Help....Drive Away Awning smallest with sleeping advice

[bongolou]

Hi
I have trawled the forums and shops and looked and looked but still cant decide on what to go for.
This is my first awning purchase not looking to spend much more than £200. Would like it to be fairly small like the easycamp silverstone, but ideally be able to sleep in if someone wanted to.
First use will mainly be for extra space for cooking and table chairs etc and then for leaving stuff when going out for the day, but ideally id like the option for someone to sleep in it if there came a time.
I am not sure weather to go for the easy camp option and leave the sleeping option all together. Or should i go bigger and get the easy camp sebring 200.
Advice would be greatly received. Looking for a easy to erect and not to big (as some camp sites charge more for large awnings).

Looking to go away first week in august for my birthday so would be nice to get one sorted asap.

[bongolou]

Or i did spot this one, anyone had one of these? Ive always been into Vango tents so awnings are v new to me. The new vango awning looks cool but way to much money for me

http://www.driveaway-awnings.co.uk/gems ... rismo-xls/

[AmandaR]

Hello,
I recently bought the Easy Camp Silverstone. It is great, but awkward to fit to the tiny gutter on my Hightop. Can be done, but with much swearing It would no doubt be better on a wider gutter.
It has loads of space for everything I need. Also, I can get changed without contorting my body and squashing my dogs....joy!
If friends join me, I tell them to bring their own small tent to sleep in. So far, everyone has been happy with the arrangement.

[bongolou]

Would that be the same problem with the auto free top fitting it?? I currently have a ykk awning on the van and was either planning to fit the awning using figure of 8 cut into three sections to attach to the gutter between the ykk clamps/brackets.
Def would be nice to be able to change without sitting on my dogs too
Do camping places usually allow another tent to be next you your bongo on the same pitch? Ive only visited one camp site so not over up on what's what.

[AmandaR]

I have had no problem having a tent pitched next to the van. I don't use electrical hook up, just find a quiet corner .
Not sure about fixing to ykk, sorry!

[bongolou]

Anyone else got any awning suggestions before i decide what to buy?

[clutha]

Just had 3 nights away with 2 adults and 1 grandchild, our http://tiny.cc/ux1i0w was very good and I may sleep in it rather than have a 7 year old up top needing the toilet at 4am

We were told one figure of 8 would be fine, complete nonsense, we bought another 3 and all that will be required is about 8" off one and the whole of the horizontal part of the gutter will be used and the awning will only overhang by about 5". Side door opening was no problem.

At the price, I'm very happy with it.

[AmandaR]

OK, just got back from another great weekend away and am getting more used to the Easy Camp Silverstone . The problem seems to be that I am just not tall enough to clamp the rail to the van! Got some help this time, and it was easy. I also managed to take it down on my own, just needs a bit of practice

[Philjones]

We also have an easy camp silverstone with a standard auto top. It's the easiest awning we've ever put up, 20 minutes all done. It came with 3 little clamps to attach the pole to the van with, that we found to fiddled and not very secure. So we bought 3 packs of the awning clamps from the bongo shop. Now we slide the attachment pole in, put it in the roof gutter nd use 5 clamps to clamp it straight onto the gutter, 5 seconds max then put awning poles in, peg it out, guy ropes and your done.

A good size and has withstood some seriously winding conditions so would highly recommend it. We bought from amazon at £149

[bongolou]

I am pretty keen on this awning, and hearing positive things from you guys is good. But looking at other reviews on amazon not so good. They seem to suggest if you use it as a driveaway awning it will collapse in high winds and that you need to buy extra guylines etc? Have either of you tried this?
Some of those people did say it was hard to erect but as i see you said its v simple i watched the video doesnt look too bad compared to my big tent

[Philjones]

We took it to brean, on a huge open field with a very strong sea wind. Yes the sides rattled and I was worried but it stayed put. We also drove off several times and it came to no harm at all.

Have the amazon reviews said it did actually collapse, or were they just assuming that it would collapse because it is very lightweight?

As said seriously easy to put up, but I'd definitely bin the little screw on clamps supplied and buy the heavy duty dog clip clamps from the bongo shop. There is a full 10 minute video on YouTube which shoes step by step how to put it up. You do have the option of attaching with an optional figure of eight kit. The awning is for sale in the bongo shop and they also say they have tested it and it was the easiest awning they have ever put together. Anyone saying its difficult is doing it wrong!

A tip when using a drive away is to place a run way strip on the ground after the awning is all attached and in the right place. Use a thick brightly coloured ribbon cut to the length of yor bongo, centre of front wheel to centre of back wheel. Peg to the ground right next to the wheels so when you drive off you know exactly where to park on your return.

Hope that helps

[AmandaR]

Thank you Phil, for the tip about the clips, this will make things much easier for me

[bongolou]

That's very helpful. Esp the ribbon strip. On Amazon one person said it collapsed and exposed the contents they left in it. And something about it not being sealed very well when you drive away and the end that attached to the van flaps about a bit.
I'm thinking this might be the best choice what's it like with out a sewn in ground sheet? I'm used to tents where there seen in.