Cassette & Wind Out Awnings

Cassette awnings, also known as wind out or roll out awnings, fix along the side of a motorhome, campervan or caravan for owners who want shade and rain cover anywhere they park, without pegging out a tent. The fabric and arms wind back into a rigid case on the wall or roof edge, so the awning remains on the vehicle and travels protected. This collection covers wall-mounted and roof-mounted cassettes from Thule, Dometic and Fiamma in lengths from 1.8m to 5m. It also takes bag awnings for caravans, which slide into the current awning rail with no drilling, and the privacy rooms and side panels which turn an awning into a covered room.
Thule's collection runs from the lightweight 3200 and the 4200 for compact vans and motorhomes to the wall-mounted Omnistor 5200 and the roof-mounted 6300, offered in lengths from 2.6m to 5m with a 2.5m projection. Fiamma's F35 Pro keeps its hinged, telescopic legs within the roller tube and is available in lengths from 1.8m to 3m, while the F45 S extends up to 2.5m from the wall. Dometic builds the PerfectWall PW1100 for the side wall, from 2.6m to 4.5m long, and the PerfectRoof PR2000 for the roof edge. For caravans, Fiamma's Caravanstore and Thule's Omnistor 1200 are bag awnings, the 1200 weighing 12.6kg in its 3.25m length by Thule's figure. Isabella's Buddy brings magnetic side panels and fronts from 270cm to 470 cm wide to Thule, Fiamma and Dometic cassettes.
Touring motorhome owners wind the awning out at each stop and back in before driving off, with nothing to peg down. Campervan owners match the fitting to the van. Dometic sells PW1100 kits for the VW T5/T6 and Ford Transit Custom, and Thule makes a 6300 kit for Fiat Ducato, Citroen Jumper and Peugeot Boxer H2 vans constructed after 2007. Families on a seasonal caravan pitch add a privacy room or Isabella Buddy sides for a second room through the summer. For a tent to leave on the pitch while you drive off, look at driveaway awnings, and for replacement legs, arms and rafters, the awning spares section.
If you are touring in a low or medium-roof van, look for a roof-mounted awning including the Thule 6300, whose adjustable angle lets it open and close with the sliding door open. If you're fitting a coachbuilt motorhome or a caravan, look for a wall-mounted cassette sized to the clear wall above the door and windows. Anybody pitching somewhere new most days gets the most from a 12V motor, a choice on the 6300. Entry-level bag awnings slide into the awning rail and pack into their bag. Mid-range manual cassettes keep the fabric and arms in a rigid case and wind out with a crank handle. High-grade models add the 12V motor, van-specific roof kits and matching privacy rooms.
A common mistake is buying the awning without its brackets. The Fiamma F35 Pro comes with none, and the Dometic PW1100 contains them only in its VW and Ford kits, so order the adapter for your vehicle with the awning. Measure the clear run of wall or roof edge, allowing for door frames, windows and roof vents, before picking a length. Plan any privacy room at the same time, since Thule's Panorama and Residence G3 fit the wall-mounted Omnistor 5200 and older Omnistors, and the Dometic CampRoom has individual sides for the PerfectWall and PerfectRoof. Wind the awning in for strong wind or heavy rain, as Thule advises.

Which wind out awning fits my motorhome, campervan or caravan?