My MoonShade Awning Review (+ Discount Code)

Personally, I found the suction cups to be tricky with my Ford Transit (more on that later) and opted for a custom anchor solution:

My campervan roof rack is made of 8020 extruded aluminum so I installed t-nuts to hold eye hooks that I clip my MoonShade awning directly into.

In retrospect, I think the magnets (which come with protective booties to prevent scratching your paint) would have been an easier solution with more flexibility than the eye hooks I rigged up.

I recommend skipping the suction cups and getting the magnet anchors instead.

3. Not Just For Vans

A MoonShade awning is a good investment because it’s not just for your van!

There are so many possibilities for how these awnings can be used:

• I saw someone anchor one side to a picnic table to create a lean-to type shelter for cooking and eating during rainy weather
• You can anchor one side to a tree for shade at a park
• Bring it to the beach and drop one edge to the ground for extra shade
• Move it around your van/SUV/mini van/etc as the sun moves to keep things in the shade without having to reposition your vehicle

I recently sold my van and turned my SUV into a car camper. I love how portable the MoonShade awning is because I kept it and now use it as an awning on my car. No need to buy anything new!

4. Several Color Options For MoonShade Awnings

The original MoonShade came in a charcoal color. For a while they offered a gold option (which is what I have) – unfortunately this is no longer available, but more color options are always being rotated into stock.

While I have a black van, and the original color would match and blend quite well, I opted for the gold color and I love how well it pops against my darker Ford Transit.

The lighter color option is also great at night because (in my opinion) it reflects the light well and makes it easy to have dinner outside under the awning after dark.

The catch to having a lighter color is that the dirt is much more obvious, so I find myself wiping it down more frequently.

5. Easy To Add After My DIY Van Build

During my DIY van build I wasn’t totally convinced on the advantages of van awnings. It wasn’t until a full year of living on the road that I realized an awning would be really nice.

The biggest selling point about the MoonShade awning for me was how easily it was to add to my van post-build.

I had considered permanent awnings (like the campervan awnings outlined in this article) but didn’t want to deal with the cost or hassle of installing a permanent awning while traveling full time.

Incorporating the MoonShade awning while on the road was super easy.

MoonShade was easy to work with and they shipped it to a local FedEx location near me. Sometimes trying to get packages while traveling can be the biggest headache, but this was super easy.

Once I picked it up, I was able to be fully installed, set up and in shade within minutes.

6. Easy To Store With Limited Space

Because MoonShade awnings aren’t permanently attached to your van, they must be stored somewhere inside your van when not in use.

Most vanlifers I know don’t have an abundance of storage space, myself included.

Luckily, the MoonShade awning packs down smaller than a camp chair. I’d say it’s even smaller than a yoga mat. It’s also super lightweight.

Another testament to their quality is that you don’t have to fight to get the awning back in the bag. The bag is actually large enough to fit the awning and the attachments without any effort! (I wish the maker of my camp chair had the same attention to detail as MoonShade)

The collapsible poles are the only inflexible thing in the bag, which makes the little package fairly squishable to fit whatever storage space you can cram it into.

7. Center Clip For Hanging Lights

This feature seems like such a small thing to include in my MoonShade awning review, but it truly speaks to the functionality and design quality that MoonShade put into these van awnings.

The carabiner clip located in the middle of the awning is perfect for hanging a lantern, or running a line of string lights through.

It’s a clip and not a loop, which makes it even easier to attach and detach lights. My camping tent just has a loop and requires me to bring my own clip if I want to attach anything to it – so the carabiner clip is a super nice touch on the MoonShade awning.

8. Adjustable Telescoping Legs For Added Versatility

The two corners of the MoonShade awning which are not attached directly to your van are held up with telescoping poles.

These poles are easily adjustable which makes them great for pairing the MoonShade awning with just about any vehicle.

The added bonus is that you can drop or raise the awning angle for additional sun protection, or to accommodate taller people.

Recently, I was boondocking in Southern California during the winter months when the sun angle is much lower.

This meant that for a long portion of the day the sun angle was still hitting the side of my van, even with the awning up.

It was easy to fix and lower the outside edge of the awning by dropping the telescoping legs so that more shade would be cast onto my vehicle to keep it cooler (this is especially important to me because I travel in my van with my dog so maintaining and monitoring the temperature in my camper is crucial.)

9. Includes High Quality Instructions

There are no ikea instructions here!

My MoonShade awning came with instructions that were extremely easy to understand.

If you’re not someone who prefers to learn by reading, the MoonShade website also offers many video tutorials, too!

10. Stealthy In Cities

Even though I do prefer to boondock, it’s impossible not to find yourself stealth camping in cities from time to time.

If I had a permanent awning installed on the side of my van, it’d be a sure giveaway that my van has someone living in it. This isn’t ideal when you’re trying to blend in on a city street.

Because the MoonShade awning is stored inside my van when it’s not in use it’s much less obvious that my vehicle is a camper.

11. High Quality Materials

Impressed is an understatement.

As someone who enjoys hiking, camping and backpacking I’m intimately familiar with top notch brands and high quality products in the outdoors space.

My MoonShade awning blows it out of the water.

For such a lightweight awning it’s impressive how high quality the materials and construction are.

Even the carabiner clips (in the middle and all 4 corners of the awning) are strong and good quality metal (no plastic here!).

It’s nice to know that not only is this a budget-friendly and cost effective way to get a van awning, but it’s also not a throwaway or disposable type of design.

You’ll have your MoonShade awning for years and years and it will still look and function like its brand new.

12. Price Point, It’s budget Friendly

Many campervan awnings (like Fiamma awnings) will put you out at least $1,500, but most are over $2,000! Not the MoonShade awning!

MoonShade is reasonably priced around $500, which includes everything you’ll need to set it up (unless you want to upgrade to magnets – and even those are reasonably priced).

Best of all, even with the affordable price you don’t have to sacrifice on quality.

13. They Generously Gave Me A MoonShade Coupon Code For You

The team at MoonShade awnings is fantastic to work with. They’ve always been extremely responsive to my queries and are always happy to help.

In fact, they offered me a discount code for MoonShade awnings which will save you $30 on your purchase!

Get $30 off with MoonShade coupon code “everywherewithclaire”

My MoonShade Awning Review: What I’d Like To See Changed

Unlike my extensive pro’s list above, my MoonShade review of things I don’t love (or would like to see changed) is actually quite short…

1. Suction Cup Upgrade

The suction cups are great in theory, but they don’t work well on my Ford Transit.

This isn’t a knock against the quality of the suction cups, but more about the incompatibility with the curviness of the Transit.

There’s simply a shortage of flat spaces where the suction cup can actually be useful.

Instead, magnets or adhesive anchors would work well.

If you have a Mercedes Sprinter van or a Ram ProMaster van you’ll have fewer issues with finding suitable mounting places for the suction cups.

In retrospect, I would have opted for the magnets over the suction cups, especially knowing the magnets have booties which prevent damage to your vehicles paint.

2. Installation Requires A Step Ladder (Or someone over 6″ tall)

I have a high-roof Transit, and I’m 5’9″, so I’m not able to reach the awning anchor points on my own.

Instead, I have a tall, collapsible step ladder I use to reach the anchor points and attach my MoonShade awning to my roof rack.

If you have a shorter vehicle, or you’re a tall person, this won’t be an issue for you.

Again, this criticism it not related to the quality of the MoonShade awning, but more so the reality of living in a larger vehicle with a high roof.

It’s also worth point out that MoonShade has a solution for this website, I just haven’t put in the effort to implement it – my step ladder is getting the job done for now.

3. Upgraded Stakes

Of all the accessories the MoonShade awning comes with, the only one I’m underwhelmed by are the tent stakes.

While they’re made of durable lightweight material, they aren’t easy to get into hard ground.

Instead, I upgraded my stakes to a heavier stake that’s easier to get into the ground, and to tie the guystrings to. This isn’t a big complaint for me though, the upgraded stakes cost about $10.

4. Wind

In my experience, the MoonShade awning holds up well to light winds.

I weigh down the two telescoping poles with workout dumbbells or anything heavy I carry in my van, which allows me to leave my MoonShade awning up even when the breeze picks up.

However, in stronger wind gusts (over ~20mph) the awning moves around a bit.

I can’t say whether this is worse than how a permanently attached awning (like a Fiamma or Thule) would move around in wind because I’ve never used one of those and don’t have the experience to make a comparison.

What I can tell you is that if you forget and leave your MoonShade awning up in strong winds the damage will be far less catastrophic than if an awning that’s bolted through your van gets ripped off.

NOTE: MoonShade XL comes with a center vent to help it hold up better in strong winds. If you plan to travel to windy areas this might be a better choice for you. More on that below.

MoonShade Original Vs MoonShade XL

MoonShade offers two types of portable camper awnings: the MoonShade Original and MoonShade XL (new in 2024).

I have the MoonShade Original, and I’m quite happy with it. It’s the perfect size for two (me and my dog) and fits great on my Ford Transit (extended wheelbase, approximately 22 ft long).

Let’s talk about how the MoonShade Original vs MoonShade XL are different.

The obvious main difference is the cost: MoonShade XL costs $650 whereas MoonShade Original is only $500.

The MoonShade Original includes 4 anchors: 2 large + 2 small suction cups.

MoonShade XL does not include any anchors. You’ll need to purchase the vacuum suction anchors or find another way to attach it to your van.

The second primary difference is their size. MoonShade XL is 12 ft x 9 ft, whereas the MoonShade Original is 9 ft by 7 ft.

Both can be installed in any orientation for multiple “fits” to your vehicle. I prefer to install the long side of my MoonShade original against the side of my van because I have an extended Ford Transit. With a shorter van you might prefer the short side against the van)

The size difference also means their weight and storage sizes vary slightly.

MoonShade XL is 13 lbs and packs down to 36 in x 6 in (diameter). MoonShade Original weighs only 8 lbs and packs down to 28 in by 6 in (diameter).

Both MoonShade awning models come with telescoping poles, stakes and guylines. MoonShade Original has 4 stakes + 4 guylines, whereas MoonShade XL has 6 stakes + guylines.

They’re also both made from the same material – 420D ripstop polyester with UV protective treatment and a reflective coating on the bottom of the awning (to reflect light back down, which is really handy at night!)

Because MoonShade XL is larger, it comes with a center wind vent to help keep it stabilized in heavier winds. It also has stronger telescoping poles for the same reason.

If you’d like to pair a MoonWall with your MoonShade for added privacy or wind blocking you can do that with either model:

MoonShade Original is compatible with MoonWall Short ($75). MoonShade XL is compatible with MoonWall Long ($100).

Where To Buy & MoonShade Discount Code

MoonShade is available directly through their website and on Amazon.

However, my MoonShade discount code for $30 off only works if you buy directly through their website. Use code EVERYWHEREWITHCLAIRE at checkout.

My MoonShade Awning Review – Is It Worth It?

My MoonShade awning review is that it’s definitely worth it! The MoonShade Original awning is a great option, especially if you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to extend your living space and keep your van cool during hot weather.

While there are some things I’d like to see improved, the number of things I love about my MoonShade awning far outweigh the disadvantages.

I have yet to find another awning solution that is as cost effective, high quality, and overall as beneficial as the MoonShade awning is.

Don’t forget that you can get $30 off your purchase with my MoonShade discount code “everywherewithclaire”