Kitting out your awning gear guide

Got an awning? You’ll want to make the most of it. It’s all about making the most of the extra room a caravan awning gives you – for living, storage or even extra sleeping accommodation.

Lights? Cameras? Action?

That can mean throwing in anything you want to make campsite life that bit more comfortable – from extra seating to a bigger TV and more.

If you’re on a seasonal pitch, as opposed to touring, the awning possibilities are even greater. You’re more likely to have a full awning, too, so domestic-style items right up to fridges and washing machines could be a possibility.

Gear to make the most of your awning

Here’s our round-up of ideas for making the most of your awning – as well as the chance to win £475 worth of awning gear from Outwell to get you going (see further below).

Top awning gear buying tips

• Buy what you need, not what you want. It’s easy to get carried away buying awning gear that never actually gets used or ends up being relegated to the back of a locker.
• Likewise, products designed and made specifically for camping will usually serve you better than those designated for domestic use. That said, lots of your awning gear may well also be suitable for back home in the garden.
• Pack size matters. So does weight. Can you store your kit away safely for transit or when away from the campsite? Remember, also, everything you add eats into your payload capacity so lightweight kit might be a priority.

1: Fit in some furniture

Extra tables and chairs are a must once the awning’s up. It’s the perfect place to sit whilst taking advantage of the great outdoors but also protecting yourself from any weather extremes.

Chances are, you’ll also have enough space for a larger dining table. But what about some extra cupboard or wardrobe space, too?

Or you might even want to install a whole kitchen, like the Outwell Magante, Kampa Commander, Berghaus Freeform etc.

Look for camping chairs (typically, they’ll fold up smaller for packing away), beach chairs, folding chairs etc. If small pack size is your preference, check out designs like Roben’s Observor or Pathfinder.

Or consider inflatable furniture such as Outwell’s Williston Lake Ottoman or Outdoor Revolution’s Campese chairs and sofas.

You can also up your storage opportunities with all manner of mesh pockets and similar, rails with hooks, hangers and more. Awnings are great places for drying wet clothing (and dogs!).

The Kampa Pro Awning Storage range includes a shoe organiser, draft skirt with storage and more.

Key points

• Make sure you have somewhere to store these items when you’re on the move
• Dedicated storage in your awning for items such as outdoor footwear makes a lot of sense
• Don’t clutter up too much – you still want to make the most of the living space in your awning

Worth considering Isabella Storage Hammock/Organiser, Robens Settler range (director’s chair and storage unit), Quest Organiser Draught Skirt, Robens Transit Table, Vango Sky Storage range

For more info: Read our guides to outdoor camping chairs and outdoor camping tables

2: Big screen?

With televisions getting ever more sophisticated, lots of owners want to have even more home-from-home entertainment with them wherever they go. A smart TV will give you so much more in terms of streaming services, for example. And the extra living space under the awning can mean you can go for a larger screen.

The likes of Avtex, Cello and Sharp all offer various screen sizes going all the way up to 32in. Worth considering, also, is adding a soundbar for superior sound reproduction.

An alternative is to invest in something like the Outwell Movie Screen or Vango Vista Projector Screen and a suitable projector which you can hook up to a laptop or mobile phone.

Key points

• TVs designed for camping use will work off 12V and 230V power sources
• Just be wary sounds travel much further at night even more so through the fabric of your awning. Be prepared to keep your noise levels down as well as noting any campsite curfews
• Don’t leave high-value items in sight or insecure – you don’t want to tempt thieves

Worth considering Avtex Sound Bar, Outwell Movie Screen

For more info: Read our guide to motorhome and caravan TVs

3: Let there be more lights

A chandelier in your awning might seem just a tad over the top (you do get them, honest), but there’s plenty of opportunity to have some fun with extra lighting generally – especially as LED lights, in particular, are affordable and don’t use a lot of power.

String them up (literally) or add a lantern (hanging or free-standing) or two.

Coleman’s 360⁰ lantern not only provides light, but also sound – it has a built-in Bluetooth speaker.

Key points

• Run any extra strip lighting out along your awning’s guylines and you’ll lessen the chance of them being tripped over accidentally
• Solar-powered lights need as much direct sunlight as possible to maintain their charge
• Going out or heading off to bed? Don’t forget to turn the lights off

Worth considering Easy Camp Blur and Pyro Lantern, Fiamma LED Awning Light with Motion Sensor, Isabella TripLight, Kampa SabreLink, Outdoor Revolution Lumi-Lite range (including 4-in-1 Lumi Solar Fan Lantern), Outwell Gamma light chain, Vango Sunbeam

For more info: See our guide to extra lighting

4: Keep warm…

If you’re really determined to sit out in your awning throughout any weathers, you might find at some point you’ll want a heater just to take the chill off. Best option is going to be a mains-operated heater of some kind – blower, halogen, ceramic, oil-filled radiator – especially if you have a mains outlet on the outside of your vehicle.

Just make sure it’s a camper-friendly, low Wattage model.

Alternatives are extra blankets (including heated ones), hot water bottles, or Vango’s Radiate range of chairs, including its Heated Cushion.

Key points

• Don’t over-use the electricity
• Be careful of electric leads as potential trip hazards
• Electric heaters for camping use will be low Wattage, so you’re less likely to trip your mains supply

Worth considering Kampa Diddy, Outdoor Revolution Eco Compact, Outwell Katla, Quest Barbuda, Swiss Luxx Ceramic Fan Heater

For more info: See our guide to keeping warm in your caravan or motorhome

5: …or chill out?

Already got a fridge-full? There could be a bit of space in your awning to add a coolbox, or more – perfect for party drinks in the summer, for example.

Depending on the model, portable coolboxes can run off 12V or mains 230V electricity, or gas – or any combination of these. Or not need any power supply at all. Something like a Coleman Xtreme, which doesn’t use an external power source at all, can keep foodstuffs frozen for anything up to five days (depending on model).

Also, as well as keeping food and drink cool, an alternative use with some is the ability to keep stuff warm.

Some top-of-the-range models, like Outwell’s Arctic Frost, can even be used for frozen products. Dometic offers a wide range of coolboxes using absorption, thermos-electric and compressor cooling functions.

Key points

• A coolbox, as well as your caravan/motorhome’s fridge, can be a good way of keeping foods apart – eg cooked and raw meat/fish – for optimum hygiene
• Similarly, you could use a separate cool box to keep food/drink at a different temperature to your main fridge
• Don’t want to go all the way with a coolbox? An insulated bag can come in very handy for day trips etc.

Worth considering Alpicool, Dometic, Easy Camp Chilly, Outwell Deep Cool, Yeti Roadie

6: Get floored!

If your awning doesn’t come with a ground sheet, you can give yourself underfoot comfort with some specially made carpet – breathable is best for the ground below as it gives grass the chance to stay alive.  You should be able to get kits ready-made for your awning, or order it cut to size.

If you’re pitched on solid or stony ground, a footprint is a worthwhile consideration. This gives a protective barrier between the ground and any carpet or other flooring in your awning, at the same time adding an extra layer of insulation.

The likes of Dometic (Kampa), OlPro, Outdoor Revolution, Outwell, Quest and Vango offer footprints as options for their awnings.

A rug can be very effective, too. Ditto a mat at the entrance, as well as locking tile flooring.

Some with awnings on seasonal pitches go even further, putting down solid hardstanding flooring – with the permission of the site owner, of course.

Key points

• Campsites often have strict policies on the use of groundsheets in awnings
• Breathable groundsheets vary in quality – the worst will let through too much moisture
• Non-breathable coverings can contribute to condensation issues

Worth considering Carpetina (Milenco), Flamefield Coco Camper Mats, Isabella Air Floor, Kampa Easy Lock Flooring Tiles, Maypole Epson, Noodle Mats

Awning gear insurance considerations

As a caravanner, always make sure you include the value of your awning gear and indeed, your awning, in your caravan insurance sums insured for equipment, to make sure you’re fully covered in the event of a claim.

Please note theft of equipment is only covered by our policy when there has been “violent or forcible entry”, so we’d advise not to leave any valuable items in your awning when your caravan is unattended when all that stands between them and a thief is the awning’s zip!

And don’t forget, our caravan insurance includes cover for awnings should they be damaged, or cause damage to your vehicle in stormy weather.

Competition time

We’ve also teamed up with awning and accessories manufacturer Outwell to offer you the chance to win a £475 bundle of kit for your awning, which features some of the gear mentioned above. To find out more and enter, click here to go to our Outwell awning kit giveaway.

Over to you…

Got any advice on awning gear you’d like to pass on to fellow caravanners? Please feel free to add a comment below.