Very informative, the only problem that I have encountered is the weight of an air awning plus we had a Kampa as shown in the video which developed a puncture in one of the leg bladders which was not repairable on site, this was the second day of a three week holiday. For this reason we have gone back to a poled awning, you can always get a replacement pole from most camping/caravan dealers if one was to break. Bye the way it took six months to obtain a replacement bladder!
After years of ordinary and pull-outs we bought an air awning for ease of putting up - an Outdoor Revolution Evora 390. What nobody mentioned is just how heavy the thing is, because everything is just in the one bag. Also it's really difficult to get onto the awning rail in the first place, even placed in the front. I said to my wife that it would cause a heart attack for someone eventually - luckily for me it was only a hernia! I suggest you check the weight before you buy! In our case it was 31.3kg which is quite a handful.
Hi Sky Pilot, Yes, we must agree. Our air awning is heavy when it’s in the bag. To make it easier to insert into the rail you can purchase an awning rail lubricant which does help to make the job easier. Thanks for watching, best wishes, Keith & Michele.
Hi Michelle & Keith we have the same awning as you and are very pleased with it but it was interesting seeing other awning thank you for your time I like your videos as you are both down to earth and straight forward 👏👏👏👏👏
Keith, Michele. Invest in the roof liner for your Kampa. Hides the poles, reduces condensation and can be left attached when you take it down, I do. Nick.
Thank you Keith and Michèle for another great vidéo 😉. I do have the air awning kampa Rally air pro 260 and a pôle awning for different type of holiday. Big kisses to you both from France 😘
Hi both. Very useful video for people new to caravans. Pros and cons to all types of awnings tried pole type but really big fan of air for the last few years.i like the idea of the roll out type you showed.good idea for short stays and moveing on for a quick setup. Thanks for sharing have a good weekend
Hi Paul, Totally agree, the sun canopy is great for short stays & the summer months but for us the full awning, particularly for winter caravanning, is ideal. Quick to erect & lots of extra room for storing winter extras....boots, wellies, coats etc. Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Carefree Caravanning we have a vango awning about the same size as yours.we also have a vango small awning approximately 2.5x2.0 meters ideal for short stays.very useful in winter for boots coats ect .and very easy to dry out if you have to pack away in wet weather.its a vango 150 unfortunately I don’t think they make them anymore.shame handy bit of kit
Hi Michelle and Keith if I can provide some further information, Regarding Roll out type awnings, you mention you can leave the awning rolled up in the bag on the awning rail. I notice the caravan using the unit is a modern Swift which utilises state of the art manufacturing processes and the awning rail is very robust. My caravan is of old school construction, awning rail fitted with screws and sealant along its length, my caravan technician doesn’t advise travelling with the awning bag fitted due to the strain on the fittings. I might add that mine is a 4 M Thule but I think his words are worthy of consideration. Secondly I have a similar air awning to yours a 2017 model 390 plus with annexe. In wet weather I tend to suffer water pooling between the awning rail and centre longitudinal pole. I’ve made some pads from 2”” foam which I insert between the caravan and the end of the awning pole, this moves the awning away from the van and makes the roof tighter thus allowing water run off. Sorry my comment is a bit long winded.
Hi Colin, Many thanks for your detailed comments. We do suffer from pooling & would be very interested to see, in more detail, your remedy using the 2 inch foam. Any chance you could send us some photos? info@carefreecaravanning.co.uk Excellent point re older caravans 👍🏻 Thanks for sharing with everyone. Keith & Michele.
Nice review guys. We gave up with a full side tent. Now just use a bag awning, with the optional zip in sides. We also have a rear bag awning as well where there is a full width opening window. Great for air flow & game viewing where we live. 👍👍😎
Thank you for filming this video. I am from the US, have a ford transit connect as my everyday driver and a wee campervan named Dobby. Being so small, I modified an awning meant for a VW van 8'x 8' They do offer side walls for a small price so if the weather is cruddy (always seems to rain when you go out camping lol) Now you are the second video that I have seen with an inflatable awning system. I saw a video from australia that they offer an inflatable camper (metal trailer body and you inflate it at the campsite, I guess lower height makes easier towing (better fuel economy) I think I would like to see one of these inflatables in real life to feel how rugged it is. I guess technology has improved from those cheap inflatable rafts as a child we had down at the shore lol
Hi Deryk, The inflatable awnings have certainly improved in robustness & ease of installation over recent years, definitely worth a closer look 👍🏻 Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Wow 2 hours...we have the Isabella full size pole awning and its about 40 mins at the most to put up on his own or 30 if 2 of us...never have a problem its even just survived the Cornwall winds last week x
Hi, we have a large air awning and find that the weight is an issue when erecting it, so I spray the awning channel with a silicone spray which helps the awning slide along the channel much easier. We also have an opening half way up the side of the channel which makes it a bit easier to start the process.
Hi Guys great vid again what I do is spray furniture polish in the awning rail you’ll find the awning pulls so much easier just glides along, just my personal tip have fun 👍
Hi, many thanks for yet another interesting video about awnings. I wonder if you mind me putting in my tuppence worth. Pros and cons of inflatable awnings: Inflatables (which I prefer) are far heavier to handle than poled awnings being an all in one item and therefore can be more difficult to slide onto the caravan especially if one is vertically challenged like myself. So first of all best to silicon spray the slide or the actual awning bead prior to installing. But the best and reasonably priced accessary I found is a simple pulley system that fixes to the caravan slide towards the rear of the caravan and it really does make it possible, and I'd go as far as easy, (despite the weight) for a single person to erect it on one's own. Thanks again for your videos. Godwin
Very informative, as always Keith 'n Michele, thank you! We have a Fiamma canopy (just fitted after our 'van cleaning yesterday, ready for Norfolk on Monday!) as well as an Air Awning, although they are both a little on the small side for our new 'van. After France next month, we may be on the lookout for something a little longer. Although, the Air Awning will be the way to go for us - yours is a rather tasty example by the way... 👍🏻 Cheers, Rog... 🐍
Hi Rog, Thanks for your kind words 👍🏻 Hope the wind eases by Monday for your trip to Norfolk. We’d love to hear about your adventures in France 😀 Make sure you send us some pics 👍🏻 info@carefreecaravanning.co.uk Have a great weekend & a fabulous time away, Keith & Michele.
Interesting vlog showing the different types. I've had poled awnings and have had 2 air awnings. Much prefer the air awning for ease of setting up. I can do this solo when I need to- when I escape on my own! I bought a sleeping pod last year for my son to use on a visit and they're great. Used it this year too. I'm hoping it stands up to the 50-60mph winds which are forecast later today. Luckily my son and partner are in the van down on the Lizard, he has double pegged everything to be on the safe side! Get the roof liner, it doesn't stop condensation but it certainly helps and looks good too. That looks like a very fancy site you are on. Happy caravanning.
Hi Gill, Thanks as always for your continued support & comments 👍🏻 We will invest in a roof liner, we’ve been meaning to get one for ages, just haven’t got round to it! It’s on the top of the list now!!! Hope you all stay safe this weekend 🙏 Looks like it’s going to be a nasty one! Best wishes, Keith & Michele.
Hi Keith, Michelle another very interesting video however I did notice you mention the price of the roll out awning but didn't mention how much one can expect to pay for the following two. That said weight is a very important part that plays a part in what one should consider to buy when purchasing an awning and I believe other subscribes to your channel would have found this of great use. We ourselves have a Isabella opus 300 with carbon poles and with a 200kg payload it leaves us with a fair bit of further room on that front as the mover takes 30 kgs away from the payload. Looking forward to your following videos, love this caravanning community...
Hi Graham, Apologies we omitted to mention the prices, there are so many variants of price & weight on all 3 types. Sounds like you’ve got a great awning 👍🏻 Many thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Hi Terry, Many thanks for your kind words, delighted you’re finding our videos useful. Good luck with the new caravan 👍🏻 Please let us know how you get on. info@carefreecaravanning.co.uk We’d love to hear 😀 Thanks again, Keith & Michele.
Nice overview of the three types I have two Isabella poled awnings had them years are still like new agree the full awning is better with two people but the magnum I can have up in 20 minutes single handed.like the look of the kampa but I think my Isabellas will outlast me Thankyou really interesting vlog
Thanks Greg, Isabella do seem to be a popular choice & very durable. Air awning v’s poled awning is a bit like IPhone v’s Android 😀 Thanks for watching 👍🏻 Keith & Michele.
Like you Greg we have both an Isabella porch and full awning (both with carbon poles). I can put the porch up in less than 30 minutes on my own and the full owning takes two of us about an hour. The full awning is massive at 3 meters deep but we love the extra space it gives us.
Very informative video, done in a cheery, friendly manner. Thanks! It would have been useful to know about "packing away" times (not just disassembly) and any problems with drying out when packed away wet, probable lifetime and getting them repaired, but I do understand I'm being very nit-picky with that comment. Great job!
Keith, Michele. Concur with some of the other comments. I had an Isabella full awning with the carbon fibre poles and could erect it in about half an hour. the poles are designed so you cant get them in the wrong place so no need for colour coding etc. They are top of the range however and as such top of the range price. However, I think worth investing in for ease and quality. Nick.
Great video guys we have a poled awning or a divorce in a bag we bought new when we bought our vogue it's much easier to put up than our old awning as it has fibre glass poles so less like a divorce in a bag more like not talking for a few hours 😀😁🤣 must admit that I like the idea of the inflatable type, we also have a small porch awning for short break. Best wishes Jon and Karen
Hi Jon & Karen, 😆😂😆 Putting up a poled awning can be challenging & has been known to cause a few marital issues! 😉 We love our air awning as it’s a one person job to put it up......saves any arguments 😆 Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Hi, really enjoy watching your adventures. Feel I must speak up in defence of the poled awning! As a “seasoned’ caravanner of 15 years we have tried all the awnings. We did try the Kampa Air awnings when they first came out as we were sold on the idea of the speed of assembly and yes, once you have threaded the very heavy awning through the rail after spraying with silicone it’s is very quick to inflate but we soon realised that from here on in it took just as long to put up as our full poled Isabella. We also found that the guy straps needed to pull the awning into shape became potential trip hazards as you so ably demonstrated with yours. With dogs on tethers this was a real issue.The next problem we encountered was the loss of headroom at the front due to the curve of the beams, the poled awning you showed gives you full head height anywhere inside the awning. Following on from that we didn’t like the chronic condensation problems and rainwater leaking through the seams requiring liberal applications of waterproofing spray. Another problem we encountered was that if we pitched our Fiesta Air Pro on anything other than a level pitch like you are on it would twist and we’d get problems with rain pooling on the roof making it sag. Final straw for us was when we encountered strong winds the awning would actually collapse momentarily, knocking over cabinets and tables, not much fun when you’re sitting in it! If it takes you three hours to put up a poled awning, you’re doing something wrong. I invariably put our full length Isabella up, single handed. As we have a large twin axle it’s a big old beast but still only takes less than an hour to put it up on a grass pitch where the pegging is easier. If beloved is with me we can shave about 10 minutes off that. It also has the advantage of being able to take sloping or uneven pitches into account as the leg lengths are adjustable. I must admit our early attempts at putting a full awning up came pretty close to fulfilling the ‘divorce in a bag’ prophecy but taking the time to work out the correct method makes it (almost) a pleasure to put it up. This isn’t a critique of your video, far from it, just wanted to balance the view a little as you’re obviously sold on your Kampa and it works for you which is great, we weren’t so fortunate. Keep on doing what you’re doing, enjoy the lifestyle.
Hi Andrew, you make some great points, very interesting to read 👍🏻 You’ve certainly given us something to think about. Many thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
We have had “poled” awnings and 2 inflatable awnings. Easier to have a poled one if you want it to be the size of the caravan ie to go around the length of the awning rail. Kampas, with the single point of inflation, are great. Ours is a Kampa Ace Air Pro 390. The previous Kampa Air 400 was fine. Lasted 4 full seasons being put up most weekends from March/April to October, and for longer holidays. It once stood up to a 61mph hurricane at Grinton (which in the last week or so suffered flooding a destroyed bridge!) with no problems, though my heart was in my mouth. BBC Weather App said it would calm down at 5 pm and it was as if God had flicked a switch at 5pm - dropped instantly to a gentliish 20 odd mph. After that, strongish winds held no fear. The current one has 3 bays. We have cut 3 broom shanks to length, placed rubber awning pole suckers on the ends, and use them as braces between the three “down” poles about 4 feet from ground level at the front of the awning. Gives even greater strength and stability. Bring on the wind....!
Hi Raymond, So interesting to hear your experiences, many thanks for that 👍🏻 We’re really interested in your broom remedy but can’t quite visualise it 🤔 Any chance you could send us some photos of this please? info@carefreecaravanning.co.uk Many thanks, Keith & Michele.
Carefree Caravanning: Will do. We have just returned from a THS at Beadnell where we were for 2 weeks plus, and will not be going out next week. However we intend going out the weekend after that, so will take photos. I will look to see if we have already-taken photos anyway. Week after next was supposed to be at Leyburn which suffered badly from flooding a couple of weeks back, so I will keep fingers crossed that the field is still there!
Great work again Keith and Michelle🤝 gives us all a insight to the different types of awnings Thanks again looking forward to the next video Ps cheeky question ?? what site have you taken that video at looks really nice 😉
Hi guys very useful info I think air awnings r the way forward for easy erecting I hav the kampa awning aswell brilliant if u do get a roof liner make sure u get one for the year of your awning as it won't fit hav u ever thought of doing a video of arriving on site and showing how u set up and putting your awning up but do it in two parts just a thought all the best .kev
Hi Kev, Thanks for the tip 👍🏻 Also, thanks for your suggestion re videos. If there is anything else you would like us to cover please let us know. Have a great weekend, Keith & Michele.
Hi Keith and Michelle really enjoy watching your videos we have a similar van to yourselfs a Challenger 580 and have been caravaning about the same time as this is our 3rd season. I have a question that you might be able to answer we mainly go on hard standing but I can never get my pegs in without nearly ending up with visit to hospital I have tried allsorts and when eventually get them in can never get them out. I must be doing something wrong as I never see anybody else having same problem as me and just one more thing my wife asked me to ask you where did you get your chairs from in the awning as I only dare put up a small awning if we use our sun loungers to sit on in there we have no room. Anyway enough from me keep posting the videos you are doing a great job.
Hi Graham, When we put our rock pegs in hard standing we always use a small club hammer. We don’t experience any problems driving them in with this. When removing we tend to use a claw hammer. Knock them gently side to side to shock them then use the claw to pull them out. We strongly advise against using the hook removal tool as this tends to break the plastic cap. We got the chairs from EBay (Folding White Garden Outdoor Chair) Hope this helps, Keith & Michele.
@@keithandmichele thank you so much for the info as you say the plastic breaks on the pegs which happens to us all the time and I was getting frustrated with it to the point of not bothering to put up awning as I was getting to stressed out trying to remove pegs but thanks to you I will give it another go. Enjoy the rest of the year caravaning.
Hi Neil, The answer to this question is yes. Our advice would be when caravan dealerships reopen, visit them & have a look in some different berths & layouts to see what suits you. Hope this helps, Keith & Michele.
We have recently purchased a Rally AirPro Awning. A smaller version of yours. After a night of heavy rain, we noticed that we have water ingress along the major inflation poles, and water driping on the floor, also problems with condensation in the recent bhot day and cold night spring weather. Any suggestions as we never had a problem with our previous pole awning. Thank you michelle xx
Hi Michelle, We also had this problem & so at the start of each season we would treat the awning with Fabsil Gold to re-proof the fabric. It seemed to do a good job 👍🏻 Hope this helps, sending our best wishes, Keith & Michele.
Great video. We have a kampa air awning, do you have any advice on how to clean the plastic windows? I have tried water but they look smeared. I am unsure what to use in case they go 'cloudy'. Always enjoy your videos. We are off to Twinwood soon are you going this year? Many thanks.
Hi Carol, We have heard of the windows clouding by people using cleaning products. We would strongly advise you to call Kampa directly on 01376 500111 They will be able to give you the best advice on what to use. Alternatively you can email them via the contact us page on their website. Not going to Twinwood this year 🙁 Have a great time, it’s a fantastic weekend 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
I'm doing my research, looking to get my first caravan in 2021, and an awning (for me) is a must have addition. Still wondering about pole or air awning.?
Hi Fat-Shot-Golf, We have an air awning which we find really easy to erect. We haven’t tried a pole awning so can’t really give a personal opinion or recommendation, it’s a personal choice to be honest. Good luck with your search, best wishes, Keith & Michele.
Hi Mags, The site was Plassey holiday park in North Wales. It’s a beautiful place to stay, we did a video review of it which might be helpful for you to watch if you’re planning on a visit. Hope this helps, best wishes, Keith & Michele
Hi SuperRogers007, Many thanks for watching, the site was Plassey Holiday Park in North Wales, great site & we did a review of it which you may find helpful to watch. Sending best wishes, Keith & Michele.
Hi Keith and Michele. Only 2 years later but were you able to open the front window ok with the 390 and the vogue ? Just wondering as picking my vogue 580 sb this weekend ? Thanks Jon
Hi Jon, We always position our 390 awning between the door & the front window which allow both window & door to open freely. Congratulations on your new Vogue 🥳 Sending our best wishes to you, Keith & Michele.
@@keithandmichele thanks Keith we managed on our pitch to get the 390 up just where you said. One thing though it doesn’t seem to fit snug to the caravan but we are on a very uneven pitch. Keep up the great vlogs. Jon
Hi James, Steve was cooking on his BBQ outside of his awning. It’s not advised to use a gas BBQ inside the awning. Thanks for your kind words, Keith & Michele.
Air awnings are great but they do have a huge weak spot You need level Ground to put Them up . If the Ground is not level your beams will not be set proberly We have had to dig out under a beam other times we had raise the Ground
hi how do you find air awning in bad winds, do they make a lot of noise when your in the van or are they very sturdy, our full pole awning rubs against the carbon fibre poles and sounds loud in the van, debating if we should buy one? thanks
Hi Tracey. We have had our Kampa air awning for 3 years and it’s endured all types of weather, including severe winds. We use limpets which secure the sides to the caravan and stop any flapping noises. Hope this helps, Keith & Michele
Hi Eileen, we have recently purchased Isabella Thor chairs which are very comfortable & light weight. They also have an additional foot/leg rest which can be purchased separately. Highly recommend them 👍🏻 Hope this helps, sending our best wishes, Keith & Michele.
The air vent in our awning is at the sides by the top. These can be used to help stop condensation. Many thanks for watching Eileen. Best wishes Keith & Michele
Hi Graham, we were showing the 3 different types of awning that were on site with us, not all the different types of awning that are available. Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Great work again Keith and Michelle🤝 gives us all a insight to the different types of awnings Thanks again looking forward to the next video Ps cheeky question ?? what site have you taken that video at looks really nice 😉 Cheers mark
Sorry Mark for some reason this slipped through the net. This was shot at the Plassey in Wrexham, North Wales . Great site. Take care both of you, Keith & Michele
Very informative, the only problem that I have encountered is the weight of an air awning plus we had a Kampa as shown in the video which developed a puncture in one of the leg bladders which was not repairable on site, this was the second day of a three week holiday. For this reason we have gone back to a poled awning, you can always get a replacement pole from most camping/caravan dealers if one was to break. Bye the way it took six months to obtain a replacement bladder!
After years of ordinary and pull-outs we bought an air awning for ease of putting up - an Outdoor Revolution Evora 390. What nobody mentioned is just how heavy the thing is, because everything is just in the one bag. Also it's really difficult to get onto the awning rail in the first place, even placed in the front. I said to my wife that it would cause a heart attack for someone eventually - luckily for me it was only a hernia! I suggest you check the weight before you buy! In our case it was 31.3kg which is quite a handful.
Hi Sky Pilot, Yes, we must agree. Our air awning is heavy when it’s in the bag. To make it easier to insert into the rail you can purchase an awning rail lubricant which does help to make the job easier. Thanks for watching, best wishes, Keith & Michele.
Love seeing you way over there from way over here in Australia !
Many thanks for watching Lane, Wishing you a Merry Christmas in Australia 🎄 Keith & Michele.
Hi Michelle & Keith we have the same awning as you and are very pleased with it but it was interesting seeing other awning thank you for your time I like your videos as you are both down to earth and straight forward 👏👏👏👏👏
Hi Liz, Many thanks for your lovely words, delighted you found the video interesting 👍🏻 Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Keith, Michele. Invest in the roof liner for your Kampa. Hides the poles, reduces condensation and can be left attached when you take it down, I do. Nick.
Thanks again Nick for the info, we’ve been meaning to get one just haven’t got round to it! 🙄 Keith & Michele.
Thank you Keith and Michèle for another great vidéo 😉. I do have the air awning kampa Rally air pro 260 and a pôle awning for different type of holiday. Big kisses to you both from France 😘
Hi Gaetan, Great that you have the choice of both 👍🏻 Best wishes, Keith & Michele x
Hi both. Very useful video for people new to caravans. Pros and cons to all types of awnings tried pole type but really big fan of air for the last few years.i like the idea of the roll out type you showed.good idea for short stays and moveing on for a quick setup. Thanks for sharing have a good weekend
Hi Paul, Totally agree, the sun canopy is great for short stays & the summer months but for us the full awning, particularly for winter caravanning, is ideal. Quick to erect & lots of extra room for storing winter extras....boots, wellies, coats etc. Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Carefree Caravanning we have a vango awning about the same size as yours.we also have a vango small awning approximately 2.5x2.0 meters ideal for short stays.very useful in winter for boots coats ect .and very easy to dry out if you have to pack away in wet weather.its a vango 150 unfortunately I don’t think they make them anymore.shame handy bit of kit
Hi Michelle and Keith if I can provide some further information,
Regarding Roll out type awnings, you mention you can leave the awning rolled up in the bag on the awning rail. I notice the caravan using the unit is a modern Swift which utilises state of the art manufacturing processes and the awning rail is very robust. My caravan is of old school construction, awning rail fitted with screws and sealant along its length, my caravan technician doesn’t advise travelling with the awning bag fitted due to the strain on the fittings. I might add that mine is a 4 M Thule but I think his words are worthy of consideration.
Secondly I have a similar air awning to yours a 2017 model 390 plus with annexe. In wet weather I tend to suffer water pooling between the awning rail and centre longitudinal pole. I’ve made some pads from 2”” foam which I insert between the caravan and the end of the awning pole, this moves the awning away from the van and makes the roof tighter thus allowing water run off. Sorry my comment is a bit long winded.
Hi Colin, Many thanks for your detailed comments. We do suffer from pooling & would be very interested to see, in more detail, your remedy using the 2 inch foam. Any chance you could send us some photos? info@carefreecaravanning.co.uk Excellent point re older caravans 👍🏻 Thanks for sharing with everyone. Keith & Michele.
Nice review guys. We gave up with a full side tent. Now just use a bag awning, with the optional zip in sides. We also have a rear bag awning as well where there is a full width opening window. Great for air flow & game viewing where we live. 👍👍😎
Hi David, Sounds ideal 👍🏻 Thanks for sharing, Keith & Michele.
Those are really awesome. I’m here in America, I hope they sell those here.
I really like your videos
Many thanks for watching Anthony, we’re delighted you’re enjoying our videos. Sending our best wishes to you, Keith & Michele.
Great video showing different types of Awnings for new caravaners - we have MH with wind out canopy but I found it very informative 👍😄
Hi Andrew & Karen, Delighted you found it useful 👍🏻 Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Thank you for filming this video. I am from the US, have a ford transit connect as my everyday driver and a wee campervan named Dobby. Being so small, I modified an awning meant for a VW van 8'x 8' They do offer side walls for a small price so if the weather is cruddy (always seems to rain when you go out camping lol) Now you are the second video that I have seen with an inflatable awning system. I saw a video from australia that they offer an inflatable camper (metal trailer body and you inflate it at the campsite, I guess lower height makes easier towing (better fuel economy) I think I would like to see one of these inflatables in real life to feel how rugged it is. I guess technology has improved from those cheap inflatable rafts as a child we had down at the shore lol
Hi Deryk, The inflatable awnings have certainly improved in robustness & ease of installation over recent years, definitely worth a closer look 👍🏻 Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Wow 2 hours...we have the Isabella full size pole awning and its about 40 mins at the most to put up on his own or 30 if 2 of us...never have a problem its even just survived the Cornwall winds last week x
Hi Pippa, You’ve obviously got it down to a fine art 😀 Glad you survived the winds 👍🏻 Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
@@keithandmichele wish i was that good but all down to my other half n he is in his 30s so that helps
Hi, we have a large air awning and find that the weight is an issue when erecting it, so I spray the awning channel with a silicone spray which helps the awning slide along the channel much easier. We also have an opening half way up the side of the channel which makes it a bit easier to start the process.
Hi David, Great tip, thanks for sharing that with everyone 👍🏻 Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Thanks for that Bengit1000, we’ll look into this, sounds interesting 👍🏻 Keith & Michele.
Hi Guys great vid again what I do is spray furniture polish in the awning rail you’ll find the awning pulls so much easier just glides along, just my personal tip have fun 👍
Hi Candy, you can also get silicone awning rail spray to lubricate the channel 👍🏻 Thanks for watching, have a great weekend 😀 Keith & Michele
Hi, many thanks for yet another interesting video about awnings. I wonder if you mind me putting in my tuppence worth.
Pros and cons of inflatable awnings:
Inflatables (which I prefer) are far heavier to handle than poled awnings being an all in one item and therefore can be more difficult to slide onto the caravan especially if one is vertically challenged like myself.
So first of all best to silicon spray the slide or the actual awning bead prior to installing.
But the best and reasonably priced accessary I found is a simple pulley system that fixes to the caravan slide towards the rear of the caravan and it really does make it possible, and I'd go as far as easy, (despite the weight) for a single person to erect it on one's own.
Thanks again for your videos.
Godwin
Many thanks for these very helpful tips Godwin & thank you for your watching. Sending our best wishes to you, Keith & Michele.
Very informative, as always Keith 'n Michele, thank you! We have a Fiamma canopy (just fitted after our 'van cleaning yesterday, ready for Norfolk on Monday!) as well as an Air Awning, although they are both a little on the small side for our new 'van. After France next month, we may be on the lookout for something a little longer. Although, the Air Awning will be the way to go for us - yours is a rather tasty example by the way... 👍🏻 Cheers, Rog... 🐍
Hi Rog, Thanks for your kind words 👍🏻 Hope the wind eases by Monday for your trip to Norfolk. We’d love to hear about your adventures in France 😀 Make sure you send us some pics 👍🏻 info@carefreecaravanning.co.uk Have a great weekend & a fabulous time away, Keith & Michele.
Carefree Caravanning - thank you, if you’re sure, we’ll try and remember the pics... 👍🏻😉
My first watch here - a really nice informative honest video - thank you for sharing - I got to to subscribe to this channel -
Hi Trueblue, Many thanks for your kind words & welcome to our channel 👍🏻 Keith & Michele.
Interesting vlog showing the different types. I've had poled awnings and have had 2 air awnings. Much prefer the air awning for ease of setting up. I can do this solo when I need to- when I escape on my own! I bought a sleeping pod last year for my son to use on a visit and they're great. Used it this year too. I'm hoping it stands up to the 50-60mph winds which are forecast later today. Luckily my son and partner are in the van down on the Lizard, he has double pegged everything to be on the safe side! Get the roof liner, it doesn't stop condensation but it certainly helps and looks good too.
That looks like a very fancy site you are on.
Happy caravanning.
Hi Gill, Thanks as always for your continued support & comments 👍🏻 We will invest in a roof liner, we’ve been meaning to get one for ages, just haven’t got round to it! It’s on the top of the list now!!! Hope you all stay safe this weekend 🙏 Looks like it’s going to be a nasty one! Best wishes, Keith & Michele.
Hi Keith, Michelle another very interesting video however I did notice you mention the price of the roll out awning but didn't mention how much one can expect to pay for the following two. That said weight is a very important part that plays a part in what one should consider to buy when purchasing an awning and I believe other subscribes to your channel would have found this of great use. We ourselves have a Isabella opus 300 with carbon poles and with a 200kg payload it leaves us with a fair bit of further room on that front as the mover takes 30 kgs away from the payload. Looking forward to your following videos, love this caravanning community...
Hi Graham, Apologies we omitted to mention the prices, there are so many variants of price & weight on all 3 types. Sounds like you’ve got a great awning 👍🏻 Many thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Thank you. We are about to buy our first caravan, and find your videos very interesting. All the best. T
Hi Terry, Many thanks for your kind words, delighted you’re finding our videos useful. Good luck with the new caravan 👍🏻 Please let us know how you get on. info@carefreecaravanning.co.uk We’d love to hear 😀 Thanks again, Keith & Michele.
Nice overview of the three types I have two Isabella poled awnings had them years are still like new agree the full awning is better with two people but the magnum I can have up in 20 minutes single
handed.like the look of the kampa but I think my Isabellas will outlast me
Thankyou really interesting vlog
Thanks Greg, Isabella do seem to be a popular choice & very durable. Air awning v’s poled awning is a bit like IPhone v’s Android 😀 Thanks for watching 👍🏻 Keith & Michele.
Like you Greg we have both an Isabella porch and full awning (both with carbon poles). I can put the porch up in less than 30 minutes on my own and the full owning takes two of us about an hour. The full awning is massive at 3 meters deep but we love the extra space it gives us.
Very informative video, done in a cheery, friendly manner. Thanks! It would have been useful to know about "packing away" times (not just disassembly) and any problems with drying out when packed away wet, probable lifetime and getting them repaired, but I do understand I'm being very nit-picky with that comment. Great job!
Hi, That’s a whole other video 😀 We’ll look into doing this at a later stage 👍🏻 Many thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Keith, Michele. Concur with some of the other comments. I had an Isabella full awning with the carbon fibre poles and could erect it in about half an hour. the poles are designed so you cant get them in the wrong place so no need for colour coding etc. They are top of the range however and as such top of the range price. However, I think worth investing in for ease and quality. Nick.
Hi Nick, Thanks for that info, good to know 👍🏻 Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Great vlog guys, really interesting. We haven’t made the move to an awning yet we still only have our Isabella sun canopy. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Stuart & Rebecca, thanks, as always, for your comments & for watching 👍🏻 Keith & Michele.
Gosh amazing! Wish we had air awnings in SA 😲👏👏👏
Hi Juliet, Didn’t know you haven’t got air awnings in SA, interesting to know. Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Great video guys we have a poled awning or a divorce in a bag we bought new when we bought our vogue it's much easier to put up than our old awning as it has fibre glass poles so less like a divorce in a bag more like not talking for a few hours 😀😁🤣 must admit that I like the idea of the inflatable type, we also have a small porch awning for short break.
Best wishes
Jon and Karen
Hi Jon & Karen, 😆😂😆 Putting up a poled awning can be challenging & has been known to cause a few marital issues! 😉 We love our air awning as it’s a one person job to put it up......saves any arguments 😆 Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Hi, really enjoy watching your adventures. Feel I must speak up in defence of the poled awning! As a “seasoned’ caravanner of 15 years we have tried all the awnings. We did try the Kampa Air awnings when they first came out as we were sold on the idea of the speed of assembly and yes, once you have threaded the very heavy awning through the rail after spraying with silicone it’s is very quick to inflate but we soon realised that from here on in it took just as long to put up as our full poled Isabella. We also found that the guy straps needed to pull the awning into shape became potential trip hazards as you so ably demonstrated with yours. With dogs on tethers this was a real issue.The next problem we encountered was the loss of headroom at the front due to the curve of the beams, the poled awning you showed gives you full head height anywhere inside the awning. Following on from that we didn’t like the chronic condensation problems and rainwater leaking through the seams requiring liberal applications of waterproofing spray. Another problem we encountered was that if we pitched our Fiesta Air Pro on anything other than a level pitch like you are on it would twist and we’d get problems with rain pooling on the roof making it sag. Final straw for us was when we encountered strong winds the awning would actually collapse momentarily, knocking over cabinets and tables, not much fun when you’re sitting in it!
If it takes you three hours to put up a poled awning, you’re doing something wrong. I invariably put our full length Isabella up, single handed. As we have a large twin axle it’s a big old beast but still only takes less than an hour to put it up on a grass pitch where the pegging is easier. If beloved is with me we can shave about 10 minutes off that. It also has the advantage of being able to take sloping or uneven pitches into account as the leg lengths are adjustable. I must admit our early attempts at putting a full awning up came pretty close to fulfilling the ‘divorce in a bag’ prophecy but taking the time to work out the correct method makes it (almost) a pleasure to put it up.
This isn’t a critique of your video, far from it, just wanted to balance the view a little as you’re obviously sold on your Kampa and it works for you which is great, we weren’t so fortunate.
Keep on doing what you’re doing, enjoy the lifestyle.
Hi Andrew, you make some great points, very interesting to read 👍🏻 You’ve certainly given us something to think about. Many thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Great info as always 👍❤️🇦🇺
Hi Chris, Thanks very much 👍🏻 Keith & Michele.
Hi. Love the channel, very informative, those chairs......who makes them, where can I get them? Thanks
They are Isabella Thor chairs. Hope this helps, Keith & Michele
We have had “poled” awnings and 2 inflatable awnings. Easier to have a poled one if you want it to be the size of the caravan ie to go around the length of the awning rail.
Kampas, with the single point of inflation, are great. Ours is a Kampa Ace Air Pro 390. The previous Kampa Air 400 was fine. Lasted 4 full seasons being put up most weekends from March/April to October, and for longer holidays. It once stood up to a 61mph hurricane at Grinton (which in the last week or so suffered flooding a destroyed bridge!) with no problems, though my heart was in my mouth. BBC Weather App said it would calm down at 5 pm and it was as if God had flicked a switch at 5pm - dropped instantly to a gentliish 20 odd mph. After that, strongish winds held no fear.
The current one has 3 bays. We have cut 3 broom shanks to length, placed rubber awning pole suckers on the ends, and use them as braces between the three “down” poles about 4 feet from ground level at the front of the awning. Gives even greater strength and stability. Bring on the wind....!
Hi Raymond, So interesting to hear your experiences, many thanks for that 👍🏻 We’re really interested in your broom remedy but can’t quite visualise it 🤔 Any chance you could send us some photos of this please? info@carefreecaravanning.co.uk Many thanks, Keith & Michele.
Carefree Caravanning: Will do. We have just returned from a THS at Beadnell where we were for 2 weeks plus, and will not be going out next week. However we intend going out the weekend after that, so will take photos. I will look to see if we have already-taken photos anyway. Week after next was supposed to be at Leyburn which suffered badly from flooding a couple of weeks back, so I will keep fingers crossed that the field is still there!
thank you
Great work again Keith and Michelle🤝
gives us all a insight to the different types of awnings Thanks again looking forward to the next video
Ps cheeky question ?? what site have you taken that video at looks really nice 😉
Hi Mark, Thanks for your kind words 👍🏻 Site review coming very soon 😀 Keith & Michele.
Hi guys very useful info I think air awnings r the way forward for easy erecting I hav the kampa awning aswell brilliant if u do get a roof liner make sure u get one for the year of your awning as it won't fit hav u ever thought of doing a video of arriving on site and showing how u set up and putting your awning up but do it in two parts just a thought all the best .kev
Hi Kev, Thanks for the tip 👍🏻 Also, thanks for your suggestion re videos. If there is anything else you would like us to cover please let us know. Have a great weekend, Keith & Michele.
Good tip. Easier to feed awning into awning rail at the front of caravan not rear. Cheers
Hi Anthony, Anything that helps putting the awning up more easily is a bonus 😀 Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Hi Keith and Michelle really enjoy watching your videos we have a similar van to yourselfs a Challenger 580 and have been caravaning about the same time as this is our 3rd season. I have a question that you might be able to answer we mainly go on hard standing but I can never get my pegs in without nearly ending up with visit to hospital I have tried allsorts and when eventually get them in can never get them out. I must be doing something wrong as I never see anybody else having same problem as me and just one more thing my wife asked me to ask you where did you get your chairs from in the awning as I only dare put up a small awning if we use our sun loungers to sit on in there we have no room. Anyway enough from me keep posting the videos you are doing a great job.
Hi Graham, When we put our rock pegs in hard standing we always use a small club hammer. We don’t experience any problems driving them in with this. When removing we tend to use a claw hammer. Knock them gently side to side to shock them then use the claw to pull them out. We strongly advise against using the hook removal tool as this tends to break the plastic cap. We got the chairs from EBay (Folding White Garden Outdoor Chair) Hope this helps, Keith & Michele.
@@keithandmichele thank you so much for the info as you say the plastic breaks on the pegs which happens to us all the time and I was getting frustrated with it to the point of not bothering to put up awning as I was getting to stressed out trying to remove pegs but thanks to you I will give it another go. Enjoy the rest of the year caravaning.
Love the chairs i need them
Hi James, We got the chairs from Amazon. Very comfy! Here's the link amzn.to/2CRGF1z Hope this helps, best wishes, Keith & Michele.
@@keithandmichele Ty
I love your chairs, when can I buy some please?
Hi Lucy, here’s the link for the chairs. amzn.to/2CRGF1z very comfy, hope this helps, Keith & Michele
thank you for advice im a newbie to caravaning is there must diff in size between a 2 and 4 berth thanks
Hi Neil, The answer to this question is yes. Our advice would be when caravan dealerships reopen, visit them & have a look in some different berths & layouts to see what suits you. Hope this helps, Keith & Michele.
thank you for advice
We have recently purchased a Rally AirPro Awning. A smaller version of yours. After a night of heavy rain, we noticed that we have water ingress along the major inflation poles, and water driping on the floor, also problems with condensation in the recent bhot day and cold night spring weather. Any suggestions as we never had a problem with our previous pole awning. Thank you michelle xx
Hi Michelle, We also had this problem & so at the start of each season we would treat the awning with Fabsil Gold to re-proof the fabric. It seemed to do a good job 👍🏻 Hope this helps, sending our best wishes, Keith & Michele.
@@keithandmichele tgank you both so much! We so enjoy your videos xxxxx
Great video. We have a kampa air awning, do you have any advice on how to clean the plastic windows? I have tried water but they look smeared. I am unsure what to use in case they go 'cloudy'. Always enjoy your videos. We are off to Twinwood soon are you going this year? Many thanks.
Hi Carol, We have heard of the windows clouding by people using cleaning products. We would strongly advise you to call Kampa directly on 01376 500111 They will be able to give you the best advice on what to use. Alternatively you can email them via the contact us page on their website. Not going to Twinwood this year 🙁 Have a great time, it’s a fantastic weekend 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
I'm doing my research, looking to get my first caravan in 2021, and an awning (for me) is a must have addition. Still wondering about pole or air awning.?
Hi Fat-Shot-Golf, We have an air awning which we find really easy to erect. We haven’t tried a pole awning so can’t really give a personal opinion or recommendation, it’s a personal choice to be honest. Good luck with your search, best wishes, Keith & Michele.
Can you please let me know what caravan site you were on when you did the awning reviews it looks great love your vlogs 🥰
Hi Mags, The site was Plassey holiday park in North Wales. It’s a beautiful place to stay, we did a video review of it which might be helpful for you to watch if you’re planning on a visit. Hope this helps, best wishes, Keith & Michele
Great video guys as always ! Whats the site that your on pls looks fab
Hi SuperRogers007, Many thanks for watching, the site was Plassey Holiday Park in North Wales, great site & we did a review of it which you may find helpful to watch. Sending best wishes, Keith & Michele.
Thank you very much , take care too . John & kaz x
Hi Keith and Michele. Only 2 years later but were you able to open the front window ok with the 390 and the vogue ? Just wondering as picking my vogue 580 sb this weekend ? Thanks Jon
Hi Jon, We always position our 390 awning between the door & the front window which allow both window & door to open freely. Congratulations on your new Vogue 🥳 Sending our best wishes to you, Keith & Michele.
@@keithandmichele thanks Keith we managed on our pitch to get the 390 up just where you said. One thing though it doesn’t seem to fit snug to the caravan but we are on a very uneven pitch. Keep up the great vlogs. Jon
Great vid thanks.
Many thanks for watching Peter, delighted you enjoyed our video 👍🏻 Best wishes, Keith & Michele.
I saw a Gas Barbecue - are these allowed? Love your show...
Hi James, Steve was cooking on his BBQ outside of his awning. It’s not advised to use a gas BBQ inside the awning. Thanks for your kind words, Keith & Michele.
Air awnings are great but they do have a huge weak spot
You need level Ground to put Them up .
If the Ground is not level your beams will not be set proberly
We have had to dig out under a beam other times we had raise the Ground
Hi Esben, Great advice, Many thanks for sharing 👍🏻 Best wishes, Keith & Michele.
hi how do you find air awning in bad winds, do they make a lot of noise when your in the van or are they very sturdy, our full pole awning rubs against the carbon fibre poles and sounds loud in the van, debating if we should buy one? thanks
Hi Tracey. We have had our Kampa air awning for 3 years and it’s endured all types of weather, including severe winds. We use limpets which secure the sides to the caravan and stop any flapping noises. Hope this helps, Keith & Michele
What kind chair do you take
Hi Eileen, we have recently purchased Isabella Thor chairs which are very comfortable & light weight. They also have an additional foot/leg rest which can be purchased separately. Highly recommend them 👍🏻 Hope this helps, sending our best wishes, Keith & Michele.
Were is the air vent in your
The air vent in our awning is at the sides by the top. These can be used to help stop condensation. Many thanks for watching Eileen. Best wishes Keith & Michele
Hi sorry think you go abit confused about the 3 types of awnings there are you have roll out, full awning air and pole and porch awning air and pole
Hi Graham, we were showing the 3 different types of awning that were on site with us, not all the different types of awning that are available. Thanks for watching, Keith & Michele.
Hi. Guys. could you tell me the towing capacity of Janines walker.
😆😆😆
Great work again Keith and Michelle🤝
gives us all a insight to the different types of awnings Thanks again looking forward to the next video
Ps cheeky question ?? what site have you taken that video at looks really nice 😉
Cheers mark
Sorry Mark for some reason this slipped through the net. This was shot at the Plassey in Wrexham, North Wales . Great site. Take care both of you, Keith & Michele