Date:         Fri, 22 Jun 2001 18:25:33 -0700
Reply-To:     harald_nancy <harald_nancy@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         harald_nancy <harald_nancy@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Subject:      Awning Review, Fiamma vs. Catalina
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Just came back from checking out a Fiamma F35 awning at at a local Sports
Rack store.
http://www.gearonthego.com/
There was a 6 foot Fiamma F35 mounted to a suv in the store that we could
play around with.
Things we like about the Fiamma:
1) It's lightweight, about half the weight of the Catalina.
2) It looks very attractive.
3) When set up, it seemed quite sturdy.
Things we didn't like about it:
1). Couldn't set it up partially extended. It had to be fully extended for
the fabric to be taut.
2). There's no spring tension on the fabric.
There are 4 clip positions, and you manually tension the fabric (kind of a
hassle).
3)  You have to manually roll up the awning while holding the roll in your
hands.
The legs and side brackets fold into the roll, so all the weight rests on
your arms.
We found it awkward.
4)  There are many little plastic push buttons and clips to adjust.

We decided against purchasing the Fiamma F35, because it didn't
seem appropriate for quick setup and repacking.
Like if you're tired from driving, and on the go a lot.

The A&E Catalina Awning (Dometic):
I have seen the Catalina Awning on a friend's vanagon, and
the ease and speed of the setup is impressive.
It can be partially extended (good if it's very windy).
The Catalina can be easily set up or packed back up by one person without
straining.
It has scissor-type sliding brackets under the fabric, which prevents
sagging when it's raining.
There aren't so many clips and things that you have to adjust.
The drawback of the Catalina is that it's almost twice the weight of the
Fiamma F35.
Fiamma does offer a more expensive awning, the F45 that comes with a crank.
Haven't seen that one closeup yet. It looks like THE awning for lazy people,
like myself.
Main drawback, probably the price. Has anyone tried Fiamma F45 with a crank
on a westy?
Before buying an awning, get some hands-on experience with the
 different brands, because they are all constructed quite differently.
Harald
still awning less
'90 westy