Awning V Tent

[melvin]

I've been looking a Driveaway Awnings today and at seems to be that you have to pay between £100 and £150 more than a similar tent for a flappy piece of fabric to connect your van to your awning which begs they question, is it worth the extra? What do you chaps (and Chapets) use

M

[kathyshack]

You can get em cheaper than that.....
Depends what you want really, but bear in mind
some sites will charge for 2 units if they don't connect properly. Depends what sites you use.

[melvin]

Good thinking about them charging more if they don' connect. I didn't really think about that!
As for use, I currently dont have a R&R bed in the van Plus theres three of us (Me, She and Little She), So I thought a tent would be My best option as its cheaper than buying a decent R&R Bed and a High/Poptop.

M

[anaconda]

Melvin, a similar thread cropped up fairly recently. This was my contribution, for us its the perfect solution:


Weve just bought a Quechua Base seconds instead of a driveaway awning after hearing the views of VW and other campervan punters on another camping website.

It arrived last week and we pitched it in the dining room. Its fantastic and so easy to use, basically you throw it upo in the air and it pretty much sorts itself, well not far off anyway. Its the best bit of kit going. We'll use in the same way as a drive away awning. For example we dont really want to cook in the van as its nicer to do outside. So for 'proper' holidays we'll perhaps take a fold up camping kitchen unit with small cooker on top which we can move in and out of the Quechua. Maybe keep the cool box, clothing and chairs there too. For weekends away or for overnight stop offs en route somewhere the van on its own is fine and we wouldnt need the Quechua.

All of this is simply about comfort and convenience. The van can then be driven around for visits etc and everything is nicely set up in the Quechua when you get back, just like any tent or awning. It'll be a huge bonus to get to our destination and be completely sorted and set up in ten minutes flat, no hassle. We were going to get either the Khyam or the Just Kampers old skool awning. Im glad we didnt. The quechua is such a brilliant design and concept.


Decathlon are doing them for 50 quid which is about half price. We ordered ours over the phone from the Stockport branch.Theres a 'new' model out soon which im informed is the same tent in a different colour. So get yourself a bargain!

[Blue Moonraker]

We've camped for several years with a camper and large tent (6 berth) and have never been charged extra for the tent. One vehicle One tent a bit cheeky if they do. Last year decided to get a drive away awning (Khyam) for 2 Adults plus one large dog. So lots of room in the tent same as the awning.... down side comes when the weather's not good, for drinks and food you either sit in the van or tent and get wet in between.
Overall I think the awning wins. Only takes a few mins to connect to the van but we plan to get an awning skirt this year however as it can get a little draughty (from under the van).

[Cazz]

We've stayed at a several sites where they charge extra for awnings but not for a tent and vehicle (no logic there!). Before when short of cash, we've took the tent to sleep in and used the camper for transport, cooking and eating ours meals at a nice view point and returning to the tent later in the evening.

But we would much rather sleep in the camper and use an awning, that's the reason we bought it. We've also used the camper and an easy erect trailer tent, this worked well except when wet and cold etc, darting between the two just got mud and wet everywhere, like mentioned on the previous post.
Too many options, mmmm a bigger motorhome perhaps? NO that will bring a whole new set of problems.

[kathyshack]

that quechua thing sounds great. i had a quick look on website but cant find one for that price. how big is it?

ive had a couple of sites who have tried to charge us for 2 units when we had my mums tent we wanted to use as an awning. think if we had said camper was just a vehicle we would have got away with it.
kathy

[dirtygertie]

that quechua thing sounds great. i had a quick look on website but cant find one for that price. how big is it?

ive had a couple of sites who have tried to charge us for 2 units when we had my mums tent we wanted to use as an awning. think if we had said camper was just a vehicle we would have got away with it.
kathy

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/seconds-base-35306503/

there you go!!

[kathyshack]

that quechua thing sounds great. i had a quick look on website but cant find one for that price. how big is it?

ive had a couple of sites who have tried to charge us for 2 units when we had my mums tent we wanted to use as an awning. think if we had said camper was just a vehicle we would have got away with it.
kathy

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/seconds-base-35306503/

there you go!!

Thanks Karen!!!! I could only find 4.1 versions which were more expensive.
Ta very much, that'll be great for storing car seats etc x

[anaconda]

that quechua thing sounds great. i had a quick look on website but cant find one for that price. how big is it?

ive had a couple of sites who have tried to charge us for 2 units when we had my mums tent we wanted to use as an awning. think if we had said camper was just a vehicle we would have got away with it.
kathy

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/seconds-base-35306503/

there you go!!

Thanks Karen!!!! I could only find 4.1 versions which were more expensive.
Ta very much, that'll be great for storing car seats etc x

Thats the one. There are usually a few new ones knocking around on ebay.

[kathyshack]

Cheers john!
Just ordered one . Just the job for short stays!

[anaconda]

Cheers john!
Just ordered one . Just the job for short stays!

Nice one!

Its funny how people plan these things differently. Theres just the two of us .....three daughters in their twenties now, so I reckon we'll use ours for anything longer than a weekend, with just the van for weekends. Were planning France for two weeks peak season so the quechua should hold most of our stuff.

[anaconda]

I shouldve said, check out this video on you-tube which shows how to erect and dismantle the tent...its really easy to do but probably worth a practice or two before you give it a go for real in the great outdoors.

[url][http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bq6fpNs5Ls/url]

[ringo]

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/seconds-base-35306503/

there you go!!

You really do love your tents dont you Karen

Ringo

[dirtygertie]

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/seconds-base-35306503/

there you go!!

You really do love your tents dont you Karen

Ringo

according to Nigel, my collection amounts to a fetish but I just think its sensible to have one for every occasion!!