Pyramid Products PDQ Excel awnings
Price £240 - £260
Web www.pyramid-products.co.uk
The majority of advances in the design of awnings over the past few years have come from companies who have only recently entered the market. The long-established companies that have been the mainstay of the industry have, for the most part, been content to do little more than tweak the designs of their awnings by introducing a new colour or fabric.
However, one company that has continued to be innovative is Pyramid Products Ltd. For many years it has been a major supplier to campers and when the company decided to enter the caravan market, it did so by introducing a range of awnings at a fraction of the prices charged by the traditional market leaders.
With a foothold in the market, the company introduced its unique PDQ awning which, as its name implies, can be erected in almost no time at all. The company even produced a DVD to accompany the awning showing how the PDQ could be erected in only two minutes. Like all new products, the PDQ had its teething problems, but these appear to have been overcome, with the company incorporating the necessary changes in its latest model – the PDQ Excel awning.
The essential difference between the PDQ and more conventional awnings is that the PDQ fits permanently to the awning channel in its own zipped bag. When arriving on a campsite all you need to do is unzip the bag, pull out the awning and integral frame (which takes only a minute or two to erect) and then peg the skirt down. It's really that simple.
There are two lengths of the PDQ available – 250cm (8ft 2in) and 350cm (11ft 6in) – but before you dash out and buy one, check that the awning channel on your caravan has a straight section long enough to accommodate whichever size of PDQ you need. We should also mention the 250cm model narrows to 200cm (6ft 6in) wide at the front, while the 350cm model is 250cm (8ft 2in) wide. In both cases the depth is 250cm.
The awning comes in three colours: blue, burgundy, and green, and is made of ripstop nylon. Together with the frame, the maximum weight is less than 10kg (22lb). Its light weight means this is not an awning you erect and leave up all season: it has been designed for weekend and short break use. However, it should be able to withstand a turn in the weather as tie down straps and fluorescent guy lines are included as standard. For those sunnier days, both side panels and the front panel can be unzipped and removed.