Awning for Casita

[Paul Arnold]

We are shopping for a trailer (have recently sold our slide-in pickup-camper), and we like the design features of the fiberglass trailers, such as the Casita. We understand that the awnings for the Casita are somewhat difficult to use. Are there any fiberglass brands that have high-quality, easily workable awnings other than Bigfoot and Escape? We're probably talking about awnings that have hinged vertical arms at each end of the awning are permanently affixed to the trailer.

[CD Smith]

Originally Posted by Paul Arnold

We are shopping for a trailer (have recently sold our slide-in pickup-camper), and we like the design features of the fiberglass trailers, such as the Casita. We understand that the awnings for the Casita are somewhat difficult to use. Are there any fiberglass brands that have high-quality, easily workable awnings other than Bigfoot and Escape? We're probably talking about awnings that have hinged vertical arms at each end of the awning are permanently affixed to the trailer.

In my opinion you are mistaken that the Casita awing is duifficult to use.

I find it easy to deploy and retract. Once you learn the simple steps it provides ample shade for out door meals even when stopping in rest stops in the western desert. I also find it very useful when breaking camp when it is raining.

Any time I stop for longer than a single night I immediate deply it.

[Donna D.]

I agree with CDSmith! I purposely installed a case awning on my Scamp (ala Casita) because I usually camp alone and didn't want anything that required two people to deploy or use. It's GREAT! (althought not cheap after market)

[Paul Arnold]

Help me out, Donna -- is your "case awning" identical to the awning that comes (as an option) with a new 16' or 17' Casita? If not, how is it different and who makes it? My problem, obviously, is lack of familiarity with the word "case" in this context. Me, a newbie? Yep.

[GreenDoorTN]

Hello, I just purchased a '93 16' casita yesterday. It has no awning. Any suggestions on buying and installing one?

[CD Smith]

Originally Posted by GreenDoorTN

Hello, I just purchased a '93 16' casita yesterday. It has no awning. Any suggestions on buying and installing one?

You should contact either Larry Gamble (at Little House Customs) or Casita to get the awning and installation costs.

[Donna D.]

Hi Jackie, welcome to FiberglassRV. I installed the same case awning that Casita uses on my Scamp. This was 5-7 years ago and the price was under $1,000. Obviously there are cheaper options, but I wanted something I could setup myself (easily).

Are you interested in a bag awning or case awning... or maybe something else?

[GreenDoorTN]

Hi Donna, no clue but inexpensive is key. Something I just whip out and have shelter,

[GreenDoorTN]

Donna, how do they measure these campers? Does the length inclue the tongue?

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by Paul Arnold

My problem, obviously, is lack of familiarity with the word "case" in this context.

Welcome Paul,
In general there are 3 types of awnings.
The first I'll call standard. It is a sheet of something wrapped around a rope on one end that slides into a channel attached to the trailer. The other end is held up by poles and ropes. You put the awning up each time you use it and take it down and fold it up to store.

The second is a bag awning. The awning attaches the same way to the trailer and usually stays in the channel while you travel. Where the awning attaches to the trailer, there is a bag that is part of the the awning that poles and everything else is hand rolled into to store, nice and neat.

A case awning is similar to a bag awning but the awning is stored in a hard case rather than a bag. Some of them have a crank that you turn to raise and lower the awning.

You can google search for { awning site:fiberglassrv.com } then select images to see a large # of pictures of the different styles. Or the link below will give you a pretty good idea of the various styles.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ion-45105.html

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by GreenDoorTN

Donna, how do they measure these campers? Does the length inclue the tongue?

Yes Jackie, length is from the tip of the coupler to rear bumper. A 13' trailer will typically have a 10' cabin.

[Sharon G]

Just wanted to add that I have a 2005 Casita with the factory awning.

It goes faster with two people, but I can open and close it by myself, and don't understand how it could be considered difficult to use.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by Sharon G

Just wanted to add that I have a 2005 Casita with the factory awning.

It goes faster with two people, but I can open and close it by myself, and don't understand how it could be considered difficult to use.

I'm a retired mechanical engineer and think the stock Fiamm awning is very well designed, simple for 1 person to deploy, and repair parts seem readily available. I prefer NOT to have permanent arms sticking out on the side of the trailer as I frequent dirt roads and narrow paths through trees and would rather not have to fight branches becoming entangled with the arms....
Charlie Y

[Marsha D]

I'll have to weigh in on the Casita awnings, too. I don't think they're difficult at all to deploy.

I would suggest contacting Casita, have them give you names of Casita owners in your area (who have Casitas with awnings, of course) and you can see for yourself how easy it is.

[laird allen]

Hi: My first trailer was a Casita Spirit deluxe with a Fiamma crank out case awning . I did not fully appreciate how easy the Fiamma was to operate until i sold the Casita and bought a Scamp 5th wheel with a Dometic Catalina spring loaded case awning. I am an Engineer and believe me when I say, " The Catalina awning should be enshrined in the Museum of miserable design and awful function". I can't believe I tolerated the infernal thing for the 4 years that I did. My wife, small children, animals, and the faint of heart gave me a wide berth when deploying, and wider still when closing the damn thing. Scamp should offer a rebate for anyone who has ever had one. Excuse me I need to vent. I finally replaced the evil thing, heedless of the cost, with a Carefree crank out case awning. Carefree and Fiamma appear to me to be almost one and the same, and maybe are. I can set the Carefree up or retract it in approximately 1 minute with out any cursing. Beware, however, not all case awnings are the same, if it doesn't crank out and has Catalina printed on it, run screaming!

[tractors1]

Laird, I'm also an engineer.
Sounds like your Catalina was like one I had, which I considered a "Less Than Elegant" product.



Charlie Y

[Carol H]

LOL couldnt agree with you more - took me many many times of putting up and taking down the Dometic awning on my Scamp before I figured out how to do it on my own and not end up in a big mess with it & to actually get it to close first try! Even now I know what I have to do it still doesn't always go as it should! Suspect its why Scamp has changed to using the Fiamma?

[partslady9]

And just when I was going to get up enough nerve to start a new post and ask "What the heck is a Bag Awning?" this forum answered the question.
If I buy a "Bag Awning" does that make me a "Bag Lady?" well I am on the road to the poor house refurbishing this trailer but notice lots of fellow travelers from this forum
Elaine

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by laird allen

Hi: My first trailer was a Casita Spirit deluxe with a Fiamma crank out case awning . I did not fully appreciate how easy the Fiamma was to operate until i sold the Casita and bought a Scamp 5th wheel with a Dometic Catalina spring loaded case awning.

I'm not an engineer, nor do I play one on TV and I'm sure folks wonder why I spent big bucks to install a Fiamma awning on my Scamp... but I love it, can totally set it up by myself in mere moments. Fiamma rules!

[Joy A]

The original poster was mistaken.....it was the old Scamp awning that was hard to use.

It took lots of convincing to get Scamp to change to the box crank out awning. I even cranked out my box awning when I was back there in 2008 showing them how easy it is to operate. It was funny because just as I was finished with a demonstation out would come someone else from the factory to see operate. I think I was there a couple of hours cranking it in and cranking it out.

I think seeing it in person and knowing that I had had my much heavier awning on for about 6 years with no problems was enough to get them to finally change to the much nicer awning.

So as it stands now both Casita and Scamp use the same awning.