Air or inflatable awnings arrived on the scene about two decades ago. They quickly caught on because they are generally lighter to carry and quicker to put up: you don’t have to worry about working out what pole goes where, or tightening them up. You just have to use a pump, preferably an electric one. In our best caravan air awning guide, we’re sharing our top picks on the market, to help you find the right one for you.
An awning is a caravan essential, providing you with valuable extra space on tour. It’s worth bearing in mind that a caravan air awning does have some drawbacks though: they do take a while to deflate, particularly if you go for the admittedly handy and usually more expensive option of single point inflation. Just remember that with such a system all that air has to come out the same way it came in. That can be a little bit infuriating if there is an air pocket in a distant corner.
Generally speaking they also don’t have the same sharp house-like profile you get with a pole awning, and often look as if they are hanging on to the caravan for dear life.
Still, what you lose on appearance you gain in convenience. Here is our pick of some of the best caravan air awnings. If you’ve not decided on the type for you yet, our best caravan awning guide is sure to help, as we share the standout options on the market.
Practical Caravan is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
What is the best air awning for a caravan?
Isabella Cirrus North 400
Dometic Leggera Air 260 S
Outdoor Revolution Eclipse Pro 380
Dometic Club Air Pro 390 S
Vango Tuscany 500 Air Elements ProShield
Sunncamp Swift Air Extreme 325
Vango Balletto Air 260 Elements ProShield
The best caravan air awnings:
Isabella Cirrus North 400
Reason to buy:
- Quality fabric, air release valves
Reason to avoid:
- Heavy, pricey
The Cirrus North is a previous award winner on this magazine and makes a worthy addition to our best caravan air awning guide. With a 4m-wide living area, and impressive headroom, you certainly shouldn’t feel cramped in here. The sides of the awning are made from Isabella’s own Isacryl breathable fabric, which is solid dyed to so shouldn’t fade too much in the sun.
The roof is made of UV-resistant polyester, treated with two layers of acrylic. Large mosquito nets on both sides allow for plenty of ventilation, and best of all you get air release valves on the three front beams so you can deflate the awning more easily.
Full review: Isabella Cirrus North 400
Dometic Leggera Air 260 S
Reason to buy:
- Adjustable height, dual keder
Reason to avoid:
- Only average fabric
A 260, so only a porch awning, but still the Leggera Air is made of highly durable 150D fabric and comes with single point inflation, so you should be able to get it up in no time.
Unusually, this air awning also has an adjustable height and can even fit some smaller motorhomes. A dual keder (the sewn in rail that you use to attach the awning to the caravan) of 5mm and 7mm makes it even more versatile. Other extras include storm guys that are fluorescent, so you shouldn’t need to worry about falling over them at night.
Outdoor Revolution Eclipse Pro 380
Reason to buy:
- Highly water resistant, adaptable
Reason to buy:
- Quite heavy for a medium size awning
Hydrostatic head is a term used widely within the awning industry. Technically it means the depth of water that needs to be lying on the fabric before any will get through. But you don’t need to know that. All you do need to know is that the higher the number, the more water resistant the fabric.
The fabric used in this Outdoor Revolution awning has a hydrostatic head measurement of 6000mm – about as high as you can get. Go for this awning and you also get single point inflation, adjustable height, a dual keder. There are zip back doors at the front of both sides, while the central panel at the front can be replaced with a mesh panel for better ventilation on warmer days.
Vango Tuscany 500 Air Elements ProShield
Reason to buy:
- Anti-fade technology, quality fabric
Reason to avoid:
- Not for seasonal pitch use, mesh doors are only an option
Vango’s 5m-wide Tuscany Awning is part of a range made of fabric that is treated with the Glasgow company’s specially developed Pro-Shield coating, featuring ColourLok technology designed to slow down any fading. Not only that, its single point inflation system comes with AirSpeed SI Pro valves, which are designed to help with simple deflation.
The beams themselves are self-isolating, so that in the event of a puncture the overall structure will remain unchanged, while some of the beams are wider than others to provide extra support. Flat entry access doors allow wheelchair users and those with prams to come in and out easily.
Dometic Club Air Pro 390 S
Reason to buy:
- Traditional looks, lighter weight
Reason to avoid:
- Average fabric
Despite being an air awning, Dometic’s Club range has a more traditional look with a pitched roof. That doesn’t mean it lacks the latest technical innovations, however. You get single point inflation, and adjustable height, and a dual keder, while the Weathershield fabric is designed to lighter, bringing the weight of this full awning in at 27kg.
Ventilation near the apex of the roof helps keep temperatures inside bearable, and skylights bring in more light, while the front and side panels can be completely removed to create more of a verandah feel.
Sunncamp Swift Air Extreme 325
Reason to buy:
- Useful extras like sun canopy, strongly weather resistant
Reason to avoid:
- Zip curtains aren’t very domestic looking
Proving its versatility, the front door of this awning can be lifted up on two poles to create a canopy to keep out the rain or shade you from the worst of the sun. You still get a 300D Pro-tek fabric with a 6000mm hydrostatic head – so strong enough to withstand heavy rain.
There is single point inflation with Sunncamp’s Air Volution technology, zip curtains on all windows, side doorways to enhance ventilation, and a long list of optional extras including a two-berth inner tent and a breathable carpet.
Vango Balletto Air 260 Elements ProShield
Reason to buy:
- Made with a good fabric that helps prevent colour fading
Reason to avoid:
- Mesh doors are an option
Like the Tuscany 500 which features in our best air awning for a caravan guide, the Balletto is made with a ProShield fabric, not only helping it to maintain its colour but also providing some useful weather-resistant durability.
We like how light will be allowed to flood in, thanks to the large windows – alternatively, enjoy some privacy by utilising the zipped curtains. AirSpeed valves will let you speed up the deflation process too, while the diameter of the SuperBeams have the benefit of improving the awning’s stability.
Are caravan air awnings worth it?
Having one of the best caravan awnings will save you the hassle of manhandling what can be a huge bag of heavy steel poles, instead allowing you to attach a manual or electric pump to the valve and start pumping. Within minutes, it should be ready to use.
The other big advantage of an air awning is the weight you save. While they’re not lightweight – take the Dometic Club Air Pro 390 S above which comes to 27kg – they save you from having to deal with a bulky bag of heavy poles. The chance of inadvertently scratching or damaging your caravan with a pole is also reduced.
They’re also very useful for less mobile or older caravanners.
In short, if you want an option that you can easily store, use and transport, an air awning is likely to be the best bet for your caravan.
How do I choose the best air awning for a caravan?
First things first – do you want a full awning to cover your entire caravan or a porch awning that will only cover part of it? If you have a small caravan and would like to double the amount of space you have, a full awning is likely to be the answer; if you’re looking for somewhere to store muddy boots or similar, a porch awning could do the job.
Once you decide what will best suit your needs, you can start thinking about the size you want to choose. If you have a full awning, you’ll need to know the A-measurement – effectively, this is the distance from the ground, up to the awning rail, all around the rail and then down to the ground. Either carefully take this measurement yourself or check your caravan’s technical specs as it could be included there.
Once you have this measurement, your dealer should be able to advise on this – however, if you’re buying privately, we’ve listed them below for you.
Size – A-measurement (A-B-C in cm)
- 4: 725-750
- 5: 750-775
- 6: 775-800
- 7: 800-825
- 8: 825-850
- 9: 850-875
- 10: 875-900
- 11: 900-925
- 12: 925-950
- 13: 950-975
- 14: 975-1000
- 15: 1000-1025
- 16: 1025-1050
- 17: 1050-1075
- 18: 1075-1100
- 19: 1100-1125
- 20: 1125-1150
If you’ve settled on a porch awning, make sure the size you’re going for suits your tourer too – ie, you don’t want to have a window obstructed by the awning. Similarly, you wouldn’t want the fridge or heating to be venting into the awning either.
Looking for a pre-owned option instead? Then take a look at our guide on buying a used caravan awning, where we share the crucial checks you need to make.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, why not get the latest news, reviews and features delivered direct to your door or inbox every month. Take advantage of our brilliant Practical Caravan magazine SUBSCRIBERS’ OFFER and SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER for regular weekly updates on all things caravan related.
