Side panels for wind out awning - any advice please ?

[Fergie Collier]

We are heading away to Tiree in the summer and I am not keen on awnings as I like to make it simple. I was thinking on getting a side panel for wind out awning as a bit privacy and wind break but not sure if it's any good ?. Any thoughts, alternatives or experience of the side panel product ?. Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Rupes]

We have one of the Brandrup side panels.

It does the job well - looks smart, good quality, stows away easily, easy to fit when required.

It does indeed provide the extra bit of wind/rain protection and/or privacy that’s sometimes needed and can fit on front or back (short edges). They also do one that fits the side (long edge) of the awning.

Only downside is that it’s fairly expensive (for what is basically a rectangular sheet of waterproof material with a few fittings attached).

 

[sapto]

We got the Thule Rain Blockers. I recently posted a picture in „show us your awning setup“.

 

[Perfectos]

Basic tent tarp, attached with bungee balls through the eyelets in the tarp and around the awning frame works fine. Pegged down with more bungee balls


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[SimonB]

We have the awning room from the Club shop. Gives you the option of 1,2 or 3 sides which can be handy if you want space in the Cali, you can leave things there. Also gives somewhere to sit outside when it's not quite warm enough without shelter. The bag is pretty small when folded up.
If you use the wind out awning I would strongly advise some awning tie down straps and don't just rely on tent pegs through the bottom of the legs.

It is also available in a light grey now.

 

[Perfectos]

STD tent tarp

Although this is used in conjunction with a drive away awning, I’m sure you get th3 principle. Easy and cheap, various colours, totally secure and assist hold the wind out to the floor.

 

[Walrus]

Much like above, I carry a couple of these https://tinyurl.com/yyffon2p and improvise as necessary. They are compact when packed and good value.

 

[Melanie Day]

We have the awning room from the Club shop. Gives you the option of 1,2 or 3 sides which can be handy if you want space in the Cali, you can leave things there. Also gives somewhere to sit outside when it's not quite warm enough without shelter. The bag is pretty small when folded up.
If you use the wind out awning I would strongly advise some awning tie down straps and don't just rely on tent pegs through the bottom of the legs.
View attachment 46425
It is also available in a light grey now.
View attachment 46426

We have got this for our trip to France this week so I am really excited to try it especially when seeing your great pictures.

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[SimonB]

Hope you have a great time in France, do post some pictures of your trip please.

Simon

 

[Melanie Day]

Hope you have a great time in France, do post some pictures of your trip please.

Simon

We will do, currently staying at friends in Folkestone so expect pictures from tomorrow.

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[DavidofHook]

We have a Fiamma rain blocker that goes on the front of the wind out awning and I also measured up the Brandrup side panels and got a couple cheaper from Comfortz through the club. We are in France today at 37.5dC and we have one side panel up for shade and protection as we are sleeping with the door open. ( and a Brandrup fly screen in place) and also the rainblocker which is great for privacy, rain and sun protection

 

[Fast Freddie]

We use sides from the Comfort awning if required. The whole awning packs up pretty small so to have all options on sides to use, or the complete awning makes sense to us.

 

[janross]

Much like above, I carry a couple of these https://tinyurl.com/yyffon2p and improvise as necessary. They are compact when packed and good value.

Do these just thread on to the awning rail? Which size did you go for? Might do us fine

 

[Tom Rae]

We are heading away to Tiree in the summer and I am not keen on awnings as I like to make it simple. I was thinking on getting a side panel for wind out awning as a bit privacy and wind break but not sure if it's any good ?. Any thoughts, alternatives or experience of the side panel product ?. Thanks in anticipation.

Fergie, where are you in Scotland? I have a side panel you can have for a few wee bawbees as I have bought this. https://www.california-camping.de/m...n-vw-t5-california-comfortline-und-beach.html

Tom

 

[Walrus]

Do these just thread on to the awning rail? Which size did you go for? Might do us fine

They don't thread onto the rail. You could sew on a suitable strip to make that possible. I use bungee balls through the eyelets and/or market stall clips. I prefer the steel ones with a leather protector. Google will give a range of possibilities.

 

[KP01]

We have the awning room from the Club shop. Gives you the option of 1,2 or 3 sides which can be handy if you want space in the Cali, you can leave things there. Also gives somewhere to sit outside when it's not quite warm enough without shelter. The bag is pretty small when folded up.
If you use the wind out awning I would strongly advise some awning tie down straps and don't just rely on tent pegs through the bottom of the legs.
View attachment 46425
It is also available in a light grey now.
View attachment 46426

Dog sleeps out in ours during the summer (in her crate) giving us extra space. Ridiculously easy to fit the panels and perfect for weekend breaks when it’s just not worth the hassle to pitch a drive away awning. Doesn’t take up much space in the boot either compared with a full, drive away awning,

 

[briwy]

Comfortz one. Sides, front used separately or all together as required.

 

[The Poets]

Quick query about the side panels...we bought the awning kit through the shop, and used it a few weeks ago. Excellent alternative to our Kela 3 Low for a short stay, but my only query was rain related. Is there any way to attach the roof of the wind out awning to the sides so that there’s no gap between them? We had quite a breezy stay and were thinking that had it been raining, rain would blow in through the quite large gap between the sides and roof.

 

[briwy]

We have clips that attach to the ends of the wind out awning. Then some elasticated cord from the clip to a couple of the pegs pulls the awning down closing most of the gap.

 

[Lorri]

Quick query about the side panels...we bought the awning kit through the shop, and used it a few weeks ago. Excellent alternative to our Kela 3 Low for a short stay, but my only query was rain related. Is there any way to attach the roof of the wind out awning to the sides so that there’s no gap between them? We had quite a breezy stay and were thinking that had it been raining, rain would blow in through the quite large gap between the sides and roof.

We have only fitted ours up whilst parked on driveway, first real use next week in Scotland. But we had the same thoughts about the gap ?
Did think (but not got round to it) of asking Shop if small panels could made/added.

 

[KP01]

Dog sleeps out in ours during the summer (in her crate) giving us extra space. Ridiculously easy to fit the panels and perfect for weekend breaks when it’s just not worth the hassle to pitch a drive away awning. Doesn’t take up much space in the boot either compared with a full, drive away awning,

Would just add one thing - get the wind-out awning tie down kit as a big gust of wind did hit mine and blew it in. Thankfully, I was still pitching and grabbed hold of it so no damage. Only happened once but the tie down kit removes the risk.

 

[westfalia]

Homemade side and front panels here.
As cheap as a chip.

 

[SimonB]

Would just add one thing - get the wind-out awning tie down kit as a big gust of wind did hit mine and blew it in. Thankfully, I was still pitching and grabbed hold of it so no damage. Only happened once but the tie down kit removes the risk.

I agree, see the picture of our set up in post#5 of this thread. The walls do help to hold it down, when they are properly pegged in, but it needs the tie-down kit to be really safe.

 

[SimonB]

We were at Highlands End a few weeks ago and just used the side panels of the awning room.

Leaving the longer front panel off gave us easier access to all the rest of the group we were with who were next to us, but kept the wind off and gave us some protection from the sun.
@briwy mentioned clips in the thread above to hold the roof and side panels together. This is what they look like.

The left hand clip is in the open or unclipped position, the middle one is firmly clipped onto the plastic. In the awning scenario this would be clipped to the roof and a bungee cord could be put into the handle of the clip and stretched to one of the awning pegs to firmly hold the roof onto the wall thus closing the gap. The third clip is just showing how they work. I can't remember what they were called I'm afraid, but they were from a regular camping shop.
Simon