Awnings - which one to go for?

[The Selbsters]

HI guys,
we havent got an awning and would love to get one. We have enjoyed mooching around various campervan shows sussing out what people use but we were wondering what you guys recommend!
We have a little bean (child!) and thought it would be fab if he slept in the van whilst we stayed up to all hours in the awning allowing us to feel that we do in fact have a life, otherwise we'd have to be very quiet!

what would you suggest we get :lol:

 

[ianscooby]

Kyham are the best and easiest to put up , if your interested in a royal travel annexe I have one for sale :?: cheap £75 with ground sheet and sleeping inner approx 18 months old , can take to bvf

 

[easy]

Kyam are the quickest, but the new JK one is definately stronger. I have the JK one and have had Kyams in the past. The JK Spacemaker is the only one that has managed to stand up to all weathers and not flapped around like the kyams ive had. 8) My opinion of course, others will say the other way round im sure, but this has been my findings of using both makes of awnings for over 10 years :mrgreen:

 

[The Selbsters]

Thanks guys very interesting, he says stroking his beard ..... Very intrigued what is bvf? Obviuosly not Bristol Volks fest as has been and gone?

 

[NickJ]

Hi, BVF = British Volkswagen Festival, it's held at malvern, so easy for you and well worth a visit if you haven't been before. I shall be there

 

[71Dormobile]

Got a kyham bit more but worth it and doesn't leak, can put it up by myself as well which is handy when you have very young kids....

 

[froggy]

Kyham seem very popular as every company we have spoken to at shows have sold out.
Dont think were going to bother with a Awning this year (unless i'm told we need one!) but its definatley something we're considering, like you say put the little one to bed in the camper and sit in the awning having a drink or 2, 3, 4, 5

 

[The Selbsters]

hmmmmmmm, now even more boggled! Kyham does look very good but a little more than we thought we would pay. Do you think they last longer than other ones particulalry?
Have any of you got a navigator? We quite liked the fact that this can open up like a pagoda - always good for those sunny days I'm hoping we will get :roll:

 

[jjgreenwood]

u can get a tunnel awning from the camping shop online designed for vw's. I got one its not perfect but just as good as anything else. JK one looks really good at shows but is loads more money. Tunnel one bigger as well.

 

[jjgreenwood]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VW-Camper-Type-2-Awning-Brand-New_W0QQitemZ280244824633QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item280244824633&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318

this is the one i've got its v big

 

[leon]

but the new JK one is definately stronger. I have the JK one and have had Kyams in the past. The JK Spacemaker is the only one that has managed to stand up to all weathers and not flapped around like the kyams ive had. :

I've just sent my spacemaker back to JK. I think i must've got me a Friday afternoon one. Pole broke, skirt ripped, inner tent ripped etc etc. Although the awning i was disappointed in, Just Kampers were spot on, with full refund and courier sent to collect it. Maybe i'll give one another try.

 

[easy]

but the new JK one is definately stronger. I have the JK one and have had Kyams in the past. The JK Spacemaker is the only one that has managed to stand up to all weathers and not flapped around like the kyams ive had. :

I've just sent my spacemaker back to JK. I think i must've got me a Friday afternoon one. Pole broke, skirt ripped, inner tent ripped etc etc. Although the awning i was disappointed in, Just Kampers were spot on, with full refund and courier sent to collect it. Maybe i'll give one another try.

Thats a boo dood, ive had the new one since it was available and zero trouble. I have ripped it a couple of times due tobeing a tad tipsy of an evening! :wink: ripped a skirt by falling over it, ripped a hole in the bit that attaches to the van as I fell through it and ripped one of the metal clips on the entrance door by not opening the door properly when pissed! something seems to tell me i should give up drinking................ :lol: or buy another awning or maybe a drive away nissan hut! :lol: :shock: :lol:

 

[leon]

 

[DizziBird]

We are also looking to get an awning for next year and have come across this company:

http://www.campershop.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Has anyone bought any of these awnings? If so, are they any good?

Cheers
Rach

 

[Bishi]

We have just had a fortnight in cornwall with our van and brand new tunnel awning from JK,although the awning looks stunning and has lots of room it was sent back to JK during the second week of our holiday as it leaked very badly all around the bottom and also snapped a pole,in my opinion it just isn't ready for sale.
After talking to others on the campsites everyone who had kyhams loved them and would buy again.will have a look at vanfest to see whats around.

 

[leon]

We have just had a fortnight in cornwall with our van and brand new tunnel awning from JK,although the awning looks stunning and has lots of room it was sent back to JK during the second week of our holiday as it leaked very badly all around the bottom and also snapped a pole,in my opinion it just isn't ready for sale.
After talking to others on the campsites everyone who had kyhams loved them and would buy again.will have a look at vanfest to see whats around.

Snap :lol:

 

[slammedresto]

just bought a kayham tourer, not had it up yet tho :mrgreen:

 

[froggy]

Going to re-open this debate with a quick question.
We are now looking to purchase a Khyam but is it better to go for a figure of 8 fixing or poles

 

[Graham L]

We recently bought a Khyam Motordome Sleeper from campershop (cheaper than Fishbrains by about £40), used it at Oktoberfest and it was really good despite the fact the pitch was far from level. Big enough for 2 teenage lads and the 2 dogs to sleep in while we slept in Hank.

Worth the extra money in my opinion and dead easy to put up :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[swartie]

i have got this one because i liked the whole shape etc

http://www.campershop.co.uk/awnings.htm#royal_traveller_111" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

i do like it only one gripe though, i have a rhd van and the front door is on the wrong side, basically the door that opens to the van is diagonally across from the front door which minimises room, if they were directly oposite each other then you would have a walkway straight to van and not through the middle of the tent.

hmm hope that makes sense