Drive away awnings research

[SallyHG]

We are on the hunt for a drive away for our T6 and Have narrowed our search down to the following: a minimum size (3m x 3m) material (poly cotton) and that it should be forward facing (ie the main door/porch should face the front of the pitch). We are used to a caravan with a motor mover which means we can decide exactly how we orient ourselves on a pitch when we arrive at each site. The importance of orientation is much greater when you intend to drive away. On a small pitch i can see that if you had an awning with the main opening parallel to the sliding door there is a risk of ending up having to make a choice between being able to drive away easily and facing a hedge, for example, or your neighbour’s car or being stuck behind the awning and unable to drive away. In our experience you are often told awnings must go on the right or left on sites so With the door of our van on the right hand side and with my preference being to reverse on to a pitch can I please ask whether you would recommend a left hand or right hand opening awning?

 

[sensisuperstar]

We bought a Khyam Motordome Dub Hub and the footprint is 3m x 3m plus a 800mm connection tunnel.



Khyam do an XL version too, which gives a footprint of 3m x 3.8m with an 800mm tunnel.

The beauty of the dub hub is that they are modular and additional sleeping pods can be added, full panels zipped out and swapped, plus they suit left or right hand installation as there are doors on all sides.



As for material, here’s the blurb from their website:

“...150D Ripstop WeatherWeave Pro Polyester with fully taped seams, and multiple polyurethane coatings ensure an excellent hydrostatic performance in excess of 5000mm...”

We bought this awning for the ease of pitching and although I’ve only put it up twice it only takes a couple of minutes to erect...the guy ropes take much longer, but you get that with any awning or tent.

The cons of the Khyam are that as the poles are attached to the tent, so it’s a pig to get back to a packable size and I would imagine it’s difficult to dry after wet weather. Also, the packed awning is quite large and very heavy, so it takes up valuable space in the van.

I should point out that we didn’t want an awning, as instead we wanted a large pop up tent to store our kit, which seems the way to go for speed and space. That is still the long term plan especially when touring in warmer countries, but having said that the awning works really well.

 

[SallyHG]

Thank you for that, really useful info. I appreciate very much you giving us the cons, not just the pros. I think the sizes are perfect and I like the fact that you don’t have to decide which way you have to,face as there are doors on all side. I’m a bit put off by the poles. I’ll look for something similar but with inflatable beams, I think.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

We have the Vango Galli Comapct Low RSV.
It's not poly cotton but I thought I'd let you know because I don't theres a huge amount of choice in that material available and of course the cost increases.
To be honest we've not used it yet but it was appealing against many others at a caravan and motorhome show.
I've read that you can get pooling water on the roof between the van and the awning but at least some of this is going to be how well you've pitched it.
It is just over 3 x 3 footprint with a porch area that has no ground sheet and the compartment with a built in ground sheet.
Lots of light, no poles (all inflatable).
This incarnation faces forward on the side with the sliding door. If you got the LSV version it would face backwards. Out of interest, it would do the opposite on a UK converted van due to the door being on the otherside.
I can't say I care much for awning weight and bulk when packed but this one seems to be bearable on both counts.

 

[CampervanBits]

Hi Sally, If you can wait there will be a larger choice of polly cotton style awnings coming out in the 2019 range.

 

[SallyHG]

We have the Vango Galli Comapct Low RSV.
It's not poly cotton but I thought I'd let you know because I don't theres a huge amount of choice in that material available and of course the cost increases.
To be honest we've not used it yet but it was appealing against many others at a caravan and motorhome show.
I've read that you can get pooling water on the roof between the van and the awning but at least some of this is going to be how well you've pitched it.
It is just over 3 x 3 footprint with a porch area that has no ground sheet and the compartment with a built in ground sheet.
Lots of light, no poles (all inflatable).
This incarnation faces forward on the side with the sliding door. If you got the LSV version it would face backwards. Out of interest, it would do the opposite on a UK converted van due to the door being on the otherside.
I can't say I care much for awning weight and bulk when packed but this one seems to be bearable on both counts.

Thank you very much for this information, we are adding it to our list of possibles we are tring to get a poly cotton one because we find we were unable to use our awning with our caravan because it just got so hot even before this heatwave. Now we are in effect creating cooking and washing areas in an awning instead of in a caravan. As there’s only two of us we are not so concerned about the extra weight which was 4kg in the one we saw recently. I’ll post details when I get back home. I’ve seen so many I’ve forgotten it’s name!

 

[SallyHG]

Hi Sally, If you can wait there will be a larger choice of polly cotton style awnings coming out in the 2019 range.

When does the 2019 range come out please?

 

[CampervanBits]

Sadly we have not been given any dates yet but we have seen the new range and there are some interesting new models as well as the new material options. I will update here as soon as I have more information.

If you don't want to wait until next year we should have some end of line deals coming up soon on the current ranges.

 

[SallyHG]

Sadly we have not been given any dates yet but we have seen the new range and there are some interesting new models as well as the new material options. I will update here as soon as I have more information.

If you don't want to wait until next year we should have some end of line deals coming up soon on the current ranges.

I've just joined as a VIP so that I can benefit from PM etc (not that I know how that works yet) so please try and remember to let me know your 'end of line' deals and when I can buy from you if it suits. Thanks.

 

[SallyHG]

So we have bought our awning with an annex for the loo. The Kampa Travel Pod Cross AIR driveaway. Fingers crossed!

 

[McMeefia]

Hi,
Not quite the spec you mentioned but I thought I’d throw this one out there...
https://belltentboutique.co.uk/prod...piry=1555929696&source=webgains&siteid=196673

 

[BeeBee]

Has anyone knowledge of this awning Vango Faros Low Drive Away Campervan Awning – 2019

 

[BeeBee]

and this may reflect our 'newbie knowledge levels' but are these drive away awnings affected in any way when roof is up on T6 Ocean ?

 

[2into1]

and this may reflect our 'newbie knowledge levels' but are these drive away awnings affected in any way when roof is up on T6 Ocean ?

No, they fix to the non moving (elevating) parts. There are different ways to mount them to your van, but roof can go up and down with them attached.

 

[BeeBee]

No, they fix to the non moving (elevating) parts. There are different ways to mount them to your van, but roof can go up and down with them attached.

thanks, now to research the vast array of awnings to find one that suits our needs

 

[CALI FATE]

you wont use it - get a tent if you need extra space

 

[BeeBee]

come on guys need your views, down to choice of two : Vango Palm or Kampa Travel Pod Trip Air ... we have used every bit of kit bought so far in our 3 months of Cali ownership... even used the 'blocks n chocks on our last wee trip to Killegruer (near Campbeltown) on 1st grass pitch and loving the Bellows bungee ... decided Air inflatable was way to go but 'heads are nipping' now over these two !

 

[Cwcltd]

First weekend with our new Vango Palm, superb for the two of us. Easy to put up, great for the Cali table and chairs.

 

[BeeBee]

First weekend with our new Vango Palm, superb for the two of us. Easy to put up, great for the Cali table and chairs. View attachment 47502

thanks for the pic, really settled on this wee awning... looks great on your van.
did you purchase the 'footprint' to protect the groundsheet or what about the 'king poles' to extend the front door to a sun shade ?

 

[Cwcltd]

Just using the supplied groundsheet, topped with a carpet from a tent (probably won’t use that again..) Next weekend we’ll use some poles to lift the front door. Lots of options with this Palm, given the 3 doors. Main discovery this weekend are ‘rock pegs’ for hardstandings; fortunately the site we are at (Ludlow Touring Park) has a great well stocked shop..also using some rubber mats to bridge the gap between the van and the awning.

 

[BeeBee]

that's interesting, we will probably opt for the 'king poles' given once the Palm is on the van awning isn't usable !
on our first trip out in our new van we visited a lovely site in Galloway (Sandyhills Bay camp site) and were advised by our 'caravan neighbours' to use 'rock pegs' in our awning on hard standing ( the integrated van awning) they also advised to puchase a short handle claw hammer to extract them as once they are in ... they are in !
we bought a Rolson 8oz stubby claw hammer from Amazon, yet another piece of kit kept in the under seat drawer !

 

[BeeBee]

just a wee update, purchased the Vango Palm and found it great on recent visit to Gairloch when we had a 'monsoon' day, made the indoors much more pleasurable.
we purchased the footprint too just for groundsheet protection and also the rock pegs .
we did find an extra 'strip' ( approx 1 m x 3m) of groundsheet in the package and still not quite sure what it's for... maybe in the door to van tunnel ?

 

[Borris]

you wont use it - get a tent if you need extra space

We have a so called drive away awning. Ours is a Vango Galli Low Airbeam and very good it is too. However we only taken it with us if we are going to be meeting up with friends or family. That is because it's quite bulky and we also have a Comfortz awning room kit which stays in the van all of the time. If there is just the two of us we will use that instead. Also attaching a drive away awning is a right PIA, so when we do use the big awning we never attach it to the van.

 

[CALI FATE]

We have a so called drive away awning. Ours is a Vango Galli Low Airbeam and very good it is too. However we only taken it with us if we are going to be meeting up with friends or family. That is because it's quite bulky and we also have a Comfortz awning room kit which stays in the van all of the time. If there is just the two of us we will use that instead. Also attaching a drive away awning is a right PIA, so when we do use the big awning we never attach it to the van.

Exactly - haha ...... a stand alone tent would do the same job - each to their own eh Borris

 

[robob123]

I’m very new to Cali ownership but after first outing to W Cornwall last week I can see attraction of drive away awning. My am pm routine was basically swapping sea/surf gear with duvets for me and kids. I used our decathlon air tent basically as a shed that stayed at the camp site. It was fine but an awning linked to the camper would have been a lot more convenient if the weather was wet or cold.

On site I saw a few bell tent style awnings. They looked superb but I did conclude that it was a bit ott for a shed.

We did all our sleeping, cooking and eating in the van where it doesn’t get damp and ‘tenty’.

I’ll be on the look out this winter for the biggest erect, most compact when stashed, air beam tent I can find on classified ads here or eBay.