Hi Randa, I have the Vango Bondi Low as my light weight alternative and recently had 5 days experience of it at Horsley C&CC site.
I should state at the beginning that I added a higher level awning rail (about 110mm up) during lockdown to assist the Vango and also my Movelite Oxygen 2 to fit better.
The sides most certainly come down to the ground, especially due to our Eriba's low awning rail height. The extra height can be reduced by pegging out the awning closest to the van much wider. This then gives a trapizoidal shape in the awning so the supplied groundsheet dosen't fit properly closest to the van but is ok at the front of the awning. The extra piece of grass that is exposed is filled by me with a couple of coolboxes containing drinks of various kinds.

What I did find with the Vango Bondi on my first try out last year before the higher rail was that my head touched the awning roof close to the van (I'm just over 6' tall) and also there was some pooling of water as there wasn't enough slope on the roof to help clear the water away. This alone persuaded me to install the higher rail.
Sadly or not, it didn't rail at Horsley so I couldn't test that element.

Have to conclude that at just less than £200, the Vango Bondi is a real bargain!

I'll look out some pics.

Roger,

as Ray says above, the Vango Bondi Low reaches the ground OK.

The additional inflatable seals certainly improve the fit but still not the perfect solution (they are much too long and can't easily be shortened). If your van has the smooth (not dimpled) sides then the limpet style suckers may do a better job, I'm sure someone will be along soon to confirm or deny this. The problem is in the "waisted" shape of the sides - it is designed to fit against a simple profile, not the shapely profile of the Eribas!

Roof pooling has been solved by various users fitting their own design of central pole - you will probably have suitable kit for this in your 'bits-n-pieces' store.

However, in general, we have found this awning to be good value for (cheap) money, and it only weighs about 6 or 7kg.

We have had ours out in some pretty hefty winds, but so far no problems with the pole.

Very easy to erect and put away.

Hopefully someone will come along to tell us about the Sunncamp

Dave

Sportique: "problem is in the "waisted" shape of the sides...." I meant to update another review on the Bondi regarding the sides not fitting snugly. Bought a few tarp clips with adjustable bungee cords. Combination of both pull the sides in well to our van. Here's the clip types:

71CRsNCGz1L._AC_SL1500_.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

Fishcuktureman,

I have seen these advertised and often wondered how best to use them. Do you fix the bungee around the inflatable tubes? or what?

Thanks

Dave

PS Pic please!

Dave.
I haven't managed to get the inflatables just yet so can't comment on that. The tarp clips in our case were connected via bungees to the pull handles and under the caravan down towards the corner steadies. They worked very well I thought.

Zitat

---

Quote: fishcultureman wrote in post #6

---

I haven\'t managed to get the inflatables just yet so can\'t comment on that. The tarp clips in our case were connected via bungees to the pull handles and under the caravan down towards the corner steadies. They worked very well I thought.

---

---

Very interesting, thanks.

In my view there are two issues - firstly overcoming the "waist" shape and secondly having the edge of the awning stay against the side of the van, or find something to close the gap - the inflatables deal well with both issues except in the strongest of winds, but maybe I am looking for the impossible !!!.

Dave

Roger,

another thought - looking at the Sunncamp, it is possible to unzip the front and raise it on two poles to give a sunshade. I have tried this on the Vango but it puts a lot of strain on the door zips - so this is not practicable.

From your touring blogs, I get the impression that occasionally you spend time on the camp site using some sort of sun shade.

On that basis the Sunncamp is more flexible (if you buy the extra bits)

hth

Dave

Quick pic fitted to my higher rail. None taken from the side I'm afraid.

DSC00786small.JPG - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

Red arrow is the mud flaps, which I turn in beneath the groundsheet (never sure it that is correct!) and the yellow arrow looks like the corner of the ground sheet?

Dave

Good choice. I think in retrospect I would do the same

Dave

Hi Randa

Sorry i have been off-line in a sunny North Wales whilst this discussion was going on. Didn't take the SunnCamp as we were going for over a week and took the Kampa PopAir instead. Had some fair winds and two people had the SunnCamp, one the canopy like Colin has and the other a bigger awning form BWBox but same design as Vareo and both stood up to the winds.

When we used ours in winds at West Ayton the wind blew in between the van and the side doors. We solved this simply by fastening some guy rope to one of the ladder holders and pegging it down - it worked a treat and we could still use both doors. We really missed these side doors with the PopAir in Wales as you have to go in & out of the front door.

We had the front door open as a canopy a fair few times and it worked well. We took the Lidl/Aldi sourced house patio door flyscreen to play with but didn't get the time to fiddle with it. Think a bit of extra ventilation with a flyscreen on the door would be a bonus - insects come from miles around to feed on Kath! Next time we use the Vareo we will take the Kampa Popair skirt to play with to cut down wind under the van..

As I have said before for what we paid for the Vareo we are pleased with it. Noticed at Penhros site this week that another BWBox on a seasonal pitch had left their SunnCamp awning (that looked like a Vareo High) up and it coped with all the battering from the wind & rain. I think it might be as robust as Colin's canopy.

Good luck with it

MikeT