Oh.....dear.....

[Eddiewin88]

Further to my enthusiastic review of the Vango Varkala 420 airbeam awning.

 

I mentioned that the fabric seemed a little thinner than one might expect from 420 Denier material. ....

 

Over the BH I popped into a caravan dealership to pick up some calor gas. They had an awning display and, as one does, I had a wander amongst them.

 

They had a Varkala 420 - and dangling from it were three large 'point of sale' tags extolling the benefits.

 

One tag said '420 Denier' (hurrah)

 

Another tag said '300 Denier roof' (what???)

 

The third tag announced that the walls were '150 Denier' ( *what*?!!!

 

I asked the awning salesman, who said that the tags had been supplied by Vango for promotional purposes - and that, as far as they knew, the walls were indeed only 150 Denier, and the roof 300 Denier.

 

The obvious question was, 'what about the 420 Denier tag?'

 

The salesman seemed to think that applied only to the mudwall!!

 

OUCH!

 

I'm ringing Vango in the morning - but I'm already getting that cheated feeling! Yes, the awning is good - but their 420 Denier claim was a 'major' factor in my purchase.

 

I've checked their ads - and, yes, they claim that it's 420, even on their You Tube video in which the presenter grabs hoild of the side wall and announces thtat it's made from 420 Denier material.

 

*Nowhere" is '150' or '300' denier mentioned - yet that is what it says on the official sale tags sent to the dealer!

 

I bought it direct from Vango - and if it turns out that it's *not* 420 Denier, then it will be heading back tae Bonny Scotland before you can say, 'Where's mae sporran'!

Edited August 25, 2014 by Eddiewin88

[Eddiewin88]

Update:

 

I rang Vango, who then looked into the issue and fouind that the tickets dangling from the dealer's display Varkaala were, in fact, those for another model - the 'Sana'

 

The Sana does have 150 denier walls and a 300 denier roof - but, so Vango catergorically assured me, tthe Varkala is made entirely of 420 denier fabric.

 

Good - because I really do like the awning, but naturally wanted it to be what they initially said it was.

 

It also demonstrates that some dealers don't have a clue about the products they sell - during our conversation he was adamant that the swing tickets were for the Varkala.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Eddiewin88

[KateTP]

Hi Eddiewin88

 

How are you finding your Varkala 420? We're looking at buying one in the next couple of months as it ticks all the boxes for us. Apparent ease of putting it up, larger than porch awning but smaller than a full awning (there's only the 2 of us), sturdy fabric.