Which Avan awning or annexe fits your van?

The right Avan awning or annexe comes down to your model and how you camp. A Cruiseliner, an Aliner, a pop-top and a camper each have a different roofline and different mounting, so the awning that suits one will not always suit the next.

The short version: a bag awning gives you quick shade and rain cover for the odd weekend, a full annexe walls the whole thing in for longer stays, and wall and shade panels let you add to it as you go. We supply, custom make and repair Avan awnings and annexes at our Redland Bay workshop, so we can match the setup to your actual van rather than the closest thing on a shelf.

Avan and Alpine: what the two names mean

The names get used together constantly and it confuses people, so here is the plain version. Avan is the caravan and camper brand. It is the van itself. Alpine Annexes is the awning and annexe brand, and it makes annexes cut and sized to fit Avan vans.

So when you see an Alpine annexe described as an Avan annexe, that means an Alpine product made to suit the Avan roofline and rail. It is the right one for your van. We supply the Alpine range, we can custom make one where the standard size no longer exists, and we repair the one you already own.

Where the Tebbs name comes from

You will hear these called Tebbs-style annexes, and it is worth knowing why, because it is the term a lot of owners are given and then cannot find anywhere. It comes from Alan Tebbs, who made the Avan awnings and annexes for years. Alpine took that side of the business over, so the design carries on under the Alpine name, but the name Tebbs stuck to it.

The whole chain is an Australian one. Avan is an Australian caravan brand, the annexes that went on those vans were made here by an Australian who knew them, and the design is still built to suit Australian conditions rather than imported and hoped for.

That kind of work started on a workshop floor with someone measuring a van and cutting to suit it, and that is still how it is done here. We cut and sew in Redland Bay, one van at a time. It is the reason we can still sort out an older Aliner or Cruiseliner whose standard size stopped being made years ago: we are not looking it up in a catalogue, we are measuring your van and making it.

Bag awning, full annexe or walls: what is the difference

They solve different problems, so the right pick depends on how long you park up and how much you want to close in.

• Bag awning: the roll out shade and rain cover that lives in a bag along the side of the van. Quick to put up, good for an overnight or a lunch stop, and it gives you a shaded outdoor space without walls.
• Full annexe: the awning plus walls, so the space is closed in. This is the one for longer stays and seasonal sites, or when you want a second room for sleeping, storage or getting out of the weather.
• Annexe walls and panels: the wall sections that clip onto an awning to turn it into an annexe. Useful if you want shade now and walls later.
• Pet and shade panels: lighter add ons like a shade wall, a privacy panel or a mesh side for keeping the dog contained.

Plenty of people start with a bag awning and build up. Because we make and repair this gear, you are not locked into the whole thing on day one.

Which one suits your Avan model

This is the general shape of it. Your exact van and year still decides the final fit, so treat it as a starting point rather than gospel.

Avan Cruiseliner

The Cruiseliner is a pop-top with more height and length, so most owners want a decent bag awning for shade and many go to a full annexe for longer trips. If you have searched for a Cruiseliner awning and got mixed results, that is usually because the rail height and length vary across the years. We measure yours rather than guess from the model name.

Avan Aliner

The Aliner is the A frame camper that folds flat, so the awning and annexe have to suit that lower, angled profile. If you have been hunting for an Aliner annexe and not finding your size, that is common on the folding models. We can fit the Alpine option that suits, or make one for an older Aliner where the standard size has dried up.

Avan pop-tops

On a pop-top the awning fixes to the body rail and the annexe walls have to allow for the roof movement. Straightforward once it is measured properly. The thing to get right is that the walls still sit clean when the top is up.

Avan campers and camper trailers

Soft floor and fold out campers are a different shape again, so these usually suit a made to measure awning or annexe rather than a standard kit. This is where custom earns its keep. If the canvas on the camper itself is the problem rather than the awning, that is a canvas repair job instead.

Not sure which category yours falls into? Send us the model and year, or a couple of photos of the van and the awning rail, and we will tell you.

Buy new, custom make, or repair what you have

It depends on the van and the condition of what you already own. This is how we talk it through.

• Buy the genuine Alpine fit: best when your Avan is a common model and year and the standard size suits. A proper factory fit without waiting on a full custom build.
• Custom make to suit: best for older vans, unusual setups, or when the standard size is no longer made. We cut it to your van in canvas or PVC so it fits the rail and the roofline.
• Repair or alter what you own: best when the annexe is sound but the zips, walls, stitching or a panel have had it. Often the cheapest way to get a few more seasons, and it keeps a good annexe out of landfill.

We are not going to push a new annexe on you if a repair does the job. Our repairs and alterations lane handles zips, walls, stitching and worn panels, and we will tell you honestly when a repair is not worth doing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an Avan awning and an Avan annexe?

An awning is the roll out shade and rain cover along the side of the van. An annexe is that awning plus walls, so the space is closed in as a second room. Most owners start with the awning and add annexe walls later, which works because the walls clip onto the awning.

Is an Alpine annexe the right one for an Avan?

Yes, when it is the Avan fit. Avan is the van brand and Alpine Annexes is the awning and annexe brand, and Alpine makes them sized to suit the Avan roofline and rail. That is why the two names turn up together. If you are unsure which fit yours takes, send the model and year and we will check it.

Can you get an annexe to fit an older Aliner or Cruiseliner?

Usually yes. If the standard size is no longer available for your model and year, we can make an awning or annexe to suit your van, or fit the closest Alpine option and alter it. Send the model, year and a photo of the awning rail and we will tell you what is possible.

Do you repair Avan awnings and annexes, or only sell new ones?

Both. We repair and alter awnings and annexes including zips, walls, stitching and worn panels, as well as supplying and custom making new ones. If yours is sound but tired, a repair is usually the cheaper way to get more seasons out of it.

Can I add walls or a shade panel to my bag awning later?

Yes. Annexe walls and shade or privacy panels clip onto an existing awning, so you can start with shade and build up to a full annexe when it suits. Tell us what you already have and we will match the panels to it.

Not sure which one fits? Let us work it out

You do not need it all worked out before you call. Tell us your Avan model and year, how long you tend to camp, and whether you want shade or a closed in room, and we will match you to the right awning, annexe or panels.

Ready to look at what is available? Our Avan annexes and awnings page has the full range, and caravan and camping covers covers protecting the van itself between trips.

Call Jason and Leah at LJ Covers on 0411 781 221, or drop into the workshop at Unit 4/107 Jardine Drive, Redland Bay. We are open Monday to Thursday 7am to 4pm and Friday 7am to 3pm.