Guest ken Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Anyone got any experience with safari rooms, are they worth it or is an ordinary motorhome awning any better,are they quick to erect, take up much room when stored away, pro's and cons please, cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JohnP Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Depends on the height of your motorhome. We had a 2003 Kontiki with a zip in safari room and could not reach the highest parts of the awning to zip sides in. Had to take a step ladder the second time. A friend, again with a high van bought a safari room with clip-in sides which were available from the same manufaturer. The sides tended to come unclipped in anything other than a breeze. Irritating at night. We have both sold these and just use a roll out. Although the friend has a free standing tent?? or shed to store stuff when on site. Save your money!!! John P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PeteC Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 We have a Van conversion with a Roof rack at 2.75m high We use a free standing/driveaway awning (now 6 years old & used some 600+ nights) which we fix to the roof rack - we cannot fit an awning rail because of manufacturers waranty Several times we would have lost our pitch while out for the day without it We can errect it in about 20 mins & take it down & pack away in the same time We use it as extra lounge/dinning space and as a store for gear when we go out Got our at the end of the season when they were making space for next years models We do require a step ladder - but we also need it to access the roof rack and top box & to clean the solar panel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maureen Smith Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Hi, We purchased a Fiamma Privacy room for our last van. It was great if there was no wind but when it was windy the awning would flap about and pull the clips away from the sides. The last straw for us was when we were on holiday last June and the darned thing was flapping and banging during the night keeping us awake. This ended with us having to go outside at 4am in the pouring rain to take the thing down! We were happy to give it away with the van when we traded it in. With our new van we just use our roll-out awning. However, on saying all that, it was very handy when the grandchildren came away with us and could put their bikes etc. in it at night. It also folded down very well and didn't take up much space. Maureen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RonB Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 After dwelling far too long we finally gave up on awnings, sun rooms, etc, We found them nothing but a worry if the wind got up, especially if you happened to be away from the van at the time and had forgotten to wind the thing in. To say nothing of the middle of the night excursions. We've now followed the move towards a Khyam type, quick erecting (5 minutes max), stand-alone tent. It goes up and we can forget about it. Its dry, windproof and with three opening sides is ideal for sunbathing out of the breeze. The weight saving is also considerable. We have no regrets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bill h Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Khyam type of tent. Please describe it further. Is it 4 legs and removeable sides, sometimes stripy or plain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ken Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Thanks for all the advice folks,I think the general concensus is safari rooms are a waste of time and money,I'll be getting a dorema highlander awning I think, once again, thanks very much, much appreciated.Ken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carol hodgson Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 We are still new to motorhoming, but our Elddis Elite has a roll out Fiamma awning. Which we have not really had the opportunity to use yet. With our caravan we had a porch awning which slid into the rail and had 3 bendable poles - two which crossed over and another which was horizontal. Nice little thing - light weight and only took 10 mins to erect and take down. And now we use it on our motorhome, we wind out the awning - slide it into the channel - wind up the awning again and erect it as normal. It's great. We have also been given a drive away awning - again which we haven't had the opportunity to use yet! regards carol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dave Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 WE BOUGHT A DOREMA HIGHLANDER 2 AWNING FOR OUR VAN WHICH IS A HIGH ROOF CITREON RELAY SELF CONVERSION.WE HAD TO HAVE A RAIL FITTED ON THE ROOF TO FIX THE AWNING TO .WE USED IT LAST SUMMER A FEW TIMES IN ENGLAND EVEN WHEN IT WAS VERY WINDY,WE PUT ON THE STORM STRAPS AND IT WAS AS SAFE AS HOUSES.WE BOUGHT OURS IN WINTER AND GOT IT NEARLY £200 cheaper.it also doubles the size of our living space which will be handy as we are going to spain for six months in feb . we can leave the awning standing on site while we drive of in the van Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest henry Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Hi, following this one with interest. We are thinking about a Dorema Highlander 2 Awning for our van a Hymer B534. We are 2 big bodies and 2 dogs, go everywhere. As we had an awning ripped off the van last year in high winds we are , understandably, 'windy' about this undertaking. Advice please, Regards Henry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RonB Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 bill h The tent I was refering to is a Khyam Rigidome 'Screen House'. Dark green or blue. About 3x3m square. Has four loop-over legs and the sides zip up/down. It all goes up/down as one unit - nothing comes apart. Take a look at CAMPING-INTL.COM and look at their Khyam range of tents, including motorhome annexes. Khyam also do a utility range - avoid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dave Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 i dont just mean a light breeze it was approx force eight gale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest henry Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 don't know wha ours was, wet, windy, french, loire, lost the lot! and ours was a fiamma awning which we didn't peg down!! bet your socks we do now!!!! regards Henry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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