Driveaway Awning advice please! What to buy....

[hebethomas]

Hi

Just been away for the weekend and have realised that our 20 year old 2 man tent works fine for dumping bags but we really need some space to sit in as well if the weather isn't great and big enough for kids plus friends to sleep in. Ideally just for 2 people to sleep in - don't want something too bulky and big as space is a premium with bikes, canoe, kids, dog.....oh dear!

Any advice as to what brand/type of driveway awning please?

Thanks for your help.....

 

[Geezso]

I bought a Vango Kela 3 Low, and kador strips from the club.

FANTASTIC

View attachment 13797

 

[hebethomas]

Ohh thanks - looks small! Can you sleep in it!

 

[Geezso]

I don't but you can, the older kela 2 has dividing partitions

 

[hebethomas]

I don't but you can, the older kela 2 has dividing partitions

ah thanks! Do you think it big enough to put two teenagers in!

 

[CoboCali]

I bought the Kela 3 (low) also... although yet to use it as we've only just got our Cali. Heres the full spec... http://www.vango.co.uk/gb/low/408-kela-iii-low.html

 

[Tigger]

I was looking at Khyam awnings at the weekend... the salesman was showing off how quick they are to put up and I asked how small they packed... he proudly showed me and I was horrified at the size! He seemed to think they compared favourably to other awnings?

Are the airbeam ones smaller?

I too have 2 bikes and 2 large dogs but have been persuaded to leave the canoe behind ;-(

 

[teeboy]

ah thanks! Do you think it big enough to put two teenagers in!

We have the Vango Kela 3 inflatable awning (it looks bigger than the one in the photo above), but that might be an optical illusion.

It has one bedroom, which is the same size as a normal inflatable airbed, then it has a living area which is about the same size - when connected to the van you also have another covered area between the tent and the van, which is drafty but ideal for cooking and storage.

We are two adults, two teenagers and a Labrador. Our sleeping config is 2 Adult - Cali Downstairs, teenage boy Cali Upstairs, Teenage daughter Kela - dog in living area of Kela.

Unhooking is easy and when we drive away we just chuck all or bits in the Kela

 

[Geezso]

Mine is a low to tie in with the height of the Cali, a mid or kela 2 is a little high and saggy.
Its substantial in my opinion.

 

[2into1]

Are the airbeam ones smaller?

If you carry a drive away awning in a Cali, you generally have to pitch it even if you are doing a quick one-night stopover, as they are so big in the bag.

 

[teeboy]

If you carry a drive away awning in a Cali, you generally have to pitch it even if you are doing a quick one-night stopover, as they are so big in the bag.

They are pretty big. When we are driving around we put ours on top of the multiflex board, and there is still room for all of our other bedding next to it.

If we do have a one night stop over then we simply move it to the passenger seat. Then we have boys on the downstairs bed (Dad and Son) and Girls (mum and daughter) in the roof. That is quite cramped but OK for a single night mid-journey

 

[The Robbo's]

We bought a Outwell Country road last season which we found really expanded
our usable space would be easily big enough for teenagers etc.

Just bought a Movelite Duo air awning simply as it will be easier for us to erect
but would say it's a similar size to the Outwell.
As said each awning comes in a carry bag approximately 90x40x30cm plus pegs, footprints etc but invaluable to us.

 

[Geezso]

We have a car seat and a pram etc, so even on a 1 nighter it has to go up to accommodate the extras. Hence how were plan 2 or more nights

 

[IanE]

You can stow a packed khyam in the swivelled round driver's seat foot well - we've done it


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[IanE]

You need to have the seat slid to the max into the camping area of the van.


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[Teejay]

Hi

Just been away for the weekend and have realised that our 20 year old 2 man tent works fine for dumping bags but we really need some space to sit in as well if the weather isn't great and big enough for kids plus friends to sleep in. Ideally just for 2 people to sleep in - don't want something too bulky and big as space is a premium with bikes, canoe, kids, dog.....oh dear!

Any advice as to what brand/type of driveway awning please?

Thanks for your help.....

Hi
My suggestion although not an awning as such would be the Quechua base seconds. Available from Decathlon on WWW. The have a pop up and an air base one.

It's more than likely what we will end up with.

T

 

[jet4415]

Hi
My suggestion although not an awning as such would be the Quechua base seconds. Available from Decathlon on WWW. The have a pop up and an air base one.

It's more than likely what we will end up with.

T

Yes we've just bought one of these and very happy. Took us 15 minutes to erect and 20 mins to put away as bit tricky to deflate but we will get quicker. Big enough to sit inside and teenagers could sleep inside in a pop up shelter/small tent. Feels like a drive away awning without the need to detach. Would prefer window to be a bit bigger though, groundsheet is detachable and bag size manageable if tent not in use.

 

[jet4415]

Yes we've just bought one of these and very happy. Took us 15 minutes to erect and 20 mins to put away as bit tricky to deflate but we will get quicker. Big enough to sit inside and teenagers could sleep inside in a pop up shelter/small tent. Feels like a drive away awning without the need to detach. Would prefer window to be a bit bigger though, groundsheet is detachable and bag size manageable if tent not in use.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/air-seconds-base-xl-inflatable-camping-shelter-id_8358157.html

 

[Teejay]

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/air-seconds-base-xl-inflatable-camping-shelter-id_8358157.html

Quechua's do not come with a pump. Is that still the same?

We have a 4.2 Seconds and it's been great, we like to set up quickly. By that I mean having the tent up, sleeping mats pumped, bedding in place and kettle on. Each of us has "jobs" and we can normally have the kettle on in 20-30 mins.

I've never liked the idea of arriving in a caravan or camper and then put up a tent (read awning) that takes hours! Many a time I've sat and watched people erecting canvas for hours after they've arrived.

Speed camping for me

 

[jet4415]

Quechua's do not come with a pump. Is that still the same?

We have a 4.2 Seconds and it's been great, we like to set up quickly. By that I mean having the tent up, sleeping mats pumped, bedding in place and kettle on. Each of us has "jobs" and we can normally have the kettle on in 20-30 mins.

I've never liked the idea of arriving in a caravan or camper and then put up a tent (read awning) that takes hours! Many a time I've sat and watched people erecting canvas for hours after they've arrived.

Speed camping for me

No the pump was an extra, we got the big red one.
We used to have a folding camper and the canvas awning would take 30mins+ to put up so this is brilliant in comparison. Like you say we have specific roles too, hubby does tent and cali topper and I do bed upstairs, hook up, organise, then brew up and haven't timed it but probably takes around 25 mins. We went on a CC site recently and erected tent in hailstones and then heard someone muttering about our tent on the wrong side breaching etiquette. A lesson learnt, reverse in next time!

 

[Geezso]

I'm sure some sites can charge for an additional tent but an awning is inclusive. I may be incorrect.

 

[Teejay]

I'm sure some sites can charge for an additional tent but an awning is inclusive. I may be incorrect.

My wife mentioned this to me the other day. I know that the Quechua base (green one) has no ground sheet in, so you could argue that its an awning. You can also park right against it if you have the guides positioned just right.

The Quechua Air base has a fitted ground sheet, so could be seen as a tent? I would argue the case that there were only two of us an no one else. These are small in comparison to some of the huge awnings that people attach to caravans.

T

 

[jet4415]

My wife mentioned this to me the other day. I know that the Quechua base (green one) has no ground sheet in, so you could argue that its an awning. You can also park right against it if you have the guides positioned just right.

The Quechua Air base has a fitted ground sheet, so could be seen as a tent? I would argue the case that there were only two of us an no one else. These are small in comparison to some of the huge awnings that people attach to caravans.

T

Yes I think you're right and some sites will be awkward and class the Quecha base as a tent but we'll cross this bridge as and when it happens. We are going to try to attach the canopy part of the tent to the van in some way using the strip on the van. Not sure if this will work but we'll give it a try. If this fails we will mange without the tent if not permitted or pay the extra for a separate tent.

 

[marshian70]

We had a drive away but got rid of it in favour of a blow up shelter. I had convinced myself a driveaway was the right thing but having had both now i prefer the separate shelter. There are no discernible advantages IMO to the driveaway. It might not be true of all of them but with the Cali having the door on the wrong side for the UK market, the driveway felt very separate to the Cali as the entrance was diagonally opposite. They are also a bit of a pain to keep attaching and detaching. The shelter we can place anywhere to suit, right next to the Cali if we want, or a bit further away using the wind out awning too. We've not yet had a problem being considered a separate tent.

 

[Tigger]

We had a drive away but got rid of it in favour of a blow up shelter. I had convinced myself a driveaway was the right thing but having had both now i prefer the separate shelter. There are no discernible advantages IMO to the driveaway. It might not be true of all of them but with the Cali having the door on the wrong side for the UK market, the driveway felt very separate to the Cali as the entrance was diagonally opposite. They are also a bit of a pain to keep attaching and detaching. The shelter we can place anywhere to suit, right next to the Cali if we want, or a bit further away using the wind out awning too. We've not yet had a problem being considered a separate tent.

Have you got any pictures of the various set ups you use. It's quite difficult to imagine having not used one!

For us, one of the advantages of a driveaway awning would be letting the dogs out into it without them being able to wander off and find their own fun... I'm beginning to think that some kind of windbreak contraption to contain them might be the better solution.

What shelter do you use?