Connection Methods For Your Drive Away Awning

The following attachment methods are relevant to the drive away awnings that Penrose Outdoors, Truro stock, which include Vango, Outwell, Easycamp and Khyam models.

All these awnings have a very standard attachment strip, called a Kador Strip.

As you can see it is a very thick piece of webbing fabric that is attached to the awning fabric on one side and on the other it has a piping that measures 6 mm to fit your general C Clip and Figure of 8 connectors.

General Attachment Methods

1. Using pre-attached Kador strip into Awning Rail (C rail)
2. J Rail utilising Figure of 8’s
3. Clamping method with pole, clamps and sleeve
4. Magnets or Dent pullers
5. Guylines or Straps thrown over the vehicle
6. Roof bar straps
7. Fiamma awning rails

1- Using Pre-Attached Kador into the Awning Rail (C rail)

This is potentially the quickest and easiest method of attaching an awning. Before any of the structure is erected, slide the awnings Kador strip into the awning rail across the length of the van, erect the awning and it will be properly connected to your van.

There is only one down side to this, these awnings are designed to be freestanding ‘Driveaway Awnings’ therefore having it attached straight to your van will not allow you to simply disconnect it whilst having the awning still erected (albeit without a high level of difficulty!). Therefore we suggest having a second piece of Kador strip with double edge beading, along with a few sections of figure of 8’s to go in between the awning rail and your awning. This makes it a lot easier to simply remove the figure of 8 and strip from the van and leave the awning in place.

2- J Rail Attachment

To use the J rail installment method you will need to have a J rail physically installed onto the Van. If you are using a Volkswagen Transporter, T4 or T5 then you can sometimes use the water channel in the roof of the van to hide this away as it can look fairly ugly protruding from the side.

Then to attach a Drive Away awning to a J rail, you will need to connect the Kador strip to the J rail using Figure of 8 strips (image to the right). This will stay in place by the downwards force of the awning's weight.

3- Pole and Clamp

In older style camper vans like the VW split screens etc, they have a shallow guttering rail running along the side of the roof. It is possible to buy a fixing kit consisting of a pole and clamp. With this method a pole is threaded through the sleave of the awning (instead of using the Kador strip) and then clamped into position in the shallow guttering rail.

4- Magnet / Dent pullers or Suction pullers

To utilise this method you need to be using a suction cup or magnetic force on top of the vehicle to attach the straps that run alongside the Kador strip. It is slightly make shift but can save drilling into the van. Our one piece of advice is that if you have ever had the van resprayed, or there is any over spray on the roof it is difficult to get adhesion with a suction cup. This is definitely a second best to using the Kador strip and J rail / C rail method.

5- Roof Bar / Rack Strips

As shown in our Kela awning video, most awnings provide attachments to utilise the roof bars if you have them. They are Velcro tabs that attach around the bars at three different intervals down the awning rail. This is quite a firm attachment and is also quick and easy to drive away from.

6- Guylines or Webbing Straps

Potentially the most convenient method, for a quick starting point. This is the method we used in our Kela / Sapera video review, this requires no modification or specific fittings to be added to your van.

There is usually a point in each corner of the attachment strip, that allows you to attach a webbing strap or guyline to then pass over the roof of your campervan and peg in the other side. This allows you to pull the awning tight against the van.

As much as this is the most convenient method, it is by no means the best or easiest. The fitting is no where near as tight or weatherproof as using the Kador strip and when erecting it, you need to pitch it first then position it. With the Kador strip being used you can attach it unpitched and then pitch it in the right position first time.

7- Fiamma Awning connection

For this method you will generally need to buy a conversion kit for you Kador strip as the Fiamma awning rail is usually a couple of mm thinner. Therefore the piping/beading will not fit into the hole. This, Fiamma Drive-away fixing kit, provides a Kador strip that has two different sizes of piping/beading. One is 6 mm to fit the normal awning rail or figure of 8’s the other side is 4mm to fit the Fiammas awning channel.

Once you have the connection kit you will use exactly the same method as used in the awning rail using the figure of 8s to attach the secondary piece of Kador strip to your awnings Kador strip.

In summary there are many different ways of attaching these awnings to your camper van or motor home. They all have their individual benefits, but will be suitable only to the van you have, and the connection options you are willing to provide or available too.

The most secure, weatherproof and quickest setup time is definitely using awning rail or J rail to connect the awning to the van. However, this does mean making some modifications to your van by attaching a J rail or awning rail which not everyone is willing to do.

There is a lot of information to digest, if you have any problems with these methods, please contact us at our Store in Victoria on 01726 893010 or email us on info@threezero.co.uk.

Or have a look at our awning set up video demonstration where we connect our Volkswagen T4 to the Vango Kela awning.

For specific models and information of what we stock please visit http://www.threezero.co.uk/c/790/Awnings

Vango Airbeam Guide

Is AirBeam For You?

Inflatable tents and awnings have now become a mainstay in the camping and tent market. They replace the traditional pole and sleeve method of pitching your tent with ‘beams’ of air. This provides massive benefits to the end user, some of the most apparent benefits have been listed below.

• Simple pre-attached ‘poles’ means no more colour coding and long pitching times
• Minimal damage if pitched against van or caravan
• Speed of erection 3-4 minutes to pump up a 4-5 man tent!
• No more pole breakages in the middle of the night
• Lightweight poles, comparative to large steel frames
• Single person pitching
• Quick and easy replacement if an airbeam does get damaged (see replacing an airbeam article)

Vango AirBeam Tents

Looking at these obvious benefits, it is no wonder Vango have invested so much time, money and effort into their AirBeam system. They really have revolutionized the way we pitch our tent or awning.

Vango spent 12 years developing the AirBeam, and since its release in 2011 have continually listened to consumer feedback to ensure that the AirBeam concept is hear to stay; not just a concept that will fizzle out. Vango are now calling it, ‘tried and tested technology’.  In 2014 they are on their 3rd generation of Vango AirBeam's. They have made certain modifications to the actual Airbeam's from the original 2011 launch to ensure AirBeam's withstand the daily rigors of family camping; for example, they have now been fitted with significantly stronger outer sleeves, (Oxford nylon with a ripstop inner fabric). AirBeams® now inflate to 7 psi to increase the strength of the structure (previous pressure was at 3 psi).

This has considerably decreased potential problems related to the use of airbeams in both tents and awnings. Vango are now so confident with their third generation of AirBeam technology they are offering anyone with a tent bought pre 2011, an upgrade of Airbeams.

‘A free upgrade to a 3rd generation AirBeam is now available to all customers with a 2011 model.’

Extract from Vango’s service centre.

 If you do ever have any problems please see Vango’s guide to replacing and repairing airbeams

     

‘Vango AirBeams® are pre-attached beams encased in a highly robust, double-skinned sleeve system that create a stable structure when inflated to provide excellent weather resistance. Recognising the universal need to save time and effort without compromising on performance, Vango designers have applied their extensive knowledge and experience of this AirBeam® technology to develop superior awnings for vehicles and caravans.’ 

Extract from Vango.

Penrose Outdoors have been selling Vango AirBeams® for 3 years now, since their launch in 2011 and have seen the range grow from the Vango Infinity 600 and 800 and some smaller tents like the Vango Flux 200 (first tent in space) to include a huge range of large family tents. Luxury, family tents introduced for 2014, include the Inspire 500 and the Evoque 800 Airbeam tents.

In 2013 Vango expanded their AirBeam® range into the motor-home and camper-van, awning market which saw the inclusion of the drive away ‘Air Away’ awnings. These include the Kela and Sapera  models and they have seen great success in these areas.

Vango AirBeam Awnings

 See Penrose Outdoors' 2014 video review here.

We have had great success and substantial customer feedback for these reviews, with all the Volkswagen transporters, T4, T5 and Bongo style vans we have down in the surfing areas of Cornwall.

New for 2014, Vango moved into the caravan awning market with the Verkhala range of caravan awnings. See our video review here-

2014 Vango Airbeam Range Features

• All the AirBeam tents, for 2014, come with a double action pump that will rapidly inflate your tent or awning. The pump comes with a pressure dial attached to the hose and a pressure release valve making it simple to get your AirBeam to the right pressure. In this case 7 psi. We have tested these out and it makes for very light work of pumping up the beams and is an inherently tough structure!
• Some of the main features and improvements of their tent ranges have filtered into the awning and caravan ranges. The improved specification of the fabric, for example, that comes as standard is similar to that of higher priced tents. Vango have introduced a 420 denier nylon fabric for the caravan awnings. This is an extremely tough fabric when you consider that just one year ago Vango bought out a 150 denier polyester fabric to surpass the previously used 70 denier fabric. Vango utilise a higher denier fabric to enhance resistance to wear and tear and the constant degradation from UV light. The reason, I assume, they have gone to such a substantial thickness on the caravan awning is due to the amount of time these tents and awnings generally stay pitched for. If they were to use this fabric on larger tents it would be far too impractical in regards to the weight and size it would take up. You might need a separate trailer or maybe a lorry to carry it! In comparison to a traditional tent though, the 150 denier fabric the Vango AirBeam tents are using is still far superior to most of its competitors fabrics. I feel that when customers are paying such a premium price for a product, features like this should come as standard. This would ensure the tent has a longer lifespan even when pitched in the toughest conditions.
• Vango have also introduced a 300-denier oxford nylon groundsheet fabric for the floor area which is obviously going to have the most wear and tear especially on harder surfaces. Many of these fabric upgrades are invisible to the naked eye but will increase costs in the manufacturing process but will massively increase the quality of the tent itself.
• Large Diamond Clear PVC windows for maximum light and great visibility without the usual distortion effect.

Here is a run down of our tents for the coming year. We feel we have selected the best range to fit our customers needs.

Vango Eclipse 600 Tent

Featuring the 150 denier flysheet and the preshaped airpoles this monster of a tent is new for 2014 and delivers everything that is good about Vango’s Airbeam range. For its size it is easy to pitch and is the perfect family sized tent. It has front and side doors that are covered by a small porch that stops drips or rain getting into the main tent. It features crystal clear windows and a very large living area. The main part of the tent also features a fully sewn in groundsheet.

Vango Flux 200 AirBeam Tent 2012

Quick pitch 2 man tent offering Vango's Airbeam technology. The ideal quick pitch tent for weekends and short breaks for couples and friends. The Flux offers comfortable space, storage pockets and Vango AirZone ventilation, an ideal introduction to the Vango AirBeam range.

Vango Flux 500 Airbeam 2012 Tent

Extremely quick and easy to pitch using AirBeam Technology, this 5 man tent offers extra headroom and large windows. The Flux 500 offers the same great features and quick pitch two pole design as the rest of the Flux range, however, the added height will be ideal for those looking for extra headroom.

 
Vango Kela Standard and Tall Airaway Awning

Driveaway Awning, AirBeam technology, inflatable awning with bedroom and living space, ideal for VW T4 or T5. The compact Kela is available in 2 sizes (standard and tall), features high quality 150 denier Protex fabric and comes in a convenient carry bag that is easy to store. All Vango driveaway awnings come with a wide range of attachment mechanisms making them simple and convenient to attach to your vehicle. Join the revolution with a Vango AirBeam Awning.


 


 Vango Genesis 500 Tent

Weekend campers will delight in the size and flexibility of the Genesis which features a large front porch, with huge Diamond Clear windows, which is ideal for storing your camping essentials. It has a relatively small pack size that will fit easily into any car boot but, with its high front beams, there is loads of comfortable living space. The convenience of two side doors make this a versatile tent which will impress seasoned and new campers alike.

Vango Air Away Sapera Standard and Tall Awning

The new Sapera range of free-standing drive-away awnings offers unrivaled convenience to discerning motor-home and campervan owners seeking extra living, storage or bedroom space. Using tried and tested Vango AirBeam technology, Vango have taken awnings to the next level by making them easier and quicker to pitch than ever before.

Vango Inspire 500 Tent

One of Vango's Elite range of tents, this is a great tent for those who need lots of space. Five man AirBeam tent with multiple bedroom options. AirBeam technology makes this large tent quick and easy to pitch. The extension space at the front of this impressive tent is massive and provides a great place to sit back and soak up the surroundings

Vango Exodus V 800 Tent

With a full height AirBeam structure at the front of the tent, the camper has more living space and headroom to play with. This coupled with the new 150 denier fabric makes the Exodus a must buy for the family looking for the ease and convenience of Vango AirBeam technology and the comfort of a large family tent.
We are fortunate enough to have a large indoor showroom in the centre of Truro, Cornwall, therefore if you would like to see any of these particular model on display please let us know and we can advise you whether it is currently on display or we can book a day for you to see it setup.

Also see Vango’s User Guide.

D of E / Ten Tors Food Tasting Weekends

On the weekends of March 22nd-23rd and April 5th-6th Penrose Outdoors will be holding,  D of E / Ten Tors specific, food tasting weekends. There will be hot food available all day and you will be able to sample all of our boil in the bag menus from Wayfayer and Reiter. On the day the food will be cooked on a Campingaz Camp Bistro Stove but there will be plenty of hiking stoves on show, like the Campingaz Twister® Plus PZ Stove, for Ten Tors participants to check out.

Here is a selection of some of the foods available on the day:

Wayfayrer All Day Breakfast

Wayfayrer Beans & Sausage  

Wayfayrer Beans & Bacon

Wayfayrer Chilli Con Carne

Wayfayrer  Vegetable Curry

Wayfayrer Beef Stew & Dumplings

Wayfayrer Lancashire Hot Pot

Wayfayrer Chocolate Pudding

Wayfayrer Treacle Pudding

  

There will also be an event long discount of 20% on all foods.

Why Use Walking Poles or Trekking Poles

You may not know but trekking poles are for everyone – the old, the young, the amateur walker, the infrequent rambler and the veteran outdoor enthusiast. Trekking poles are also a great way to increase your walking, trekking and hiking ability and even improve your outdoor experience. 

Trekking / Walking Poles - Penrose Outdoors

Using Trekking Poles – What You Get

When someone says “trekking poles”, you might assume that they are to help people with sore joints, movement issues and posture problems, but actually trekking poles are not an “assist,” they are an “improvement.” Due to the way trekking poles are held, they ensure that the user has an upright, straighter and stronger stance. This improved postural stance creates a knock-on effect, which increases all-round stability and grip with the ground, alleviating the stress and strain on your joints, muscles and general body. The use of hiking poles involves using your whole upper-body to help you move, producing longer, faster steps, making your journey quicker and easier. The most notable difference that walking poles will have, will be with uphill walks. Due to your corrected posture, you will be able to breath better, as your airways have been opened up, and you are actually able to take in your surroundings and admire the view – one of the main reasons people go walking.

Choosing Trekking Poles – What To Get

Choosing the right trekking poles for your self can be a daunting and confusing task, especially as there are so many things to consider. To start with, Leki Trekking Poles are split into two key groups – Ultralite and SuperStrong. The Ultralite would be better for the lightweight backpacker or someone of a smaller stature or lighter weight, whereas the SuperStrong are better for taller, heavier or stronger, more forceful trekkers. There are two different locking adjustment systems that a hiking pole could have, internal – which requires twisting the walking pole segments to tighten or loosen for adjusting length. The other is external – which is a quick release clip, which tightens and loosens the segments, each having their own advantages – the internal is lighter, stronger and less bulk, but the external is much quicker and easier to adjust. The sections of the poles come in different materials – Aluminium, re-enforced aluminium and carbon – each lighter and stronger than the previous. There are a variety of handles and grips to choose from – rubber grip, a closed-cell foam compound and a blend of natural cork and rubber. The standard rubber is durable, rugged and firm. The foam handle is softer, more spongy and absorbent, allowing moisture and sweat to be drawn away from the user’s hand. And finally the cork grip has the anti-sweat features of the foam but handles and grips are more about personal preference than the other trekking pole features. More and more of the hiking poles are now being built with a integrated shock absorber, meaning all vibrations through your walking poles will be dampened. Your movements will become more fluid and smooth, allowing you to keep the same rhythm and pace for longer trips and walks. You can easily spot which trekking poles have an anti-shock absorber as they will have a white ring of material around the join of the lowest two sections of the walking pole.

Any questions?

If you do have any questions about trekking poles and how to choose the best set to suit your needs and requirements then please do not hesitate to contact our enquiries email address. Or why not visit us in store where we would be more than happy to help you find the right hiking poles for you.