Update on my problem with the new Kampa 365 Pop-Air awning. Lee at Magnum motor homes asked me to have another fo at putting it up. So I did just now. Here's the text of the email I've just sent him:

Hi Lee

I'm just putting the kettle on after taking down and putting up the awning. I managed it, and both ends of the beading are in the channel. Getting the last half inch of the beading to stay in the channel was a struggle though. I forced it in with the end of a tent peg because it kept curving outwards. I'm more convinced than ever that the beading needs a lead-in of 6" at each end - I guess this would make it a lot easier to feed it in, and keep it in. My Movera frame awning has these, and it helps.

These things helped:
-An Isabella Awning Safety Device at each end (Thanks Deeps)
-Taking out the front of the awning before starting, to make it lighter, and
-pulling apart the velcro that sticks the inner ends of the outer roof-airpoles to the fabric, which reduces outward tension on the ends of the beading during pulling it through.

What I couldn't manage on my own was to attach the weathershield. The strong plastic kept springing off.

All in all I've found the struggle with the pulling in process takes off some of the shine of not having to faff around with the poles on my other awning.

Regards

Ian"

Ian Guy
Troll 540 GT + Skoda Superb

Just had a reply from the retailer that supplied me with the Kampa Pop Air 365:

"Having spoken with Kampa a few times about this it does not sound like they are looking at making changes to the awning, they have told me “they are difficult o fit”

“an issue with the Eriba caravans themselves. I’ve put both poled and inflatable, Kampa and non-Kampa, awnings onto Eriba caravans in the past and can confirm they are difficult to attach”

Which although honest on their part is not really a solution for us or yourself

So what to do is the next question really? If we were to offer you a £180 refund do you think you could live with the imperfections in its design

Obviously the best solution would be to have an awning as advertised but it does not sound like it is going to be possible"

I'm not sure how to reply yet. Do I accept the offer or ask for a refund and return the awning? Hmm.....

Quote: Ian Guy wrote in post #32

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These things helped:
-An Isabella Awning Safety Device at each end (Thanks Deeps)
-Taking out the front of the awning before starting, to make it lighter, and
-pulling apart the velcro that sticks the inner ends of the outer roof-airpoles to the fabric, which reduces outward tension on the ends of the beading during pulling it through.



All in all I've found the struggle with the pulling in process takes off some of the shine of not having to faff around with the poles on my other awning.

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I noticed on the video that the curtain fits in a pocket below the window, I think it would be advisable to wipe the nylon curtain before storing it otherwise it will be a source of constant dampness from the condensation. Especially when the awning is packed away and the pocket is wet...

The Kampa catalogue states "The inflatable awning solution for your Eriba caravan. Now you can have a Kampa inflatable awning that is easy to set up and gives you valuable extra living space"

How does this square with their statement that they are "difficult to fit"? Looking at the photos it seems that the van side arch is always going to pull the awning out of the rail as it is providing a vertical pull against the curved rail so it naturally tries to pull the beading straight. Maybe lower air pressure or isolate the arch to keep the pressure a bit lower?

I'm picking up my 340 awning this morning so am naturally a bit worried that this may be a very expensive mistake - and I'll make sure the pump works while I'm there!

I thought holidays were supposed to be relaxing and zen. I'd send it back. If it's difficult to fit, it's because it doesn't fit!

The two previous posts are absolutely correct...... The design of the awning where the van curves is just wrong!!
It should have been designed with a curve of material built in to follow the profile of the van and relieve pressure at that point.....

I put up my new Kampa awning yesterday on site....
As others have said it is very heavy. We tried to remove the front section as previously advised but were unable to do so..
There are four zips on the front section and I still haven't figured cut how to actually remove it. The zips seem to be facing in the wrong direction to actualy release the front panel - however that might just be me (any advice?)

But the zips I could live with...

The beading coming out of the rail is a different matter...
We managed to thread the beading through the rail all ok...
Within one hour both ends of the beading had curved outward away from the curved profile of the van.... Overnight they have not got any worse with still approx a forefinger length of beading having pulled out at both ends.....

At the moment the air is still.....if the wind increases to a strong breeze or blustery I am not sure that even more will just pull out....

Not happy at all !

I do wonder if the person who has designed this awning has actually ever seen an Eriba and didn't just work from a set of measurements...!!

Clearly the awning is designed to encompass the door at one end and the side window at t'other.

These limits are far more flexible on a Puck or Fam and looking at the 260 and 290 awnings you can see they fit happily to the flat part of the rail.

By the look of it the rail on the 540 starts to curve at the window end but looks OK at the door end. What does strike me is that the arch for the Puck and Pan is relatively low compared with the Troll and I think it is the height of that arch, and the obvious desire of the air strut to do its own thing, that is staining the beading on the larger awning.

I won't know for sure about the 410 for a week as it ain't here yet, but it may get interesting.

I did double check this morning and was confirmed that air pressure should be 6 or 7 psi max

I've been looking with interest at the Kampa awning, to use with our current Troll 555, and our new Troll 540 which should be delivered around September '17. I like it because it should fit the two different heights of awning rails.

We currently have a Soplair awning, which for two people I find embarrassingly large at 3.65 x 2.40, so I have been wondering whether to get the Kampa 340 awning. It will probably conflict with the rear window and access hatch, but I can live with that. On the plus side it should be lighter and easier to install, and will hopefully avoid the problem with the rear curve mentioned above.

I was going to order one this week, but think I'll wait and see if any design tweeks are forthcoming from Kampa in the near future.

Cheers Mark

Re:-
" I did double check this morning and was confirmed that air pressure should be 6 or 7 psi ma


Well that is different to what it states in the instruction manual which reads :-

"An ideal inflation pressure will be between 9-11 psi (0.62 - 0.76 BAR), but do not worry about the pressure when using the pump supplied as it cannot over-inflate the awning. Pump as much air as you can. Once the awning has a good amount of air in it, pull or push the front of the awning outwards so that the air poles can assume their correct shape.

Once all the air poles have sprung outwards, give the awning a few more pumps until the poles feel hard to the touch".

Needless to say I followed these instructions to the letter......

By the way I had no problem at all in fitting the weatherstrip even though it had been wound up pretty tightly.... Took about 5 or 6 minutes.....

We are getting there now. Great post from Argie, in essence the design has made no allowance for the curved awning rail as fitted to an Eriba. All the speculation ref Keder size, well intended, is not the issue its the straight profile of the awning compared to the radius ends of the Eriba.
I have bought one of these awnings for my Older Familia. The problem is not so pronounced as on other models, the mismatch is not so severe ie the awning does not go as far round the curve. However the pressure on the stitching connecting the keder to the awning roof is beyond belief and I know in the very near future it will fail/tear. Something's gotta give the keder will either pull out of the rail or the stitching will fail/material rip.
This forum and this thread in particular has been most informative. Yes you could buy a smaller one, and make any number of compromises but the fact remains the awning rail curves away at each end and the Pop Awning profile is straight

To close my personal experience of the new pop awnings. I desperately want my new awning "to work". It's a good idea, no poles etc and all the other potential advantages. However such is my level of faith I have tidily packed and bagged my Vanderhorn awning and travel with both. How mad is that I travel with a spare.
I like many others knew the pop awning was on its way and I couldn't wait to get one but to be candid it has all gone a little sour. I have used the awning on 3 occasions and I can't help checking the stitching as I walk past. Time will tell.