What have you bought for your Cali today :-)

[Melanie Day]

Bought in lockdown but first time using Vango awning air hex.
Quite simple to put up as we managed with no instructions and no phone signal.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

 

[TheDoc]

Bought a cobb grill. The misses said - why do you need another BBQ as you have 4 already. To which I replied - don’t think of it as BBQ think of it as a portable oven. The result being I’ve committed to cooking a tandoori on Saturday and roast beef, roast spuds, yorkshires etc in Sunday whilst camping. Should be fun. I say I bought a cobb, which I did, and was clear on the price for that but didn’t go into details on the price of accessories. Ended up buying pretty much every accessory they do (chopping board, griddle, fry pan, wok, BBQ grill, roast rack, dome extension, cooking utensils and rotisserie). I’m a keen cook so will get plenty of use out of them.

 

[jMacdent]

Once again not bought today but last year when waiting. Vango Tailgate Airhub Low for those trips longer than 2-3 days. Very quick to put up and take down. One valve. Me, wife, 2 boys & 2 border terriers.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Once again not bought today but last year when waiting. Vango Tailgate Airhub Low for those trips longer than 2-3 days. Very quick to put up and take down. One valve. Me, wife, 2 boys & 2 border terriers.

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Great @jMacdent
Do you use it to sleep in?
Can it be left on-site i.e. like a drive away awning?
What size is it when packed away?

 

[Finlay]

Can you shut the tailgate when it is up?

 

[Multi1100]

Once again not bought today but last year when waiting. Vango Tailgate Airhub Low for those trips longer than 2-3 days. Very quick to put up and take down. One valve. Me, wife, 2 boys & 2 border terriers.

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How does it connect with open poptop.

 

[jMacdent]

Great @jMacdent
Do you use it to sleep in?
Can it be left on-site i.e. like a drive away awning?
What size is it when packed away?

Don’t sleep in it. Use it for changing, bikes, leaving stuff when off site.It’s a drive away, so just release the straps/ roof bar Velcro/ kador ( whichever you are using) and leave. Under 7kgs pack weight without the accessories. 75cm x 33cm x 33cm.

 

[jMacdent]

Can you shut the tailgate when it is up?

Yes. You have to make sure that you don’t pull the tunnel connection too snuggly over the tailgate though. Little bit of trial and error at first but the awning size makes it easy to reposition.

 

[jMacdent]

How does it connect with open poptop.

It works fine whether you use the throw over straps or in my case, using the built in velcro straps for roof rails with short bungee cords looped through the straps and around the back roof bar. The connection doesn’t go far enough over the roof to really be affected by the pop top when open.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Ridge Monkey water shoes - in the anticipation of splodging temperatures soon! Bought from Campervanbits shop.

 

[marchugo]

Once again not bought today but last year when waiting. Vango Tailgate Airhub Low for those trips longer than 2-3 days. Very quick to put up and take down. One valve. Me, wife, 2 boys & 2 border terriers.

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Once again not bought today but last year when waiting. Vango Tailgate Airhub Low for those trips longer than 2-3 days. Very quick to put up and take down. One valve. Me, wife, 2 boys & 2 border terriers.

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How do you prevent the tailgate from coming down, when someone is sitting/sleeping/eating under the tailgate?

The gas struts are not always able to hold the gate upright, especially during lower temperatures.

Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

How do you prevent the tailgate from coming down, when someone is sitting/sleeping/eating under the tailgate?

The gas struts are not always able to hold the gate upright, especially during lower temperatures.

Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

Vanshower ®

Zum Selbstkürzen, passend für alle Gasdruckdämpferstangen.

www.vanshower.de

 

[jMacdent]

How do you prevent the tailgate from coming down, when someone is sitting/sleeping/eating under the tailgate?

The gas struts are not always able to hold the gate upright, especially during lower temperatures.

Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

I've found the tailgate stays up pretty well even when it's cool. I've got the VW shower tent stuffed in with one of chairs (which is relatively heavy) and the tailgate still stays up under the awning connection. There is little or no actual force/pressure applied to the tailgate by the awning tunnel. Although you can have the tailgate up all the time, it's not necessary to keep it up to maintain the height and shape of the tunnel. The throw over straps or velcro straps keep it taught. If you wanted to, you could pull the tunnel further onto the van which results in the tailgate becoming 'jammed' over the lip of the front awning airbeam roof structure but this would mean you couldn't close the tailgate without releasing the connection straps and moving the awning away from the van every time you wanted to close the tailgate.

 

[Moakesy]

New awning weekend.

Wanted something a little bigger than my previous awning so went for the Caymen Combo Air. Loving it so far, loads more room.

 

[Perfectos]

Ridge Monkey water shoes - in the anticipation of splodging temperatures soon! Bought from Campervanbits shop. View attachment 92562

Your feet will cook in them !

 

[Melanie Day]

First time use another lockdown purchase, little fairylights.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

 

[Stu@rt]

Another recommendation for the Outwell Fallcrest awning sides. Creates a larger, usable, more private space under the wind out awning, with minimal effort. Adds light duty stability in decent weather without needing to deploy the heavy duty tie down kit. 5min job to put them up and take down and stores in tailgate with one of the chairs. Arrived last week and tested last night. Very happy.

 

[Kayleigh]

Have just fitted the extra drawer on the side on the bench seat-easy DIY job thanks to Californiatime video
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I’m thinking of doing this upgrade. Did you go for the aftermarket runners? If so, was it an easy job to modify them?

 

[altvic]

Once again not bought today but last year when waiting. Vango Tailgate Airhub Low for those trips longer than 2-3 days. Very quick to put up and take down. One valve. Me, wife, 2 boys & 2 border terriers.

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Purchased this couple months ago, delivery due June 6th. Not sure if drive away is possible with adaption but usually stay put anyway. Roof can close and integrated mosquito net. Light and small. Will review when used.

Outwell Sandcrest L - buy online direct from Outwell

Couples, families and friends will all appreciate the light weight, small pack size and extra space the ingenious Outwell Sandcrest L delivers for more comfortable van life. As a rear-mounted, fixed awning, with just one aluminium pole, it´s really light, packs away small and vehicle doors...

www.outwell.com

 

[altvic]

Purchased this couple months ago, delivery due June 6th. Not sure if drive away is possible with adaption but usually stay put anyway. Roof can close and integrated mosquito net. Light and small. Will review when used.

Outwell Sandcrest L - buy online direct from Outwell

Couples, families and friends will all appreciate the light weight, small pack size and extra space the ingenious Outwell Sandcrest L delivers for more comfortable van life. As a rear-mounted, fixed awning, with just one aluminium pole, it´s really light, packs away small and vehicle doors...

www.outwell.com

Called out well sandcrest L tailgate awning.

 

[Perfectos]

Luci solar string lights, look well made and no batteries required.
First impression is vey good
three brightness setting (white version only )

 

[Stu@rt]

Luci solar string lights, look well made and no batteries required.
First impression is vey good
three brightness setting (white version only )

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These are great......clip to the lower part of the awning leg and run all night on the lowest setting.....

 

[Cali Phillip]

These are great......clip to the lower part of the awning leg and run all night on the lowest setting.....

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looks a bit crowded there ?

 

[mattpartridge]

I’m thinking of doing this upgrade. Did you go for the aftermarket runners? If so, was it an easy job to modify them?

Hi,

I bought the aftermarket ones, not only are they a lot cheaper, but the VW ones were out of stock when I enquired. I used the Californiatime video link below:

The soft close plastic mechanism pulls off the metal runner easily, you have to drill a 3mm hole in each runner which is explained in the video.

My van is a T5.1 2014 Cali and has all the necessary holes for the runners pre drilled in the side of the bench seat. My understanding is that the original T5 Cali didn’t have these.

Any further questions, please ask.

Good luck with it, Matt

 

[California_Ocean]

I got my Cali a friend to share the driveway with ... so it doesn't get lonely and it can have a few days off ....