| | |

MoonShade Van Awning Review

This camper van awning packs down to the size of a camp chair and also works on a variety of vehicles.

Van with awning out and woman sitting under awning at scenic overlook on Oregon Coast

Find this post helpful? Learn how you can support Bearfoot Theory’s work here. You can also shop for gear through the affiliate links in this blog post where we get a small commission at no cost to you. It helps keep our team running and the lights on. THANK YOU! -Kristen

If you’re putting the finishing touches on your camper van conversion, you may be wondering whether the price of a van awning is worth it. Some of the best van awnings, like the Fiama 65 awning that I had on my first Sprinter Van, run up to $2,000! Personally, it seems like a hefty price to pay for shade, which is why I opted against one of these awnings on my current Sprinter van. I also didn’t want anything hanging off of the van that would affect my fuel economy or make it obvious that the van was, in fact, a camper.

Then, we spent an entire summer traveling in my current Sprinter Van without an awning, and I started to wonder if I made a mistake, especially when we were at music festivals or car camping with friends for a few days. A van awning sure would be nice at times!

Then at our Open Roads Fest van life event a few years back, I was introduced to MoonShade, a lightweight, portable van awning with a budget-friendly price tag. The MoonShade seemed to solve all of the problems I had with other awnings, so I got my hands on one and tested it out on a couple of camping trips. I was pleased to find out that the MoonShade is easy to set up, takes up very little room in my van, and makes for a very comfortable, shady van patio at a fraction of the price of other options out there.

Get the scoop on the MoonShade van awning and see how it works in this review.

Sponsored by MoonShade

I’ve been using the MoonShade for the last two summers, and I’m stoked to help get the word out about small companies like MoonShade who make cool products that make van life easier and more comfortable. As always, all opinions and words are my own and I only recommend products that I love. If you want to purchase a MoonShade, use the code “BEARFOOTTHEORY” to get 10% off at checkout.


How to Set Up the MoonShade Van Awning

The MoonShade comes in a small zippered bag that is about the same size as a folded camp chair (about 28″ x 6″). I love how portable and small it is when packed away, weighing only 8 pounds. It makes it a no-brainer to throw in your vehicle.

MoonShade is a portable, versatile, budget-friendly camper van awning that packs down small and also works on trucks and SUVs.

The first step is to attach the two corners of the awning to the van using the attachment method that works for you. MoonShade now makes a variety of attachments or “anchors” that anchor the awning to your van which we’ll cover in more detail below. In our case, we currently use the magnet anchors, so we clip the magnets to the built-in carabiners on the awning first and then attach the magnets to the van.

Setting up the Moonshade awning
Setting up the Moonshade awning

Attaching the front corner is easy because you can stand inside the van and reach up above the passenger door. The back corner is a little trickier depending on how tall you are. Ryan is able to reach by standing on the tire, but a step stool would make this easier. Alternatively, you can get on your roof to attach the magnets (or other anchors) if you have a ladder.

If you still can’t reach, check the FAQs on the MoonShade website where they share tips for using the included paracord to clip the carabiners to hard to reach mounting points.

Setting up the Moonshade awning

Next, you slide the strong aluminum tension poles in, just like you would if you were setting up a tent. Each corner has a pocket that you insert the tent poles into and then you secure the poles using clips that run diagonally along the awning.

Note: We’ve since discovered that it’s easier to get the poles in if you do this step while the awning is still on the ground before you attach it to the van.

Once the tension poles are in, you lift the front of the awning up and slip the top of the tension poles into the corner grommets.

Setting up the Moonshade awning

The support poles are adjustable up to 8 feet tall. This is a great feature because you can angle the MoonShade down if the sun is low in the sky. The adjustable poles also mean the MoonShade works for vehicles of different heights and not just vans. In fact, Linda, BFTs Director, recently tested the MoonShade on her Honda CRV, a compact SUV, and found it was just the right height at the shortest level of the poles.

Setting up the Moonshade awning

The final step is to anchor out the guylines so the MoonShade stays in place. Without the guylines, the wind can blow the awning off of the support poles, so this is an important step.

Setting up the MoonShade van awning

Once you get the hang of it, the MoonShade awning only takes about 5 minutes to set up and put away. The storage bag is plenty big so it doesn’t take any muscling to get the MoonShade to fit.


MoonShade Van Awning Anchor Options

Suction Cups

Suction cups are MoonShade’s classic anchor option and come with every MoonShade. You’ll find 2 x 4.5″ industrial size suction cups as well as 2 x 2″ suction cups in your kit. These work best for anchoring to smooth, flat, clean surfaces like the side of a panel van.

MoonShade awning suction cup anchors

Magnets

These heavy-duty magnets are currently our preferred method of anchoring the MoonShade to my Sprinter Van as they seem to hold better than the suction cups. They are sold separately and come in a pack of two which is all you need.

MoonShade awning magnet anchors

Adhesive

I haven’t had a chance to try the new adhesive anchors but they seem pretty legit. These anchors have a super sticky back that will adhere to surfaces that the suction cups and magnets cant get a hold of. They’re semi-permanent, so you install them where you want them to be and leave them there for easy anytime MoonShade setup.

MoonShade awning adhesive anchors

Sprinter Roof Rails

These new Sprinter rail anchors look like a great option as well and one that I’d like to try. Designed for Sprinters with factory roof rails, these aluminum nuts drop anywhere into the rail and lock into place by tightening the stainless steel eye bolt. Ta-da, you have a permanent, low-profile mounting system for your MoonShade.

MoonShade awning Sprinter roof rail anchors

MoonShade Van Awning Versatility & Effectiveness

The support poles are adjustable in height, so the MoonShade works on just about any vehicle making it very versatile. This means if you sometimes camp in your van and other times a truck or SUV, the MoonShade can be transferred from one vehicle to another.

The MoonShade comes with a pole called the “strut pole” that can be used if the shade fabric is longer than your vehicle. This is the setup Linda, BFTs Director, used when testing the MoonShade on her Honda CRV.

MoonShade is a portable, versatile, budget-friendly camper van awning that packs down small and also works on trucks and SUVs.

What’s nice is that you don’t need any kind of roof rack, and the MoonShade can be stored in your garage when you aren’t using it. In addition, the MoonShade can be attached to trees, fences, or other fixed mounting points.

The MoonShade measures 9’x7′, so it’s large enough to create a nice, shaded patio space. It also blocks the sun from shining directly in the van if you are working or hanging out inside.

One other feature I really like is that with the carabiners and webbing loops, you can easily attach string lights to create a nice ambiance at camp.


How Does the MoonShade Stand Up to Wind and Rain?

One big problem with most van awnings is that they don’t really hold up to the wind. Even with really expensive van awnings, they advise pulling the awning in when it gets windy, otherwise there is potential for it to break.

With the MoonShade, I was wondering how it would hold up to the wind, especially since it’s only attached to the van with magnets (in our case that is, you may use a different anchor system) and it’s so lightweight. Luckily some weather rolled in when we were testing the MoonShade out, so we got to see how it would fare.

I was impressed by how much wind the MoonShade could handle. We kept it set up on a day with 40 mph gusts and found that it held up well when using the magnet attachment option, but anything stronger than that and the magnets got pulled off of the van. The good news is that even if it does get pulled off, you don’t really have to worry about the MoonShade breaking like a regular van awning, and the magnets are designed to not strip any paint off your vehicle. With that said, if the wind picks up a good amount, you may want to just put the MoonShade away and not take any risks, and it’s also best not to leave your awning unattended in strong winds.

MoonShade is a portable, versatile, budget-friendly camper van awning that packs down small and also works on trucks and SUVs.

We also got some rain on one of our camping trips and found the MoonShade held up well. It’s made of ripstop polyester water-resistant fabric that is designed to keep you dry in light rain. If you read the FAQs on their site, they explain that they don’t apply a chemical waterproof treatment because it reduces the life of the fabric and is also bad for the environment. That makes sense, but I was also wondering how it would perform. While the rain we encountered was short-lived, the MoonShade seemed to shed water easily and the shape means water can’t pool up on the top. I kept nice and dry while sitting underneath my van awning, and we were able to leave the van door open during the storm too!


Where to Buy the MoonShade Van Awning

Moonshade Awning

  • Deployed Size: 9’x7′
  • Packed Size: 28″x6″
  • Includes stakes, guylines, and suction cups
  • Magnets and additional anchor options available as well

The MoonShade is available on the MoonFab.Co website. Use the code BEARFOOTTHEORY to get 10% off.

Looking for additional van life gear? Here’s our top picks:

Have you tried the MoonShade or any other van awnings? Share your questions, comments, and experiences below!

MoonShade is a portable, versatile, budget-friendly camper van awning that packs down small and also works on trucks and SUVs.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

33 Comments

    1. I really think these are cool shades if just started living fulltime in my van and have looking at awininngs to put on the van

  1. The MoonShade arrived at my door this morning, excited about going out and setting it up. Definitely like the magnets for placement on my van and it is very easy one person set up which is awesome!
    I am going to order another set of magnets, just in case.
    But so very happy I did order this because I like the fact it is not a permanent, I can move it around depending on the sun location!

  2. Nice awning. But to be fair, the solar panels, the ladder and the flat windows in the rear are already a dead giveaway that you have a campervan. And you mean “fuel economy” not “gas mileage”, considering most Sprinters don’t run on gasoline.

    1. Tom,

      Thanks for picking the fly crap out of the pepper on the “gas mileage” reference. Good grief!

      DJ

      1. The awning is easy to set up and great for shade but I had big issues when it rained. It was heavy rain and I soon found that the rain was pouring through the material. Also, where the material met the roof, there was lots of pooling so much so that when I opened the slide door, water cascaded into the van! Perhaps I didn’t position it properly, I’m not sure. I’ll certainly use the awning when it’s sunny but not when it rains. I’ve messaged the company to get their opinion on these issues.

  3. Well the Moonshade arrived. I have to be honest, I almost sent it back after installing it the first time. I repackaged it and it was by the front door ready to go. I decided to give it another shot. I am glad I did. I took the van and my wife to an empty parking lot with big solar panel shade parking. We literally set it up in 5 minutes. After we took it down. I tried it by myself and still only took 5 minutes. I guess practice makes perfect. We are happy with the purchase. There are tons of mounting options. Unlike the expensive roof top awnings, (which are great), you can mount the Moonshade on either side of your Sprinter van, or on the front or back. Great product.

  4. I ordered mine, when I first saw it advertised, before the end of 2020. I have not attached it, but I easily tossed it into the overhead bin in my Promaster. When I finally hit the road, I know that I will appreciate the flexibility of where to place it, the most. I have ideas bouncing around in my head about how to arrange my fairy lights and about how to (maybe) drop a lightweight, flowy side panel for privacy and ambiance!

  5. Thank you for this review – we’ve been wondering. We don’t want to spend a huge amount and other options are just out of our present budget – heck, our van build went beyond our budget, ha ha! But this looks really great as an affordable option.

  6. I really like this awning. The first time I saw it was while camping at Ponderosa State Park and saw one on a Sprinter van similar to mine and was very impressed and I tried to order one, but I have been trying to order it for a couple of months now (Since June) and they have been in backorder since and just checked today again and still in backorder until September and noticed that the price just went up from the time I tried to order it the first time.

    Thanks,

    1. Yes unfortunately they’ve been on backorder most of the summer, it’s been a popular item! Hmm that’s strange about the price – it actually launched at $350 and they’ve since lowered the price to $325. Maybe you were looking at it during a sale? You can always use our code BEARFOOTTHEORY to get 10% off. Hope that helps!

  7. Think about the purchase more as a loan to keep the company going rather than a purchase. We paid on July 11th. The website first said shipping was anticipate the first week of August. Last month, they said, keep checking the website… They’d changed their site to say that they should get their shipment 9/29 and start filling orders from July as soon as they got their shipment. Since they haven’t updated their site, I’m guessing now we’re hoping for a Thanksgiving or Christmas present.

    1. Definitely! Better gas mileage without having extra bulk on the roof, and it’s more versatile (can attach to the side door, back doors, etc). We love it!

  8. Thanks for the review. I’ve been kicking around expensive ideas but didn’t want to spend it on an item that was permanently mounted. This sounds perfect and the price is right

  9. I am surprised the magnet anchors work for you!! I have them and any slight gust blows them off the roof. I would say anything over 15 MPH doesnt work. The Moonshade web site says “Not for use in winds above 5mph”. That of course, is like saying don’t use this. I am going to try the adhesive anchors next.

  10. Have had a Moonshade for 2 years. It has worked great, took a few combinations of connecting before I found I preferred the adhesive best. I found that setting mine up a bit different than the website was easier for me. I love that i don’t need a ladder to connect to adhesive at tallest point. I can position shade on back of van, side of van, on another fixture entirely like a tree, wall, post, etc. provides a ton of freedom to move around to manage sun/weather. It is super easy to pack up and carry with. I cut out bug screen to the size of canopy and clip on edges with small lights to provide a simple, bug free, warmly lit extra room. There are more combinations of attaching to van than their videos show which i think they could do a much better job of providing for people. For instance, using suction cups to adhere front pole legs to body of van vs. on ground provides same amount of shade, but no poles for pet leashes to get tangled around. People at the company are very friendly and nice to work with. Supply chain issues abound everywhere…

  11. Just read your review of the Moonshade awning, and placed order because of such a great detailed review. You answered many of the questions I had, as I was looking at purchasing this product for our Overland travel extended secondary shelter needs for some time. So many choices out there, but this product seems to be the best for our vehicle camping configuration requirements. Thank you, and be safe out there.

  12. The Moonshade also works really well on vintage trailers that have the rope channel just below the roof line( almost all of the 1950 and 1960s trailers have the channel) Instead of utilizing the suction cup or magnet attachment methodology, the corners of the Moonshade are connected the trailer via a metal channel anchor that slides into the rope channel and can be locked into position with the built in allen screw. The 3/8ths inch channel anchors are sold by the pair by the Moodshade manufacturer at Moonfab.com for $25 per pair

  13. Appreciate the review, I was there when they introduced it in 2019 🙂 I have something similar, however my problem is when it rains it’s still drips in the side door of my van, even with my similar shade. Wondered if you had a solution to that? And I have those powerful magnets that you have, I just haven’t used them yet.

    1. Hi Kathy – With the moonshade and anything similar that’s not permanently affixed to your roof will likely have some leakage along the side. For mounting the moonshade, the most secure way I found was using straps to tie it directly to my roof rack. The magnets were a close second, but I found that in more extreme winds, the magnets may come lose. Hope that helps!