Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Questions & answers about awnings, mattresses, and other things to make life on the road more comfortable. This section is for Bongo-specific kit only. No talk about backpacking tents here!

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frogeyepete
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Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by frogeyepete » Tue Nov 21, 2017 8:29 pm

Can anyone please tell me what are the main advantages of a drive away awning over a stand alone tent. Are you less likely to tread dirt from the awning into the Bongo for example? Bongo is on order and have booked a holiday in France for next year. Just want to sort out some of the basics. 😉😉😉😉
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by Bob » Tue Nov 21, 2017 10:12 pm

Plus of a stand alone is it's easier to go out for the day in Bongy, but you won't have such good weather protection.

Not such an issue in France, though. 8)
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by Jillygumbo » Wed Nov 22, 2017 12:01 pm

If you use the bongo during the day (driving) you will need to be able to align the bongo with the tunnel when returning to site. There are various ways to mark the vehicle position but a stand alone gets rid of the issue completely. Some stand alones can be snuggled up to the sliding door but there will then be not much room when moving from bongo to tent, and visa versa.

Suggest a cheap canopy (or a Fiamma 45S) for protection of the door from the weather, plus a stand alone snuggled with the door under the canopy! Best of both worlds.
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by mikeonb4c » Wed Nov 22, 2017 5:32 pm

I like the privacy and protection from the elements a driveaway gives. 8)
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by frogeyepete » Wed Nov 22, 2017 10:55 pm

Thank you for the replies. The Fiamma awning sounds interesting. Would that be the 1.9m long for the Bongo? I like the idea of something to counterbalance the weight of the side fitted kitchen when driving with just the driver and one passenger (doesn´t apply with 6 people I guess). With a pop-top, I am hoping to be under the 2m French motorway height limit (for the lowest category of toll). Hoping that the Fiamma awning would not make the bongo higher than the pop-top. Additions seem to be available for the Fiamma awning that would make it into a tent in its own right. Has anyone tried that?
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by g8dhe » Wed Nov 22, 2017 10:59 pm

Its normal to fit a 2.6m Fiamma as this then just covers the passenger door as well.

Oh and yes you can fit either the Fiamma blockers which are expensive and heavy or make your own see here http://www.g8dhe.net/bongo_images/Awning/
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by JoeC » Thu Nov 23, 2017 3:49 pm

Jillygumbo wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2017 12:01 pm If you use the bongo during the day (driving) you will need to be able to align the bongo with the tunnel when returning to site. There are various ways to mark the vehicle position but a stand alone gets rid of the issue completely. Some stand alones can be snuggled up to the sliding door but there will then be not much room when moving from bongo to tent, and visa versa.
Yep, a pain in the neck.
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by the1andonly » Thu Nov 23, 2017 8:23 pm

mikeonb4c wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2017 5:32 pm I like the privacy and protection from the elements a driveaway gives. 8)
so do I. with a large enough canopy a popup toilet tent can be fitted in.
With practice refiitng isn't a problem.
PS i also have a fiamma F35 fitted, but not used as often as the drive away.
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by mikeonb4c » Thu Nov 23, 2017 8:43 pm

the1andonly wrote: Thu Nov 23, 2017 8:23 pm
mikeonb4c wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2017 5:32 pm I like the privacy and protection from the elements a driveaway gives. 8)
so do I. with a large enough canopy a popup toilet tent can be fitted in.
With practice refiitng isn't a problem.
PS i also have a fiamma F35 fitted, but not used as often as the drive away.
Yup and driving back onto it is a sort of campervanning rite of passage - just got to be done (and not that hard tbh, esp with an autobox and guidance strip/pegs). What I like about a driveaway is nobody needs to know you are up and about, maybe unclothed(!), until you feel like communicating.
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by Bob » Thu Nov 23, 2017 9:25 pm

Unclothed comunicating is definitely best carried out in the privacy of your awning. :shock:
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by the1andonly » Fri Nov 24, 2017 12:18 am

no Bob
another Cider and then communicate
if in the morning a vegitarian bacon sandwich may help.

as a total aside we have an aspire award system in work where a person having done things above the call get £50 voucher or if a group !!
10 off us were offered a lunch but spent 3 days on email debating the wonderful thing that is the english/ welsh / irish / scotish breakfast and it wont be on friday as required because half of us has all the fridays off (all the way to christmas)
I have totally not mentioned the great black pudding debate
discuss!!
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by Markas » Sat Nov 25, 2017 9:36 am

Jillygumbo wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2017 12:01 pm If you use the bongo during the day (driving) you will need to be able to align the bongo with the tunnel when returning to site. There are various ways to mark the vehicle position but a stand alone gets rid of the issue completely. Some stand alones can be snuggled up to the sliding door but there will then be not much room when moving from bongo to tent, and visa versa.
It's not too much of a hardship with a bit of practice to get it right, cunning positioning of tent pegs or even expensive hi-vis 'landing strips' help a lot.
the1andonly wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 12:18 am as a total aside we have an aspire award system in work where a person having done things above the call get £50 voucher or if a group !!
10 off us were offered a lunch but spent 3 days on email debating the wonderful thing that is the english/ welsh / irish / scotish breakfast and it wont be on friday as required because half of us has all the fridays off (all the way to christmas)
I have totally not mentioned the great black pudding debate
discuss!!
Ooh can I come and work where you do?!
If you're lucky where I work you get a chocolate bar for doing something 'above the call' and you feel b***dy grateful for it too!
They've also just cancelled tea/ coffee and biscuits after work on Fridays as 'too costly/ no budget'.
The words 'b*****x to this, I'm off' spring to mind...
Black pudding baps make a great Bongo breakfast!

Edited to include references to black pudding :)
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Bob
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by Bob » Sat Nov 25, 2017 9:47 am

Well know that Bongonaughts will talk breakfast until the cows come home. :lol:

Muzz is our top man here. 8)
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the1andonly
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by the1andonly » Tue Nov 28, 2017 12:35 am

the1andonly wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 12:18 am no Bob
another Cider and then communicate
if in the morning a vegitarian bacon sandwich may help.

as a total aside we have an aspire award system in work where a person having done things above the call get £50 voucher or if a group !!
10 off us were offered a lunch but spent 3 days on email debating the wonderful thing that is the english/ welsh / irish / scotish breakfast and it wont be on friday as required because half of us has all the fridays off (all the way to christmas)
I have totally not mentioned the great black pudding debate
discuss!!
the breakfast was today

the suppliers van arrived the driver came running to the front door (hope so you say)
my vans on fire
fire engine comes
fires out breakfasts out ( dont know which order. i was expecting breakfast wednesday)
breakfast bagettes eventualy provided to 8 engineers and 2 lesser mortals.
4 sausages 2 pieces of bacon eggs mushroom beans and tomatoes in half a loaf of bread.
funniest thing i seen trying to eat this:
engineering manager and engineering director.
The laffs were lifetime memorable.
the burnt offerings that were once potato, were amusing, but no black pudding.
frogeyepete
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Re: Drive away awning vs stand alone tent

Post by frogeyepete » Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:34 am

Seem to have drifted of the point a bit folks. It occurred to me that looking at awnings compared with the cheaper tents, the awnings are slightly taller and easier to stand up in when your eating your black pudding.
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