Safari/ Privacy/Awning advice please

[Roy M]

My first post so apologies for it being a question rather than a (hopefully) helpful response!

 

We're looking for a 'safari' style room for our Omnistor 8000 awning. Whilst there are numerous options available for a 2.5 m projection the 8000 has a 2.75 m projection which severely limits our options. Has anyone ever used a 2.5 m room with a 2.75 m awning only partially extended and does it work? We can live with the loss of space but have very limited knowledge of rooms and fittings so fon't know if this is possible.

 

Any advice appreciated!

 

Roy

[pepe63xnotuse]

Hi Roy..

 

We've never owned one..But I've read on several forums, many posts from those who have and it seems they're heavy, bulky and a pain in the a*se to put up...and many get sold, little used....

 

(So maybe worth a Google along those lines...?)

[PJay]

Hi Roy

I do not know about Omnistor, so can't really answer your question.

I would ask , "Do you really need one?" as extra weight to carry and store.

We have a Fiammi Safari room, had it 7 years. I think it has been used about 4 times. Ours is easy to erect, as it zips onto the awing, but just not really worth having, unless you intend not to move the van, say if staying put for longer stays. Not worth the money I*MO

PJay

[Roy M]

Thanks - we've spent a year getting use to how we will use the van and believe an awning of some sort would enhance things when we stay 3 nights or more. We don't, however, need a heavy awning but a lighter version like the 'safari style' thule one but that's only 2.5m. We've looked at the windblockers but they're probably too light for our needs.

 

Roy

[Roy M]

Sorry submitted twice!! Still find the tablet clunky

 

Roy

[Guest peter]

Have a look at Outdoor Revolution Awnings. A lot of us have them, and they are very light and easy to erect and absolutely nowhere near the price of the heavier ones.

[snowie]

peter - 2013-12-12 8:42 PM

 

Have a look at Outdoor Revolution Awnings. A lot of us have them, .................

 

I had a look Peter; but gave up after two tries!

 

Not a very user-friendly website I think. It's a pity when people are praising them.

regards

alan b

[Iain Strachan]

Hi Roy, Perhaps have a look at wind blockers, from Lilliput Leisure, we have spoken to a good few people that use them, they are easy to put up and a lot lighter than a full awning.

Cheers Iain

www.windblockers.net

[Rowan Lee]

I would agree with previous posts, we never used our safari room. We have a set of wind blockers which we have also rarely used on the basis that if its windy enough to need them, it's probably too windy to put them up. Once up, you can't use the van. We also had a Movelite which attached to the awning rail but unless you are exactly the right height, it is difficult to get it set up properly. If it was very windy, it tugged at the awning rail and made very unnerving clattering noises. Our current solution is to use a driveaway awning at the side of the van as a freestanding tent arrangement, with the flap bit that attaches to the van rolled up out of the way. This way you can still move the van but you have a place to sit out and to store stuff. Not sure how the Caravan Club would react to that, but we are currently using it very successfully on a private site.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

99p at the moment......... :-S Mmmmmm

 

"Has been used once since i purchased it 5 months ago in which i was mislead and i believed used twice before i bought it" ( edit...whatever that means ! )

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/omnistor-safari-Room-/231111669580?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item35cf54374c

[Brian Kirby]

Roy M - 2013-12-12 7:40 PM

 

Thanks - we've spent a year getting use to how we will use the van and believe an awning of some sort would enhance things when we stay 3 nights or more. We don't, however, need a heavy awning but a lighter version like the 'safari style' thule one but that's only 2.5m. We've looked at the windblockers but they're probably too light for our needs.

 

Roy

You haven't said what van you have, which may help to guide respondents to more specific replies. It might also help to say where you mainly use your van (UK or abroad).

 

Wind out awnings, of whatever make, are very susceptible to wind, and UK is a windy place. I would have some doubts about the suitability of a wind-out awning, even with a "safari" type room addition, if the intention is to use it as an "erect and forget" solution. UK weather patterns are too variable, and our winds frequently gusty. A wind-out awning caught by a strong gust can, and some have, be lifted clear of the ground and wrapped over the roof of the van, causing considerable damage to both roof and awning. If you really want something that can be erected to maintain your site pitch while being reasonably robust and capable of being fully guyed down, I would suggest a free standing awning, or even a gazebo, with multiple guys. However, these will involve considerable weight and bulk to transport, and time to erect.

 

As your wind-out awning appears to be quite large, implying a largeish van, I'm wondering what you want to do in the awning that you cannot do with van and wind-out awning at present. If the weather is windy you will have difficulty with the wind out, and they tend to be quite noisy at night, so my guess is you will end up having to wind it in. I'd be inclined to take stock somewhat before embarking on nailing the awning and the van to the ground with a safari room when you stop. One of the joys of motorhomes is their ease of setting up, and moving on when the urge takes. Safari rooms always seem to me to negate this advantage of the motorhome, reducing it to something nearer to a caravan with an engine for occasional moves. I would suggest that if your pattern of use emulates that of a trailer caravan, with generally extended stays in one place, from which you travel around, it may be that a trailer caravan, with a traditional caravan awning, might be more suited to your needs.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

Yes flog your motorhome. (!) (!) (!) :-S :-S

[Mel B]

Hi Roy, as you only want something lightweight, both in weight and for light use, how about considering a large caravan porch awning like this:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pyramid-Majestic-390-XL-Caravan-Porch-Awning-Green-USED-ONCE-EX-CONDITION-/321271893739?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item4acd4c0eeb

 

or this:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sunncamp-Vision-XL-Caravan-Porch-Awning-Size-320cm-x-320cm-/271107667345?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item3f1f46b591

 

There are lot of different types and they would probably give you more room than a safari room on your existing wind-out awning.

 

We picked this one up from a car boot sale for £10 and it works a treat on our camper van - it is also massive being over 3m x 3m!!!

[Keithl]

1footinthegrave - 2013-12-13 7:00 PM

 

99p at the moment......... :-S Mmmmmm

 

"Has been used once since i purchased it 5 months ago in which i was mislead and i believed used twice before i bought it" ( edit...whatever that means ! )

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/omnistor-safari-Room-/231111669580?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item35cf54374c

 

"Reserve Not Met" :-(

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

Keithl - 2013-12-13 8:16 PM

 

1footinthegrave - 2013-12-13 7:00 PM

 

99p at the moment......... :-S Mmmmmm

 

"Has been used once since i purchased it 5 months ago in which i was mislead and i believed used twice before i bought it" ( edit...whatever that means ! )

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/omnistor-safari-Room-/231111669580?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item35cf54374c

 

"Reserve Not Met" :-(

 

Ah but maybe a fiver reserve :D

[Guest peter]

Brian Kirby - 2013-12-13 7:09 PM

 

Roy M - 2013-12-12 7:40 PM

 

Thanks - we've spent a year getting use to how we will use the van and believe an awning of some sort would enhance things when we stay 3 nights or more. We don't, however, need a heavy awning but a lighter version like the 'safari style' thule one but that's only 2.5m. We've looked at the windblockers but they're probably too light for our needs.

 

Roy

You haven't said what van you have, which may help to guide respondents to more specific replies. It might also help to say where you mainly use your van (UK or abroad).

 

Wind out awnings, of whatever make, are very susceptible to wind, and UK is a windy place. I would have some doubts about the suitability of a wind-out awning, even with a "safari" type room addition, if the intention is to use it as an "erect and forget" solution. UK weather patterns are too variable, and our winds frequently gusty. A wind-out awning caught by a strong gust can, and some have, be lifted clear of the ground and wrapped over the roof of the van, causing considerable damage to both roof and awning. If you really want something that can be erected to maintain your site pitch while being reasonably robust and capable of being fully guyed down, I would suggest a free standing awning, or even a gazebo, with multiple guys. However, these will involve considerable weight and bulk to transport, and time to erect.

 

As your wind-out awning appears to be quite large, implying a largeish van, I'm wondering what you want to do in the awning that you cannot do with van and wind-out awning at present. If the weather is windy you will have difficulty with the wind out, and they tend to be quite noisy at night, so my guess is you will end up having to wind it in. I'd be inclined to take stock somewhat before embarking on nailing the awning and the van to the ground with a safari room when you stop. One of the joys of motorhomes is their ease of setting up, and moving on when the urge takes. Safari rooms always seem to me to negate this advantage of the motorhome, reducing it to something nearer to a caravan with an engine for occasional moves. I would suggest that if your pattern of use emulates that of a trailer caravan, with generally extended stays in one place, from which you travel around, it may be that a trailer caravan, with a traditional caravan awning, might be more suited to your needs.

Blah Blah Blah.What the hell are you on about Brian?. The o/p wants to know the various options for awnings. Not whether he should get one or not, or whether he should swap his camper for a caravan.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

peter - 2013-12-13 9:33 PM

 

Brian Kirby - 2013-12-13 7:09 PM

 

Roy M - 2013-12-12 7:40 PM

 

Thanks - we've spent a year getting use to how we will use the van and believe an awning of some sort would enhance things when we stay 3 nights or more. We don't, however, need a heavy awning but a lighter version like the 'safari style' thule one but that's only 2.5m. We've looked at the windblockers but they're probably too light for our needs.

 

Roy

You haven't said what van you have, which may help to guide respondents to more specific replies. It might also help to say where you mainly use your van (UK or abroad).

 

Wind out awnings, of whatever make, are very susceptible to wind, and UK is a windy place. I would have some doubts about the suitability of a wind-out awning, even with a "safari" type room addition, if the intention is to use it as an "erect and forget" solution. UK weather patterns are too variable, and our winds frequently gusty. A wind-out awning caught by a strong gust can, and some have, be lifted clear of the ground and wrapped over the roof of the van, causing considerable damage to both roof and awning. If you really want something that can be erected to maintain your site pitch while being reasonably robust and capable of being fully guyed down, I would suggest a free standing awning, or even a gazebo, with multiple guys. However, these will involve considerable weight and bulk to transport, and time to erect.

 

As your wind-out awning appears to be quite large, implying a largeish van, I'm wondering what you want to do in the awning that you cannot do with van and wind-out awning at present. If the weather is windy you will have difficulty with the wind out, and they tend to be quite noisy at night, so my guess is you will end up having to wind it in. I'd be inclined to take stock somewhat before embarking on nailing the awning and the van to the ground with a safari room when you stop. One of the joys of motorhomes is their ease of setting up, and moving on when the urge takes. Safari rooms always seem to me to negate this advantage of the motorhome, reducing it to something nearer to a caravan with an engine for occasional moves. I would suggest that if your pattern of use emulates that of a trailer caravan, with generally extended stays in one place, from which you travel around, it may be that a trailer caravan, with a traditional caravan awning, might be more suited to your needs.

Blah Blah Blah.What the hell are you on about Brian?.

 

Glad you said that, not me...... :D

 

I think it's shorthand for get a caravan instead.

[Guest peter]

I've got me steel helmet on ready. :D

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

More and more I sometimes think I'm in the movie One Flew over the Cuckoos nest on this forum. BK reminds me of the bloke Dale Harding who goes on and on and on in it, when one character in sheer frustration says "GET TO THE POINT " and I'm Randle McMurphy, and we all know what happened to him.

 

:D

[Guest peter]

Slap on the arse will be dished out if we don't get back on topic. :D

So in that case I suggest the o/p either goes to some shows or scans the internet for information to make an objective choice. Any recommendations we make are worthless as we can't know why and how the o/p wants to use his van.

[Brian Kirby]

peter - 2013-12-13 9:33 PM.....................Blah Blah Blah.What the hell are you on about Brian?. The o/p wants to know the various options for awnings. Not whether he should get one or not, or whether he should swap his camper for a caravan.

Apologies if I misunderstood Roy's question, but my impression was that he wanted to know the pros and cons of using a safari room with his existing wind-out awning when stopping somewhere for 2-3 days? I've re-read his post and that still seems to be his original question.

 

He does not seem to me to be asking for alternative awning suggestions. Those suggestions were offered by others, with no-one seeming to have answered his original point. However, if he doesn't like my answer he can, and doubtless will, ignore it - unlike Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

Brian Kirby - 2013-12-14 12:20 AM

 

peter - 2013-12-13 9:33 PM.....................Blah Blah Blah.What the hell are you on about Brian?. The o/p wants to know the various options for awnings. Not whether he should get one or not, or whether he should swap his camper for a caravan.

Apologies if I misunderstood Roy's question, but my impression was that he wanted to know the pros and cons of using a safari room with his existing wind-out awning when stopping somewhere for 2-3 days? I've re-read his post and that still seems to be his original question.

 

He does not seem to me to be asking for alternative awning suggestions. Those suggestions were offered by others, with no-one seeming to have answered his original point. However, if he doesn't like my answer he can, and doubtless will, ignore it - unlike Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

 

Peter was highlighting your rather idiotic suggestion below, and you know perfectly well that to be the case, so why the wriggle eh,

 

" it may be that a trailer caravan, with a traditional caravan awning, might be more suited to your needs"

 

And as you correctly state

 

"He does not seem to me to be asking for alternative awning suggestions"

 

you can't get much more alternative than your answer " get a caravan instead :D

[Roy M]

Must admit to being a little surprised by the tone I seem to have inadvertently generated here. My question was really whether I could fit a 2.5 projection room by partially winding out ny 2.75m awning. I have been to shows, retailers etc and the lack of knowledge and professionalism (or pure bad manners) has been shocking so I thought I'd ask here. We have a near new 7.5m Hobby with an island bed and have no interest in a caravan or trailer tent or we would have bought one and saved ourselves a lot of money! We've been as far north as Skye and as far South as Spain and see 3 days as an optimum stay between stops.

 

Hope this clarifies things

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

Roy M - 2013-12-14 9:34 AM

 

Must admit to being a little surprised by the tone I seem to have inadvertently generated here. My question was really whether I could fit a 2.5 projection room by partially winding out ny 2.75m awning. I have been to shows, retailers etc and the lack of knowledge and professionalism (or pure bad manners) has been shocking so I thought I'd ask here. We have a near new 7.5m Hobby with an island bed and have no interest in a caravan or trailer tent or we would have bought one and saved ourselves a lot of money! We've been as far north as Skye and as far South as Spain and see 3 days as an optimum stay between stops.

 

Hope this clarifies things

 

Roy I think you'll have gathered by now most M/home users don't use them, I personally have never seen anyone using one, having said that we are almost exclusively Aire users. We also rarely use a wind out awning, finding that more often than not either the wind gets up, or as using for sun shade, the shade rarely falls directly underneath. The only thing I've ever toyed with is a cheapo freestanding gazebo thingy, but my guess is that would come out high days and holidays. Good luck with whatever you go with......................and certainly NOT a caravan as suggested by one of our number :D

[Brian Kirby]

Roy M - 2013-12-14 9:34 AM

 

Must admit to being a little surprised by the tone I seem to have inadvertently generated here. My question was really whether I could fit a 2.5 projection room by partially winding out ny 2.75m awning. I have been to shows, retailers etc and the lack of knowledge and professionalism (or pure bad manners) has been shocking so I thought I'd ask here. We have a near new 7.5m Hobby with an island bed and have no interest in a caravan or trailer tent or we would have bought one and saved ourselves a lot of money! We've been as far north as Skye and as far South as Spain and see 3 days as an optimum stay between stops.

 

Hope this clarifies things

Thanks for the clarification, Roy. My comment regarding caravns was to make a point about the relative flexibility in use of motorhomes, rather than a suggestion you should consider changing. Sorry if that came across wrong.

 

Please excuse my tormentors, one obsessively dogs me and has no regard for whose posts he interrupts to pursue his pointless vendetta, the other merely follows him around!

 

I suspect your best course of action may be to contact Thule, who now own Omnistor, here: http://tinyurl.com/csepgez to see if they would recommend doing as you wish to do. It is their product, so they should know better than any dealer what it is reasonable to do.

 

However, what others have said seems to reflect general experience. I got a single wall for a safari room with our first van to act as a rain/wind shield when the Omnistor awning was out. I used even that only a couple of times before abandoning it as difficult and time consuming to erect, bulky, somewhat fragile, unsatisfactory as to fit, and needing a supplementary support pole for its top edge that added to the clutter it created. If Thule say it is OK do do as you wish, I think it might be wise to get a seller to demonstrate the erection process before you buy. Then you can make a judgement based on what you see!

 

Khyam make a range of what they term "utility tents", see here: http://tinyurl.com/yfkafcg They are freestanding, but the roll-out awning could be partially advanced to bridge the gap between van and tent. Reasonably light, very quick to erect, and of reputable quality. Possibly something like the Screendome?