When I was having my Sprinter van built out, I had to decide whether to get a permanent awning installed. I had one on my previous RV but I hated that I was limited to shade on one side of the van. I decided to hold off on one and was stoked to hear about MoonShade by Moon Fabrications in early 2020 right before I went to pick up my finished van. I got in contact with this brand new company right away and bought one. What I love about MoonShade is that it’s versatile. You can attach it to either side, as well as the back, and you have the option of width or length ways depending on the sun and your needs. It fits on vans, cars, truck campers, overlanding vehicles, fences, and any sturdy structure, making it great for road trips, camping, hunting, and fishing. MoonShade covers a 9’x7’ site, weighs 8 lbs., packs down to about the size of a yoga mat, protects you from the sun during the day, and provides reflective illumination at night.
There are a variety of ways to attach the MoonShade to your van, including suction cups and magnets, but I thought it would be even cooler and sturdier to attach it to my roof rack bar, so my handyman buddy figured out a great solution using stage can lighting clamps which I attach to the roof rack and then attach the MoonShade to the hook in the clamps. I’m really happy with the functionality of this setup and by having it so high up, I can just take the outside legs off when it gets super windy and have the MoonShade tied down against the side of my van until the wind dies down. It does handle wind quite well as long as you anchor the poles and shade with two guylines on each side.
UPDATE: I have changed how I attach the MoonShade to my van since my original solution. I now have two short paracord rope loops that I permanently attached to my roof rack, so all I need to do is clip the hooks into those loops.
I lowered the MoonShade poles here due to high winds in OR high desert
If you’re looking for a portable awning that is decently priced and versatile, I highly recommend MoonShade! Since I’m a brand ambassador for them, if you use my referral link and coupon code BARBROCKS, you can save $30! I’m also happy to answer any questions you may have about the awning and how it works!
UPDATE: MoonShade released a new XL version in the summer of 2023, which provides 12’x9’ of coverage against sun and weather, but still packs down tight and weighs under 13 lbs., making breakdown and storage a breeze. I’m waiting to get mine so I can enjoy almost double the shade!