A drive away awning is a freestanding tent extension that connects to your campervan or motorhome. When you want to leave the campsite in your vehicle, simply detach it and drive away, leaving the tent upright and ready for your return. 

An air drive away awning is also known as an inflatable drive away awning, blow up drive away awning or air tube drive away awning. These awnings use special air technology instead of traditional poles to hold the awning upright. To pitch, all you need to do is inflate the air tubes using a pump. This takes seconds. The air drive away awning can then be quickly and securely attached to your campervan or motorhome. 

The main benefits of air drive away awnings are:
Quick, easy, hassle-free pitching – it takes just seconds to pitch so you have more time to enjoy your holiday. And it’s not just easy to pitch, it’s also easier to take down. You can think of it as a high tech pop up camper awning!

Freedom to come and go as you please – leave your air awning pitched on the campsite while you head out for the day in your campervan or motorhome.

More space at the campsite - an air drive away awning gives you lots more room to stretch out and enjoy your holiday. 

Extra stability in windy weather – air tents and awnings can flex and move in the wind, making them more secure during stormy weather.

Choosing an Outwell air drive away awning
The best inflatable driveaway awning for you will depend on what vehicle you have, what you want to use the awning for and any extras you may want. 
Here are the main things to consider before you buy:

Do you have a campervan or motorhome?
Your air drive away awning needs to fit the height of your vehicle to ensure a secure fit between the tent awning and your vehicle’s gutter rail (also known as an awning rail). This lets you create a waterproof connection between the two, keeping your awning warmer, drier and more comfortable. 

Use this table as a guide to help you find the right height Outwell drive away air awning for your needs.

I am looking for an inflatable drive away campervan awning. My vehicle is a Volkswagon campers (inc. VWT6, VWT5, VWT4), Mazda Bongo or similar. I need a LOW size with attachment height of adjustable 180-205 cm

I am looking for an inflatable drive away motorhome awning. My vehicle is a Coachbuilt, High top conversions or similar. I need a TALL size with attachment height of adjustable 240-290 cm

I am looking for a standalone air awning for campervans and motorhomes. These fit against your vehicle rather than physically connecting to it, making it easier than ever to come and go. They can be used with all campervans and motorhomes. But they don’t create a waterproof seal between your vehicle and the awning.

Always check your vehicle’s attachment height before you buy! 
To do this, measure from the ground up to your vehicle’s gutter rail. This is your attachment height. 

How much extra space do you need?
Outwell blow up awnings come in a range of different sizes to suit your needs. Small inflatable driveaway awnings are great for weekend breaks or for couples. Large pump up awnings are ideal for growing families and long summer holidays. Our range has a choice of sizes for every adventure.

Do you want to add a bedroom as well as living space?
All Outwell drive away awnings add living space to your campervan or motorhome, which you can use for relaxing, cooking, storing kit and more. However, you might also want to add a private bedroom for older children or guests. Many of our drive away air awnings let you add optional bedrooms inside the living space, making them extremely versatile. These quickly and easily toggle into place providing a private bedroom area. If you don’t want to give up any of the living space, you can also buy air awnings that come with an integrated light blocking bedroom and separate living area.

Do you want a canopy?
Canopies give you a shady place to sit outside and a sheltered entrance into your air awning. This means if it rains, less water will end up inside the tent. Many Outwell inflatable drive away awnings come with a canopy. These range in size from a shorter rainsafe canopy to a large front canopy that you can sit, eat and cook under. 

How to pitch your drive away air awning
Setting up your Outwell inflatable awning is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
1. Connect the awning to your vehicle and peg down the four corners
2. Inflate the drive away awning using the supplied pump
3. Peg the rest of the groundsheet and guylines

That’s it! Campervan and motorhome camping has never been so easy. 
Watch our video on how to pitch an air awning

Looking after your inflatable drive away awning
With the right care and maintenance, your awning will last for years.
Here are our top five tips for a long lasting drive away air awning:

Invest in a footprint
These sit on the ground underneath the groundsheet and protect your air awning from abrasion, dirt, and wear and tear. They make packing and storage easier as they are much quicker to clean than an entire drive away awning. 
Shop air drive away awning footprints here 

Never store a wet awning
In an ideal world you’ll have sunny weather your entire holiday, but we all know summers in the UK and abroad are not that reliable. There may be times you’ll need to take your air drive away awning down in the rain. If you do have to pack up a wet awning, make sure you dry it out completely when you get home. It needs to be bone dry before you store it away. Wet awnings left in carry bags are prone to mould, which will ruin your air awning – prevention is the only real way to deal with it.

Keep your awning clean and healthy
We recommend giving your drive away air awning a good annual clean to keep it healthy and germ-free. Use a dilution 1:10 of Miltons to kill any bacteria, then go over it with hot water, soap and a soft sponge. Afterwards reproof it using a waterproof protectant, like Water Guard. You’ll need about two bottles for one tent.  

Spot clean bird poo and tree sap
These can leave a sticky mess on your inflatable drive away awning. Bird poo can usually be brushed away or washed off with soap and water. Tree sap is almost like a resin and can easily spread in the hot sun. This can degrade the tent material and usually means reproofing your tent with a waterproof protectant, like Water Guard to ensure it stays weatherproof. Talc can be used to try and stop the spread.  But your best defence is to avoid pitching the tent under trees, if possible. 

Find out more about spot cleaning   

Keep your inflatable valves ship shape
Pump up drive away awnings, inflatable airbeds and furniture, and even some rubber boats use similar air intake valves. These are very reliable but need some low level maintenance to ensure they work properly. Just a quick wipe before and after every use will get rid of any grit or dirt that can prevent the valve creating an airtight seal. 

Find out more about valve maintenance

Got a question? We’re here to help
View our inflatable drive away air awnings before you buy at one of our many dealerships across the UK. 
Or, contact our customer service team for support before or after your purchase.