Protection from elements: a drive away awning provides extra shelter from the wind, rain, and sun. This is especially useful when you’ve got muddy boots and wet coats. Use the awning to change and hang your gear to help keep the inside of your van clean and help avoid condensation. On hot days, the shade from the awning can protect you and your belongings from the sun’s heat.

Confirming my suspicions, the Vango Drive-Away Awning Bedroom clips straight in to all the fixing points and is a great additional extra. Many drive away awnings are pretty similar, so you just need to make sure you find one that fits your campervan or motorhome and has enough space. If you want it to be a relaxing space, you can prop open the front door with poles, creating a pleasant canopy to sit under. The best drive away awnings provide extra space when camping in a smaller campervan, motorhome, or car. This guide will help you find the perfect awning for your needs.The size. If you’re planning a camping trip for the whole family and need plenty of space to accommodate them all, then this awning is unbeatable in price.

Finally, if you have roof bars, some awnings (including the Vango and Kampa options above) have Velcro straps that loop around the roof bar.

Ratings & Reviews

If your vehicle is fitted with a wind-out awning, then there’s a good chance the awning will already have an awning channel incorporated. The channel will usually be 4mm wide on wind-out awnings made by FIamma, Thule, or Omnistor. If so, consider a model that can accommodate modular extension rooms like the California Coast Drive Away Awning. Access To Vents & Hook Up Connections I now have a largish blow up drive away awning like this one https://www.vango.co.uk/gb/awnings/150-kela-v-air-low.html

Outdoor Survival, Torches & Lighting, Offers, Adventure Sports, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Gap Y The big plus for us has been the ease of erection with the ‘camel knee’ joints (can do it on my own in 5 mins). It’s 2.5 x 2.5m which is a perfect size for just the two of us. Keep bikes, outdoor gas burner etc in there. The small ‘pup’ inner tent is useful for extra guests at Glasto! Attaching the awning to the vehicle can be done by utilising the built-in awning rail piping. It can also be attached using a magnetic or suction drive away awning kit. If your vehicle is fitted with a wind-out awning with an integral awning rail channel, then this too can be used in conjunction with a suitable drive away awning kit. I also have a cheapish 2m square tent from decathlon which I use a lot. It serves as a dumping ground for anything that doesn’t need to be in the van and I often set it up as a changing and organising station to help reduce day to day van clutter. If the weathers good, I erect it so that it meets the leisure room so that we have two spaces. It makes driving away simple and keeps the extra space available for our return.Like virtually everything related to camping, campervans, and motorhomes, drive away awnings aren’t all made equal. It’s more involved than choosing a great colour to compliment your van. It is waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about getting wet, and it is made from strong and durable material. In less than half an hour, you can set up this enormous shelter and be the envy of your fellow campers. It features clear window panels, mesh ventilation points on both sides, and a separate peg-down groundsheet. There are also zip-down storm covers and roof ventilation points.

The downside is that the put up and take down is not an easy task for one person (I often travel alone), it’s takes up A LOT of space, and the drive away kador strip attachment on this style of awning can be a bit of a pain. ( I have been looking at magnetic attachments recently to see if this might be a better option going forward). Also bear in mind that the seal against the van is not in fact a seal and the rain will pour in against the van side. Overall, it is a budget-friendly option that is great for small campervans and motorhomes. What We LikedThe material the product is made from is often a sign of the quality for Awnings. Take a look at the product details over at Go Outdoors to get a feel for this.