because I wad sick of putting a tent up. There was no way I wanted to start putting an awning up. Despite that I have managed to collect 3. A full awning the OH insisted on when we bought our 1st van that has been up twice, a porch awning I bought after refusing to put the full awning up and another porch awning that came with our second van...Anyone in the market for an awning?
If we take our son and lab with us we put up a porch awning, but if it's just me OH and our little dog the awning dosnt go up, our van came with three awnings we sold two of them as I know they would never of got used.
I'm on my own, and even though I'm small I like a lot of space - also the dogs aren't allowed in the caravan so I prefer to use the awning. I do have a porch awning which was used once, with a table and the dogs beds there wasn't a lot of space left, plus it leaked, so it would have to be the full awning each and every time for me.
------------- Tigermouse
I have a very temperamental personality - 50% temper and 50% mental
We love our awnings, but after going without in March for a quick weekend I have realised that they are not essential for short trips, we just put a lidded storage box outside the van for our shoes and put the coats in the shower cubicle. However, for anything longer I like to have a seating area and a table inside the awning (I definitely prefer the children to throw their meals around outside of the caravan!), with a storage unit with the kids stuff in and a hangy thing from the poles for all the coats to be stored. I can see how if you were a lone camper then you probably wouldn't need the space as long as you have somewhere to store your outide chairs, cadac/bbq etc.
I just use a sun canopy at moment, if you don't need the space then erecting an awning is no different from erecting the tent that you bought the caravan to avoid erecting.
We gave up full awnings as we struggled to put one up as we are both too small.... We have a Kampa Fiesta porch that we can put up easily as we like dining outside & dog likes to sit by door watching world go by....
We have a 2 berth van there is only hubby and me and we dont bother with an awning , shoes fold up chairs go under the van , we really dont want the stress of putting it up and taking it down when we dont really need it , i can understand people with kids who need the storage space for bikes etc and those that are pitched for a good few weeks or a full season , but as my hubby says if its nice enough we will sit out if its not we will sit in the van , met a good few people our age who dont use Awnings .
X X Gill
Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 17/5/2011
I just use a sun canopy at moment, if you don't need the space then erecting an awning is no different from erecting the tent that you bought the caravan to avoid erecting.
Quote: Originally posted by LegsDownKettleOn on 17/5/2011
Anyone in the market for an awning?
Yes please, would you like to sell me a cut price porch awning?
I'm not entirely sure we want one, I'm more than convinced that putting one up will lead to marital disharmony of the highest order, but I'm darned sure it'll make life a fair bit easier if we can cast outside the bike with homicidal stabilisers, the oversized buggy, the high chair when not in use, and assorted mucky wellies and soggy coats - and them still be undercover
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: No awning preferred!!!
. We have a Kampa Fiesta porch that we can put up easily as we like dining outside & dog likes to sit by door watching world go by...
.
Yes please, would you like to sell me a cut price porch awning?
