Awning advice please...

[OXI]

I'm not sure whether to put this here or in the camping section but....... can anyone point me to where I can buy a very simple side awning.

All I want is a single sheet that I can clip to the side of the van and hold up using two poles and some guy ropes. I did have one of those fancy wind-out jobs on one van and used it only twice in a few years so I don't intend to shell out that much cash.

Any advice much appreciated.

Frank.

[vanisveryrusty]

Maybe a yacht sail cloth supplier could help you, or your local sailing club.
Must be a few of them your neck of the woods.
Then grab yourself a few tent poles and job done.
Just a thought.

[Sleedale]

If you want a heavy duty canvas tarp, an eBay seller does good ones, but you'd need to sew on some awning channel stuff to thread in the fig 8 strips, then add eyelets or use cling ons for the corner poles - king poles or similar, and ESVO in Holland (I think sell a variety of height adjustable ones) (or find a couple of suitable branches)

The eBay seller is in Germany and you'll find the tarps listed as re enactment or similar. If this is what you want I'll hunt in the camping forum to find them - we bought a huge one for our canvas tent but I made it a lot smaller to use on the van.

Or any kind of tarp would do? Simple to add channel and eyelets.

[nicq]

http://www.the-bus-shelter.com/ordering.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.justkampers.com/camper-van-m ... opies.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Sun ... try_GB.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Look on the Webb there are loads

[ghost123uk]

http://www.justkampers.com/camper-van-m ... opies.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We have this one. Whilst I normally hate JK stuff for poor quality, this item is OK for the price. If you do get one (I got mine in return for a favour, I would not normally buy from JK ) then don't bother with the suction clamps. They fell off in no time on our f/glass Hi-Top and the metal rods could easily have scraped the paintwork as it slid down the side of the van. However, the metal clamps work OK as long as you make sure the rubber protectors are ensuring the metal bit is not digging into the paint on the van's gutter. I also hade to take a inch of each of the black f/glass poles as they were too long and stretched the canopy to the point that the metal poles across the back and front (not the vertical ones) were "bowing". Typical JK really = not quite right, but in this case, OK with a bit of "modification"

It only takes 5 minutes to put up, once you get used to it. It isn't a "drive away" type though, but you can undo the clamps and leave the van end of it pegged onto the floor if you wish to "drive away". This only takes a couple of minutes. If you "double guy" each of the outer poles at say a 45 degree spacing, it is pretty stable in a moderate wind. Tip = make sure the fabric is tucked under and around the pole at the van end of it before attaching the metal clamps. If you dont then the slope of the roof makes any rain run down and produce a nice waterfall right in front (and slightly inside ) the sliding door opening, ask me how I know !

Here it is, along with our strong gazebo at this years Model Aeroplane championships in Grantham last weekend.

[tforturton]

Try Obelink. They do some very good simple side awnings, and they're very reasonable too. I bought another set of extra-strong poles as well, so I now have four poles (all adjustable for height).
Here's the link....this is the one I bought....

http://www.obelink.co.uk/awnings-canopi ... rside.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[planetmalthus]

We've been struggling with the awning question for the last 6 months, but having borrowed a 12ft x 12ft canvas tarp, I'm convinced we now have the best solution for sitting outside in all but the worst weathers. Our issue with getting a pullout awning was the covered area being quite narrow and on many van side fittings, there was a small gap between the van and the awning which would let the rain through and into your boots if you left them outside at night.

The tarp was Pegged down so that it was help up by the hi-top on one side and some 8ft poles i sourced from a forest on the others. The covered area was big enough for a group of us to spend happy evenings protected from the elements and yet still feeling connected with the outdoors. The 8ft headroom was be tapered down to 6ft on one side to let the water run off and the heavy canvas proved quite capable of dealing with strong breezes.

[waltraud]

Decathlon do a large brown or green nylon shelter with roles and poles for 25 quid, mate uses it to v good effect, looks good does the job.

[OXI]

Thanks for all the replies.

I did find a couple on T'interweb but none seem to be a decent, sensible design and reasonably priced.

The bus shelter one seems fine but it's not cheap for what is really a very simple bit of kit. Still, that's probably the one I'll go for but not before I check the decathalon one.

Thanks again.

Frank.