Pitching up, how long does it take?

[skramble]

I have a kindof camper van and really want to make more use of it this year, but I am put off by the time it takes to put up the awning. I can have the beds made up in the van ready I suppose but it all seems such a faff unless you are going t stay put for a week.

I am put off by only using last year with kids as a sto over so everything stayed squeezed in a van. And used it for work so wet field faffing about looking for another van to hook up too, always in the dark ground too hard or soft etc.

Surely on a proper site it willbe easier and if I can set up the cooking stuff in the awning it will all be lovely and rosey???

We can put up a whole 6 berth tent in about 45 mins; why does it take so long to put up an awning? Not being snotty, genuine question.

takes us less than an hour for 9 man. Although do remember camper hols when I was a child (and moving to different location each night),

was a nightmare for setting up, can't remember why?

I agree that setting up a caravn awning seems to take longer than our tent - we quite often comment on it.

But on a proper site it should be easier, does the awning fit the van as it were?

we had a camper and awning and i don't remember the awning being a big deal to put up. would put it up for anything longer than a strict overnighter. it was an ancient 70s one - is yours more modern?

now we have a khyam that goes up in about 5 minutes (not having to sort poles saves loads of time), but takes the usual half hour or so to peg out properly.

No idea about pitching awnings but am having a flashback fondly remembering the last time I and DH pitched our 6 man. High wind, on a hill with a baby and a toddler running around until we shut them in the car. We had to keep waiting for a pause between gusts at crucial moments. Understood the 'tent as kite' comments properly for the first time.

Managed it with the help of very butch and helpful Dutch neighbour. God that was some night, huge gusts of wind and much straining of pegs. Great site though and highly recommended to any manufacturer who wants to test their tents!

It doesn't really take that long I suppose, I would say about 30mins but that is a total guess, it only has 4/5 big poles to insert than stretch it out, peg it, then pull up, its a tunnel style.

But then it is the ground sheet, then the inard, then the kitchen if I am setting that up in the awning, then hauling out anything else that goes into the awning, then setting up bed in van, then realising I haven't emptied the cupboard under the bed, that you can't get to once bed is in place.

I think I am going on experiences where we never know where we will be pitched, if at all, don't know where to get power and have to piggy back off another van, never enough space or on hard ground and awning can't be pegged down. But I suppose on a proper site it wouldn't be like that.

We have two 2 seconds tents, so it takes next to no time (preen). Erm, if the awning is that much trouble, could you get a seconds base instead?

Need a big enogh awning to cook in and eat in, also will use the inner insert to sleep in (well perhaps the kids )