Van awning

Joined
Mar 3, 2023
Posts
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94,355
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mercedes sprinter lw
Hi
I wonder if you can help me get my head around the awning concept please. I have been looking at buying a small awning for my sprinter conversion to be able to put the table and chairs away at night with the fire pit/ bbq and of course the bikes.
However, my big issue is that if you have an awning up, attached over the opening door of the van, surely you don’t want to be looking out of your van into a tent? The whole point of the van is to get the outside views and see places, not a tent?
Thoughts please?
 
Hello and welcome to fun.
Why not look at a stand alone unit like a quest screen house pro 4?
Easy to put up and take down and can be positioned to the front, rear, or further back on the side of your van so that your door opens and you can still see your view.
And being free standing, you can leave it up on site and drive away in your van for the day, if you so wish, not having to take it down, pack it away, then put it back up when you return back to your site, or wherever you are.
Cost about £300 now, but worth every penny and widely used by many members in here.
Alternatively, if you want a permanently fixed awning and want to be able to see the view when you open your side door, get one with see-through windows directly opposite your door opening.
But for flexibility and ease of use, a screen house is brilliant.
 
I think the idea of an awning is not, fundamentally, as storage, it's for sitting in on the abundant, warm Summers Nights, and sipping ones
G & T's with the Memsahib? :giggle:
 
Thanks for your reply
I think I will look at something that does not obscure the view as the seating area in my van is built around the opening door- on purpose, to create that connection with the outside.
 
I think the idea of an awning is not, fundamentally, as storage, it's for sitting in on the abundant, warm Summers Nights, and sipping ones
G & T's with the Memsahib?
Yes indeed. I think I see myself sitting outside, not in the tent. What you said makes sense. Thanks

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Thanks for your reply
I think I will look at something that does not obscure the view as the seating area in my van is built around the opening door- on purpose, to create that connection with the outside.
In that case, a screen house type unit would be ideal, in my opinion.
Try google to see how one looks and works.
 
I was going to say can you attach it to the ‘wrong‘ side of the van!

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Take a look at Camping World, they often have good deals. I paid £161 for my screen house 4 earlier this year.
 
Hi.
Lots of m/ho's on site over here,have a Squarish free standing tent. Big enough to cook ,sit in and eat + Storage.? This seems to be the way they are going over here. Another thing would be what used to be called a " Loo tent" . Still have our old one,it became redundant when loo's were fitted inside c/vans with showers etc.This has doubled as a storage unit and could hold two La fuma type chairs,BBQ and odds and sods and keep them dry.
Tea Bag.
 
Hi garymumford & welcome! :hi: We've tried many attached awnings over the years & now have this wildcard, much more flexible, option for our van conversion https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/foru...-pop-up-shelter-to-a-driveaway-awning.258104/ If you have enough storage space in your Sprinter & want a bigger option then the Quest Screen House 4 (2 versions available) https://www.questleisure.com/products/shs as mentioned above is another option hugely popular with funsters (y) Would cable up anything of value & anchor it to the van.
Our set up with the Cinch Hub - an optional connecting tunnel may be available soon but not sure it will work with our height van:

img_20220508_191205653_hdr-jpg.624017
 
Last edited:
Hi garymumford & welcome! :hi: We've tried many attached awnings over the years & now have this wildcard, much more flexible, option for our van conversion https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/foru...-pop-up-shelter-to-a-driveaway-awning.258104/ If you have enough storage space in your Sprinter & want a bigger option then the Quest Screen House 4 (2 versions available) https://www.questleisure.com/products/shs as mentioned above is another option hugely popular with funsters (y) Would cable up anything of value & anchor it to the van.
Our set up with the Cinch Hub - an optional connecting tunnel may be available soon but not sure it will work with our height van:

img_20220508_191205653_hdr-jpg.624017
Hi garymumford & welcome! :hi: We've tried many attached awnings over the years & now have this wildcard, much more flexible, option for our van conversion https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/foru...-pop-up-shelter-to-a-driveaway-awning.258104/ If you have enough storage space in your Sprinter & want a bigger option then the Quest Screen House 4 (2 versions available) https://www.questleisure.com/products/shs as mentioned above is another option hugely popular with funsters (y) Would cable up anything of value & anchor it to the van.
Our set up with the Cinch Hub - an optional connecting tunnel may be available soon but not sure it will work with our height van:

img_20220508_191205653_hdr-jpg.624017
Hi Wombles
Starting to make sense. A free standing will be cheaper, quicker and more mobile to suit my storage requirements.
I think I was getting a bit hung up on an awning because they looked so good at the motorhome show, but actually an awning is for a different style of motorhoming perhaps than what i am looking for.

Loving the forum.
I messaged a few of the cabinet builders. I am thinking I may have to build my own. They charge more for van units than I paid B&Q for our amazing kitchen at home - with white goods.
Back to the drawing board😁

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Yes indeed. I think I see myself sitting outside, not in the tent. What you said makes sense. Thanks
When we had a VW rising roof we used to take a smallish air awning and pitch it at right angles to the back half of the van.

That way we could havevfoor open as you require without blocking view. Store bikes and chairs and also sit in it if nec.

It was a Decathlon Air seconds XL.
 
Oh and I'm selling it if you're If you're interested 😉
 
Hi
I wonder if you can help me get my head around the awning concept please. I have been looking at buying a small awning for my sprinter conversion to be able to put the table and chairs away at night with the fire pit/ bbq and of course the bikes.
However, my big issue is that if you have an awning up, attached over the opening door of the van, surely you don’t want to be looking out of your van into a tent? The whole point of the van is to get the outside views and see places, not a tent?
Thoughts please?
put it on the other side.
 
Most of the stuff I carry, table Cadac Safari Chef, I just leave out, and if it were to get wet so be it. The chair get folded pushed under the van in case of shower. None of those are especially valuable.

Bike goes back on the towbar rack under a cover so it's less identifiable and the alarm loop from vehicle can be connected.

If I need shelter in the van side the rollout awning is deployed otherwise inclement weather (like now its chuffing freezing) I'm inside.

Any awning needing pitching would be another faff with something potentially wet needing to be dried before storage. Not that sure one would work for me.
 
Most of the stuff I carry, table Cadac Safari Chef, I just leave out, and if it were to get wet so be it. The chair get folded pushed under the van in case of shower. None of those are especially valuable.

Bike goes back on the towbar rack under a cover so it's less identifiable and the alarm loop from vehicle can be connected.

If I need shelter in the van side the rollout awning is deployed otherwise inclement weather (like now its chuffing freezing) I'm inside.

Any awning needing pitching would be another faff with something potentially wet needing to be dried before storage. Not that sure one would work for me.
Ah
You see it is so valuable to listen. I hadn’t even thought about having to dry an awning before heading off again. That would be a pain and a game changer. Same scenario for the ebikes I guess.
The reason I felt the need to put the table and chairs away at night is because when we hired a couple of motorhomes last year, we found the chairs were damp in the morning from dew if left out. I suppose you sit in the van until they dry the next morning.
Thank you
Another rethink.
 
Ah
You see it is so valuable to listen. I hadn’t even thought about having to dry an awning before heading off again. That would be a pain and a game changer. Same scenario for the ebikes I guess.
The reason I felt the need to put the table and chairs away at night is because when we hired a couple of motorhomes last year, we found the chairs were damp in the morning from dew if left out. I suppose you sit in the van until they dry the next morning.
Thank you
Another rethink.
My ebike is a silly amount of money. As a PVC no garage so has to go on a rack, locked, with alarm cable linked with the Vanbitz Strickeback. Even so I cover it and take the battery off as other deterrent.

Chair folded under van hasn't been a mega issue from dew damp, but then getting up early is my forte :happy:

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