Wind out awnings: worth it?

[Creamytash]

Hi all, I am just about finished the conversion of my 2020 plate LWB T6.1 panel van. I would like to ask for your opinions on wind out awnings such as Fiama or Thule. Do you use them much, are they limited use in a breeze, do you feel they are a good bit of kit to have on your van, an asset or a waste of cash for what use you get out of one. I would value all points of view to help me decide. Many thanks for taking the trouble to respond.
Creamytash - Nottingham.

 

[Oldrat]

Depends on how you intend to use your van.

We rarely use camp sites and mostly park in quite roadside locations, so we actually get very little use from our awning. If you intend to regularly use camp sites then it’s an ideal bit of kit even if it’s just for relaxing in the shade.

However when we do stop on a camping field (say at a race circuit) the awning always comes out. Worth its weight in gold and I’d buy another next time around too.

It’s a real boon for barbecuing in the rain.. but make sure that you also buy the rubber infill that goes between the awning and van, this stops the rain pouring through the gap and down your neck or worse into the open slider.

Advice
Avoid leaving it out overnight.
Any sing of a breeze, then put the appropriate straps on it.

Of course a cheaper option to a roll out is a tarp which attaches to a rail you permanently fix to your van.

 

[Loz]

EDITED:
We used to use ours all of the time, but more of a liability in the breeze and rain, and it gets in the way of a proper driveway set up.
When we were overlanding and moving on every day it makes sense as you don't want to put up a drive-away every night, but not for longer stays of 2 nights or more.
We have all the tie downs and the rain blockers and we had the sides, we had the rafter to lift up the middle, but even with all that in the middle of the night as that storm comes in, you end up lying in bed thinking, should I get up and adjust a leg, is there a huge puddle forming on it? is it tied down enough as the wind gets up? Should I put it away? With just the drive away I just sleep….
The only place we found it a must was in Morocco at 43deg when you had to find shade when you stopped. We had a spell with the driveway attached to the awning's c-rail but it just bought on the sliding door so I have now taken it off and put it in the store.
If we need instant sun shade, we now use a Stitches and Steel Bawdsey inflatable.

 

[Andpopse]

I had a wind out Thule on my Motorhome, I used it on campsites, did have concerns about any windy weather.
For my T6 I decided to go with a Reimo rail and a wild earth tarp. The rail is hardly noticeable in normal situations whereas a wind out is a large item on the Van adding height and weight.
The rail keeps the T6 more stealth like.
Hope it helps

 

[JLDD]

Interesting thread. I've been considering getting a wind out awning to fix onto the t track "roof prep" so that it can be taken off when not required (winter) and popped on for warm weather trips. What I have from the previous van is a Stitches & Steel tarp/awning (older orange one) that is total crap and impossible to pitch so that it is taught and doesn't flap around wildly in the wind.

 

[Dickieboy3]

We have a Fiama wind out left on van all year round.
We only do campsites and use it a lot wind and rain dependant.
We also attach a driveway awning to it.
Wind out set up for quickness and driveway for additional internal space.

 

[CAB]

We have a Fiamma.

If doing it yourself, I would suggest fitting one of the roof rail C channels and get a simple slide-in awning with poles, there's a few options on here.

A wind-out is best part of a grand, and as has been said above, needs securing or winding in during bad weather, lots of stories of damage to vans if you search.

Use the C-rail and awning and if you find yourself using it a lot, then you can consider selling them and fitting a wind-out.

 

[Grainfoot]

Filmmaker are brilliant awnings. Have on on our van and also on Bongo we had before. If windy can still have partially out and peg down, then at least you can get under to get out of wet clothing.

 

[cgtmiles]

We wanted a wind out awning initially but went with the reimo rail as would use drive away awnings on longer trips. Instead we got a debus sun awning, this gives us outdoor space to put things outside in the wet and a sun canopy in the summer. It can also easily be setup as a tarp to cover stuff when you go out. It’s so easy to put up and store I can’t really see the point in a wind out awning anymore. I guess there are a few occasions when parked up for the day where we would of opened up a wind out awning but couldn’t get the sun canopy out (either because it needed pegging or total size with guys) but these times are few are far between and we do often pitch the canopy for a day out.

The poles in this kit are fully adjustable so I either adjust the poles accordingly for the weather or if it’s really bad remove the poles altogether.

We have a big drive away (vango Rhone) and an air canopy with sides (vango sun canopy) but the debus is by far my favourite setup for outdoor space and I think qualifies as one of the best purchases for the van! Often use it with one or two pup tents for the kids as it is so much easier lighter etc than the vango Rhone.

By the way, the vango sun canopy and sides will be up for sale shortly if anyone is interested

 

[Mike23864]

We have a wind out awning. Have never used it for its intended purpose. Just use it to fasten the drive away awning to via its channel.

I’m sure it would be great for a fair weather screen but we needed something more substantial to decant the contents of the van into.

 

[Creamytash]

Hi everyone, thank you so much for taking the time to respond/reply with your comments and photos. I meanit when I say that your experiences have been very helpful in helping us to decide about a wind out awning. Several factors have brought us to this decision. I don't fancy contending with wind and rain or being woken in the night if it blows up a bit. I have come down on the side of a drive-away awning. Seeing the photos of some of your rigs was inspiring and brought to the front of my mind that up in my atic from my camping days I have a Coleman Evolva 9 berth family tent. It has a large living area with like a porch entrance, then at 3 points around the living area us where there is options to zip on 3 bedrooms or 2 bedroom and a 'chef's annex (see attached photos). I am confident that for longer trips I can use the large living area with the option of a zip on bedroom should family want to come out and meet up with us - or we just use 1 of the bedrooms as a drive-away awning, saving us (as stated) the thick end of a grand in cash that I can throw at a diesel heater. We are really grateful for your input, it has helped us in our delema.
Creamytash & Sue - Nottingham.

 

[cgtmiles]

I want that tent now

 

[Creamytash]

Hi all, a SITREP on my quest to decide on an awning. Today I bought a Vango Airbeam Sky Canopy 2.5mtr with side panels. I know they have some negatives such as the bladders fail and deflating but I will get around these. I think this awning will be ok for me for a weeked or a couple of days away. However for longer trips I will deploy the Coleman Evolva tent that I have posted pictures of previously. Thank you all, this is a great family and I am privilaged to be part of it.

 

[cgtmiles]

Hi all, a SITREP on my quest to decide on an awning. Today I bought a Vango Airbeam Sky Canopy 2.5mtr with side panels. I know they have some negatives such as the bladders fail and deflating but I will get around these. I think this awning will be ok for me for a weeked or a couple of days away. However for longer trips I will deploy the Coleman Evolva tent that I have posted pictures of previously. Thank you all, this is a great family and I am privilaged to be part of it.

You could have bought mine for £100!

 

[Creamytash]

You could have bought mine for £100!

LOL - thanks, open gates and horses bolting comes to mind. I am sure it will fly out at that.