Recently got a T5 kombi LWB. Love it and looking forward to next summers camping and days out.
Was thinking of a fiamma roll out awning. Perfect for days out picnics and races etc. Also seen the drive away awnings too which seem a good idea . Just tell me do I sleep in the van or the awning? What do people do? What's your setup? The outwell ones look good.
Show me yours!
I'll dig a picture out when I'm not on the phone (although check my thread 'my new toy' for photos if you want). We use a drive away awning, but don't use the rail - I have heard that they are a nightmare to line up...instead we just throw the straps over the roof.
Me and wife sleep on the rnr bed, lad and (usually) his mate in the awning, daughter who is four either goes in the roof or on a cab bed bunk thing.
Check out the t4/5 forum, very informative. Just millions of sub sections....
Thanks, nice van that. Mine is standard inside as is used for work . Might get some swivel bases for the chairs
Started with a frive away vaude tent. Hated it. Heavy, git to erect. Small inside.
Replaced with a small Remio tarp that slid into a multirail. Two telescopic posts and a couple of guys and great for quick protection.
We (4x, 2 up 2 down) sleep in the van when travelling (Aires in France etc) but set up base camp in a large (100sqft) quechua pop up base tent when at a site for more than a day.
Old vaude. Shit.
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New Reimo. Nice and simple
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Quechua. Like a tardis. 900mm diameter by 200mm when packed (15kg ish). Erect in 5 mins, down in 7mins. Tons of space. Like a modern Yurt.
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Pic with awning.
That pop up looks great Stoner, might get on of them as awning is a big of a faff.
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Khyam Motordome drive away awning. Takes about 20 min from parking to brew. The bloke who sells them can erect the tent in something daft like 23 seconds but you still have to peg it out and attach to van.
We use it as living quarters and just sleep in the van, as it's a swb with full width bed.
Miles better than the old Just Kampers tunnel awning we had for our Bay.
If we're not counting pegging, matt, then I can get the quechua up in ten seconds. But until it's bolted down its one hell of kite 🙂
Use a reimo rail and a cheap drive away awning - camper shop royal traveller for £160, with internal sleeping compartment. Does the job.
Did look at one of those self inflate vango, but could not justify the cost.
They had the inatable ones at busfest, after seeing them if I was in the market for a drive away then I wouldn't look any further.
+ 1 Khyam Motordome.
Don't have pictures of it but plenty on the internet. Really easy and quick to put up compared to other tents of that size. We've only used it 5 time in five years though as it's not worth it for less than a few days. Fits quite well on the awning rail along the van roof but it takes a fair bit of practice parking in the right place.
Two adults sleep in the van, two kids in the roof. Awning is just somewhere to keep kit dry in the rain and store the stuff in when we drive somewhere during the day. Unless you're in Scotland or Norway (or just lucky) then you will need to leave expensive stuff in the campsite or it'll get stolen.
Be careful about over analysing the awning/storage/sleeping arrangement as there is only one conclusion...eternal damnation... campervans make little sense for longer stays where you need to drive every day... you'll end up with a bloody caravan.
We've got the Khyam motordome drive away thing.
Camp kitchen / bikes / boards / food etc live in the tent we sleep in the van with the R&R bed get up.
They really are a piece of piss to take down / put up.
I don't have any pictures on the internet of it.
Parking back in exactly the same place (we don't use the rails as they're guff - we attached guys to pull it tight over the van) heres a tip I've used a couple of times throw a little flour down round your wheels to make little marker when you get back just park in the lines 🙂
Sleep in van and use a drive away awning. Only got a T4 though its so last year.
last decade I think you'll find 🙂
Ha ha you're right. I was there before you dude blah blah blah:-)
We got a SH outwell montana tent with a side awning which the van parks alongside. 5 of us, pop up roof and double bed in van for sleeping on the move. Why start this thread now - all I can think of now is comfy camping and french sun............
Have a quechua base seconds from decathlon. The speed at which you can turn up on a site, pull awning from the bag, toss it in the air and wap a few pegs in is ace. No arsing around with poles.
Why now? Cause I'm dreaming of next spring/summer with the 6 year old, 1 year old and mrs and dog and bikes and don't wanna be wasting time. Also thought might get a bargain!?
Their beam ones look good think that's my mind made up.