The Best Car and Truck Awnings of 2023

Not only is the Front Runner Easy-Out awning ($355) quick and easy to set up, but it also boasts about 6.5 feet of coverage widthwise.

The Easy-Out awning easily pairs with most roof racks, including Front Runner roof racks, and extends about the same distance as it is wide for quick shelter when you need it. The awning is housed in a heavy-duty PVC-coated 650g nylon zippered cover and can mount to either side of a rack. It weighs 27.6 pounds and is made from water-repellent and UV-resistant materials.

This vehicle awning is best set up by two people and can provide shade in mere minutes. The two vertical twist-lock upright poles have spikes on the bottom for secure ground placement and can extend to nearly 8 feet in height.

For added stability in windy conditions, the awning includes reflective guy ropes with tent stakes. Although this awning doesn’t come with an integrated LED light strip, it’s available for purchase separately.

If you’re looking for full coverage from an awning, Rhino-Rack has got you covered. Its compact batwing vehicle awning ($766) spans a massive 270 degrees around the right side of your vehicle.

This batwing awning not only includes 69 square feet of coverage, but it’s also stylish. Made from a durable ripstop material, this Rhino-Rack compact batwing awning is water-resistant. And it’s tested and rated to UPF 50+ to shield users from the sun’s harmful rays.

Made for either the right or the left side of your vehicle, this batwing awning is easy to set up with two people. Simply unzip its storage bag, fold out the arms, and peg down the ropes. You’ll have a shaded and secure basecamp set up in no time.

Unlike other vehicle awnings, the Rhino-Rack awning’s poles, ropes, and pegs stow in the main awning compartment rather than in a separate pouch that could get lost. The Rhino-Rack compact batwing awning can be packed away fully extended or at a preset length for your vehicle.

The iKamper ExoShell 270 ($1,750) is one of the newest awnings on the market and is a great choice for full-size vehicles. The hard shell aluminum case is 7 inches square by 8 feet 7 inches long — it’s a formidable roof adornment. It weighs in at a hefty 75 pounds, including mounts. That weight comes from its burly construction.

The ExoShell 270 offers a huge amount of shade and weather protection from its 45-denier waterproof-treated ripstop nylon awning material. It’s self-supporting, but it also comes with dropdown poles and guy wires included if you find yourself in high wind conditions. It’s so fast and easy to use that we can see ourselves popping it open for an afternoon mountain bike ride or even the kids’ soccer practice.

If you value coverage and convenience — and have a big vehicle with a platform roof rack — the iKamper ExoShell 270 has a lot to offer at this not-inexpensive price. If that equation works for you, this is a great way to spend more time outdoors in comfort.

Check out our full first-look review of this new full-featured awning.

ARB offers a retractable aluminum-encased awning ($402-686) with an LED light strip for those who want a hard-sided vehicle awning alternative that spans the entire length of their vehicle.

The ARB Touring Awning measures over 8 feet in both directions. Check your vehicle’s length to make sure this awning isn’t too long for it.

Boasting a clamshell design, the awning uses three heavy-duty, UV-protected, marine-grade shock cord loops (bungees), and a flip-up lid. No zipper found here. This ARB awning system also has anodized aluminum poles with nylon cuff joints and metal cam locks. It comes with a pouch for pegs and reflective guy ropes.

Additionally, the ARB Touring awning is made from 300GSM PU-coated poly cotton ripstop canvas and weighs a hair under 40 pounds. Once you install the included LED lighting strip, you can light up your camp at night — giving you shade, style, and light.

Want shelter or shade in an instant? The Thule Outland Awning ($800) is another alternative to soft awning covers.

The 6.2-foot Outland vehicle awning, which is also available in 7.5-foot and 8.2-foot sizes, is made from durable and lightweight aluminum. And it’s a great choice for quick shade or shelter when unfavorable weather settles in. Whereas most manufacturers choose tan as an awning color, Thule offers a gray hue.

The Outland awning is made with high-strength polyester fabric and features a push-button operation that allows for easy one-person operation.

This vehicle awning also offers a unique Quick Lock system that adjusts the legs to the desired height as opposed to having to twist and lock the poles. The Thule Outland awning includes a locking adapter kit that mounts to Thule or various aftermarket roof racks.

Attaching an awning to an overlanding vehicle has its limitations, and deploying it is typically a two-person endeavor. The Moon Fabrications MoonShade ($368) is a 9 x 7-foot portable awning designed around a flexible aluminum pole-and-clip architecture typically used for tents.

Setup by one person is straightforward, and the awning is adaptable to almost any type of vehicle. A nice feature is the option to orient the MoonShade with either the 9- or 7-foot side facing outward.

The awning fabric is a sturdy 420-denier ripstop polyester with a UV 50-plus topcoat facing outward. The underside has a reflective coating that blocks outside light and works to disperse lantern light. Its tent-like design and light weight make it easy to attach to different vehicles or use as a standalone canopy.

When not in use, the MoonShade fits into a zippered bag 28 x 6 inches, weighing a little under 8 pounds. The compact dimensions are great for stowing inside and are much easier to transport. This also keeps weight off your roof when on the go, and doesn’t cut into fuel economy.

To learn more, read our full review of the MoonShade.