Often overlooked, sometimes taken for granted, the humble awning is one of camping’s great inventions – and they have come a very long way in a short space of time. This was part of the thinking in a recent magazine team meeting when we decided to put together an awning special Gear Guide.
We wanted to celebrate that, while awnings might not be the most glamorous or stylish camping accessory, they should be celebrated because they offer great versatility, they are increasingly popular and, above all else, they are just plain useful.
My own personal experience with awnings is relatively limited, having mainly been a tent camper in the past, so I relished the opportunity to get my hands on some of the latest models from leading brands at a special awning test day at Wolverley Club Site, organised by our Test Editor Candy Evans.
I cast my beady eye over some of the latest awnings from names including Khyam, Outwell and Outdoor Revolution, but a total of 13 companies from the industry took part. Events such as this are always a nice way to catch up with industry friends and compare camping stories since the last time we met.
The kind of things we take into consideration in the test are the ease of erecting and taking down awnings, their layout, size, weight, build quality, ventilation and any other innovative traits we might spot. Quite simply, there is no better way for us to understand and review these products than to help put them up and have a close look at them ourselves.
You will be able to read our findings in the September issue of the magazine and also in a series of online On Test features that will be available soon.