Once again seeking advice from people's experience. Is it worth the money and carrying the extra weight of a full annex when travelling full time? Does it really get used or is a the role out awning with a shade wall enough?
Many thanks Ron.
LLD said
04:23 PM May 4, 2016
I had a full annex with my Jayco camper trailer. Used it twice. Too bulky and not that easy to put up. Only worth it if you are staying in the one spot for at least a week.
I found that a cheap silver tarp would pull thru the annex slot so I only ever used that with couple of tent poles and that was basically for shade.
My current van has a roll out awning. Brilliant bit of kit. I've bought a shade for long side and one end. So easy to use. Not entirely weather proof but everything I leave out is. Also easy to drop everything should there heavy winds. Done that several times now.
Possum3 said
04:23 PM May 4, 2016
My experience is that unless setting up camp for a week or more full annex too much hassle - now days we only use awning and when we are staying for a few days we use side screen and end screens. So much lighter and easier. When we used to camp with kid's we did use the full annex - there are better things to put in boot than a damp/wet annex.
Dhutime said
04:30 PM May 4, 2016
Depends if you plan to stop at any place for extended periods . We use our full annex if staying for a week or four .Worth taking you never know when it's needed .
Dhutime
Bruce and Bev said
05:35 PM May 4, 2016
we shelled out for a quality annex when we bought our van and despite lots of travel and extended stays sometimes, never used it. We now store it at home. We use our awning and if necessary a quality heat reflective shade cloth which is pegged to the ground - the cloth is only a couple of kgs and packs up very small
Gaylehere said
05:51 PM May 4, 2016
Our van came only with the roll out awning and we find it's enough for shade and to keep drizzly rain away from the door. We usually don't stay in one place for too long as we have a motorhome and need it to get from place to place. Cheers.
Cloak said
06:03 PM May 4, 2016
I reckon it's worth packing in the tug and using it for long stays... We used to set up and stay for a few weeks at a time and used the annex to play cards, drink coffee, play scrabble, more coffee and lose balance and fall down. Also it's a good place to get dressed or undressed and drink coffee...
Ours was a full length with walls, floor and doors n windows so upon setting up we always decided to stay a long time. It wasn't too much trouble to sot in the back of the tug.
brickies said
07:05 PM May 4, 2016
I think it depends the size of your caravan , We have plenty of room in the caravan and have a roll out awning so don't need an annex .
Hey Jim said
08:14 PM May 4, 2016
Cloak wrote:
I reckon it's worth packing in the tug and using it for long stays... We used to set up and stay for a few weeks at a time and used the annex to play cards, drink coffee, play scrabble, more coffee and lose balance and fall down. Also it's a good place to get dressed or undressed and drink coffee...
Ours was a full length with walls, floor and doors n windows so upon setting up we always decided to stay a long time. It wasn't too much trouble to sot in the back of the tug.
Also it's a good place to get dressed or undressed and drink coffee...ARE We MISSING SOMETHING.
Jim
Baz421 said
08:40 PM May 4, 2016
We also shelled out $3000 about 8 years ago for ours.
Never again UNLESS we set up in 1 place for 2 weeks or more. We have used it twice in 8 years and it is bulky and heavy (18' - about 5.5 m long)
Delta18 said
09:10 PM May 4, 2016
I am wondering what you all call a "full annexe"?
We have had, and our new van on order will have what I call an annexe.
The van comes with a roll out awning and I will get made a long wall + 2 x end walls. This for shade, privacy and a windbreak for the outdoor cooking.
If we plan to stay more than overnight I will peg out the awning and, depending on wind direction & strength I'll put up an end and perhaps the long wall.
Being 95% blockout shade screen it is all lightweight & probably takes 15 minutes to put the lot up.
Dhutime said
09:22 PM May 4, 2016
Me again we use our annex set up fully when parked up at Bremer Bay WA for one month every year in Febuary . We always go with a fairly large group and come together as you do ,in the evening ,only problem it's usually very cold as soon as the sun goes down ,so we get together in our annex switch the fan heater on and have a good time . It also gives us more room to move and the ability to open up the windows when it warms up during the day .l know none of this is new to many of you but that's what we do and love it
I realize that it weighs a lot and that could be an issue
Dhutime
Tony Bev said
10:00 PM May 4, 2016
Hello No Fixed Address
I travelled long distance in a caravan, stayed only in free camps, I carried and never used the annex, because I would park the van to give me optimal shade/sun depending on the season.
Plus the annex is a bit of a pain to put up, and I did not have a roll out awning
While short distance travelling in my home state, using caravan parks, I mostly put up the annex, as you are given a bay, and have no chance of manoeuvring, to a better position, in regards to sun/shade
As I now have a motorhome with roll out sunshade, and camp in free sites, I do not miss an annex
No Fixed Address said
04:20 PM May 5, 2016
Many thanks for everyone's input, looks like we're leaning towards the sunshade idea to start off our travels...... Which are only 360 days away!
Aus-Kiwi said
05:44 PM May 5, 2016
If it's just myself and Mrs ? We leave it at home . Especially if we plan on staying only one or two nights in each place . In our case we have 9m RV . So we us it as transport if we move . We deffenatly don't miss the annex . When family come yes it's great .,
Bruce and Bev said
06:20 PM May 5, 2016
Hey Ron - god - only 360 days to go - umm - that's just shy of a year!
Shadecloth is the best in our opinion, use the few days (12 months in fact lol) to have a look at whats on the market. But don't buy on price - get the best you can afford
We bought ours from the dealer we bought our van through. We have become good friends with the salesman there (cant say the same about the owners of the company or some of their service staff).
He put us onto some really tough shadecloth which you peg down with 4" bungy cords so it doesn't cause problems if the winds get up and your awning starts to flap about (the cords and pegs came in the solid bag the shadecloth came in). The other thing he told us, was not to buy black, but the purple colour as it is more heat reflective (all the colours are the same price and in fact they had to order a purple one in for us - so not trying to unload surplus purple cloth).
I'm not sure whether or not you would have enough privacy to dress/undress while drinking coffee and falling over (must be strong coffee !!) like Cloak does :)
goldfinger said
06:21 PM May 5, 2016
We lived in our van for 6 months at Heathcote Vic whilst we prospected....at the rear of our daughters' 2 acre property....definitely glad we had and used our full annex....even though we have separate walls etc alternative.....we experienced some hellish wet weather in that 6 months and I was able to dig a trench round the perimeter of our full annex to drain water and we learnt a lot about how to position the annex and awning roof so water did not pool plus pegging down for the winds.......we ate all our meals and did our reading, and entertained the grandies in the fully enclosed annex, and without it we would have had to pay for cabin etc in local CP....paid for itself.......
.Washed it all down after 6 months and carry in special bag on our vehicle roof..doesn't get in the way and always ready should we need it...folded poles are carried with my rods in rear tube on caravan.....wouldn't be without it for any reasonable time frame stay....how do others cope in winter with just the side walls?....or do you spend most of your van time within the van....?.....or...do you not remain in one spot for any length of time?......we did community volunteering mixed with our prospecting during those 6 months...and got to appreciate Heathcote and its wine region and State Forrests far more than simply travelling through....
To each his own ideas and uses.........Hoo Roo
-- Edited by goldfinger on Thursday 5th of May 2016 06:23:05 PM
Aus-Kiwi said
10:49 PM May 5, 2016
Yep we have grey shade cloth we put up if required . Yes helps big time with wind and supporting awning .. We use awning to sit outside often cook etc .We are traveling around Aus at present in Coral Bay . Some road trips are 20 min . Some can be 4 hours . We left Sydney 18 Feb . For me it's too much trouble . We don't have room issues when it comes to getting dressed etc what we've found is shade cloth makes for VERY good matting when it comes to sand . So comes in handy ..
Radar said
07:26 AM May 6, 2016
Annex we don't own one as such but we do own privacy screens, 2 end walls and 1 for the lenght of the awning. We do not live in our van and our stop overs last 2 to 7 days as we are adjusting more to being retirement we are tending to stay longer but our enjoyment is looking and enjoying our wonderful out door country, I suppose this is why we leave home to be out there we only take the basic things, no fancy things ie the television.
We do enjoy in sour weather the end screens as they will cut the wind down and keep the rain out making for a comfortable enjoyable stay reasonable quick and easy to put up and back down again, quick drying and roll up very light to store under in our case front dinning seat.
After 4 years of owning a caravan 3 of now being retired with 10 months of touring with our van I would think in that time the screens have had about 20 days of use but I don't believe it waste carrying them. We have been enjoying oversea adventures also which has taken up considerable time cutting our adventures down with the van.
Our recommendations if this is the path you wish to take ask which is the brand as ours came with our second hand van the choice was made for us, funny enough I was going to leave them out to save weight as I also thought I would never use them but now really like them for those days when the weather turns sour and yes they do help to hold the awning secure in the wind.
Once again seeking advice from people's experience. Is it worth the money and carrying the extra weight of a full annex when travelling full time? Does it really get used or is a the role out awning with a shade wall enough?
Many thanks Ron.
I found that a cheap silver tarp would pull thru the annex slot so I only ever used that with couple of tent poles and that was basically for shade.
My current van has a roll out awning. Brilliant bit of kit. I've bought a shade for long side and one end. So easy to use. Not entirely weather proof but everything I leave out is. Also easy to drop everything should there heavy winds. Done that several times now.
Dhutime
Ours was a full length with walls, floor and doors n windows so upon setting up we always decided to stay a long time. It wasn't too much trouble to sot in the back of the tug.
Jim
We also shelled out $3000 about 8 years ago for ours.
Never again UNLESS we set up in 1 place for 2 weeks or more. We have used it twice in 8 years and it is bulky and heavy (18' - about 5.5 m long)
I am wondering what you all call a "full annexe"?
We have had, and our new van on order will have what I call an annexe.
The van comes with a roll out awning and I will get made a long wall + 2 x end walls. This for shade, privacy and a windbreak for the outdoor cooking.
If we plan to stay more than overnight I will peg out the awning and, depending on wind direction & strength I'll put up an end and perhaps the long wall.
Being 95% blockout shade screen it is all lightweight & probably takes 15 minutes to put the lot up.
Me again we use our annex set up fully when parked up at Bremer Bay WA for one month every year in Febuary . We always go with a fairly large group and come together as you do ,in the evening ,only problem it's usually very cold as soon as the sun goes down ,so we get together in our annex switch the fan heater on and have a good time . It also gives us more room to move and the ability to open up the windows when it warms up during the day .l know none of this is new to many of you but that's what we do and love it
I realize that it weighs a lot and that could be an issue
Dhutime
I travelled long distance in a caravan, stayed only in free camps, I carried and never used the annex, because I would park the van to give me optimal shade/sun depending on the season.
Plus the annex is a bit of a pain to put up, and I did not have a roll out awning
While short distance travelling in my home state, using caravan parks, I mostly put up the annex, as you are given a bay, and have no chance of manoeuvring, to a better position, in regards to sun/shade
As I now have a motorhome with roll out sunshade, and camp in free sites, I do not miss an annex
Many thanks for everyone's input, looks like we're leaning towards the sunshade idea to start off our travels...... Which are only 360 days away!
Shadecloth is the best in our opinion, use the few days (12 months in fact lol) to have a look at whats on the market. But don't buy on price - get the best you can afford
We bought ours from the dealer we bought our van through. We have become good friends with the salesman there (cant say the same about the owners of the company or some of their service staff).
He put us onto some really tough shadecloth which you peg down with 4" bungy cords so it doesn't cause problems if the winds get up and your awning starts to flap about (the cords and pegs came in the solid bag the shadecloth came in). The other thing he told us, was not to buy black, but the purple colour as it is more heat reflective (all the colours are the same price and in fact they had to order a purple one in for us - so not trying to unload surplus purple cloth).
I'm not sure whether or not you would have enough privacy to dress/undress while drinking coffee and falling over (must be strong coffee !!) like Cloak does :)
We lived in our van for 6 months at Heathcote Vic whilst we prospected....at the rear of our daughters' 2 acre property....definitely glad we had and used our full annex....even though we have separate walls etc alternative.....we experienced some hellish wet weather in that 6 months and I was able to dig a trench round the perimeter of our full annex to drain water and we learnt a lot about how to position the annex and awning roof so water did not pool plus pegging down for the winds.......we ate all our meals and did our reading, and entertained the grandies in the fully enclosed annex, and without it we would have had to pay for cabin etc in local CP....paid for itself.......
.Washed it all down after 6 months and carry in special bag on our vehicle roof..doesn't get in the way and always ready should we need it...folded poles are carried with my rods in rear tube on caravan.....wouldn't be without it for any reasonable time frame stay....how do others cope in winter with just the side walls?....or do you spend most of your van time within the van....?.....or...do you not remain in one spot for any length of time?......we did community volunteering mixed with our prospecting during those 6 months...and got to appreciate Heathcote and its wine region and State Forrests far more than simply travelling through....
To each his own ideas and uses.........Hoo Roo
-- Edited by goldfinger on Thursday 5th of May 2016 06:23:05 PM
Annex we don't own one as such but we do own privacy screens, 2 end walls and 1 for the lenght of the awning. We do not live in our van and our stop overs last 2 to 7 days as we are adjusting more to being retirement we are tending to stay longer but our enjoyment is looking and enjoying our wonderful out door country, I suppose this is why we leave home to be out there we only take the basic things, no fancy things ie the television.
We do enjoy in sour weather the end screens as they will cut the wind down and keep the rain out making for a comfortable enjoyable stay reasonable quick and easy to put up and back down again, quick drying and roll up very light to store under in our case front dinning seat.
After 4 years of owning a caravan 3 of now being retired with 10 months of touring with our van I would think in that time the screens have had about 20 days of use but I don't believe it waste carrying them. We have been enjoying oversea adventures also which has taken up considerable time cutting our adventures down with the van.
Our recommendations if this is the path you wish to take ask which is the brand as ours came with our second hand van the choice was made for us, funny enough I was going to leave them out to save weight as I also thought I would never use them but now really like them for those days when the weather turns sour and yes they do help to hold the awning secure in the wind.
Hope this helps, enjoy your travels. Ralph.