Ten Years of Breeze: How OLPRO’s Inflatable Awnings Changed Campervan Camping

When we first sketched out ideas for OLPRO back in 2011, we always knew we wanted to do things differently. We didn’t just want another tent. We didn’t just want another campervan awning. We wanted bold, stand-out design, easier pitching, and proper innovation that actually made camping better.

The Breeze range – and especially the iconic Cocoon Breeze® V2 Inflatable Campervan Awning – is the result of that mission. As we celebrate a decade of Breeze, here’s the story of how it came about, how it’s evolved and how our customers have shaped every step.

How did the Breeze range come about?

From day one we had a clear goal: create a full range of tents and campervan awnings that genuinely stood out. That’s why we didn’t rush. It wasn’t until the end of 2015 that we launched a complete Breeze range.

In those early years, we spent a lot of time looking at what was already on the market and asking ourselves, “Would we actually want to pitch that?” The answer, most of the time, was no. Too fussy. Too dull. It doesn’t stand out!

Alongside our tents, we were particularly focused on developing a really unique range of inflatable campervan awnings. That meant:

• years of testing prototypes,
• tweaking layouts and tunnel designs,
• refining how quickly they pitched and packed down,
• and making sure they would work for real families and van owners in real UK weather.

The result was the first generation of OLPRO Breeze awnings – with the Cocoon Breeze quickly becoming a customer favourite and now evolving into the Cocoon Breeze® V2 Campervan Awning.

How innovative was Breeze at the time?

Inflatable camping gear wasn’t totally new – if you look closely in the background of Carry On Camping from the late sixties, you can even spot inflatable tents. So no, we didn’t invent air beams.

But what we did do was bring together a combination of things nobody else was really offering in one package:

• Inflatable beams that were genuinely quick and intuitive to pitch
• Layouts designed around how people actually camp, not just what fits on a drawing
• A strong design identity – bold colours and distinctive shapes that you immediately recognise as OLPRO
• A focus on making everything feel like, well… a breeze

The name “Breeze” was very deliberate. Yes, it nods to the air-filled beams, but it’s also about ease – or “’eeze” – and the promise that the whole range should be easy to use, quick to pitch and simple to live with.

In a market where a lot of products looked and felt the same, that combination made Breeze stand out.

A decade of evolution: from Breeze to Breeze V2

For the first eight years, the core Breeze range remained almost untouched. That wasn’t because we’d forgotten about it – it was because the original designs worked, and they lasted. Our customers were using them year after year, trip after trip.

When we finally launched the V2 versions in 2024, we did it properly. We consulted extensively with long-time Breeze owners to understand:

• what they loved,
• what they’d tweak,
• and what would make their next awning feel like a real upgrade, not just a new colour.

From that process came three big steps forward:

1. More sustainable fabrics

V2 models are now made from OLTECH® REPRO 150D fabric, created from repurposed single-use plastic bottles. That means every Cocoon Breeze® V2 and its Breeze siblings are part of a more circular approach to design – reducing waste while delivering the performance you’d expect from a serious awning

2. New patented systems: TERRAPGRIP™ & AQUABARRIER™

We also introduced two OLPRO patents that build on what customers already loved:

• TERRAGRIP™ – our customisable pegging system, designed to improve stability and give you more control over how your awning sits on different pitches.
• AQUABARRIER™ – a four-tier zip system aimed at keeping water where it belongs: outside your awning. It’s designed to improve protection from water ingress in proper British-weather conditions.

These weren’t gimmicks. They were patented real-world improvements that make a noticeable difference on site.

3. Smarter, more liveable design

With V2 we refined the details:

• better access through tunnels,
• smarter door layouts to keep muddy boots where they should be,
• and fresh colourways that reflect the modern OLPRO look.

In short, V2’s are improved versions of proven best-sellers – keeping the DNA of those original, much-loved models and layering on more sustainability, more comfort and more innovation.

How Breeze has changed the industry

We’ve always believed in the standout nature of OLPRO. That means bright colours, bold ideas, and a willingness to do things differently – even if it raises a few eyebrows at first.

The Breeze range, and Cocoon Breeze in particular, has helped shake up the awnings market in a few key ways:

• Daring to be different visually – you can see an OLPRO Breeze awning from across the campsite.
• Pushing sustainability – using recycled fabrics like OLTECH® REPRO and backing our awnings with a Lifetime Warranty has encouraged more conversations about longevity and environmental impact in the sector.
• Keeping customers at the centre – many of the design tweaks, layout choices and new features in Breeze V2 exist because customers told us what they needed, not because a designer just fancied a change.

Has it “woken up” parts of the industry? We think so – especially around sustainability and design. But what matters most to us isn’t what competitors do; it’s what our community needs.

A decade of Breeze – and what’s next

Ten years on, the Breeze range is still evolving, still improving and still very much shaped by the people who use it week in, week out.

Whether you’re a long-time Cocoon owner or you’re just starting your campervan journey, you can:

• explore the latest Cocoon Breeze® V2 Campervan Awning, OLPRO
• browse our full campervan awnings range,
• or discover more inflatable Breeze awnings designed to pitch in minutes and last for years.

To everyone who’s ever pitched a Breeze, sent us feedback, shared campsite photos or recommended us to a friend – you’ve helped shape this range more than you know.

Here’s to the first ten years of Breeze. And here’s to everything still to come.