Awning for high top?

We're going to our first festival of the season and although I'm pretty happy just shifting some stuff to the tent my wife keeps saying we ought to get an awning.  She wants it to increase lounging space, but I don't really see the point unless we're going to sleep in it and avoid rebuilding the bed each day.  I'm happy to get one, paying say up to £4-500, but only if we use it.  What awnings do you all have, and what do you use them for, and did the usage change over time?  

Marc

I have the Fiamma   wind out awning,  used it once, cannot manage it on my own, so I tend not to bother, just for storage, table chairs if going out for the day, a small tent would suffice in my opinion, larger heavy ones take up more room and add weight, at the end of the day it depends what suits you, I prefer to travel light.

Hi Marc we have a vango kela air beam awning which is really good easy to install no fiddle poles to sort out just pump up the beams I am able to do on my own its got all built in fly nets ground sheet and curtains, we got the carpet too. It all rolls up into a compact bag ,if you check our Web site you can see it in use.our-duetto.com(please excuse the shorts we were on holiday at the time,)It really gives use lots of usable lounge space 
Caz

Hi. I have Kyham. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Tourer Quick Erect Really easy and quick to erect. See the video on their website. And you can add an inner sleeping tent if needed. The bag is also huge so easy to pack away.I now have a larger motorhome  but have kept the awning as it can be used as a tent if needed.
Which festival are you going to. My awning has been to many festivals. 

We also have the vango kela airbeam. Very quick to erect and plenty of space. Easy to drive away from and also to reconnect to. We took out the internal bit as we don't need it . we are very pleased with it.

Thanks everyone.  I think either the Vango or Khyam would be pretty good, although
they seem to come out at right angles to vehicle, so mean quite a big pitch?

Paul:  is it the Tall variant you have?

Rose: that link for the Khyam looked like a short version,
which do you have short or tall?   We've booked a few festivals so far:  Beautifu Days 
I think in devon and run by The Leveller, Wilderness in Oxfordshire, not greatly music
oriented but one of the most interesting and stimuating ones we've been to, Latitude out
est, Y Not in Derbyshire and our first for the season, Bearded Theory again in Derbyshire.

How do you all find the side door works with the awning?  Do you or have you slept in them?

Hi
Kyham will tell you which one is suitable for your van height wise. I've had mine 5-6 years and won't sell it. I think you'll need the Excelsior 780. Get tall so the side door doesn't catch. I bought an inner tent for mine and it was slept in by grandchildren or friends. The pitch you get is always big enough for the awning but don't forget to tell the 'parker' you have one so they don't park someone right next door. They are 3x3mtrs. They give you more space and somewhere to put everything you don't want to put away.(not valuables at festivals)   
You'll love beautiful Days. Go to the Theatre Tent. Not going this year. Won't go to V or that type.I just stick to family festivals.
Good luck with whichever one you choose. It's worth getting one. This was 2009 Wychwood. Not an AutoSleeper. So they do last. Windy day.

Hi,

We have a Vango Airbeam drive away. It has a bedroom compartment built in as well as seating area. Easy to erect as it's Airbeam. Best of all you can unhook from van and drive away leaving it in situ until you return. Great investment.

Cindy n Chris

Thanks.  I'm kind of veering towards the Vango rather than the khyam as it looks easier you put up.  Have you used the sleeping compartment?

Hi Marc,

Yes used sleeping compartment (well son n daughter in law did) in Oct last year, warm n cozy according to them. Would post picture but not sure how.

Cindy n Chris

ose49f wrote:'parker' you have one so they don't park someone right next door. They are 3x3mtrs. They give you more space and somewhere to put everything you don't want to put away.(not valuables at festivals)   
You'll love beautiful Days. Go to the Theatre Tent. Not going this year. Won't go to V or that type.I just stick to family festivals.

Yes, this will be our 3rd time at Beautiful Days.  Some small festivals we find have music, but there's nothing much to do apart from that.  Others work pretty much the other way round (we think of Wilderness like that). BD though is really well rounded family festival.

judy wrote:We also have the vango kela airbeam. Very quick to erect and plenty of space. Easy to drive away from and also to reconnect to. We took out the internal bit as we don't need it . we are very pleased with it.

Judy, is the Kela the tall one?  How do you attach it to the campervan?

Yes it is the tall one. We use a kador strip on to figure of eights. Very quick to erectband easy to drive away and reconnect.

I'm having second thoughts about the inflatables, I wonder about them in hot or windy weather and I see replacement inner tubes are £45 for example. 

For those of you with conventional pole based awnings, how easy do you find them to put up?

We we used ours on a stormy night in Oct on a site by the sea. It was still intact and standing the next morning.

Kyham Awnings again. I swear by them.
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This is a silly way but shows how quick it can be erected.


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 This is the proper way but tells you everything. I never bother putting the pads back on and doesn't take me long. And I am an old lady.


It survived Badminton horse trials last year. Anyone who was there can tell you how strong the winds were. Tents scattered all over the place awnings taken down. Mine stayed up and another Kyham I noticed was still standing.

So having pretty much decided on a van go then the key am I actually ended up with an Outwell.   I hadn't even thought of them, but having had one of their tents for many years I was happy to get a country tall.

Can I use a figure of eight connector into the gutter?   Should i use a poIe and clamp?  I don't want to screw into the bodywork.

Hi there,

We tried a tent and just didn't get on with it.

We use the Fiamma awning that came with the van (which is easy to put in and out for short overnight stops) and a Windblocker for longer stays to give us a modicum of privacy.

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Easy to put up and take down, lightweight to carry and as the name implies it stops the wind.

Hope this helps. 

Best regards,

The Country Road Tall is an awning:

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