Exterior Jayco Swan/Flamingo Fiamma or Bag Awning?

[Lukeyboy]

I'm looking at buying a jayco swan/flamingo but I am unsure if I should get a Fiamma awning or a bag awning.

I will be doing trips that will only require an awning where a quick set up Fiamma would be best whereas I will also be doing trips where I may be set up in one location for a week or more and will want an annex.

Firstly, how hard is it to change the 2 awnings on the camper, as buying both may be an option. I would then just fit whichever awning I need for the trip.

Secondly, how do the Fiamma privacy rooms compare to an annex? Do they have skirting for the bottom of the camper to help keep spiders/snakes etc out? Also how does a Fiamma privacy room compare to an annex for ease of setting up and quality etc?

Cheers guys!

 

[Dobbie]

You're looking at a huge amount of unnecessary work.

Forget the bag awning, they cause far too much strain on everyone concerned and it certainly wouldn't be easy to swap over for different trips. They're heavy, unwieldy and most people smile when they've moved from the bag awning. The pack up, in particular, is horrible and takes two people.

Just go Fiamma with a good AFK ...personally, I like the Fiamma....easy to use and quick to add an annexe or side walls if you want thrm. Shade walls are light, and often waterproof and easy to set up.

The Fiamma room thingy was designed for European conditions and is not really suitable for Australian conditions. We investigated and it took two minutes to reject it....far too flimsy.

Recommend: Fiamma awning, suitable AFK and shade side walls unless you really want an annexe.

 

[lee]

We have had both , we had the bagged awning on our flite and the Fiamma on our dove , I would go the fiamma awning! It's so much more user friendly, the bag awning on our flite was the main reason for us selling the van as it was to hard and time consuming to setup

 

[Bushman]

We had Fiamma on our Swan after have bag awning on the Eagle prior to that,
Bag awning, set up big pain in the arse
Fiamma much quicker/easier but personally thought they are to flimsy
We ended up changing the fiamma for a Coolabah from Aussie Traveller.

 

[mikerezny]

We had Fiamma on our Swan after have bag awning on the Eagle prior to that,
Bag awning, set up big pain in the arse
Fiamma much quicker/easier but personally thought they are to flimsy
We ended up changing the fiamma for a Coolabah from Aussie Traveller.

Hi,
we have a Fiamma awning on our Penguin. I agree that it is flimsy. Any sign of wind, especially gusting, and I have to wind it in. I would never leave the van without winding it in, or leave it out overnight.
I would NEVER get a bag awning.

The other problem with the Fiamma is that one has to be very careful to check that nothing has dropped onto the roof otherwise it won't wind up properly. It is a bit of a pain to check and get off all the bits that have fallen onto the roof.

In my next life, I would certainly investigate a more sturdy alternative like the Coolabah. But, I would then have the problem of not being able to get it fitted at the factory and thus having the awning weight come off my load allowance.

I really like the awning that is supplied on the Expandas etc. They seem to cope much much better in the wind.

cheers
Mike

 

[Dobbie]

Have to disagree.

We had the carefree on the expanda and now have the Fiamma on the Golf.

We were very concerned that the Fiamma would be more flimsy and had resigned ourselves to pulling it in more often if the wind got up.

The week before last, in the Debbie aftermath, the winds got up really quickly and we had nearly 1000mm of rain in two days...we were the only van in the place who didn't pull in the awning. Reason? It was blowing a gale and we reckoned we'd cause more damage if we tried to wind it in so winged it.

Result: we were the only van with an awning up for two days...the Fiamma was rock solid (with very strong pegs and double roped) and every other van was naked.

This was more good luck than good management and I certainly wouldn't recommend this strategy but the awning would have ended up in the sea if we'd undone the pegs and ropes.

The van shook....the pop top supports went on...but it all held safely.

But I'd definately never have a bag awning ever again. Whatever you choose, carry strong pegs and ropes and crossed fingers.

 

[Maximage]

We had a bag awning, and ended up moving that to the back (road) side of the Swan for shade on the fridge side for longer term stays like Chrissy break (which is also the hottest so the extra shade helps big time), and also when set up on a steep angle (i.e. legs down short) it gave a lot more privacy in the van whilst still being able to keep the windows open for ventilation. Fiamma on the main side all the way for sure with a shade wall! Found the Fiamma quite surprisingly tough, especially with a set of these: https://www.rvpartsexpress.com.au/fiamma-tiedowns-black.html plus the Fiamma anti flap kit and curved centre rafter. Sat through some decent storms without having to be brought in, admittedly with two tie downs per leg at 90 degrees. Having the extra awning with tie downs on the bag of the van also helps stabilise in high wind scenarios too.

 

[mikerezny]

Have to disagree.

We had the carefree on the expanda and now have the Fiamma on the Golf.

We were very concerned that the Fiamma would be more flimsy and had resigned ourselves to pulling it in more often if the wind got up.

The week before last, in the Debbie aftermath, the winds got up really quickly and we had nearly 1000mm of rain in two days...we were the only van in the place who didn't pull in the awning. Reason? It was blowing a gale and we reckoned we'd cause more damage if we tried to wind it in so winged it.

Result: we were the only van with an awning up for two days...the Fiamma was rock solid (with very strong pegs and double roped) and every other van was naked.

This was more good luck than good management and I certainly wouldn't recommend this strategy but the awning would have ended up in the sea if we'd undone the pegs and ropes.

The van shook....the pop top supports went on...but it all held safely.

But I'd definately never have a bag awning ever again. Whatever you choose, carry strong pegs and ropes and crossed fingers.

Hi @Dobbie,
what Fiamma awning do you have? Is it an F45S?

I forgot to mention, that someone in a van near us with an F45S recommended that tying it down with a shade cloth really helped when it was windy. What do you think?

cheers
Mike

cheers
Mike

 

[Dobbie]

Hi @mikerezny ...sorry can't remember the model number ....it's too dark for me to go to check!

I'm a wimp.

We also had the Sunbusters shade sides up with the awning and they seemed to deflect the wind over the awning rather than through with the tunnel effect. It was like a washing machine outside.

All pegs and ropes were really secure...pegs were cut from star pickets years ago and are still really strong.

 

[mikerezny]

Hi @mikerezny ...sorry can't remember the model number ....it's too dark for me to go to check!

I'm a wimp.

We also had the Sunbusters shade sides up with the awning and they seemed to deflect the wind over the awning rather than through with the tunnel effect. It was like a washing machine outside.

All pegs and ropes were really secure...pegs were cut from star pickets years ago and are still really strong.

Hi @Dobbie,
is it also possible to let me know what AFK you have, who you bought it from, and how much it cost?

I need to sort out a solution for the Fiamma awning since I am too afraid the wind will damage it and therefore we are not getting the use out of it that we would like. At the moment, I have only the standard F45S and no other bits and pieces.

cheers
Mike

 

[Maximage]

Curved rafter: https://www.rvpartsexpress.com.au/fiamma-curved-centre-rafter-pro.html
AntiFlap kit includes posts for optional walls (could get a canvas maker to knock up something to make an annexe): https://www.rvpartsexpress.com.au/fiamma-fast-clip-system-2311.html
Shade wall: https://www.rvpartsexpress.com.au/c...10-rollout-awning-w2805mm-x-h1800mm-4131.html
Clips to attach back to body of camper if that suits you: https://www.rvpartsexpress.com.au/fiamma-aluminium-leg-wall-bracket.html
Lots of stuff including spare parts on that site, but always check eBay too.

 

[Dobbie]

Hi @Dobbie,
is it also possible to let me know what AFK you have, who you bought it from, and how much it cost?

I need to sort out a solution for the Fiamma awning since I am too afraid the wind will damage it and therefore we are not getting the use out of it that we would like. At the moment, I have only the standard F45S and no other bits and pieces.

cheers
Mike

Our AFK is the Fiamma ...I think someone here said they were sold through Aussie traveller or similar. Anyway, the AFK is two bars with the black clips and we added the central bar even though it wasn't recommended as necessary.

Do you have the central bar? I never muck around with trying to do the fittings myself as the guys who fit them know what they're doing and if fitting is not completely correct it reduces the effectiveness....and I'm not good at that stuff.

We've had the Grasshopper ones before as well but found them a bit difficult to clip on the bars...it required too much hand strength for us and we had to use a ladder to get them on. It took too long to do and was too fiddly so we opted for the Fiamma this time ....bars go on easily, clips are easier to use, they're strong ....so we're using it more frequently. Ordered through Sunbusters when we had the shades made. Cost was about $400 with the extra central bar and they did the fittings.

We've also had the clips but they're only for light winds...and they don't fit the Fiamma type awning as its a wind out without the horizontal bar.

We've also had the bag awning but had too many arguments when trying to get it up and down ...never again! The bag version was quite strong.....we tend to attract extreme weather but it held quite well.

I feel the strength is fine with the Fiamma but the heavy pegs and ropes are necessary to stop the flip over of the awning if wind gets under it.

And, as said, we were really surprised the awning managed to survive those conditions.

Forgot to add that that the guys at Sunbusters strongly advised against the curved central bar....they will only fit the straight one as they said it affected strength and didn't add to extra rain run off....so ours is the straight one.

 

[bigcol]

any awning with an AFK and tied down will be a hell of a lot stronger than not......

I have used (and abused) the following, not good enough as AFK




and now use these.......... NO movement at all




http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/caravan-...179558?hash=item238250a8e6:g:lH0AAOSw6BtVUUWS

these look interesting..........

 

[Maximage]

Where did you see those second ones?

 

[bigcol]

Camec
they are only good for clamping the side of the awning to the cross bar on the awning

not like as they stretch the awning itself in the wind

I still have not found a suitable use for them
either too long for some jobs, or too short for others

 

[Maximage]

Sorry, was reading on a phone in poor signal area, not all pictures loaded. Actually meant the 4th pic, the little slot in clips. I'm a fan of the Fiamma tie down straps I linked to further up the page but the slot in clips on that are too wide to fit one end of the Carefree we now have due to the Expanda.

 

[Dobbie]

We got the Fiamma tie downs with the awning....found them ok for most conditions but not for wind and rain as the clip at the top is very basic and it's almost impossible to tighten them easily.

The ones that clip in the track are also too light imho.

We used good string rope tied around the front and upright of the awning...in a figure eight....then double roped and pegged.