Fiamma vs sun shade vs event shelter

[Mojo80]

Hoping for some help with deciding between a Fiamma 45s, a more basic sun shade/canopy and a Coleman Event Shelter. We already have a Vango Driveaway awning, but I'd like to get something else for shorter trips that a) can just provide sun shade for the kids and b) doesn't take up half the boot space. My thoughts so far:

Fiamma: great for speed and practicality, but way more expensive, especially if we want side and front panels for the evenings @ c.£500 (plus I'd need to pay someone to fit it as I'm too incompetent). Other threads have been really useful on the pros and cons of these.

Sun shade: I quite like the Khyam one (www.khyam.co.uk/driveaway-awnings-c182/type-c385/sun-canopy-c418), which is cheaper and also allows side/front panels, but could be a bit flimsy and needs taking down every time you move the van (which also means you can't leave stuff in it when you go out).

Coleman Event Shelter: not prohibitively expensive, but adds up a lot if you want side panels, doors, ground sheets etc. I like the flexibility and the fact that we could leave it in situ whilst out, but would be good to hear views/experiences inc. which size is best, how well they fit against/near the sliding door for height/width etc.

Any thoughts much appreciated (even if it's "just stick with the Vango"!)

 

[Davenjo]

We've just bought a Vango Airhub Hex in grey to compliment our Fiamma and Vango Kella 3 - Vango AirBeam AirHub Hex Gazebo - Herbal.

We've wanted something like a Coleman event shelter for a while, mainly to provide a bit of communal outdoor space when camping with others, but settled on this instead - it pitches a lot quicker than the event shelters and includes the sides and clip in groundsheet. Its not as big as the Coleman Event Shelters but we recon we could get about 10 people in there with everything closed up - more if doors are all open. Pack size with pump and everything is slightly smaller than our Kela 3 pack. What we are hoping to do is roll the Fiamma out to provide a bridge between the Van and AirHub - not tried it yet but no reason why it wouldn't work.

 

[Davenjo]

Air hub pitched in our garden whilst trying it out last weekend to give you an idea of usable size:-

 

[Davenjo]

For the sun shade, if you don't want to go down the Fiamma route, assuming you already have some sort of awning rail on the van, you could go for one of these Kiravans Railsail or make one up from a bit of canvas with a strip of awning bead sewn on and a few eyelets (idea for Railsail and DIY version from @Chopman and @Moose on an earlier thread - Awning decisions)

 

[Mojo80]

Thanks @Davenjo, really useful. How's the Airhub Hex in terms of set up time, compared to the Kela? I'd also thought about the Coleman Cortes Octagon, for similar reasons, but inflatable could be even quicker. Am keen to get something that packs up really small though.

I looked at the Railsail but quite like the idea of having side and front panels - will have another look though.

 

[Davenjo]

Thanks @Davenjo, really useful. How's the Airhub Hex in terms of set up time, compared to the Kela? I'd also thought about the Coleman Cortes Octagon, for similar reasons, but inflatable could be even quicker. Am keen to get something that packs up really small though.

I looked at the Railsail but quite like the idea of having side and front panels - will have another look though.

It took me about 15 minutes but this was mainly because we wanted to carefully unpackage it to see how it folds, etc. I then wasted a couple of minutes pumping time because I'd left 2 of the 3 valves open - doh (it has 3 tubes, each with its own inflation point but you can inflate all 3 from one point) - next time it will be around 10 minutes I think. Realistically, the Kela takes me about 20-25 minutes from bag to fully pitched mainly because I use a footprint ground sheet, more pegs in the ground, lining up, threading figure of 8/kador strip, etc. (I'll time it tomorrow!!).

I'm not replacing the Kela with the Air Hub (going away for a week tomorrow and taking the Kela), just trying to cover all bases. In most cases we will pack one or the other or neither - there are not may trips where I would consider taking both.

If we only have the Fiamma with us we tend to create a bit of shelter, if required, via the use of a windbreak - can't see us ever wanting to use it with side/front panels as these take away the convenience of quick and easy deployment.

 

[Mojo80]

Good points. I guess I see us having the sun shade up during the day, then putting the sides on when the kids go to bed, but might not pan out that way!

Still getting the hang of the Vango, not helped by it being an odd size for a van (Attar 380). Much swearing last weekend as it repeatedly pulled itself out of the awning rail/fell over! Seemed to fit better once we'd driven away and returned though, so perhaps just a matter of practice. Will definitely think about the Hex though, could be a good alternative for short trips. Thanks for taking the time to respond in detail by the way, much appreciated.

 

[Davenjo]

No problem - that is what the forum is for (I've also been the recipient of lots of good, detailed advice from others).

Our awning stays put in the awning channel very well, even when its windy - I think this is because we use the footprint to help with lining up and the Fiamma to apply a bit of tension to it - without this the bit that attaches to the van would be a bit saggy and I can see how it would flap around and pull itself out. You do have tensioning straps to take up some of the slack but these alone are not as effective as they could be unless you have everything lined up properly. Also, not all of the awnings were designed with lower Campervans in mind - the Kela 3 was, I believe, the first one that came in a "low" variant specifically for Campervans. Your Attar, assuming you have the standard height variant, was designed for rails at a height of between 205cm to 235cm (i.e. around 5-10cm higher than your awning rail will be) so, even if pitched perfectly, it is likely you will have a bit of extra material to deal with to get it tensioned correctly so that it doesn't flap about and come away from the van. It will get better with practice!!

 

[Chopman]

We have the railsail and the advantages are mostly around the flexibility - but it's also waterproof while many "sun shades" are not:
- Can be put up with 0, 1, 2 or 3 telescopic poles giving different shape options
- Poles can be any height from full extension to lowest - which is about knee height on our poles.
- With 0 poles acts as a storm shelter on the side of the van
- With just 1 or 2 poles near front or back - allows you to drop the other side down almost to the floor to stop driving rain or wind
- I'm buying a ridge pole which allows me to put up 2 verticals, put the ridge pole across the top and then fold the railsail over this to create a long or short side however I want

 

[Mojo80]

Thanks @Chopman - I think I'll take another look at these.

@Davenjo - yes, the Attar is a standard and therefore a bit too high for the van, and also too long for the rail - getting better at it, but not ideal. I bought a footprint for the latest trip, which helped when we returned to the site. The awning was thrown in with the van conversion, so am considering selling it and splashing out a bit on a Vango Galli as I think it would work better for us (plus some kind of quicker/smaller option as above, of course!)

Quandary is that the more "unnecessary" things I buy, the more trouble I get into at home, but clearly I will need them when I am kicked out and have to live in the van, right?

 

[Wongo]

Also look at the Reimo Palm Beach

 

[Mojo80]

Thanks both

 

[Fish]

loving the green egg in shot mate,

 

[Davenjo]

loving the green egg in shot mate,

Lol - its getting no end of use - love it!

 

[Oldrat]

Hi
I've just bought an F45s, it was fitted yesterday and we used it last night on a site for the first time.

Thoughts are..
So quick and easy
Really effective shelter
No wind noise when travelling
Does rattle a bit at lower speeds, but I think its the legs in the casing, so reckon it will be resolved with some sticky foam/ draught excluder
Mounts could be even slimmer to reduce the gap between van and awning case, but not too ungainly
If you max the front leg height you can still use the FNS door.
Importantly for us, it doesn't take up interior storage space.


Hope that helps

 

[Fish]

Which mounting brackets are you using mate.?.

 

[Davenjo]

Hi
I've just bought an F45s, it was fitted yesterday and we used it last night on a site for the first time.

Thoughts are..
So quick and easy
Really effective shelter
No wind noise when travelling
Does rattle a bit at lower speeds, but I think its the legs in the casing, so reckon it will be resolved with some sticky foam/ draught excluder
Mounts could be even slimmer to reduce the gap between van and awning case, but not too ungainly
If you max the front leg height you can still use the FNS door.
Importantly for us, it doesn't take up interior storage space.


Hope that helps

Did you see the discussion yesterday about filling the gap between the awning and van? Fiamma awning with sca pop top

 

[Mojo80]

Thanks @Oldrat, really helpful.

I think Fiamma do a "Drip Stop" to bridge the gap. This is the 3m one:

Fiamma Drip Stop 300 cm

 

[Oldrat]

cheers DavenJo, I haven't read that yet.

Meanwhile, I've just taken some pics of mine.

 

[Davenjo]

If you haven't already got, I'd invest in a tie down kit:- Fiamma Awning Tie Down S We also bought the plates to put around the feet but, unless you are on really soft ground, I think they are a waste of space - you can get the feet secured just as well using a couple of pegs through the holes in each foot and knocking them in at different angles to each other.