Dorema Highlander (1 Viewer)

[Baker69]

We're thinking of getting a Dorema Highlander 'drive-away' awning for our Swift Royale 590 MH.

According to the Dorema web site there are 2 sizes, Size 1 is for MH's up to 250cm high and size 2 is for up to 275cm high. I'm not sure what size to get, the smaller dimension would come below our existing Omnistor Canopy. Various adverts intimate that the smaller size is for VW Campers etc?

I can't find any info on how these marry up to the MH, is there a rail you need to screw on, or does it fit to the groove in the front of the Omnistor 5000 Canopy?

Is anyone able to give any advice on these please?

Cheers.

 

[meanders]

We had one of these for our previous m/home we attached it via a j rail, but I believe they will fit into the groove on the canopy. If you have a coachbuilt you will need the larger size and you are right the smaller one is for V W camper size.
Hope this helps

 

[Baker69]

We had one of these for our previous m/home we attached it via a j rail, but I believe they will fit into the groove on the canopy. If you have a coachbuilt you will need the larger size and you are right the smaller one is for V W camper size.
Hope this helps

I assume ours is a 'coachbuilt'. There is nothing at the top of the MH to fit anything to, there's just a smooth L shaped trim which covers where the roof and sides meet. How would you get up there to fit the Awning without taking ladders with you?

I've just looked at the Omnistor and once closed the groove is not visible.

I suppose the important thing is to ensure that it least fits above the door! There is about a 1" gap between the bottom of the Omnistor and the top of the awning light above the door. According to the photos on the Dorema site they show it fitted beneath the Omnistor Canopy?

Just done a couple of quick measurements, from the floor to the underside of the Omnistor housing is 245cm and from the floor to the top of the MH is 275cm.

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[The Wallace]

We have 'Highlander' which has only been used twice in 3 years.
Unless you really need the extra room AND are stopping for a few nights then it is as bad as being a tugger in respect of the time to set up and dismantle. (it is also quite heavy which is important if you are payload challenged)
Ours is the bigger model and fits on the side of the Hymer by winding out its Awning until we can slide the bead on the Higlander through a slot which runs the length of the Awning.
We can then wind in the Awning to tension the back of the Highlander.
The Highlander is a well made bit of kit and gives a big space when erected but we just cant be bothered a lot of the time!
We also have to choose between the Highlander or Tinker sailboat for space and the boat tends to win (unless we are going to be away from water).

 

[Baker69]

We have 'Highlander' which has only been used twice in 3 years.
Unless you really need the extra room AND are stopping for a few nights then it is as bad as being a tugger in respect of the time to set up and dismantle. (it is also quite heavy which is important if you are payload challenged)
Ours is the bigger model and fits on the side of the Hymer by winding out its Awning until we can slide the bead on the Higlander through a slot which runs the length of the Awning.
We can then wind in the Awning to tension the back of the Highlander.
The Highlander is a well made bit of kit and gives a big space when erected but we just cant be bothered a lot of the time!
We also have to choose between the Highlander or Tinker sailboat for space and the boat tends to win (unless we are going to be away from water).

I suppose a lot depends on the duration of the stay. We have the Omnistor Canopy with the Safari Room attachment, which is fine but it means you're pretty much anchored on the pitch then. After having erected awnings on a Caravan for 12 years we're pretty dab hands in putting them up and don't see putting a drive-away awning up too much of a problem.

We are still undecided on the Highlander, we like it because we had Dorema Awnings with our Caravan and thought they were brilliant. We may go for another type yet so we're looking at the market. Hopefully there will be a few to look at the weekend at Malvern.

 

[peter marshall]

Hi Baker69
We had a drive away not sure of the name now but it was sold because when threaded in to the Omnister the door would not open properly, we finished up with straps across the top anchored over the far side still fouled the door but usable at that, so be careful what you buy. Pete. :thumb:

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[Baker69]

Hi Baker69
We had a drive away not sure of the name now but it was sold because when threaded in to the Omnister the door would not open properly, we finished up with straps across the top anchored over the far side still fouled the door but usable at that, so be careful what you buy. Pete. :thumb:

We're still looking at the the Highlander 1 which Dorema say will fit Vans up to 250cm high, (which I presume is the dimension to the gutter rail). The measurement I took from the ground to the bottom of the Omnistor is 245cm so in theory the Size 1 should fit. The size 2 one's are for up to 275cm which would possible mean that the actual awning is higher than the tunnel so water may possibly collect in any slack in the tunnel?

Hopefully it won't foul the door as you have pointed out.

Why do the photos on the brochure show the drive-away awning right up against the MH? Isn't the tunnel supposed to be visible?

 

[aldhp21]

We're still looking at the the Highlander 1 which Dorema say will fit Vans up to 250cm high, (which I presume is the dimension to the gutter rail). The measurement I took from the ground to the bottom of the Omnistor is 245cm so in theory the Size 1 should fit. The size 2 one's are for up to 275cm which would possible mean that the actual awning is higher than the tunnel so water may possibly collect in any slack in the tunnel?

Hopefully it won't foul the door as you have pointed out.

Why do the photos on the brochure show the drive-away awning right up against the MH? Isn't the tunnel supposed to be visible?

I had the highlander 1 which was too small for my old Lunar Newstar, couldn't get the hab door to open, so sold it on ebay and bought a highlander 2 (also off ebay).

They are a bit of a faff to get right but if you're going to get one, get the bigger taller highlander 2 one. You can always reduce the leg size at the back to give you the slope on the tunnel you need, and more importantly if your are camped on a slope with chocks in you or going to need some extra length.

Cheers
Alan

 

[Baker69]

Hi Baker69
We had a drive away not sure of the name now but it was sold because when threaded in to the Omnister the door would not open properly, we finished up with straps across the top anchored over the far side still fouled the door but usable at that, so be careful what you buy. Pete. :thumb:

Thanks for the tip.

It depends I suppose how low the Omnistor has been fitted above the door.

I contacted 2 stockists for the Dorema highlander today and gave them all the info, sizes etc and both have confirmed that the Size 1 is the correct size, the one company even phoned Dorema themselves.

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