awning suitability

The Tardis factor (interiors, awnings, roofs etc)

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NeilRN
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awning suitability

Post by NeilRN »

Hello All. Can anyone help me please? I'm lookin at buying an awning for a 1982 T25. I'd like it to be an air awning for ease of putting it up. Does anybody have modle suggestions please?

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Zomerzet
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Re: awning suitability

Post by Zomerzet »

I had an Outwell Air beam awning from JK. It was great the first few times I used it, but I was at a festival one weekend and it poured down on the final day, so I just threw the awning in the back of the van to fold up nicely when I got home. The next time I used it, I found it would slowly deflate. Upon investigation, I found many pin hole punctures at the fold points where the air beam had been stressed (I had a large swimming pool at my offshore company to locate the holes more easily!). I tried to repair any I found but there was always one I more than I repaired. This was made more difficult as the tubes were transparent. Outwell do not sell ANY spare tubes for their awnings.

I have now returned to old fashioned poles and would never go back to an air awning. Was the air beam great when it worked, yes! Did I expect a £500 awning to be damaged so easily, no. Should I have put away more carefully EVERY time I used it, maybe... I would say that if you go for an air awning, just make sure that you can get tubes for it, such as Vango. Hope this answers your question!

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1982 VW T25 2.0l Aircooled Devon Camper
1989 Rover 'RETRO' Metro Clubman 998cc
2010 Toyota 'Sensible Car' Yaris

keynsham1
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Re: awning suitability

Post by keynsham1 »

I have an air awning that I have used for five years and it has been absolutely perfect without ever leaking. The only issues I have had is with the eyelets that attach the floor as it has a separate floor and they are not really strong enough. 

It is worth thinking about what you will use the awning for. I have an inner tent I can easily put up in mine as My kids sleep in it sometimes. Mine also has a door in the tunnel part that attaches to the van. This is very useful as you don't need to walk through the awning to get to the van but rather you have a sort of 'hallway' between the two when it is attached. Lastly, mine only has a flap at the far end. I would really like one where all the sides can be rolled up so It is more open on a hot day.

Lastly, air awnings are not great in high winds I found out on the Isle of Wight earlier this year! You would think they would be good as they will just bend around but actually they flap like mad and would tear themselves to shreds if left. I noticed that the framed awnings around me all stayed up because their rigid frames could be firmly strapped to the ground, something you can't do with an air filled awning! That being said though in five years of camping that was the only time I have been caught in the tail end of a hurricane so maybe not an issue in real terms! I would buy another but with a few differences as I have mentioned above.

NeilRN
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Re: awning suitability

Post by NeilRN »

Thank you very much for your replies, they are both very helpful. The main reason I was thinking about an air awning is that I have issues with my heart. However I'm now thinking a good poll version would still be a better option.

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R0B
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Re: awning suitability

Post by R0B »

The Khyam quick erect awnings might be a good bet.
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