The best motorhome awning provides an effective way of achieving extra room when you’re on tour, whether you’re looking for additional sleeping, living or storage space.
Available in a number of styles, a good motorhome awning is a particularly handy option for small motorhome owners, with the accessory attaching to or sitting beside your ‘van to give you the extra room.
As a result, it’s easy to see why these are viewed as essentials for many when they’re pitched up at one of the best motorhome sites.
However, knowing how to choose the right one for you can be easier said than done – after all, there are a number of brands and manufacturers out there. This is where the Practical Motorhome Awards 2024 come in, as our expert judging panel have used our collective expertise to pick out the best awnings for a motorhome on the market, with products from brands such as Vango, Sunn Camp and Telta all appearing.
You’ll also be able to see our pick of the motorhome awnings from last year, where you’ll find familiar names such as Kampa and Isabella. You can also check out our best air awning for a motorhome guide if you’re specifically after an inflatable product.
This year, we picked out the Cinch Hub and van connector as our favourite option on the market – we loved how it was space saving and lightweight, as well as being quick to erect.
The best awning for a motorhome:
Shortlisted at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2024
Cinch Hub and van connector
Vango Airhub Hexaway Pro
Sunncamp Swift Motor Air
Telta Pure Driveaway 330
Our top picks from last season
Isabella Buddy
Kampa Cross Air TC Polycotton
Quest Leisure Condor
Westfield Aquila Pro
Trigano Santa Cruz V3
The best motorhome awnings are:
Cinch Hub and van connector
Reason to buy:
- A lightweight, space saving awning for a campervan
Reason to avoid:
- Probably too small for any larger vehicle
Best motorhome awning overall
Awnings for campervans seem a great idea – in theory. Yes, they considerably expand the amount of space you could have available. And that’s no mean feat when you would otherwise have to make do with the relatively cramped inside of a campervan.
In reality, however, once you pack them away you have to find somewhere in that same confined space to put all that possibly wet and dirty fabric. The weight could also eat into your payload.
The Cinch could be the answer and was our pick for the best motorhome awning at the Practical Motorhome Awards 2024. On its own, it is a pop-up tent made of ripstop polyester that you can erect in minutes using patented Quickfold technology with colour codes to guide you, ideal for easy setup when you’re at your campervan campsite. The resulting tent (which comes with an optional inner) has a hydrostatic head of 3000mm – perfectly adequate if you are only going to be around for a day or two. It packs down into a circular bag that measures just 86cm across and is only 10cm deep.
And this year as an optional extra you can opt for the Camper Van Connector. This comes in two heights – 180-220cm and 220-260cm – and has dual 4mm and 6mm beading. It also has throw over straps and gutter rail attachments so it should attach to pretty much any motorhome. All told, the tent and connector weigh just 10kg. You’re not going to complain about that, are you?
Price: £299 (tent), £179 (connector) at Cinch
Vango Airhub Hexaway Pro
Reason to buy:
- A really watertight awning that will stay looking great for years
Reason to avoid:
- Single point inflation awnings can take time to deflate
This hexagonal driveaway awning is part of Vango’s Eco Pro awning range, made using the company’s Sentinel Eco fabric. Made from recycled single-use plastic, Sentinel has 420 double ripstop threads and has an impressive hydrostatic head of 6000mm. It also features Vango’s Colourlok technology, designed to reduce fading caused by UV rays.
The awning itself is made with Vango’s All-in-One inflation system, which lets you inflate and deflate from one single valve.
Price: £965 at Vango
Sunncamp Swift Motor Air
Reason to buy:
- A really watertight awning
Reason to avoid:
- You’ll need to check that your chosen site allows groundsheets
New from Sunncamp for 2024 is this driveaway awning made of 150D Ace-Tech fabric with an impressive 6000m hydrostatic head measurement – you would need a tropical monsoon to arrive before you felt any wet inside here.
It also comes with a two-berth inner tent as standard as well as sewn in groundsheet. A driveaway pole and clamp kit should make leaving the awning behind when you go off for the day a doddle, and should the weather look as if it might turn nasty there are two air storm bars complete with LED light pockets. Adjustable ladder pegging makes fixing the awning to the ground easy too.
Price: TBC at Sunncamp
Telta Pure Driveaway 330
Reason to buy:
- A versatile awning that quickly becomes a canopy
Reason to avoid:
- Still a relative newcomer in the market
Telta may be a new name in awnings, but the people behind it worked for Kampa before it was taken over by Dometic.
This driveaway awning differs from other Telta awnings by being made of rip-stop polyester rather than nylon, to bring the awning pack size down. It still features a front panel that can easily be rolled up to convert the awning into a sun canopy. Alternatively, you can just roll the front panel into the centre.
The connecting tunnel can fit any motorhome between a height of 220 and 300cm, and a dividing wall separates the tunnel from the rest of the awning to make driving away easier.
Price: £1498.90 at Telta
The motorhome awnings we shortlisted last year are:
Isabella Buddy
Let’s face it, there are some valid reasons why awnings are not as popular among motorcaravanners as they are among caravanners, and it’s not just because motorcaravanning is supposed to be about getting up and going.
Awnings take up a lot of room to store, not to mention weight, and if storage space is at a premium in your motorhome, you probably don’t want to sacrifice a good part of it to something that is likely to be mucky and wet as well.
Last year’s winner of the best motorhome awning category gets around this problem by making use of the roll-out awning you might very well already have on the side of your motorhome (possibly as a standard fitting).
The system attaches two sides and a front panel that you can attach to the roll-out awning. That front is available in four different sizes, so you can choose whether what you are creating is a fully enclosed awning or something more resembling a large verandah.
Because you are relying on the roll-out awning, you probably have to watch the wind more than you would with a conventional driveaway or motorhome awning.
But you still get the same Isabella quality. The Buddy is made of the same Isacryl fabric the Danish manufacturer uses on its more conventional awnings. And you have the added reassurance that when you come to pack up, it’s just a case of removing these panels and rolling them up, and then rolling the motorhome’s awning back in.
Price: from £425 at www.isabella.net
Kampa Cross Air TC Polycotton
New for 2023, Kampa’s Cross Air awning specially designed for campervans is now available in a Weathershield TC polycotton fabric. That means you can enjoy this awning, with its steep sides designed to provide as much internal space as possible, even in hotter climates both in the UK and, more likely, if you venture abroad. This will be useful if you have awning furniture, such as a chair – if you’re on the lookout for one, our best camping chair guide is a great place to start.
Polycotton awnings also reduce the likelihood of condensation forming on the inside of the roof because they can “breathe”.
The awning is based on Kampa’s established AIR Frame technology, designed to make inflation easy. It also includes a D-shaped door that can be rolled right back but which, thanks to the awning’s steep sides, still stays under the large canopy at the front so any rain is kept out. It comes with a clip-in groundsheet, blinds on the windows, and a mesh panel for the front door.
Price: £1,000.00 at www.kampaoutdoors.com
Quest Leisure Condor
This brand new awning made in a 150D material sits alongside your vehicle and is super versatile because its tunnel comes in two different heights – 180-210cm and 240-270cm. So if you were ever to change your vehicle (move up from a campervan to a low-profile, say) you only need to buy a new tunnel, not a whole new awning.
Optional extras include a porch extension with a front panel opening that is the same size as the one on the awning itself. So you can either have an open porch or a fully enclosed extension. As with the awning itself, this extension comes with its own groundsheet. Other optional extras include a two-berth inner tent.
Price: TBC at www.questleisure.com
Westfield Aquila Pro
This new 2023 awning from German company Westfield is very much geared at families. Imported into this country by Quest Leisure and made of 150D ripstop material, it is designed to fit on either side of your motorhome, with a connecting tunnel. The sun canopy at the front can also be transferred over if you choose to change sides. The awning comes with storm straps and zipped internal blinds. The tunnel is available in three sizes: 180-210cm, 210-240cm and 240-270cm.
Price: from £1760.00 at www.questleisure.com
Trigano Santa Cruz V3
New for 2023 is this driveaway air awning from Trigano that comes with an adjustable gusset and a double keder to make attaching it to whatever size of motorhome you have as easy as possible. It comes with a sewn-in groundsheet (so you may need to check with the campsite owner that such awnings are allowed). You also get mosquito screens on all doors, and ventilation is improved with vents high up near the roof. There is a dividing door between the porch and the living area for extra privacy.
Options include a blind kit and a magnetic bracket.
Price: £1067.72 at www.trigano-camping.com
What awning fits my motorhome?
To know the size you need for your motorhome awning, you will need two important dimensions.
Firstly, you will need the height measurement. This is done vertically up to the fitment height, normally the awning rail. It’s worth noting this is a measurement that can vary, depending on whether the motorhome is loaded or is empty at the time.
The other measurement you need is the length, which will dictate how wide the awning is. Things that could influence this include the awning rail on your ‘van, but we should point out drive-away awnings will generally use a rail of a similar length, with the main awning space then extending on each side, beyond the connecting section.
How to choose the best motorhome awning
There are a few factors to consider when you’re choosing the best motorhome awning. To begin, think about the size – in short, how much room will you actually need? Opting for a bigger awning isn’t necessarily going to be the right move, as you need to remember it will need transporting to the site, as well as unpacking and erecting. Then, at the end of the season, you will need the room to store it too.
Our contributor John Sootheran actually suggested buying “the smallest awning you can comfortably get away with to do the job”. If you’re an older or less mobile motorhomer, it could be worth opting for an air awning.
There are different styles to choose from too. For instance, do you want a porch awning or a full awning? An air or pole awning? An air porch awning is likely to be the most practical option, not only being easy to store but also straightforward to get to the site. However, a pole option would be a better bet if you’re after a sturdy option.
If you pick a drive-away awning, ensure the product you choose works with your ‘van’s dimensions, as well as the door and window position. After all, you don’t want to find the awning obstructs a window or have any vents in the awning. Make sure it’s the right height too.
Don’t forget the material it’s made from too. This can make a huge difference to the awning, impacting its durability, water resistance, appearance and price, among other things. Factor in the hydrostatic head too – we’d advise looking for around 3000-5000mm at the minimum. Generally speaking, polyester and polyvinyl are thought of as the best single-coated material for the walls of an awning.
Think about how much light you want in it too – if you want a more airy feeling, more window panels will be key. Similarly, is something like a front roof extension an important trait? Luminous guy ropes can also be a buying factor, helping to prevent any tripping up in the dark.
Once you’ve decided what you want from your awning for a motorhome, you’ll be well placed to pick the one for you.
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