Thule 4200 Awning Manual Cassette

This is the one that catches people. The length on the box is the cassette, and the fabric is 180mm shorter. So measure the clear run of wall you have between the door, the windows and any vents, and pick the cassette that fits inside it. Every length from 3.0m up gives you the same 2.5m projection, so a longer awning buys you more shade along the van, not further out from it. Ring the store on 03 7056 6732 with your make and model if you want a second opinion before you order.

At 21.7kg for the 3.5m, this is the lightest box awning on the market, and on a compact van that's not a spec-sheet number. It's mounted high on the side wall, so every kilogram is weight above your centre of gravity and weight off your payload. On a van already carrying water, batteries and gear, ten kilos saved on the awning is ten kilos you can put somewhere useful. It also makes the fitting job easier on the day.

Three of them. The roller tube support system holds tension across the fabric, which is what stops wrinkles and stops water pooling in the middle. The support legs drop vertically out of the lead rail instead of swinging out, so they don't scrape down the side of your van while you're setting up. And the sealing rubber has a drainage channel built in, so rain running off the roof goes past the cassette instead of sitting in it. None of them sell an awning on their own. All of them are why this one stays good after five years.

The 4.0m and 4.5m models come with the Thule Tension Rafter G2 as standard, because at that length the fabric needs the extra support. On the shorter ones it's an option, and whether you want it comes down to where you camp. If you're mostly on sheltered sites in fine weather, you'll manage without. If you're on the coast, or you leave the awning out overnight, a rafter and a hold-down kit are the two accessories worth having.

The crank is telescopic and the gearing is light, so even the 4.5m rolls out without a fight. What manual gives you is nothing electrical to fail, no wiring to run, and a lower price. What it costs you is the twenty seconds and the walk to the back of the van, which matters more than it sounds if you stop somewhere different every night. If your van moves daily, look at an electric model like the Omnistor 5200 Electric. If it sits for days at a time, take the manual and spend the difference on gear.