Check out the shadyboy if you get a chance.  It is in
tune and in scale with the vanagon, light weight, easy
set up, looks good.  It's like a westfalia vs. a
winnabago difference in approach compared to those RV
vintage ones.

harald_nancy wrote:
>
> 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