Drive Away Awning

jamespoxon64 · Jan 28, 2012

Hi, does anyone have any experience with drive away awnings? I'm taken with the Outwell Country Road as I have an Outwell Oakland XL tent and it is excellent (now for sale with footprint and side porch due to arrival of Cali btw), but would be interested to learn of other models members are using. Also, does anyone know if you can fit without removing the factory pull out awning as I'd like to keep this attached if possible.

Thanks in advance for your advice/views.

Iain&Shani · Feb 1, 2012

We haven't but are looking at the Kyham range being fans of their tents. (bump)

SimplyDubs · Feb 1, 2012

I have both an Outwell (which I stopped using after buying a Kyham)

Kyham Motorhome classic... Very easy to erect and put down (5 minutes easily with practice) stable if well guyed and a good match size wise for the Cali.

That being said... Don't use that anymore either.

I've two sets of custom sides for the rollout awning... One made out of Mütze material... Totally waterproof and very flexible I terms of layout etc. (take a look at my blog... I think there's a picture of it there) the other "net" sides which are ideal for the summer... Cutting the wind out a packing down to nothing. (Lillypad Leisure I believe)

Drive away... I'd still recommend the Kyham.

SimplyDubs · Feb 1, 2012

Oh and to answer your last question...

Yes it fits into the rollout awning... There's a channel that allows a gusset beading strip (or indeed the beaded edge of the awning yourself if you are brave) to be slid in. you'll see it if you lift the flap that hides the legs running the length of the awning.

The awning does need to be extended an inch or so, but this helps you tension the driveway.

M

jamespoxon64 · Feb 1, 2012

Many thanks for that, very useful and great to know I can leave the pull out in place. Will look at the blog for the pictures. Was there a reason you replaced the Outwell with the Kyham (speed of set up possibly?), then the Kyham for the custom set up? Also, the Outwell has a zip out groundsheet that I guess helps on sites where breathable groundsheets only can be used. Does the Kyham have a similar arrangement?

J

SimplyDubs · Feb 1, 2012

Yes indeed... Difficult to beat the Kyham for speed of setup, but we found we tended to use it for a bike garage rather than much else.

Advantage of the custom sides is that the pack flat and very small, whilst the Kyham takes up quite a lot of space.

Additionally, a separate "tent" awning closed the van in too much and felt a little anti-social... With the custom sides, easy to leave a side off and just use it as a communal space outside the van, much more flexible in arrangement.

Space as always is a key driver for us though.

Everyone is different though, there's no wrong and right... Just find what works for you.

M

Iain&Shani · Feb 1, 2012

Thanks also. I found SimplyDubs blog fascinating.

We are seriously looking at Kyham, primarily based on our history with them. They do have groundsheets for everything!

http://www.khyam.co.uk/products.asp?s=Campervan / Motorhome Awnings

Martin · Feb 1, 2012

don't forget there is a 10% discount code floating around if ordering direct from Khyam.

CannellWalker · Feb 2, 2012

We have got a Vango Family Shelter that we can put up. Quite flexible how it can be used and relatively cheap.

Chris · Feb 2, 2012

We have a QUECHUA BASE FULL. Now that is easy to put up and take down. We used to have an "attached awning" in my T25 days but grew tied of clipping together at the end of each day when we came back from the beach. The quechua is perfect as you can use it like a Kyham ( Sides are flat ) and you can drive straightt up to it, so you step out of van into tent. Or you can park away from it, wind out the Cali awning ( it goes over the base door so you don't get wet )
Will try and dig a picture out if I have one.

Also has two side flaps. One is for a pup tent if Step Son comes with us, the other is to keep my MTB dry

jamespoxon64 · Feb 2, 2012

Chris, sounds interesting, love to see the pics.
James

Chris · Feb 2, 2012

Google Quechua base full, then go on images. Some bongos use them! Don't let that put you off. He he. You can the different ways it can be used. I think decathlon sell them at £150.

Also it's easy to put away. There's a knack so I let the girlfriend do it. Seriously it's easy. Some caravaners sat with tea waiting for us to struggle the first time but we showed them!

jamespoxon64 · Feb 2, 2012

Very interesting, like the video to show the ease of putting up. Is yours the "square version" or the new one shown here in the middle: http://www.decathlon.co.uk/camping-sports.html? Loks like the older square version has better living space but both look cool.
J