Driveaway awning

Well our pocket money is well a truly spent:) we have just received our new driveaway awning its a: Vango Airbeam Kela Standard. We have only just opened the box and removed it all to inspect it, first impression is Wow great quality, you get all the pegs & hammer,  I think there are four connection methods included along with some spares etc, and foot pump. Can't wait to try it out, we will probably erect it this weekend to see how easy it is, on the bag it says it takes 3 mins hmm? We are hoping to get away in a couple of weeks time so we will give feed back on the pros and cons of it then, but it certainly looks good quality. 

Paul & Caz

Just seen the offical website video it looks well swish think this may solve my awning conundrum 

Yea we watched that video a few times whilst making up our minds, we where toying with the idea of the khyam motordome driveaway awning, but every where seems to be sold out of them anyway, and any on eBay seem to be fetching nearly new price. We kept coming back to the vango, for its shear innovation no poles ect.. But also has the 2 person inner sleeper tent included too, plus all openings have fly mesh. So, so far very please can't wait to get away with it now, thinking of the lakes! 

Interesting, I look forward to hearing how you get on Paul. Wonder if this would fit a Symbol....I'm pretty sure the Symbol height from the ground to the Fiamma Awning is 260cm, so I guess not. I do note Vango call it a "Standard"...Maybe they will bring out taller versions, like the 780 series for Kyhams!

They do a xl version I think going from 2.4 mtrs to 2.9

Cheers Bing, an extra £40 quid for the taller model, which is comparable with the Kyham 780 with a tent inner. It will be interesting to see what Paul thinks of the product, once he's used it. I think the products success or failure will hinge on the quality and durability of the air beams.

Bought one myself as I had an awning I couldnt manage to put up on my own. I am really pleased with it and manage it well. Would definitely recommend it. Its been worth every penny so far as I couldnt take my two dogs without the extra space it gives. You only need the standard height for VW campervan Trident. I think the tall ones are for the large motorhomes. There is plenty of head height.

 Well we have been away for a couple of day to test out our new vango awning, and have to say wow! It's great: check out full review and pics here.....


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Great Review and pictures. Sorry to hear your experience at the Lilac House was spoiled somewhat. It's caravan club so the owner should abide by the rules. As the ASOF reviewer of that site i'm disappointed about that. 

Quick question, can you tell me the height from the ground to the Fiamma Awning on your van. I'm trying to see if I can get away with a Kela Standard, or do I need to buy the tall version?

Many Thanks

Hi journeyman, glad you liked the review, we get great enjoyment from your blogs, and I'm sure our experience was a one off. We do not have a fiamma awning on ours I fitted a C rail on ours which then allows us to use a kador strip and figure of eight rail, I think you would use the same connector I.e. kador and figure of eight to attach to your fiamma, but I would think your fiamma is high on your van than our C rail, and that you would possibly need the taller one. I will measure the height to our rail in the morning and let you know.

Many thanks Paul for your kind words. Your blog is very readable. I tried to add it as a link from my blog, but there doesn't seem to be any sort of feed or means of following you? Perhaps there is a widget in your edit menu that allows you to add that type of facility. 

Also very impressed with the alterations Caz has done to the van, wish I had the skill level. If I tried we really would end up with scrap!

Hi journeyman, just measured the height from ground to our C rail and its 194cm I have also taken a photo of the information label that came with it for you to see. The max is 240cm so I think yours is aprox 260 so you would need the taller model I think. Any way I hope all this helps, and I look forward to more of your blogs...
 

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Thanks Paul, this will be my next big purchase. Thinking of hitting the NEC in October to see if I can pick it up at a bargain price. Unlikely I suppose with the premium products. :-(

Great decision, I'm sure you will be very pleased with it 

Hi Paul.     Read with interest your log on the Vango Air Beam Awning and the photos you uploaded.    Have just bought one from a local dealer and are hoping to try out next week.   Was very impressed with how it easily it put up by Caz.  Will let you all know how we got on.

Hi HildaB,
Great to hear that you have got one, I'm sure you will love it, we needed something like this cos of my disabilities Caz needed to be able to basically do it her self, she say to say it took her longer than 3 mins, but then she has never put up a tent or awning before, and did it in 15-20 mins so well pleased. Hope you have the same success.
Cheers,
Paul & Caz:allthumbz:

Hi Paul,     We actually took it out of the bag this morning and tried the pump out, it just took seconds.    It took us far longer trying to put back in bag, how on earth did Caz do it, 10 out of 10 to her.

Hi hildaB, they never make these bags big enough do they. Caz first of all got the bags mixed up and I think she tried to fit it in the biggest of the black bags, there was some panic, but then realised it was the grey bag, and there was a sigh of relief. You do need to expell all the air Caz rolled it twice, once to expell most of the air, then the second time to fit the bag, using the bag as a height measure, and rolling it as tight as she could, then the straps tighten it further to fit the bag. There was some magic as well lol! Our was made a little more difficult on our last trip as we had to roll it wet, after it rained all night long, but when we got home we just pumped it up in the garden and it dried in a few minutes, and is now packed again ready for our next trip, I think it's one of thousand things that gets easier the more you do it. 

Hi Paul. We also have a kela standard . We use it on our trooper to take the grandchildren with us!! I use it connected to my fiamma roll out connected with a kador strip,works very well.
I was born with one hand so I literally erect it one handed!!! No problem.
Bit difficult to get back in the bag..i agree, but am thinking of getting another awning bag with a full length top zipper,might make it easier!
All in all, seems a great awning ,but time will tell.
Best wishes. . Bri.

Hi Bri, yeah I don't know why they don't make the bags slightly bigger, it would make life easier, but we love the awning, like you say time will tell with its longevity, hopefully it will be a keeper. 

Hi Paul

I've been looking at the Vango for a while but couldn't find any reviews. Its a lot of money to spend on something if it doesn't work so many thanks for the thumbs up.    

best wishes
Jane

Hi Jane, glad you liked the review, all info helps when you are trying to make decisions, hope you enjoy yours as much as we do, it gives us a great amount of extra space, I will add more info and pics each time we get away, giving an update on how the awning is copping.....
 
Paul & Caz

will you be using the awning in the winter?  if so let us know you get on when its blowing a gale

Caz just said if it blowing a gale we wouldn't be going away lol let alone putting an awning up :) but I can't see that it would act any different to any other awning, as it is well pegged down and for windy weather it has  storm straps, and I believe one of the selling points is that it has been tested in windy weather, as have all the vango tents that sell well. But we will definitely post further trips out using the vango awning on our website, 
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Keep checking!
Paul & Caz.

Vango Sapera tall awning.
We purchased one of these about 3 weeks ago, however due to the horrendous weather today (26th Feb) is the first chance we have had to unpack it and erect it.
We followed the instructions and all went well - UNTIL - the corrugated air tube on the pump snapped off at the nozzle end.  I managed to lash it up with tape so that we could complete the first test erection of the awning. 
Excellent awning shame about the cheap "made in China" pump.
I have taken this up with Vango as a complaint, because for the price of these awnings this is unacceptable.