New Cali owner looking for awning recommendation.

[Bluevwlegoduke]

Hi there, new to the group just purchased a 2014 California Se and absolutely love it. Any recommendations for a drive away awning which can be slept in please?

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Vango Galli

 

[Wildcamper]

I would not buy one at all, but this does depend on how many of you there are and any dogs. I hate the things, but only two of us. We did have one, used it twice and gave it away. What a relief!

 

[mattpartridge]

I wouldn't bother with an awning unless you need it. We used one for one weekend then sold it, the problems we found were:
1: It filled most of the boot
2: Blocked the view out when lying in bed
3: Caused problem with the campsite because of the sliding door and awning being on the driver's side, it contravened their 5m spacing policy between vehicles being slept in!

 

[RLL]

Hi there, new to the group just purchased a 2014 California Se and absolutely love it. Any recommendations for a drive away awning which can be slept in please?

We bought a used Outdoor Revolution (2021 version with accessories thrown in) Cayman Combo and are very pleased with it. It's useful being able to declutter the van and leave everything in the awning if you want to leave the site. For shorter trips - and day trips - Outwell Fallcrest and Hillcrest tarps that attach to the wind out awning are useful to give some shelter. These are very compact and can be stowed in the deckchairs in the rear hatch when not in use.

 

[66tim99]

Consider a Cinch Hub
Slots behind the bench seat when packed. Sets up in under 5 mins. Packs up in 10 mins.

 

[Lizzibeth78]

Consider a Cinch Hub
Slots behind the bench seat when packed. Sets up in under 5 mins. Packs up in 10 mins.

Is this what you use? Just wondering if you have any pics of how you set up when using it. Still not worked out what will suit me best.

 

[Nick.C]

Hi there, new to the group just purchased a 2014 California Se and absolutely love it. Any recommendations for a drive away awning which can be slept in please?

Have a look at the Kampa Cross Air, it fits under the rear shelf when packed away, there is plenty of space for 4 to eat comfortably, has big clear windows/doors to 3 sides that can be zipped open and you can add a sleeping annex if needed.

 

[66tim99]

Is this what you use? Just wondering if you have any pics of how you set up when using it. Still not worked out what will suit me best.

Yes, I wanted to get away from tents, but sometimes there’s a need to store bikes and things, or to eat outside sheltered from the wind (all 4 sides open so it can be used like a gazebo).
I wanted something quick and easy, and for reasons above didn’t want an awning (notice how many come up on here for sale). I also have Brandrup screens for the wind out awning, which let me use it a bit like a proper awning tent if necessary.

 

[Lizzibeth78]

Yes, I wanted to get away from tents, but sometimes there’s a need to store bikes and things. I wanted something quick and easy, and for reasons above didn’t want an awning (notice how many come up on here for sale). I also have Brandrup screens for the wind out awning, which so let me use it a bit like a proper awning tent if necessary.View attachment 96480

It matches your Cali

 

[Bartleby]

Consider a Cinch Hub
Slots behind the bench seat when packed. Sets up in under 5 mins. Packs up in 10 mins.

It didn't even occur to me to bring the bench seat forward to store it while travelling, thanks!

 

[Hawthorn37]

It depends on your space needs, how often you use it, in climates you use it, and how long you stay at each site IMO. We use a drive-away regularly, when staying 3 nights or more. For weekend stays / stopovers we tend to only use tarps to give some shelter/ privacy in combination with the wind out awning.

Awnings always have pros and cons / compromises. One already mentioned is that the Cali’s side door is on the right, and most UK sourced awnings really suit the left. So typically, the ‘front’ of the awning faces the rear of the van. But with some, there are front and rear openings. You used to be able to get a Vango Galli for RH doors, but no longer. The Vango Galli is the default go to awning for vans where you have family needs. The downside is it’s very large, you need a big pitch, and it packs big.

We use a Vango Kela V polycotton. It’s also an air beam awning, like the Galli, but it’s smaller and sets up quicker. We went for a polycotton, as we use it in spring, summer, autumn, and the material keeps you warmer when it’s cold, and breathes when hotter. It also rustles less than polyester. It has compromises though; we’d prefer the fixed window on one side to also open as a door, and the fly screen openings are a bit of a faff. But it has plus points, sewn in ground sheet, stable when standing alone, two doors to the tunnel, and we bought king poles so the entire side can open when hot. It’s robust, with internal and external storm straps, and its withstood 60mph gusty wind okay.

Reading posts on this forum provided a further twist to using a drive-away. You can attach it to a wound out van awning, and provide “ends” to this tunnel if needed. I’ll add a link to another post here to demonstrate.
Post in thread 'View from/of your van.'
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/view-from-of-your-van.11132/post-580144

Also, you’ll find there are a fair number of threads on this subject. I’ll copy a couple for you…

Awning Recommendation

Hi all Having previously used a Decathlon base shelter which upon retrieval from storage now has mouse damage.... it appears that they are also now out of stock online to replace like for like so, can anyone suggest a decent driveaway awning for a family of 4 (2 sub 6 year olds)? Don't want...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Looking for an T6 Ocean awning recommendation

A bit last minute but in the Black Friday / Cyber Monday deals there seem to be a few deals around, we have looked at the Kyham DubHub 30% off today , can anyone make a recommendations re other awnings, are we best waiting for the next show deals ?

vwcaliforniaclub.com

And a YouTube link from CaliforniaTime…

 

[TheDoc]

Tricky question. A bit like asking someone which campervan to buy - you’ll get opinions ranging from vw Cali through nasty big white. I’ve got a Comfortz room and an awning - sometimes I take one of them (I’ve thought about taking both and may at some point) and often take none but it’s nice to have options. I’ve also bought a pop but thinking about it I’ve never used it. The drive away is a vango tolga - blows up with a pump, can be stuck up in under 10mins, doesn’t take up much room packed and opens at front and both sides so take your pick with orientation. Not the biggest but enough to sleep a couple of people in (sometimes there are 6 of us) or more often just to set up the kitchen in and leave stuff in when out for the day to save repacking.

 

[Amarillo]

We are four plus dog in a Beach. We have had four awnings, only one of which is really suitable for sleeping.

1. Vango Kela
A faff to put up and pack away. Four can comfortable eat in it, with a kitchen area. Suitable for sleeping, you can even buy an internal bedroom. Heavy and bulky.

2. Vango Hexaway.
A faff to put up and pack away. Huge internal size, bright and airy. You could easily get six around a table inside it, with room for a kitchen area. Not really suitable for sleeping. Heavy and bulky.

3. Thule G3 residence. Not really an awning but a Safari Room using the wind out canopy as a roof. Again a faff to put out, bulky and heavy. Can’t really be slept in. Can be heated with the van’s diesel heater. Needs packing away if you want to drive away. Heavy and bulky. Enough room for four to eat but kitchen area needs packing away. Very expensive for what it is.

4. Comfortz awning room.
Quick and easy to put up and pack away. Dark inside. Drafty. Packs away to nothing. Barely enough space for a family of four to eat. Needs packing away to drive away.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Forgot one thing - unless you have a strong preference for new things, you can pick up pre-owned awnings quite easily. We panicked, needed one for a specific holiday and bought new. A few weeks later we could have bought a pre-owned one for 60% of the cost. You‘ll even see them sold unused.

 

[flymartin]

We are four plus dog in a Beach. We have had four awnings, only one of which is really suitable for sleeping.

1. Vango Kela
A faff to put up and pack away. Four can comfortable eat in it, with a kitchen area. Suitable for sleeping, you can even buy an internal bedroom. Heavy and bulky.

2. Vango Hexaway.
A faff to put up and pack away. Huge internal size, bright and airy. You could easily get six around a table inside it, with room for a kitchen area. Not really suitable for sleeping. Heavy and bulky.

3. Thule G3 residence. Not really an awning but a Safari Room using the wind out canopy as a roof. Again a faff to put out, bulky and heavy. Can’t really be slept in. Can be heated with the van’s diesel heater. Needs packing away if you want to drive away. Heavy and bulky. Enough room for four to eat but kitchen area needs packing away. Very expensive for what it is.

4. Comfortz awning room.
Quick and easy to put up and pack away. Dark inside. Drafty. Packs away to nothing. Barely enough space for a family of four to eat. Needs packing away to drive away.

That’s very useful insight. Do you still use any of them or are you awning free now?

 

[Steve1]

Hi there, new to the group just purchased a 2014 California Se and absolutely love it. Any recommendations for a drive away awning which can be slept in please?

We sometimes use one of these

Inflatable Camping Living Area - Base Air Seconds Fresh - 8 Person QUECHUA | Decathlon

With a massive 9 sqm of floor space, this inflatable living area is party-ready. Attach a pump, and the all-in-one structure goes up in minutes. The…

www.decathlon.co.uk

Not 100% a driveway awning but it sort of has an eye brow which if you roll the van awning out about a foot bridges the gap enough to get across dry in the rain. Quick to put up maybe 15 mins, not many pegs bit only good up to about 40mph winds.

It's a bit like the cinch but inflatable instead of popup

I used to use a proper driveway but I could never get back in line properly to make the tunnel tight when I returned from a day out ... Just bad parking from me I expect.

I should say though for completeness that I found it blocks my view out of the van and is a pain on pack-up day or if you have to fold it up in winter camping for heavy winds. So in the end we mostly use the roll out awning to sit under, with Outwell side panels if it's raining hard and a large pop up utility / toilet tent to store our extra stuff in.

 

[Amarillo]

That’s very useful insight. Do you still use any of them or are you awning free now?

Yes. We gave away the Kela. It was in pretty poor condition after we spent a year touring Europe as a family of four. But we have the Hexaway and love it. But it’s only worth putting up if we are staying on a site for at least two nights. We have the G3 residence but haven’t used it for three years, so will probably sell it.

The Comfortz awning room we sold about five years ago.

We also have three lightweight panels: two outwell side panels and an outwell front panel for the wind out canopy. This gives a pretty large sheltered area, but hopeless in anything other than the very lightest rain.

I’m away with just the boys (age 7 and 8) next week for three weeks, not staying anywhere more than a night or two. All I’m taking is the lightweight panels. If there were the four of us I’d have to take a proper tent awning to use as a dining area. Eating in the van can be done for a night or two with four but any longer you really need a bigger space.

 

[66tim99]

It matches your Cali

Yes it does in evening light - in other lights it looks beiger and Billy Ocean greyer. But I’ve heard the bright green version attracts flies, and I prefer receding into the landscape than standing out, so I went for the stone colour.

 

[66tim99]

It didn't even occur to me to bring the bench seat forward to store it while travelling, thanks!

Was a revelation to me, to have the option to pull the seat right forward and have a massive storage area too if needed.
Don’t know why I was keeping the seat back and piling stuff behind the front seats!

 

[NessL]

Hi there, new to the group just purchased a 2014 California Se and absolutely love it. Any recommendations for a drive away awning which can be slept in please?

The choice of awnings can be a little overwhelming when you first start looking, but can be narrowed down if you decide:
1. Poles or inflatable - we chose poles as inflatable are more bulky/heavy when packed and if anything goes wrong with the tubes (eg leaks) they can be difficult to fix on site. Inflatables may be very easy to put up, but with light weight poles, so are poled awnings.
2. How big do you want your awning to be. A large awning can be tempting, but the size will restrict the availability of pitches you can book.
You mention that you’d like one that can be slept in. If you want a separate sleeping compartment, this will narrow the choice further.

We chose an Outwell Milestone Shade with a sleeping compartment, which we’re happy with. The sleeping compartment is only big enough for one person which suits us. When there are less of us travelling, we won’t put up the bedroom, but may still use the awning if the weather forecast is poor.

 

[Bluevwlegoduke]

Many thanks for all your comments we ended up with a Kampa air RHD and very pleased with it.

 

[David Allan]

We have a Olpro cocoon breeze, it’s ace, drive away, can sleep 5, takes 10mins to put and take down. Have a search on there web or Amazon

 

[ivanAizpuruaM]

Forgot one thing - unless you have a strong preference for new things, you can pick up pre-owned awnings quite easily. We panicked, needed one for a specific holiday and bought new. A few weeks later we could have bought a pre-owned one for 60% of the cost. You‘ll even see them sold unused.

Hi,
What website do you use to sell/buy in the UK? I don’t libe there and there is very little used awning offer in Spain.

Even though we don’t have one, I wouldn’t use an awning if you’re staying at a campsite and/or if rain isn’t expected. We like setting the table, chairs… on the pitch.

Thanks you all for sharing your opinion.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Hi,
What website do you use to sell/buy in the UK? I don’t libe there and there is very little used awning offer in Spain.

Even though we don’t have one, I wouldn’t use an awning if you’re staying at a campsite and/or if rain isn’t expected. We like setting the table, chairs… on the pitch.

Thanks you all for sharing your opinion.

For use in the UK this forum is quite good for buying and selling. Next I’d look at Gumtree, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace (not so keen on this - fraud attempts seem too common).