Fiamma awning on Dimension

[sid b]

Hi All, I'm sure I've read comments about these on here, but can't find them now - so apologies if I'm going over old ground. I didn't go for the roll-out awning option when I bought my Dimension but I'm thinking about having one fitted. Are they worth having? if you've got one, do you use it? At the moment I've got a Movelite drive away awning, but quite honestly it stays in its bag more often than not because it doesn't seem worth the hassle unless we are staying on a site for at least a week, but the roll out one looks so easy that it might be used more. Do they give reasonable shelter in showers? Is it OK to roll them away wet? And how are they in the wind?
So many questions!

[Graham]

Hello Sid

We've got one and yes we do use it and think its good. Its nice to sit under when the sun is too hot or if its a bit showery but you don't want to sit inside.

They are also handy for putting the chairs etc under to keep dry in showery weather. We always dry ours before we go home or when we get home I would think it might get a bit mouldy if rolled up wet.

One word of warning in very windy weather we always roll ours in, there are holes to peg the legs down if its breezy but if its really windy its best to put it away. We have heard stories of them blowing over the van and causing damage.

Graham

[snobbyafghan]

Whereas, on the other hand, we never use ours. I can visualise the possibility of using it overseas if it was baking hot (although we didn't in France last year) but in the UK, I can't see it being much use keeping rain off because there's nearly always at least a strong breeze in the here which will blow the rain in. And, as Graham says, you have to be careful of it blowing back over the van top if the wind gets stronger. Since it has no sides, it's sheltering ability from wind or rain is virtually non-existent.

We have a Movelite driveaway and I've been practising putting it up and taking it down. I also left it in the garden for a couple of weeks. Now, it is much easier to handle and I'd be happy to use it even on one night stops. It only takes about 20 minutes to make it secure in normal weather and maybe another 20 minutes to anchor it more firmly in strong winds like we had in Swanage last week (gales, in fact).

I think you get a lot more usefulness from a Movelite than from the Fiamma.

Doug

[wendy]

We use ours a lot and always with an awning tie-down strap over the front edge. It's good to keep the rain off the door and useful in sunny weather, if we ever get any.

[sid b]

Thanks, so it's 2-1 at half time!
I do like the idea of having something that can be used for shade and a bit of shelter/privacy (though obviously limited on both counts) even on a short picnic stop if wanted. And without the need to take up valuable storage space, too.

As matter of interest, do you have pay the extra fee for an "awning" (where sites charge for one) with a wind-out blind?

Doug - you're a brave man if you left the Movelite up through the South Coast gales of last week! Do you use it on hardstandings as well as grass pitches - and if so, what pegs do you use? I've got some rock pegs for tents - those things that look like long nails with a cross piece near the top - that I've had to use where the ground is hard and stony. Do they also do the job on hardtanding pitches or are there special awning pegs of some kind?

[snobbyafghan]

Sid

As we were going to be on site for 5 nights, I was determined (despite the better-half's reservations) to use the awning. Apart from anything else, if the weather is foul, it's very handy for putting wet clothes and gives you extra space if you're confined to the van 'cos of the weather.

So, we put it up after the gales slackened from horrendous to merely awful (on the Monday) and didn't have any amusing incidents such as the awning blowing away with us attached (although I'm sure it would have amused the neighbours). We were on a hard-standing and before going away I bought some rock-pegs; the type with a plastic cross-piece at the end.
www.winfieldsmegastore.com/index.asp?spc=PEG046&sch=n&pg=1&level1=&level2=&level3=&searchtext=tent+pegs
THese did the job but I found that they were too fat for the anchor points on the skirt of the awning. They ripped out 4 or 5 of the brass rings before I realised what was happening (with the weather being so bad, I was bashing them in as hard and quick as I could). They were great for guy ropes and the elastic pegging loops on the inside of the awning. So, I bought some of the thinner rock pegs - the type you describe - from the site office (40p each - a pretty good price) and these were perfect for the skirt anchor points and, in fact, went into the hard standing easier and equally firmly to the fatter type.

Doug

[Chrissy and Martin]

Has anyone evr fitted a Fiamma awning on an outlook? Can't say i've ever seen one but I've admired the convinience of them on other vans.
Martin

[dspm]

Hi, I've recently become the proud owner of a Dimension (sadly after the recent loss of my father through ilness.) It also has the fiamma awning fitted to the van, which my father only ever rolled out once, (after much nagging from me). I have used it once, in the two occasions that I have been away in the van, but i intend to use it as often as i can. I also intend to get a movelite awning, but im not clear on which one to get, i beleive there is a 2.5 mtr and a 3mtr. To save any further head scratching, can you reccomend which is the right one to go for?
Many thanks
Dave

[snobbyafghan]

Dave

You want the standard awning - preferably the 2008 model.

outdoorsrus.co.uk/Motorhome-Awnings/Outdoor-Revolution-Movelite-Drive-Away-Awning-with-Inner-Tent.html

The bigger one - the XL, is for coachbuilt motorhomes. The awning rail is considerably higheron those than on the Dimension.

Doug

[Graham]

Hi Dave

I agree with Doug you need the Movelite Square 2008 model we have literally just bought one and tried it out see our thread in General Camping section, they are very good and can recommend them, however the link that Doug sent we tried to order from them and they are out of stock so we bought ours from HERE £129 + £4.50 P&P

Graham

[dspm]

Thanks Doug and Graham for your advice, on my initial thoughts, i would have got it wrong, standard model it is then (and it's cheaper).
Thanks
dave