Air or poled awnings?
- Thread starter richwill
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- airbeam awning awning poles
Air beams all the way for me! So much easier to put up and down than poles, plus less space in the bag. I used to have a poled tent and it was a pain putting up and down. I've now got the Vango Cove II air awning and it's a lot easier to put up, down and store.
Just my 2 cents worth...
Just my 2 cents worth...
@richwill. We have used both in different tents tents and my opinion is that if you can put up with the extra cost, weight and bulk that airbeams inevitably bring with them, they win hands down. Very easy to put up and IMHO stand up to bad weather better. Don't worry, somebody will be along with the opposite view any minute now.
Haha and that would be me…..we have both Vango air beams and the Khyam pole system (bit like an umbrella) it goes up and down just as fast, less bulky and never leaks……
so the pole version is just as quick? I will be putting this up and down on my own so do you think that will impact?
Pack size should be mentioned as well - fair bit less material with poled.
I’m in the poled camp, as above, everyone has their opinions on which is best.
If I was doing it on my own I’d struggle with poled, and need an extra pair of hands. I’m sure with air you can probably manage yourself.
For me it was poled due to price, size of the bag when dismantled and ease of replacing any broken poles if they do break. A lot of the new awnings come with storm straps etc which makes them a lot more rigid than older poled tents I’ve had experience with.
Based on a poled galli 3 low
I’m in the poled camp, as above, everyone has their opinions on which is best.
If I was doing it on my own I’d struggle with poled, and need an extra pair of hands. I’m sure with air you can probably manage yourself.
For me it was poled due to price, size of the bag when dismantled and ease of replacing any broken poles if they do break. A lot of the new awnings come with storm straps etc which makes them a lot more rigid than older poled tents I’ve had experience with.
Based on a poled galli 3 low
Ditto............ Quick and simple to erect and put away too
Khyam quick erect is the only awning I've had that destroyed its self in some (not that bad) wind.
It was easy to put up though as mentioned above.
Currently on a Kampa Motion AIR VW. Just as easy to put up (usually on my own) but rock solid once up, been up in high winds down Devon last year and it survived. They are bulky though once packed down.
It was easy to put up though as mentioned above.
Currently on a Kampa Motion AIR VW. Just as easy to put up (usually on my own) but rock solid once up, been up in high winds down Devon last year and it survived. They are bulky though once packed down.
Air without a shadow of a doubt. Easier to fix too. We have had three in our caravan and only ever had one issue in over 12 years.
When they first came on the scene it was a no go but now technology has moved on they are the go to option.
Easier and quicker to put up too
When they first came on the scene it was a no go but now technology has moved on they are the go to option.
Easier and quicker to put up too
Yes if you over inflate and it then warms up …
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Leaking & Exploding Vango Airhub Hexaway Low
Heya all, I’m just calling out for some info and to let you know our woes. We brought a Vango airhub hexaway from the camping and caravan show 2 years ago and off we go all excited to use it and that September we come to find it leaked not just a little basically a river running down the...
Yes.
We had an early air beam awning for the caravan. That had tubes in it, so could be repaired like a bike tyre.
I have a vango Rhone and vango sky canopy airbeam awnings which were my first non poled tents and to be honest I’m not sure what all the fuss is about, they are great and high quality but I’ve never really had a problem with using poles and you do get hot and bothered pretty quickly using the pump! I think look for the awning that best suits your requirements go for it regardless of where it’s air or not. Poled awnings are a lot cheaper too!
@Nigel W. I should have guessed that you would pop up 
. I agree that Khyam can be very good but would qualify that with 'until they're not'. Before we bought our can, we had been tenters for a lot of years and found that as we got older, the tents got bigger. Our first large tent was a Khyam Tourer 400 QE which is basically the same main structure as your awning but without the van connecting tunnel and with a bedroom added to either end (aka a vis a vis tent). It was great in any weather until the day that it started leaking at some seams - as with all our tents, it had been regularly water and UV proofed but after 4 or so years, the seam tape started to come away and no matter what I did with Seam Seal etc. it couldn't be made good again. As it was otherwise excellent and we might just have got a wrongun, we replaced with more or less the same tent, albeit it had been given a new name by then. That lasted 3 years before the same thing happened. This time, we went to Khyam for advice and they just we're interested in addressing any issues but did offer to sell me a new tent 'skin' to fit over the existing QE frame at more than we paid for for the whole thing in the first place (since then, I've heard other bad things about Khyam after sales from the guys at our local camping store!). Base on that experience. I vowed never to buy Khyam again. As an aside, I sold both of those tents (along with an additional Khyam annex tent for the second one) on Fleabay with full disclosure of their faults for very good prices so things could have been worse!
. I agree that Khyam can be very good but would qualify that with 'until they're not'. Before we bought our can, we had been tenters for a lot of years and found that as we got older, the tents got bigger. Our first large tent was a Khyam Tourer 400 QE which is basically the same main structure as your awning but without the van connecting tunnel and with a bedroom added to either end (aka a vis a vis tent). It was great in any weather until the day that it started leaking at some seams - as with all our tents, it had been regularly water and UV proofed but after 4 or so years, the seam tape started to come away and no matter what I did with Seam Seal etc. it couldn't be made good again. As it was otherwise excellent and we might just have got a wrongun, we replaced with more or less the same tent, albeit it had been given a new name by then. That lasted 3 years before the same thing happened. This time, we went to Khyam for advice and they just we're interested in addressing any issues but did offer to sell me a new tent 'skin' to fit over the existing QE frame at more than we paid for for the whole thing in the first place (since then, I've heard other bad things about Khyam after sales from the guys at our local camping store!). Base on that experience. I vowed never to buy Khyam again. As an aside, I sold both of those tents (along with an additional Khyam annex tent for the second one) on Fleabay with full disclosure of their faults for very good prices so things could have been worse!My Tupence worth is you need a variety of canopy's and awnings for different activities and trips away. A small drive away if your 2 people 2 chairs / table and would be pulling of your pitch is fine. poled if 2 people as is easier to thread the poles . and no pumping it up or letting the pressure out when its sunny ....saves packing everything up to pop to shops/trips out for those cooking in the awning and cloths / equipment storage.
medium / large for 4 people - 4 chairs or is anyone sleeping in the awning ..
medium / large for 4 people - 4 chairs or is anyone sleeping in the awning ..
Another plus for air is the ability for it to withstand wind. I've seen caravan pole awnings wrecked after a pretty rough storm. Equally, air awnings have been out of shape in the morning, but they've just needed a shake and they pop back up as good as new.
Visited Wales this week, and had high winds and driving rain Monday and Tuesday. Vango Kela has weathered well again. Just make sure not to over inflate airbeam awnings as they can burst when the sun heats them up
