wildebus
Forum Member
Not really an exciting thread, but I have seen over time quite a few posts about what is meant by awning rails - quite often questions generated from responses from DVLA (seen this on multiple forums as well).
So thought I would post what I understand awnings and awning rails are - and actually why they can be very useful even if you may not think you have a use for one other than trying to satisfy the DVLA.
This is for anyone who already knows this info extemely basic, but if you don't it may be useful?
Awning - depending on your background and intro to camping and caravanning (be it pull or motor), it might be a full attached room with roof and sides, or it may just be a roof.
On a Caravan, most awnings slide into a rail that is attached to the side of the caravan. Awning is put up when pitched, and removed before leaving.
On a Motor Caravan (i.e. Camper or Motorhome), the awning is often housed in a cassette (and called a 'Wind-Out Awning' or 'Cassette Awning') and this whole mechanism is physically attached to the side of the Motor Caravan by some manner. So when pitched, it is wound out, and before leaving, rolled back in (but not removed). This type of awning is just the roof - no sides (although you can add sides once wound out).
There is a type of product made by Fiamma, Thule and others that offers an alternative to the wind-out awning that stays on the side when you drive, but is also removable (it slides into a side rail just like a caravan awning but has no sides). This is a 'Roll Out Awning'. The Fiamma version is called the "Caravanstore" but is suitable for both Caravans and Motor Caravans alike.
In the Motor Caravan world - and especially for Campervan types, a popular option is the 'Drive Away Awning'. The Drive Away Awning is basically a tent that has one side that can be fully opened and a roof section that can be attached to an Awning Rail via 'figure of 8' strips. These tend to be seen more on Campers as internal space is more limited so more benefit to having these.
An option that is maybe seen more with a Motorhome type vehicle is a 'Privacy Room' (or 'Safari Room') which adds walls to a Wind-Out Awning to make an enclosed space. Downside of this is you have to dismantle it if you want to move your vehicle. A Drive Away Awning you can detach by removing the figure-of-8 strips and leave it standing when you go.
An Awning Rail on the side can be used for an awning such as the Fiamma Caravan Store; Or a Drive Away Awning; or a simple canopy that you attach when you want just a quick shelter (from rain OR sun). Personally, I have fitted Awning Rails to all my campers and found them very useful to have. I didn't use them on every trip by any means but they were there if I wanted them. Likewise, I have used the Caravanstore, the Caravanstore with sides to make an enclosed space (a Safari Room in Fiamma talk), a Driveaway Awning, a Sun Canopy and even a Sun Canopy with walls and a front to make a small enclosed area.
LT Camper with the Fiamma Caravanstore slid onto the permanent Awning Rail
IMG_20171217_132142 by David, on Flickr
Caravanstore out
IMG_20180825_181926 by David, on Flickr
VW T5 Camper with Khyam Sun Canopy (slid into Awning Rail) and walls
Camper with Khyam Sun Canopy by David, on Flickr
Same Camper, but with Caravanstore
image_3 by David, on Flickr
I fitted an Awning Rail on both sides of the T5 and would sometimes use a Sun Canopy on one side, and Caravanstore or a Drive Away Awning on the other
Here, I have the Sun canopy on the Near Side, but with no sides, and the Drive Away on the Off Side for more space whilst at this VW Festival
IMG_20160731_112453 by David, on Flickr
(why so much space? well, the big white marquee on the left is also mine
)
What do the Awning rails look like?
Well, it depends to a degree to what vehicle they are for, but all basically the same ... a long strip with a C-Channel that accepts a "Kador" type bead.
This is a photo of the awning rail on my T5
IMG_20170703_134904 by David, on Flickr
You might find it hard to see? I painted it to match the body colour of the camper.
On the T4, it is much more obvious but only when you are a bird
image.jpg1_8 by David, on Flickr
Fitted here inside the roof gutter, stuck down so no holes drilled in roof
This Photo of the LT shows the Awning Rail along with a Caravanstore slid into it
Post-Tint by David, on Flickr
This is actually the Caravanstore from the T5 - you can see it is a lot shorter than the one I showed in earlier photos on the LT (The new one on the LT is 4 Metres, the T5 one was 2M).
But ... if I just wanted an awning over the door, I could have used the 2M on the LT perfectly fine. But I liked the Caravanstore setup and so when I changed campers, I just bought a longer version. This is the beauty of an Awning Rail - you can use it for so many things and if you want to update an awning, or change your camper, you can just take the awning with you and don't have to buy a new Awning, just a new Awning Rail (an Awning Rail is less than the 10th of the cost of most awnings).
I have used the same Khyam Sun Canopy on two different Campers. Likewise the Drive Away Awning. If I camped with the OH, I would take the Drive Away; if on my own, just the Sun Canopy - with or without the sides depending how I felt (or the weather was)
Anyways, that is my musings on Awnings and Rails and why - IMO - I wouldn't care what the DVLA said about awning rails, I'd fit one anyway
So thought I would post what I understand awnings and awning rails are - and actually why they can be very useful even if you may not think you have a use for one other than trying to satisfy the DVLA.
This is for anyone who already knows this info extemely basic, but if you don't it may be useful?
Awning - depending on your background and intro to camping and caravanning (be it pull or motor), it might be a full attached room with roof and sides, or it may just be a roof.
On a Caravan, most awnings slide into a rail that is attached to the side of the caravan. Awning is put up when pitched, and removed before leaving.
On a Motor Caravan (i.e. Camper or Motorhome), the awning is often housed in a cassette (and called a 'Wind-Out Awning' or 'Cassette Awning') and this whole mechanism is physically attached to the side of the Motor Caravan by some manner. So when pitched, it is wound out, and before leaving, rolled back in (but not removed). This type of awning is just the roof - no sides (although you can add sides once wound out).
There is a type of product made by Fiamma, Thule and others that offers an alternative to the wind-out awning that stays on the side when you drive, but is also removable (it slides into a side rail just like a caravan awning but has no sides). This is a 'Roll Out Awning'. The Fiamma version is called the "Caravanstore" but is suitable for both Caravans and Motor Caravans alike.
In the Motor Caravan world - and especially for Campervan types, a popular option is the 'Drive Away Awning'. The Drive Away Awning is basically a tent that has one side that can be fully opened and a roof section that can be attached to an Awning Rail via 'figure of 8' strips. These tend to be seen more on Campers as internal space is more limited so more benefit to having these.
An option that is maybe seen more with a Motorhome type vehicle is a 'Privacy Room' (or 'Safari Room') which adds walls to a Wind-Out Awning to make an enclosed space. Downside of this is you have to dismantle it if you want to move your vehicle. A Drive Away Awning you can detach by removing the figure-of-8 strips and leave it standing when you go.
An Awning Rail on the side can be used for an awning such as the Fiamma Caravan Store; Or a Drive Away Awning; or a simple canopy that you attach when you want just a quick shelter (from rain OR sun). Personally, I have fitted Awning Rails to all my campers and found them very useful to have. I didn't use them on every trip by any means but they were there if I wanted them. Likewise, I have used the Caravanstore, the Caravanstore with sides to make an enclosed space (a Safari Room in Fiamma talk), a Driveaway Awning, a Sun Canopy and even a Sun Canopy with walls and a front to make a small enclosed area.
LT Camper with the Fiamma Caravanstore slid onto the permanent Awning Rail
IMG_20171217_132142 by David, on FlickrCaravanstore out
IMG_20180825_181926 by David, on FlickrVW T5 Camper with Khyam Sun Canopy (slid into Awning Rail) and walls
Camper with Khyam Sun Canopy by David, on FlickrSame Camper, but with Caravanstore
image_3 by David, on FlickrI fitted an Awning Rail on both sides of the T5 and would sometimes use a Sun Canopy on one side, and Caravanstore or a Drive Away Awning on the other
Here, I have the Sun canopy on the Near Side, but with no sides, and the Drive Away on the Off Side for more space whilst at this VW Festival
IMG_20160731_112453 by David, on Flickr(why so much space? well, the big white marquee on the left is also mine
)What do the Awning rails look like?
Well, it depends to a degree to what vehicle they are for, but all basically the same ... a long strip with a C-Channel that accepts a "Kador" type bead.
This is a photo of the awning rail on my T5
IMG_20170703_134904 by David, on FlickrYou might find it hard to see? I painted it to match the body colour of the camper.
On the T4, it is much more obvious but only when you are a bird
image.jpg1_8 by David, on FlickrFitted here inside the roof gutter, stuck down so no holes drilled in roof
This Photo of the LT shows the Awning Rail along with a Caravanstore slid into it
Post-Tint by David, on FlickrThis is actually the Caravanstore from the T5 - you can see it is a lot shorter than the one I showed in earlier photos on the LT (The new one on the LT is 4 Metres, the T5 one was 2M).
But ... if I just wanted an awning over the door, I could have used the 2M on the LT perfectly fine. But I liked the Caravanstore setup and so when I changed campers, I just bought a longer version. This is the beauty of an Awning Rail - you can use it for so many things and if you want to update an awning, or change your camper, you can just take the awning with you and don't have to buy a new Awning, just a new Awning Rail (an Awning Rail is less than the 10th of the cost of most awnings).
I have used the same Khyam Sun Canopy on two different Campers. Likewise the Drive Away Awning. If I camped with the OH, I would take the Drive Away; if on my own, just the Sun Canopy - with or without the sides depending how I felt (or the weather was)
Anyways, that is my musings on Awnings and Rails and why - IMO - I wouldn't care what the DVLA said about awning rails, I'd fit one anyway
