If you want shade without a roof rack, this awning sets up fast and anchors to your rig with vacuum mounts. The 108 sq ft canopy gives you broad coverage for the crew. And it packs down into a carry bag when you're ready to head out.
The vacuum mounts turn smooth vehicle panels into solid anchor points, so you can place the awning where it actually works instead of where a rack forces you to. Vans, truck caps, campers, and trailers become flexible mounting zones as long as you have smooth surfaces to work with. If your crew needs shade on one side during in the morning, then on the other side in the afternoon, you can remount the anchors quickly and adapt your layout without tools. It gives you control over your setup in places where fixed awnings can fall short.
The lightweight poles and fast-locking vacuum mounts turn setup into a simple routine you can repeat at every stop. Once the anchors are placed and the canopy is taut, you just clip the carabiners on both corners of the awning to those anchors. Then, lift the structure up, attach the support poles, and secure it down. This easy process makes a difference when you're moving between trailheads or settling into camp after a day on the road. The system is intuitive enough that one person can get shade up quickly without any issues.
The UV-treated ripstop fabric handles long days under direct sun, and the reflective underside keeps the space beneath it usable in hotter conditions while helping spread lantern light at night. And the aluminum poles are durable without adding unnecessary weight, which helps when you're setting up often or storing the awning between stops. The overall design handles frequent setups and the wear that comes from regular use.
Even at its larger size, the XL still fits into a slim carry bag that sits neatly with the rest of your gear. The compact profile works well in van cabinets, overland drawers, or a truck bed toolbox without crowding the essentials you reach for daily. It stays organized between stops and is light enough to grab when you need shade again. For rigs where space matters, the pack-down size helps keep the layout functional and uncluttered.
The MoonWall XL (MN64FR - sold separately) gives your MoonShade XL added protection from low-angle sun and light wind. It attaches to either side of your awning, creating a more sheltered space when you're setting up next to your vehicle. The panel drops straight down to give you a defined edge you can cook behind, change behind, or use as a wind break. It also folds compactly so you can keep it in the same carry bag as the awning.
For roofs with ribs, gutters, or uneven surfaces, the oval-style vacuum mounts (MN44FR - sold separately) help you get consistent contact where the round mounts may struggle. This extends your mounting options to make it easier to create a solid setup on rigs with unique rooflines.
Alternate Instructions
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Hi, everyone. I'm Evangeline here at etrailer. Today, we're talking about awnings and shade. Have you ever gone to a campsite and you've seen some really cool rigs out there They've got big awnings all set up on their roof racks or their platforms. They bring it out and you just think, "Wow, that's an awesome setup." Then you look a little closer, and you start learning about maybe it might be a bit out of the budget for now or involves a lot of setup that your vehicle and you, you're not quite ready for just yet. Well, if that's the situation you're in, here, we have the MoonShade awning, specifically the MoonShade XL here today.
This is gonna be your lightweight, compact, but also very easy to set up awning. Instead of securing to a roof rack bracket, this secures with vacuum or suction cups or carabiners and eye bolts to your vehicle, and gives you all this shade. You have a bunch of different accessories you can add onto this to really customize to your adventures as well. So let's go take a look. Here at etrailer, I have some kits that are all packed together with everything you're gonna need to get you started.
It's just a matter of picking which size you think will best fit your vehicle and your adventures. So we have the MoonShade XL, which is 12 feet by nine feet, or you have the MoonShade original, which is nine feet by seven feet. So I drive a Subaru Outback, as well as a smaller SUV. So the MoonShade original has worked amazingly for me off the side or off the back. Now with this larger truck, and the owner of this truck also has a larger camper van.
He prefers the MoonShade XL. Now, both will work in all kinds of situations, but hopefully, that's a good guideline for which one might work best for you. And the versatility of where you put it is all because of their anchoring system. So our kits arrive with these four and a half inch wide vacuum cup anchors. You can mix and match your different anchors here at etrailer if you need to.
The concept is though that you just put the anchor anywhere on your vehicle, and then you have this carabiner at the end of the awning that will clip into your eye bolt. So if you find that maybe you want a little bit more height or you wanna bring it down a little bit, or maybe you wanna put it on the other side of the vehicle because maybe that's where the shade is best gotten, you can do so. If you have a special need for your different anchor points, you can find those options here on our site. When possible, I like going with the vacuum mounts simply 'cause you just put them up against a flat surface, press down and then depress the plunger, and it creates a very strong and sturdy vacuum and an easy way to see if it's secure or not. Plus, their vacuum mounts have different options for where you may want to put your eye bolt. So maybe you're in a strange angle that you need to secure to. By the way, this is their special oval-shaped mount. The eye bolt it comes with can be put on the sides, up, down left, right, things like that. You get a little set screw or two screws of different sizes, and then the tools to tighten it down as well. So you can see the versatility in just the vacuum mount. And that versatility is seen all throughout the MoonShade design as well. As I've been using this awning, I really noticed that versatility, not just in where around the vehicle I can attach the awning to, but also how I can use the different attachments for it. So this specific one is the Moon Wall Long. There's different side walls available in different sizes. And this one will install quickly into the side of our awning. One end goes into the leg, which then goes back into the awning grommet. The other end, I secure into the carabiner by the anchor. And the middle has a hook that secures into the top awning. And then you just tighten down both sides till you get your best fit. And then, as always, with any tent or awning or accessory, stake down the end, but that's it. Super easy to set up. And then you can set this up on both sides of your awning. And that's very similar process to the whole setup of the whole tent or MoonShade XL itself. You'll clip the middle hook into the awning, and then tighten down your corners. And as with any part of the awning or any part of the add-on, you'll stake down the end. And everything is made out of the same material. So that's something I really look at whenever I look at awnings and tents, is just the balance between a lightweight fabric while also, is it durable So looking at our fabric here, which is our ripstop polyester, and it has a polyurethane coating. What that means is it's light. But if a quick rainstorm kicks up and some water is on the awning, you can see how the water just beads up and falls down. So it's not getting through the fabric. And when you look closely at the fabric too, you'll see just really good stitching overall. So any seams on the inside are gonna be taped or they're gonna have this very solid, very durable stitching. And I've noticed that the fabric that MoonShade uses is consistent overall. So you have this, not only good-looking blue and color scheme, but when you look closer, you see how durable and well-made everything is. So yes, this provides shade, but as someone's worked with a lot of tents and a lot of awnings, I always like to see a good balance of a lightweight fabric with durability. So let's say a quick little rain shower kicks up. You can see how the water beads up on the awning and goes straight down. You may notice a little bit of gathering along the seams. So that is something to be mindful of. You wanna make sure you set up your awning where water can fall down. And speaking of seams, something I've noticed is just how everything is folded over and reinforced. All the stress points along the awning, like where the tent poles go in or the legs have a double layer of fabric helping with reinforcing it, and some really good stitching all throughout. So as someone who's used this specific awning for a good amount of things, no fraying that I've noticed so far, good use. At the top of your awning, you're gonna have this open space, which is your vent, just adds a little bit of air flow to the whole system. And in the middle, you can see there's a hook that I've found that that's awesome for putting a lantern to just light up the whole space during nighttime. By the way, this is what your awning looks like when it's not all set up. So you pack it all down, and put it back into the bag that it came in. Everything is in here. The awning fabric, the tent poles, the stakes, it all zips up into this bag. You have a adjustable strap to make it easy to carry around. You also have handles on each side, if that makes it a little easier too. I have the MoonShade original right here. Obviously, lightweight and easy to carry, but there's also the MoonShade XL, significantly larger and heavier, but still maneuverable. So rather than having to load your awning up onto your roof rack or onto your ladder rack, this is just something quick and easy you can toss into your vehicle along with all the other gear for your adventures. Now, this right here is a great example of what I think is maybe the biggest benefit of the MoonShade. And that is it's not stuck to a fixed spot on your vehicle. Shade moves, and you can move this awning with it. Now, personal story here, is that I love to go rock climbing with friends, and we have our favorite canyon that we like to climb in. So when we set up our campsite, I set up this awning beside the vehicle, and it gives us a lot of shade, a lot of room to just maybe make breakfast, prepare for the day. And then we actually pack this up and bring this awning with us. It's portable enough that we can pack it with our rope. And when we need a break for lunch, we set up another small mini campsite. And this is a great way to rest, recharge, eat some food, and be ready for another afternoon of climbing. So the versatility of this awning, super helpful. It goes where you need it to go, and you can mount it to pretty much whatever vehicle or even to the ground. And it's not just for climbing trips. You can use this at the beach, at a soccer game. Whatever journeys and adventures you are up to, if you need a versatile awning, well, that's what the MoonShade is for. Now, we've had little bursts of wind here at etrailer, and that's a great example of why it's super important to properly stake down your awning and secure it no matter what configuration you have. The fact that it comes with stakes is awesome, but you have to use your stakes and your guidelines properly. So making sure that your awning is supported and that your guidelines are at an angle, really pulling against the wind, and that all four corners have stakes, have weight on them, is key. Now, if you don't have, let's say, good turf or good ground to stake down into, we also have options here at etrailer, whether it's improved stakes or even stake sandbags, which is just weights that you might put down, similar to if you were, let's say, tailgating in a parking lot and you can't stake into the asphalt, that could be something that could be helpful for you. You can always give us a call too if you just need help figuring out what is available and best for where you're going. And on that note, as you are reaching out to us here at etrailer, whether it is trying to find the right fit for you, or maybe you've decided that the MoonShade is the way you want to go for shade for your adventures, I'd love to hear about it. Now, I just told you about how I like the MoonShade for my rock climbing trips because of its versatility, but I'm sure you're also going on some pretty cool adventures and journeys, and I'm totally up for new ideas. So if you're using the MoonShade or planning on using the MoonShade for something really cool, let us know. And if you have a picture too, send that right on in with your review, and maybe you can inspire some other people along the way. Hopefully, this video was helpful for you, because there's two different sizes of this awning, and all types of different ways you can mount it, and different accessories you can use with it. And hopefully, all that information helped you find the best awning or the best shade, or the best fit for you and your adventures. Today, this was a look at the MoonShade XL awning. My name is Evangeline, right here at etrailer. I really hoped you enjoyed this journey.
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