In order to end up with the camper awning best suited to your needs, you have to clearly understand what you are looking for and what options are available to you. This is done by researching in two areas.
Firstly, you research the market to find out what kinds of camper awning are available, familiarizing yourself with the different features, styles and price ranges etc. Secondly, you examine your own unique requirements in a camper awning.
Research the market: Camper Awning essentials
The first part of the research step is to investigate just what's available in the camper awning market. The range of options can seem daunting, but you can make a good start by understanding the following major features:
Roof Material: Some roof material is PVC coated fabric while others are canvas fabric. If you will be staying in inclement weather, the PVC coated fabric is a better choice.
Attachment Method: Some camper awnings attach to your camper via a bracket and slot system or a zipper system. However, there are some new units which are called 'drive-thru' units, which are free-standing. These are often preferable for motorized campers, so that you can drive around without the annexe attached.
Doors and Windows: Some awnings can be enclosed to make an extra room off your camper. When considering this type of design, look at the type of door used on the awning. If you will be going in and out a lot, you should consider a metal one-piece door. Windows are made of PVC film or screening material. Many of the camper awnings have canvas roll-ups to cover the windows for privacy.
Support Poles: Many camper awnings have some kind of pole and tie-down system. The poles come in aluminium or fibreglass. Both materials are lightweight, however fibreglass is more flexible.
Side Panels, Ground Sheet and Draught Strip: Again when looking at room style awnings, look for flexibility in how the side panels are configured. Some of the manufacturers have interchangeable panels which allow you to place the doors and windows right where you want them. A zip-in ground sheet to keep out all of those critters is a nice extra feature to have. Lastly, many manufacturers make a draught strip to keep drafts and rain from coming in from under the trailer.
Research your needs: Questions to ask yourself
Now it's time to determine what your requirements are in a camper awning. For example, will you use the camper awning only to give you more space when you take the kids on the annual holiday, or do you go camping regularly?
You can start this process by considering the following questions - as well as any others you think of yourself - and recording your answers.
| Have I used a camper awning before? |
| | If you have used a camper awning, work out what you did or didn't like about the camper awning. You may be looking for one exactly like it, hoping to upgrade, or even trying to avoid any particular features that you found inconvenient. |
| What type of camper unit do I have? |
| | The type of camper unit that you have can limit your number of choices for a camper awning or annexe. If you have a travel trailer it will require one type of camper awning and if you have a van-type camper, you will require a different type of camper awning. |
| How do I want to attach it to my camper? |
| | You could have walls that zip all the way around, or perhaps a free-standing unit that you can drive away from. |
| What type of door do I need? |
| | If you are in and around your camper all day, constantly going in and out, then you might want to spend a little extra to get a solid door. If you set up your camper and go fishing for the entire day, you can probably get away with a soft-sided door. |
| How much time can I spend setting it up? |
| | Some camper awnings have a nice modular set-up that doesn't take long at all to set-up. However, some take quite a bit of time to set-up. |
| Will it be really buggy where I am camping? |
| | If you will be camping in an area with lots of bugs, flies or mosquitoes, you will want to look for a fly screen as an option on your camper awning. |
| What kind of windows do I want? |
| | If you stay in inclement weather, then you might want PVC film windows. If you stay in warm weather you can consider screen windows. |
| What is the perfect shape of camper awning for me? |
| | Some camper awnings come in square or rectangular shapes while others are dome-shaped. Think about which configuration would be best for your needs. |
Understanding your needs is the key to a successful purchase and you can revisit your list of needs at any time during the buying process.
Once you complete this Research step, having informed yourself about the essentials of camper awnings and identified your needs, you are ready to move on to the next step: Evaluation.
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