Utility tent v awning (1 Viewer)

Trisha

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Mar 9, 2014
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We have recently moved from a caravan to a bessacar e450 motorhome. We find it much easier and are pleased with our decision. I am asking for advice from much more experienced motorhomers.
We would like an awning but things being easy is important to us. A friend has suggested we consider a utility tent (cookhouse sort of thing) instead of a driveaway awning which I was considering. This seems a good idea.
But I am looking for pros and cons from you folk out there please. :Confused:
 

TheBig1

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Nov 27, 2011
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many many years! since I was a kid
this will of course depend upon what you want to use the awning or tent for. utility tents are after all just smaller conventional tents anyway with less windows.

as for driveaways, there are many different types, from the old fashioned tents with a steel frame through to quick erect ones and air beam too now. personally having had all manner over many years, the best we have had is the khyam motordome. no poles to assemble as the alloy frame is hinged and stays attached to the material. its fairly light and only takes a few minutes to put up and take down. we use ours attached to the van via the fiamma canopy and can detach to drive off site in under a minute, the same when we get back

most importantly though, you need to think about what you need it for first as then we could give more specific advice
 

JeanLuc

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Nov 17, 2008
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Since you have just moved over from a caravan, I can understand your desire to have an awning since these seem to be a required attachment to all caravans. However, I would suggest you use the motorhome for a while before deciding what would suit you best. Many motorhomers have forms of awning - often a wind-out with a safari room. Others see little or no need of them. For example, we have a wind-out 'awning' that is really just a sun-shade (or rain shield in Scotland). If staying for any extended period on a campsite I can see the benefits of a full awning, but since our usage tends to involve stops for one or two nights per location (often on camper-stops abroad) the wind-out with no attachments works fine. For us, the idea that we had to erect a full awning then pitch it with guy ropes to secure it against strong wind, would obviate one of the main benefits of a motorhome - speed of setup and departure and the ability to stay in a wide range of locations - not just fully-equipped campsites.
Obviously, mine is just one point of view.

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Sep 30, 2012
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newbie
As someone that has just moved across from caravans ourselves I can understand why you are looking for an awning as we did exactly the same thing as soon as we bought ours in November. We've now owned it for 5 months, been away at least 10 times in it (more than the whole of the last 2 years in the caravan!) and we've not missed having an awning one bit!

I think when we had the caravan it was somewhere to put all the stuff we were carrying in the caravan, but we just don't seem to have that issue now, it's much more organised.

So I totally agree with the other posts about see how you manage without it for the time being :thumb:
 

Dotplus6

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Oct 4, 2013
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4 yrs in total but not consecutively. Just bought the 3rd.
We had a motorhome before & didn't have an awning with it & never felt the need to have one - we bought the motorhome to travel & therefore didn't stay too long in any one place so didn't set up camp.

New one we have bought has a wind out awning & a fiamma tent with it. If friends or family want to come along with us & use it, they'll be welcome but personally I won't be wasting space in the MH by bringing it with us (it is quite a heavy bag).

Like others have said, try out MH first to see if you need one. If you're going to be travelling a lot you may not want to be bothered with packing it up each time.

Enjoy yourself whatever you decide to do!

Dot
 

Scout

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We bought a stand alone 3x3 mt dome tent a couple of summers back to put stuff in if we went out in the mh but in truth we have only used it twice. We don't even take it now we just keep It ( in case) we find a use for it

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scotjimland

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Jul 25, 2007
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Great in the winter..

Awnings can be really useful in foul weather and winter for storing wet boots, coats etc .. but only if you are staying in the same place for a few days.. otherwise.. too much hassle.. Packing up a wet awning is no fun.

In summer.. not needed unless you intend to use it as a bedroom annex..

great in the snow.. winter 2008/9 UK
 

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Clive

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We have recently moved from a caravan to a bessacar e450 motorhome. We find it much easier and are pleased with our decision. I am asking for advice from much more experienced motorhomers.
We would like an awning but things being easy is important to us. A friend has suggested we consider a utility tent (cookhouse sort of thing) instead of a driveaway awning which I was considering. This seems a good idea.
But I am looking for pros and cons from you folk out there please. :Confused:

I moved from a caravan 2 1/2 years ago, wanted an awning but decided to get the Lillypad windblockers instead. Bought them at Peterborough last year, think they have now been on the van about 6 times. The good thing is they take up little room in the van :Doh:
 

grasscutter

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Oct 11, 2009
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We do use a utility tent when we spend a couple of months on a site in Spain during the winter. We use it as a storage for the outside chairs etc and as a kitchen when cooking fish etc.
Having had a caravan years ago with an awning we have never wanted to go back to the sleepless nights when the wind was battering the awning.

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