Jules, good vid mate. The only thing i do when taking down my Kampa is to fold it up on the carpet. Keeps the dirt away if you do have to fold it up wet or from a grass pitch which can be a bit muddy. Gives you the opportunity to wipe the skirts clean before folding and rolling.
Great video. I have the same awning and pack it almost the same as you. The difference is that I don't let the airbeams down every time, they just live under the bed fully inflated. Saves time and effort on the next pitch. Also I don't use those Velcro foam filled beams at the sides, instead I have used 25mm foam pipe lagging and put the metal poles in it. Works a treat. Any DIY place has it and its cheap. I have just found pegs I can use my drill on, great on the really hard standing areas. Have a great season.
The first thing to say is that it is amazing you have been Caravanning only for a year. You seem to have packed a lot into that year and obviously know what you are doing. I suppose it's fair to say that MOST things are a bit like driving to Carlisle - there isn't only one route, some may be more direct and some may take longer but other routes will get you there in the end. So often there isn't just one answer. We have been Caravanning about 29 years with the Camping & Caravanning Club. What a friendly bunch! My wife worked with a teacher who, with her friends, used to go camping most weekends, and had been since they were children with THEIR parents. My wife, as a child, had gone on some camping trips with her parents. So we joined her friend to try it out. In those early 1990s they were in tents and their parents were in vans. We bought a cheap £500 van and joined them. We found we liked it and so bought a new van - like you after a lot of careful looking around. Our friends have been camping 40+ years and have moved onto caravans and in some cases to Motorhomes/campervans. DA meets most weekends (taking this weekend off!) and longer meets - next week is a five-day meet over the Bank Holiday period to coincide with the Tour de Yorkshire and we will be camping in a field near Whitby as they cycle past our camp - and temporary holiday sites, are a great way to get out and are very cheap entertainment. Some of our friends do 100+ nights a year camping but they are retired and I'm not (yet). But the friendships, the banter, and cameraderie is great. Good to see the Cadac cooking is "Big" amongst you and your camping friends. Saw the Trudgfest cooking competition. Probably needed a week to lie down after all that eating to judge the offerings! We have just bought a Kampa Air Ace Pro 400 (only been out 3 times so far, once at Barney then to Bedale then Catterick) and though it looks very much like yours, as someone pointed out above, it has only one point of inflation and the supporting bars/Poles don't need to be removed. Open the valves and they all deflate together. We don't bother to take out the side panels and, with me and wife together, putting it up and getting it rolled back into its bag for storage is a doddle. We prefer to pitch on grass (to be fair, on a DA meet in a farmer's field, that's usually the only choice!) and we don't bother with a carpet/groundsheet as God has already provided us with a growing green carpet! Bent a few heavy duty metal pegs 3 weeks ago at Barnard Castle Club site (DA meet there, about £11 per night WITH ELECTRICS for an early season weekend) hammering into the hard standing on the awning's debut outing. Keep up the good work. Your Videos are good.
Raymond thank you for taking the time to write such a lovely and comprehensive comment. Its nice to hear from people who have been caravanning so many years. We hope you enjoy watching our vlogs, we try to provide some entertainment 😁
Nice one Jules. I bought a Kampa 390 plus, first time out when I came to pack it away I had far more awning left than bag! I found the retailer Atwools had loads of videos on You Tube showing how to erect and pack away awnings from various manufacturers. Really helpful.
Well put together video. I just got the Somona II with porch door. Took it to Wells-next-to-sea last weekend. Great awning but it's going to take a couple of times to grasp the folding and packing of it!!
Jules that was a really good video, with lots of helpful advice 👍. You mentioned if anyone has any other suggestions or recommendations then to leave them in the comments below... The only thing I would add is that some people might find it easier to remove the side panels from the awning, so that next time they put it up it’s easier to pull onto the awning rail. I do this with our heavy Isabella as I’m a bit of a weakling 🤣, but older people might find this useful too. 👍 Stephen. 👍⛺️
Thanks Stephen, that’s great advice. I haven’t tried that before but a great tip. Will have to give it a try. Thanks for commenting and hopefully catch you guys soon. 👍👍
Brilliant video,so many great tips on how to do this the easy way, work smart not hard, thanks for this, I have been wasting about 2 hours good drinking time erecting my 520 before I saw this video,
Great video Jules, that's a similar process we do with our awning (non air) the difference is that we make several attempts at getting it into it's bag. The weather looks great as they say you had a nice day for it. Best wishes Jon and Karen
I put my weather order in days before. 😂😂. We have had some belting days recently, it’s hard work but someone has to do it. 😅😅😊👍. Are you managing to get away soon ?
Great vid can I suggest one thing noticed you seemed to be wrapping some rope around the awning when rolled up can I suggest trying bungie cord as it is elasticated and stretches thus pulling the awning together just a suggestion .
Thanks Mick and great advice. I was just using the ribbon that was provided in the bag, but I prefer your idea. I have also heard that people sometimes wrap towels around the string to stop it digging into the fabric and windows. Thanks for watching and commenting. 😊👍👍
I always carry a pair of knee pads (£10 from screwfix) for use on gravel pitches. Saves having to carry a kneeling mat which you always walk away from and stop using.
MATE !! thank you so much , I have the same awning and I have to dry hump it back in the bag.I get some strange looks but I get there I the end.top idea Cheers
Thank you. Fudge loves his cameo appearances. It’s good to admit your a dirty peg bagger, I was once one to but then I changed my game 😊😊 (I also got sick of buying new peg bags) 😂😂👍👍👍
Hey Jules, Karinas let you do another solo vlog!! Seriously, good video with good tips mate. My tip is that I carry a claw hammer to lift those difficult pegs, as you can lever them out. See you soon Buddy.
Good tip John. I’m not allowed advanced toolery like that. Might pass my Health and Safety assessment one day for one. Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for watching. 👍👍
Jules - Brilliant - Thank you. That was just what I wanted, got my Awning at the October NEC show, tried it once at home and thought never again! A nightmare to put up and then getting it all back in the bag, the swear jar was full that day. Caravaning is supposed to be fun! You made it look simple so I'll share this video with my other half and we'll have another go. Perhaps you could film the erection version as well please :-). I noticed this seems to be man's work with someone resting in the caravan !!! I suppose it's a division of labour with Karina doing the driving. As for me I have to do the driving as well as the setup on site. Phew..... Keep up the excellent videos.
Thanks Geo, YES it absolutely has to be fun, I didn’t find it this easy the first time I did it and it’s after using the kit repeatedly that I got to know the best ways for me. I have never met such lovely people caravanning and for that I feel we are very lucky people. There will always be a swear jar but you put less in each time. I must say I love putting stuff up and having it just right so yeah Karina does her fair share of jobs as we have them set out and a routine and this again comes with time. I still watch people now arrive on site and have everything up and set up in half an hour and wonder how they do it, but for me some of the joy is people popping over having a chat and a brew. That’s what I love the most. Thanks so much for commenting and hope it goes better for you next time. 👍👍
I have a query. Awning skirt- in or out? I know it’s been asked previously. The video has shown me a couple of things that I wasn’t aware of, thanks. 👍
Great instructional video. I don’t own an Awning other than the Fiamma wind out canopy that’s permanently fitted to the Caravan. Interested to know if you always make the effort to erect the awning? I’m new to Caravanning but it takes me an hour just to level the van, connect services etc, the thought of having to erect an awning as well!
Hi Nick, thanks for commenting. We do put it up most times as we need the space for Fudge as he is not allowed in the van and don’t like him on the lead all the time. It does get much easier I promise as you get your routine and checks down to a T. 👍👍👍
Some great tips there Jules, we have yet to use our awning, will be trying it out in a few weeks so will use your tips although I do think already that an awning is a faff 😂
Thanks for that 👍👍, it totally depends what you use it for a porch is handy for shoes and dry space outside the van or a full one in summer with friends round having a drink. All is good, or just go to a friends with a big awning and have a drink with them. That’s a winner all around. 👍👍😂
We also have a sun canopy which takes only minutes to put up and take down which we have been using on the weekends, when it’s so easy to put up I can see us using more of that although I am already thinking of getting a Thule roll out and the privacy room to go with it to get the best of both worlds but will see first how we get on with the air awning
Ah superb, which sun canopy have you gone for if you don’t mind me asking as we also keep looking ? We also looked at the Fiamma and Thule wind outs with the residents room which do look a good piece of kit. 👍👍
Never normally being this simple or straight forward. With awnings or tents. With the UK weather, usually really windy and your awning or tent flapping all over the place or blowing away. Question being any advice of what to do then please packing away wise?
I have had to do it in some awful weather but all I can say is plan as much as you can, either so you can get all the bits you need quickly or more long term for a break in the weather. This does help speed things up there are always going to be times when you can’t do this but just know your awning and if you can have a trial run in the good weather. 👍 Thanks for commenting.
I have the exact same awning but ours has a strap that runs from one side to the other that makes it hard to put the awning down on the awning mat didn't notices that centre strap on yours?
Hi Trevor, I am not sure of the strap you have on yours, this is a 2017 model so might be a bit older than yours. Ive used a few Vango awnings now and have always used this method. Sorry you’re having a problem with this strap on yours. Hopefully you will be back out next month and enjoying it again. Jules
Thanks Ian, if you have to put it away wet then pack it up as you normally would. Keep the wet outer on the outside. When you get home hang it up in the garage, shed or washing line as soon as you can. It’s best to roll them up on the floor so you don’t get soaked 👍
How do you get the vent seals to fit at the end. It’s a nightmare. Unless I’m clearly fling something wrong .. vango make. Even the video don’t look as if it’s the same
Nice one joules fab video is your awning a 250 cm depth awning wondered could u do a video of how u two hitch your caravan up to car how u work together doing it thanks .kev
Hi Kev, ours is 3 meters deep so a really handy size for us. I have looked at a hitch and pitch video so will look at doing one of these in the future. Hope that helps all the best J. 👍👍
I want to hate you 😂 Mrs B has to help me with ours (dodgy spine) and she stays calm whilst i get cross. But we do get it bagged eventually althought its a bloody great big bradcot 😁
I have always been told look after your kit and your kit will look after you. I find after being in the ground just to keep them clean and free from muck helps out, also don’t like the dirt in my bag so always ready for next use. I must admit I am a little stuck in my ways with keeping stuff in good order. 👍👍👍
Now is this going to be a controversial answer 🤔🤔🤔 I must say I peg them out - my thoughts are, when you watch cars and planes being tested with smoke being blown over them I think that the air goes up and over the awning if it can’t get under it. Therefore wind and rain not driven under the awning causing a wet carpet. However if you have a ground sheet or tarp then you can tuck them under so that it keeps it slightly more water proof. I have to say all the promotional stuff seems to have them in but then you have the eyelets so if they are pegged then these will be under your carpet. So my conclusion is do what you think is best for the weather but mine will always be out I think. Hope that helps.
Absolutely, always here to help. I love helping others, I normally make a right mess but a pot of tea, a chin wag and biccy later all is good. What awning did you go for in the end ?. 👍👍
Far too much faffin with that awning having to remove bits and tubes. You need to get a kampa all one piece, goes down in one piece, also one point of inflation. Would fold up on the carpet as well not drag it across the gravel if ya can help it.
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