# Free standing awnings Pros and Cons ?



## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

Jue likes the idea of a free standing awning to supplement space when we are at a site for long periods.

I'm not convinced, opinions please ?

we have the option to purchase a ventura freestander, any specific experience with these anyone ?


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## 91929 (May 1, 2005)

Well as you willknow there are two choices
1) Free standing/ drive Away
2) pull out

We have a free standing
They can be a pain to eerect - That is until you have devized a method of erection
We used the method shown by the dealer to start with
now we have devised a method which eliminates most of the lifting - we roll the awning up insuch a way that it can be fitted fron either front or rear of the outfit; then pull the still folded canvas by the far side to the part errected frameand up over the top. As we pull the canvas it unfolds itself the only lifting is to bring the side and rof over the frame, bit at a time.
Once the canvas is in place on the frame we just raise the legs. Peg down the walls and guys Time about 1/2 hour - While I am pegging down Pam is in the van maing a meal or just a cupa T

We did try the same method that we used for the frame tents (lifting the folded awning onto the frame, unfold the awning, then put the poles up) - it proved too much lifting especially for Pam after her op.

Going out we just undo the joining flaps & aaway we go.
Strong winds they are already pegged down & have guy lines on
However after several years working on markets (with a 26ft x 30ft stall) I automatically prepare 4 ratchet type straps fixed to the frame at the top corners, which I anchor down inside the awning in case of gales. These can be seen in some of the pics that I have put (or about to) on the gallery

dismantlling we can have it down & stowed away (canvas in van locker, poles in 2 bags on the roof) in unde 3/4hr

Pull out 
easier to erect just pull out and connect in the side & front panels

to go out you have to undo every thing and leave some sort of sign to say you are returning

Strong winds the pull out requires to be anchored down with those thick straps. otherwise a sudden gust of wind can have them over the top of the van


Dont know about weight


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## badger (May 9, 2005)

We used an awning in a previous van, although not drive away and it was invaluable as we could at least store some of the "bric a brac" we used to take with us..
We have only a slightly bigger van now and are trying desperately to avoid getting an awning. We have a wind out and have stayed away from the safari room. I think they are a bit of a pain. Get it down before it rains etc.
If you have a decent size van and can get away with just a wind out, try that first. Its no good spending all that money then not using it much


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## Road_Runner_644 (May 9, 2005)

Hi Nuke

We don't use a conventional free standing awning, we had one but found it a pain to put up and take down. Then there were some sites where putting up the awning made it impossible to drive out or back in, because of the layout of the pitch. I hated the ally pole bit, and the two man job it was to put it up. If it rained at put up or pull down time, it was divorce time. We needed something more than relate, i'm telling you.

What we settled for was an easy up, lightweight awning which we pitch behind the van, or somewhere else convenient, but not in the way of my parking maneuvers. We use it as a sort of shed, if we go out during the day, we put the chairs in there, and hang the washing up inside it. We keep a couple of buckets of water in there which the beer is kept in (fridge never big enough).

And we chain the bikes to it, when we leave them, not very secure i know, but sort of a point made. Won't stop the criminal, but will stop naughty kids.

The awning goes up in about 2 mins, and another 3 mins if you want to peg it down, for which i use a battery drill and these little screw in pegs, they advertise them in the mags.

The awning is a Herzog Explorer - its one of those ones that keeps all the poles with it, easy erect i think they say, but don't go searching for that term on google :wink: . Its a one man job putting it up and down. So no awning arguments - Ah - how i remember them 

Its very light for its size, the awning bag is just shy of 4 foot long, and it weighs, hmmm - i'm guessing, but about 10 - 15 kilos.

It's not tall enough to attach to a coach built or A class, made really for smaller
vans as a drive away.

Theres a couple of pics of it here on the eriba site

http://www.eriba-amiga.co.uk/awning_full.html

and i use wurmi pegs

http://www.wurmi.co.uk/

Cheers

Dave


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## AlanMo (May 14, 2005)

I was thinking of getting a safari room but this has raised a number of questions:-
How stable are they in high winds and is there a danger of damaging the roll-out/van fixing?
Can they be used in all weathers ie when pouring with rain same applies to roll out actually?
Do people use them much or are they things which seem like a good idea and the stay in their bags?
Given the height of a van do you have to carry a ladder around to fix them on?

Best wishes - excellent site!!

Alan


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## 91766 (May 1, 2005)

HI,

I bought a high model Ventura Freestander earlier in the year and have been quite pleased with it so far. My kids like it because it gives them extra room (especially when it's raining). And we don't have to pack everything up if we go off-site in the van.

Our van has a double floor, so the top of the door is pretty high. It fits under the standalone without any problems. The tunnel section is supposed to attach to a J-rail on the van. I haven't got a J- Rail (and couldn't reach one without a ladder) so I threw the guy ropes from the tunnel flap over the van and pegged them on the ground. I used one of the kids toys to get the lines over. (Can only describe it as rugby ball with wings, Tesco £3).

Putting the Ventura together for the first time was a nightmare. The illustration in the instruction booklet is a very poor quality line drawing. Thankfully, I had the sense to try it at home and not on site. Nonetheless, it took me ages just to get the frame the right shape. You'll probably see the video on Who's Been Framed next year.......... I colour coded everything with tape and haven't had any problems since. With a bit of practice, it now takes about fifteen minutes to put up and peg. About ten minutes to take down and pack..

PM me if you buy the freestander - I'll send you my 'plan'

Chris


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## badger (May 9, 2005)

A pal of mine has a safari room, it always seems a pain to put up & down, and such a lot of extra stuff to lug about. In high winds I wouldn't want to have to take it down in a hurry. The basic wind out is enough for me. If it rains heavily then just drop one leg a bit so it runs off.
My pal is constantly having to remove puddles from the roof.
I know you can get rafters to do that, but they tend to stretch the fabric out of shape.


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## 91289 (May 1, 2005)

for quick pitching and un-pitching, wind stabiliy and add on bits like inner tents, as well as smallish pack size and light weight, look at the Khyam awnings. I have a Khyam tent and they are a superior product in every sense. No experience of the Herzog but I've heard good things. Frame awnings just look like trouble to me, heavy, time consuming, a bit dodgy in wind unless you really peg them down. Safari rooms seem to defeat the object of the mobility of a motorhome and I would have doubts about windy conditions. But speaking as someone who's camped a lot in winter and summer I can speak for the quality of Khyam gear. It attaches to a j-rail on the van and like with any awning you'd need to un-attach in the wind unless you want your J-rail ripped off.

Tim


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## Road_Runner_644 (May 9, 2005)

A quick reply on Tim's previous post.

We had a Khyam tent before we went back to campers vans. They are brilliant and i'd never consider any other way of pitching a tent (or awning) ever.

The Herzog is like the Khyam in construction, and exactly the same in the way you put them up. If a Khyam awning is available i'd highly recommend them.

Dave


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## 88789 (May 9, 2005)

hi Nuke we use a peakland Annex ok for when carol wants to be outside but out of the sun/rain etc and great for the dog it is also a very convenient shed for the table and chairs, dogs crate and those things that you normally put under the van plus the items that you dont want to carry around when you leave site, and of course reserves your pitch. This is a really cheap freestander not attached like an awning but easy peasy to erect and is light coming in at 7.5k only 200x180cm in area but we find it ample for us. packed size is 100x28cm. have a look www.yeomansoutdoors.co.uk/products.asp?recnumber=76


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

been looking around and like the look of the Khyam Excelsior Motordome driveaway awning, anyone have any experience of these ?

Just a little concerned about how these affix to the side of my Euramobil AClass and whether they will clear the door


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## 91289 (May 1, 2005)

Unfortunately no experience of the awning, just the tents. I assume you've already been to www.khyam.co.uk

The attached picture is encouraging (that van must be 3M high) and the given dimensions show the Excelsior as at least 2.45 high, so depends how high your door is. Give them a ring (01922 711243 between 10.30 and 1.30 Monday to Friday).

Couldn't find the J-rail picture I know I've seen but there's a description below.

Tim

_"Awning manufacturers incorporate various ways of attaching their products to motor caravans and camper vans. The most common method utilizes what is commonly known as a figure 8. This is a plastic mould, which when looked at end on appears to resemble the number 8, hence the name. In actual fact the figure of 8 is two almost closed 'C' profiles, which are molded back to back. One side of the fig 8 ('C' section) slides onto the motorhome awning via the awnings extended rear gusset, the gusset would normally incorporate a strip of circular cord, which the fig 8 slides onto. The other side of the fig 8 section then simply clips and rests onto the gutter of the motor caravan. If a gutter is not present it is possible to buy and fit an aluminium rail called a J-rail, this acts as an artificial gutter for the purpose of attaching an awning and is riveted or screwed into the motorhome."_


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