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We have a stand alone from our previous van and an Omnistor windout on the present van, I think it depends how long you wish to stay on site/weather conditions. In wet conditions and staying a few days I find the standalone invaluable for wiping dogs down and storing chairs etc, as well as sitting watching the world go by. The stand alone is a pain when its wet to pack up, there are not many jobs I dislike more than dismantling it when wet and usually muddy, only to reassemble the awning upon getting home to dry out!
On the other hand, for dry windless conditions the wind out is great for BBQ`s and generally using as a sunshade. There are safari rooms available if thats your desire, expensive to say the least and my thoughts are, you might as well buy a stand alone considering the effort to erect them.
I have been looking at a site mentioned in MMM which sells front panals for the Omnistor/Fiamma for about £120 (3.5m 2 panel) which clips on and pegs down. Have not made my mind up just yet though.
Malc
At G-Mex show there were only 2 free standing awnings on show, both of the "frame tent" type.
The Glossop Caravans sales chappie persuaded me that I could erect one of these on my own & "did me a deal" on the one on display that I felt I could not refuse, so I now have an NR awning.
Not as spacious as the "tunnel tent" type that I had been considering but probably more substantial.
We are facing this dilemma as well. We have just bought a coachbuild Autohomes Highwayman and are planning to travel round Europe for six months over the summer.
By we I include a (by then) 3 year old toddler and so I am pretty sure for everyone's sake that we will need some kind of sun shelter and something that would add a bit of room when on site would obviously help as well.
I was interested in what dodger had to say about the Caravanstore which does seem a lot more sensibly priced at around £200 and the marquee angle looks interesting as well but the gallery pictures are a bit small to make out.
We are not that experienced and assumed if you put one of those marquees up at a camping site it would be frowned upon.
Does it get charged as an awning or a tent?
The final complication we have is that the Highwayman has rear door access with bike rack so even if we get a freestanding side-ways on awning it won't link with the motorhome via a door anyway.
Storage too is an issue with the luton being used up most of the time as our daughters bedroom.
So like I said the caravanstore awning with perhaps a marquee looks interesting. Anyone got any other suggestions?
Hi
I have a wind out awning.
When I bought the van it came with a safari room.
How do you fit the side panels without the use of steps?
The front panel is easily slid in to the channel.
I leave the side panels at home fit the front panel which holds the awning steady in wind, and use windbreaks for the sides.
We have used a motorhome now for about 17 years. We have had one site holidays, touring type and a mixture. We have also lived in the van when we were as they now call them :- holiday site managers.
Previously we used a variety of tents from v large frame tent through to smaller frame tent and finally a ridge tent. The reason for downsizing here is the putting up & down of the tent when either tired after a journey or packing up to move on. The worst is when this has to be done in the wet. Any freestanding awning will be the same. As will an attached one like a caravan awning. A roll out fiamma type awning therefore has its uses. Its quicker & easier especially if like me you are an arthritis sufferer. Its handy for spreading yourself on pitch and as a sun shade. We found it useless in the wind & heavy rain. water always seemed to sit in it and weighed it down. On one occasion it refused to go back into its housing & we had to travel around with it sort of tied up. Not a good idea. And yes the dirt does collect behind them. Probably these days a steam cleaner or power washer used with care would remedy this problem.
We bought a stand alone NR awning when we were holiday site managers but it never got put up as there was a pole missing and also there was a tear in the mudwalling at one corner. It was returned although NR awning maintained there was nothing wrong with it. Mmmmm Wont buy anything else in the NR range.
I find a double size toilet tent from camping days is useful to mark the pitch and for storing chairs wellies and drying washing under cover if wet and we are on site for a few days. Only takesa a few minutes to put up.
We've just bought a SunnCamp Handy Utility Tent which is 200x180x195cm. It's about twice the size of the double toilet tent that we possess. Seems big enough to house chairs, table, bikes etc. when we are away and certainly much cheaper than a free-standing awning.
"How big is a double size toilet tent? I mean the floor area, I can guess at the height.
Andrea."
A toilet made for 2 - how cozzy!!
A
______________________________________________________________ I´ve seen all good people turn their heads and smile, I´m satisfied, I´m on my way................
Hi - i have been contemplating this very issue - we intend to use our van mainly for touring and not staying in one place too long therefore a wind out shade would seem to be the best idea but our vans rather old and i'm not sure he'd take it I also don't really want to spend more than i have to especially in veiw of his age
however we have three kids and a dog and Arthur, despite being 5berth is on the compact side As i have mentioned before we were previous tent campers and have three tents ranging in size from ginormous to small and we are considering throwing one of these in the van for longer trips in case we find the needs to escape the tribe!!!
what i would like to know is - whether sites charge for a tent and motorhome as if it was two units
steph
Unfortunatly the answer Im going to give is not the one you really want Arthur...
Some do and some dont!!
it usually only costs about £1.00 per night but some will allow a 'pup' tent which as far as I can figure is a small one man tent. If you have a 6man tent then expect to pay another pitch since you are taking up about 2 pitches anyway. You also need to think about the fact that most places charge for the van plus people. What makes my blood boil is that tuggers have two vehicles and pay for one but if a 'vanner pulls a car thats extra!!!!!! GGRRRRRR
Anyway your best bet is to phone a few and find out from the horses mouth
Andrew
______________________________________________________________ I´ve seen all good people turn their heads and smile, I´m satisfied, I´m on my way................
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France
especially in veiw of his age
As i have mentioned before we were previous tent campers and have three tents ranging in size from ginormous to small and we are considering throwing one of these in the van for longer trips in case we find the needs to escape the tribe!!!
