We have that canopy and it’s my favourite because it’s so easy to put up and take down. I’ll only use the sides if the weather is likely to be wet. We got caught out one night and woke up to wet chairs which we hadn’t fold up when the sides weren’t fitted, a lesson learned. It’s a great solution without all the hassle of a full awning setup and it’s not too heavy either. We also have a Kampa Rally Air 200 and a Kampa Club Air 390 which don’t get the same amount of use as the canopy.

We have the Maypole Sun Canopy for Caravans. It can also have the side panels. We just felt for what it is, cost of the Dometic (especially with the side panels) was quite a bit more expensive. Its still 4m wide and 2.5m deep. We are quite impressed with how easy it is to fit and likely we will use this more than a full awning setup at the moment.

This is without doubt one of the best pieces of kit I bought for the caravan. You didn’t look to have anywhere near enough pressure in euros because the top bar should be quite firm and it should really straighten the roof. The side pieces we put in every single time, we don’t feel that things are going to be stolen, however because we have a quite expensive dog pen that I bought from the United States and we do have the chairs in there. We bought some cable locks so it’s just a simple long cable with a Lupe each end and we lock it and when it comes to the dog pen wrap it round in and out of the holes in the pan and then put it round the wheel that just gives us a bit of peace of mind. There are many sites we don’t bother , for example we were at Barnard Castle and we just didn’t buy the lock in anything the sides give you privacy. They also stop wind from blowing through and it also stops our dogs from seeing all the dogs particularly having the front door open genuinely is not a consideration to us I would never ever buy another owning we went for the three meter I wish would’ve gone for the four meter but we’ve had it now coming up to 6 years and it’s a great bit of kit really I don’t see why you would want to put up an awning you can barbecue it’s all open at the front it’s okay for the dogs keeps the rain off the door help shade a little bit where is an awning can get incredibly hot. This doesn’t overall first class and I had an awning and I have never ever used it and I never will. Stay safe.

Mum (75yrs) and I (55yrs) are saving for a Fiamma XL Zip canopy and sides. As aging caravaners with a very old caravan, both of us need to put up the awning as previous owners crushed the awning rail and it can't be replaced as it is no longer made, we've done the best we can to sort it but it's still not smooth as new. As Mum's neck continues to crumble with spondylosis and my shoulder arthritis worsens, we are finding it harder to put up our Dometic 320 air. The Fiamma canopy can be left in the awning rail while traveling if rail locks are used, then I can put that 'up' myself without Mum hurting her neck and developing a crippling headache from putting her head back to see what is happening. We would use sides and front pieces because we like the awning (having 2 small dogs, it helps us slow them down when going out for walkies) but the option of leaving them off when it is really hot or only out for a weekend sounds good. Everyone's setup always looks better than ours, but that's because they use what works for them and it wouldn't necessarily work for us. We always put up a 3-panel Dometic airbrake too, giving the dogs a 'garden', allowing them to sit out without a lead when we are sat out, they can't see through the 'windows' so they tend not to bark as much to people walking past either so it's more peaceful for everyone.

We have a 3.5m porch awning and a large 4.2m canopy. We only ever use the awnings in summer time - we caravan all year round, but wet and cold weather are not conducive to use of awnings of any kind for us. So, the choice of porch vs canopy invariably comes down to length of stay. For a two-week holiday we'll probably generally use the porch awning, but for our many trips of a few days only we'll invariably use the canopy. I like the canopy much more, to be honest. We ditched any kind of air awning years ago - too heavy.

We have a Sunncamp swift canopy 330 which has side to protect from wind/rain and is really good. Depending on the site we just fold and store our table and chairs at the back nearest the caravan. Love our canopy wouldn't be without it. Use ours all-year and got rid of our awning.

We have the same canopy same size, we have the optional sides and they make a huge difference. If you have a windbreak across the front it makes it feel more secure to leave your things out. We always leave all our stuff out at night but never use it without the sides . We have 2 air awnings too both Dometic, we use the canopy May - September/ Oct , then our 350 awning March / April and Oct /Nov . Our 200 wide awning in the winter just to give protection over the door.

Just come across your channel and have subscribed. I have the sun shine pro 500, which would fit your caravan, we have the sides, generally just put one up, but we also have the air wind break and often put that to the side and in front of sun canopy. As for pump, that lives in the caravan as the big awning, wind break and small awning are all air and so all require a pump!

We got the 500 this year for short breaks as it's much easier and quicker to put up when you only go away for a few days, we use the awning for longer trips of at least 7 nights. Unfortunately the only trips we've been on the weather has been bad so have used the side panels to help keep the rain out and give more protection from the wind. We use the domestic 5 panel wind break to give a bit of privacy/security feeling but you're spot on when you say that an awning isn't really that secure and we just leave our stuff outside under it. We can't wait to try it out in the sunshine. Great video review.

We have the sun camp 390 which has sides as well, use canopy every trip if less than 5 nights or so, 10 mins it’s up the sides make a difference give you more privacy, we just fold the chairs and leave them out, love it

Hi guy's: We have exactly the same canopy. Just got it but we love it. Not got the sides but that might be our next outlay. We fold the chairs up and slip them under the van. Loving the vids.

Enjoyed watching. Very informative just like all your videos.. Top job, love seeing the disco aswell, makes me want one

Thanks for a great, informative topic. We are off to look for this sun canopy today.!

Hi, great video we have had the same canopy for a year and love it, just bought the side panels and hope to take them to Northumberland in October. We have a 3 metre wide porch awning and use that in the winter, but hoping the canopy will be able to replace this as well. I guess the only downside, and it happens in awnings as well, is the condensation in the morning, I just shake the awning and get on with it. We leave our stuff outside. Enjoy your awning.

We have both awning and canopy. We use the canopy on 2 or 3 night trips and the awning for longer trips.

Andrew I think you had 2 helpers they did good. Great video . Xx

Just stumbled across your channel, thankfully. Excellent video!

We leave stuff out. We also have an awning, actually 2. One 4 metre, one 2.5 metre, but we have a roof-mounted canopy, so we can just use the awning when needed. A lot of questions, I think my head hurts. Haha. Nice vlog.

We use ours all year. We have the 500 version. We have the walls but tend to never use them. We love ours, its just so easy to use

I am in Japan, which has a very hot and humid climate in the summer. I have a simple canopy by Fieldoor that requires no poles (only two for the roof to 'dome it'), although poles can be used. I sewed a caravan awning rail bead band onto it. This is what I use in the summer to offer a bit of shelter from the sun and more importantly from any sudden squalls in the evening which often follow hot humid days. For the autumn and winter time (in the non-snow country), I use a full awning. Using a full awning in the summer would be incredibly stifling with the temperatures rising well above the typical ambient temp of 35C or more and with a humidity level of well above 70%. In the awning it would likely hit 40C and a humidity level of 90% if used in summer. Going above 1000 metres in altitude during the months of mid July to the beginning of September is almost a must for those who cannot stand heat and humidity. I typically also tour and change campsite almost every day. In snow-country during the winter, I don't use anything as the weight of the snow would simply crush the awning and 20 to 30cm snowfall in a day/night is normal. This is how I separate the usage of canopy and awning.

Tbh we normally put the carpet down first before the awning etc to limit dragging on the floor and then take the awning down and fold up on the carpet, maybe we’ve been doing it wrong 😮

At first we had a small porch awning and a full sized awning, and picked on how long the stay was going to be as the full awning is a faff to peg out. Then we got a sun canopy as we thought we would only use it when the weather is nice or we only doing an overnight stop on a tour. How wrong we were. We found that even if the weather is bad we would use the canopy as its considerably quicker to put up/down and dries so much faster, especially at home. Ours is three pegs for 3.4m, a doddle. We find that unless you are actually going to spend a long time sitting in the awning in the rain the canopy offers everything we need in keeping the muck out the caravan. We tend to put anything we sit on away at night if there is a risk it could be damp with rain or dew in the morning as i don't like a soggy bottom 😂 everything else stays out.

you are adorable folks. Can imagine having a chat with you and my daughter could join your kids in the forest :-) I bought and awning tent from Thule. Haven't tested it yet. But it should take 15 minutes to set up.

We only have a canopy and use all year round, we previously had the sunshine 500 and used the sides as it was good for removing drafts, in the winter months it’s mostly just used for shelter, our chairs we just leave out

Enjoy your vlogs. We have Maypole canopy, Aldi porch and an Isobella Air Cirrus - quite a collection! Canopy perfect for summertime two/three day weekends, porch for the changeable weather (springer spaniel friendly) and the Isobella for longer stays. We may end up with a Dometic or similar canopy when the cheap as chips Maypole expires - only expecting a couple of seasons from it tbh..

Hi, we always have side walls up , gives you a slight bit of privacy and protection and we just leave all our chairs, tables etc out , never had any problems

We have an Isabella Awning. In the summer, we put it up without the front or side panel's, so it works as a canopy with the option of putting the panel's in if the weather changes.

We've got a awning but I'm going to get a canopy this week, purely because a quick short break at weekends and really you only want a canopy.. I think every tourer needs a canopy in their locker 👌

Great video, would have liked it more if you explained that centre beam in the roof… is that tensioned somehow?

Our awning is really heavy, we’re going to use it in cooler weather and when my sister comes as we have an annexe. We plan to get a canopy next spring together with a big windbreak to keep the dog in. Dave & Helen from Caravantastic have the same canopy as you I believe, they did a video on it a while back. They use it nearly all the time.

We have an Ace Air 500 which we use when we go away with the kids (the kids sleep in it), but we also have a 2.6m canopy which we use when we go away as a couple….I have been looking at a larger one though just to give a bit more covered area.

On the security issue, I prefer the ‘secure’ & privacy feeling that an awning (with removable sides) gives.

I have a 400 use it twice put side walls up no problem we leave the chairs out table out .Go out for the day nothing is is touched,even sat out in the rain .put it away a bit of a fluff.

Great vlog. We only have a wind out canopy on our van. We did get some sides for it but if I’m honest I prefer an awning so you can zip yourself in … decisions decisions Rachel & David

Hey both - it seems you’re back. I’ve missed your no nonsense video tips hints and experiences. Hope all is well with you both as it appears summer is peeking out from the cloud cover. D

Gravel sites are a pain in the neck...hard under foot , wreck the owning carpet and damage the air owning and chairs...this is a increasing trend in a lot of clubs and private sites and is not as user friendly as asphalt or concrete... it's got to a point I'd rather stay on grass at CL these days!!.❤️🇬🇧🇺🇦

We use canopy with wind breaker to surround the canopy

I have 3 awnings for my campervan - 2 side ones - one if with all the family, 1 if alone, and a tailgate awning which my disabled daughter uses to store her wheelchair. However increasingly if I’m on my own - I’m struggling to put them up alone, so am going with the Maypole variation now it’s got see through sides - plus it’s got a 4mm Kador strip that fits my campervan. Love your set up though - just can no longer manage a caravan on my own.

We were opposite you on the site and you looked like you were having a great time with your canopy.

We have the Vague air sky canopy ❤

We use are 400 for bank holidays & weekend breaks we normally put carpet down first so awning/ canopy doesn't get dirty yours looks great what wheel levelers do you use.

Hi guys. You still using this? How has it fared? Any regrets? Thanks, David

We only use the sun shade, when ita cold we just go inside the caravan. Where does the kids sleep? We currently have a buerstner premio plus 510tk we would love to go to a sprite cruser, and we have 2 kids. Do you build the bank to a bed every time?

You did not do any think wrong u doing it all right

I only use a canopy so much quicker to set up 😊