How to Choose the Best Overland Awning
An overland awning is one of the easiest ways to drastically improve your overland vehicle’s livability while camping and traveling. The right awning will provide a sheltered exterior space that offers protection from the sun’s scorching rays, as well as keep your camp more comfortable when the rain or snow rolls in.
After squirreling away funds and searching for years, reviewing what felt like hundreds of overland awning options, we finally upgraded the awning on our personal overland vehicle setup - and it’s been a total gamechanger!
So we decided to put together this in-depth guide to overland awnings to help you select the right one for your adventures and budget. Plus, we compiled a list of the 12 best overland awnings currently on the market to help narrow your search and make the process a little less daunting.
*(This post contains affiliate links. This means we may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. See our full disclosure.)
Choosing an Overland Awning
Let’s start by looking at the most important features to consider when selecting an overland awning for your vehicle or overlanding setup.
Fixed vs Portable Overland Awnings
The first thing to consider is whether you want your overland awning to be fixed to your vehicle in a semi-permanent fashion when not deployed, or if you’d prefer a portable overland awning that is instead stored in a storage bag in the vehicle until needed.
Fixed Awnings
Pros: Always ready, faster to set up and most do not require ground stakes and guylines, materials are generally more substantial, and they don’t take up interior storage space
Cons: typically heavier and more cumbersome when stored, not as customizable (fixed configuration), more expensive
Portable Awnings
Pros: less costly, lighter weight, less cumbersome, and can typically be pitched in a variety of ways to suite your overland camping setup
Cons: must be packed and stored (usually inside your vehicle), materials generally are less robust, setup is tedious, and requires terrain that is suitable for ground stakes and guylines.
Coverage Area and Design
The next thing to consider is what coverage area you’d like your overland awning to provide. There are two ways to look at this: square footage (sqft) of coverage the awning provides and the direction of coverage around the vehicle the awning provides measured in degrees (out of 360 degrees)
Portable Overland Awnings - typically offer a variety of sqft coverage depending on how they are pitched, and coverage is usually in one direction from the vehicle similar to a 180 degree awning
180 Degree Overland Awnings - these come in a variety of fixed square footage sizes that offer coverage in one direction of the vehicle from their mounted position. There are two main design strategies:
Square - square overland awnings create a square coverage area and typically pull out straight from their mounted position to a fixed length and width covering only a section of one side of your vehicle
Trapezoid (Full Side Coverage) - these overland awnings use multiple support arms to unfold from their mounted position to provide a trapezoidal coverage area that covers the majority of one side of your vehicle
270 Degree Overland Awnings - a 270 degree overland awning uses arms that fold out to support the canopy and provide coverage on either the passenger or driver-side of your overland vehicle as well as the rear of the vehicle, and generally offer the most usable coverage area
Packed Size (Stored)
Both fixed and portable awnings take up space when stored, and generally the larger the awning the more cumbersome it will be when stored. You’ll want to consider the bulk of your stored awning and how it will impact the aesthetics of your vehicle if affixed or the available storage space in or on your vehicle if portable.
Weight
The weight of your overland awning is another consideration to factor in, as some of the larger, or more substantially built, fixed awnings can weigh a significant amount and may impact the handling of your overland vehicle. And as most portable awnings will need to be packed/unpacked their weight is something to consider as well.
Ease of Setup (Self-Supporting vs. Non Self-Supporting)
Overland awnings can be either self-supporting, or non self-supporting
Self-Supporting - these are fixed awnings that have an integrated structural support that allows them to support their coverage area without the need for poles, guylines, or ground stakes (in moderate weather conditions) - like the one pictured at the top of this post
Pros: extremely fast to set up, less gear to remember to pack up, terrain is not a consideration - can be set up on solid rock, pavement, or uneven terrain
Cons: typically heavier, more costly, bulkier due to the support arm framing required
Non Self-Supporting - all portable and some fixed overland awnings required the use of some combination of support poles, guylines, and ground stakes to give them their structural integrity
Pros: generally less costly, lighter weight, and less bulky
Cons: slow and often tedious to setup, typically must be deployed on suitable terrain (level and/or soft terrain that can accept ground stakes)
Awning Materials
There are a variety of materials used in the construction of an overland awning, and generally as a rule-of-thumb the cost of the overland awning will reflect the quality of materials used.
Awning Frame Materials - in fixed awnings the awning frame/support arms are usually aluminum, steel, or a combination. Aluminum will generally be lighter-weight, steel will be stronger but at a higher weight
Awning Canopy Materials
Waterproof / Water Resistant Fabrics - it is rare to have an overland awning manufacturer claim their materials are waterproof, but there are certainly differences in the degree of water resistance depending on the chemical makeup of the fabric or whether it’s coated with waterproofing material.
UV Resistance - this is how well the fabric can withstand regular prolonged exposure to the sun without degradation or fade
Fabric Weight/Thickness - while not always an indication of the strength of a fabric material used, the weight or thickness of a fabric (measured in either ounces-per-square-yard or grams-per-square-meter) is a good general indicator as to its potential durability. Generally the higher the number the heavier/thicker the material. Here’s a good guide to understanding fabric weights and thickness.
Awning Poles - typically use either aluminum or steel, and come in either fixed-length (stronger) or adjustable height (more versatile, better suited for uneven terrain)
Rigging Materials - the quality of the ground stakes (steel > aluminum) and guylines if included or required for setup
Storage Case Materials - most fixed and portable overland awnings have fabric cases and the fabric can be assessed similar to the canopy materials, but a few awnings offer aluminum cases that provide a higher degree of protection than fabric varieties
Mounting Options
You’ll want to ensure the overland awning you select has a means of being mounted securely to your vehicle. Some models offer a variety of mounting options, some include mounting hardware, while others sell the mounts separately, and others require custom specific mounting bracketry to fit your specific vehicle’s roof rack, camper, or load bar system.
Universal Awning Mounts vs. Custom Awning Mounts
Universal Awning Mounts - provide a generic means of attaching the awning but will typically require some modification or additional hardware to work with your vehicle
Custom Awning Mounts - provide a specific set of hardware to mount to your vehicle’s roof rack, camper, or load bar system and generally provide a more secure connection
Side-Specific Mounting Choice - 270 degree awnings generally come in either driver-side or passenger-side mounting options to suit your specific overlanding setup, while 180 degree awnings can be mounted interchangeably on either side of the vehicle.
TIP: While typically the passenger-side is the most common mounting choice, for heavier fixed awnings you may want to consider other factors, such as the weight distribution of your vehicle. For example, on our Overland Tacoma Build the fuel tank and drawer platform are both on the driver’s side of the vehicle, so we opted to mount our (70lb) awning on the opposite side of the vehicle to more evenly distribute the weight.
Awning Accessories
These are additional options that a manufacturer may sell separately to improve the coverage or use of your overland awning.
Awning Walls - can extend the shade coverage of your overland awning, and provide improved protection from side-line rain or wind. They can be offered as complete one-piece kits or in an á la carte fashion so you can choose the particular coverage you want. Some even include zippered entry doors or complete enclosure of the awning with an awning room.
Awning Extensions - similar to awning walls, awning extensions allow you to extend the coverage area of your awning by extending the canopy shape.
Awning Floors - some awnings have floor kits to offer further enclosure, protection from the elements, or simply a cleaner place to set your gear outside of your vehicle
Awning Supports (Poles, Guy lines, and Stakes) - awning poles provide additional support to the awning’s arms and are often built into non-self-supporting awnings, but generic awning poles* can be easily sourced seperately if needed. Guy lines* and ground stakes are another way to secure your overland awning in high winds, but often are not included with free standing awnings. We recommend picking up a set of these Cawood medium anchor stakes* for securing your overland awning because they will actually dig deeper into the terrain the more the wind creates resistance against them.
Lighting - a few overland awnings even include integrated or optional lighting kits
Cost
Likely one of the biggest factors you’ll need to consider when selecting an awning for overlanding is the cost. Below, we’ll outline the 12 best overland awnings currently on the market in order of cost so you can select one that’s right for your needs and budget.
The Best Overland Awnings of 2024
Best Portable Overland Awnings:
SMITTYBUILT TRAIL SHADE
The Trail Shade* is an inexpensive portable awning that includes two collapsible steel poles, ground stakes, nylon shock cords for rigging, as well as two universal attachment straps for securing the awning to your roof rack, spare tire carrier, or around a tree for a completely separate awning space.
It also includes a Molle/PALS storage bag that can be attached to your spare tire carrier. As the name suggests, the Trail Shade is primarily for providing shelter from the sun; its relatively small coverage area won’t provide a lot of protection from the elements.
Canopy: Ripstop nylon tent fabric (water resistant)
Mounting: Non self-supporting, rigging required, universal vehicle attachment straps
Weight: 6lbs
Packed Size: 27in x 7in x 6in
Coverage Area: Tapered design makes coverage area dependent on configuration, roughly 36in. to 72in. (tapered) wide x 120in. long and appx 40-60 sqft of coverage
Accessories: N/A
SLUMBERJACK ROADHOUSE OVERLAND AWNING
The Slumberjack Roadhouse* is our favorite portable overland awning because it offers a substantial coverage area and can be set up in a variety of configurations to provide both shade and shelter from the elements.
It includes two 8ft collapsible fixed-length steel support poles, 8 steel ground stakes and guylines, and an attachment strap system for tying off to your vehicle’s rear wheels or roof rack - it can also be pitched as a standalone A-frame style tarp using the two included poles.
The storage case is a simple but effective polyester sack with drawstring closure. Optionally, you can get the awning with a netting enclosure to keep the mosquitoes and other creepy crawlies at bay.
Canopy: Water resistant 68D polyester fabric
Mounting: Non self-supporting, rigging required, vehicle attachment straps
Packed Size: 25in x 7in x 7in
Weight: 12.375lbs
Coverage Area: Tapered design makes coverage area dependent on configuration, roughly 103in. to 192in. (tapered) wide x 160in. long and appx 80-100 sqft
Accessories: Netting Enclosure Model
Best 180 Degree Overland Awnings:
RHINO-RACK SUNSEEKER 2.0M OVERLAND AWNING
Rhino-Rack’s Sunseeker 2.0* is a great budget-friendly square overland awning - utilizing two round extendable aluminum arms that connect into an aluminum crossbar with two adjustable length drop-down aluminum support poles to form the basis of its structure. This design allows the awning to be free standing, but it is not self-supporting. And generally you’ll need to utilize the included guy lines and ground stakes for rigging in anything but the calmest weather conditions. Everything packs up easily into the included 580gsm PVC fabric case.
There is an optional awning extension that can also double as a front wall and provides an additional 43sqft of coverage, as well as side walls for some added protection from sideline wind and rain.
Canopy: 210D UV resistant ripstop poly-cotton canvas fabric with mold resistant treatment
Mounting: Non self-supporting, poles required and rigging generally suggested, Universal mounting hardware included
Packed Size: 85in. x 6in. x 5in.
Weight: 22lbs
Coverage Area: 83in. wide x 85in. long, and 43 sqft
Accessories:
RHINO-RACK DOME AWNING
The Dome Awning* is a unique take on the traditional square overland awning. Its slightly tapered and domed design provides a decent coverage area that sheds rain more effectively than the traditional flat canopy and stores more compactly.
It includes two adjustable-length aluminum support poles, two tent-style fiberglass poles for the dome structure, and two guy lines and ground stakes for rigging.
They do offer optional side walls that provide an additional 43sqft of coverage and some added protection from sideline wind and rain.
Canopy: 210D UV resistant ripstop poly-cotton canvas fabric with mold resistant treatment
Mounting: Non self-supporting, poles and rigging required, semi-universal mounting hardware included (alternate mounts sold separately)
Packed Size: 51in. x 7in. x 5in.
Weight: 18lbs
Coverage Area: 51in. to 98in. (tapered) wide x 100in. long, and appx 64 sqft
Accessories: Side Wall*
ARB OVERLAND AWNINGS
ARB’s awnings have been the gold standard square-style overland awning for decades, and for good reason! They have been designed and tested with the rigors and abuse of extended off road travel in the Australian outback in mind, and use materials that are up to the task.
Our first awning was a small ARB and we were extremely happy with it as a rear-mounted awning on our old truck camper. They come in a variety of sizes to fit your specific application and offer a variety of accessories for each model to add further comfort and protection from the elements.
ARB overland awnings utilize two extendable fold-out aluminum support arms and two drop-down adjustable length aluminum support poles to create a support structure that doesn’t require rigging under moderate conditions, and includes guylines and ground stakes for windy conditions. The storage case is a rugged PVC coated polyester (optionally the large model can be purchased with a black anodized* or raw aluminum* case).
Canopy: 300gsm waterproof polyurethane coated poly-cotton canvas
Mounting: Self-standing (with integrated poles) but non self-supporting, mounting hardware is included but universal mounting brackets* are sold separately
Packed Size: varies based on model: appx 48in. to 96in. (model dependent) x 7in x 7in
Weight: Small 18lbs, Medium 25lbs, Large 35.5lbs
Coverage Area:
SMALL* - 1250 x 2100mm (appx 4ft x 7ft and appx 28 sqft), fabric case
MEDIUM* (pictured above) - 2500 x 2000mm (appx 6.5ft x 8ft and appx 52 sqft), fabric case, includes LED lighting
LARGE* - 2500x2500mm (appx 8ft x 8ft and appx 64 sqft), fabric case, includes LED lighting
Accessories:
Universal Side Wall* intended for use with all three models
OVS NOMADIC 180 OVERLAND AWNING
The OVS Nomadic 180* awning offers an incredible amount of value and is arguably the best 180 degree overland awning currently on the market, with its large trapezoidal coverage area, self-supporting design, and relatively robust materials.
It includes 4 boxed aluminum arms that form the backbone of the structural support, and two adjustable-length drop-down aluminum support poles, four shock-cord guylines, and 4 steel ground stakes to batten down the hatches when needed. The storage case is a nice heavy 1000gsm PVC material as well.
Canopy: 280GSM water resistant poly-cotton ripstop with heat-sealed seams
Mounting: Self-supported, universal mounting brackets and hardware included
Packed Size: 88in. x 7in. x 6in.
Weight: 50lbs
Coverage: 240in. (tapered at both ends) x 78.5 in. and appx 88 sqft
Accessories: 1-Piece Complete Zippered Wall System*
Best 270 Degree Overland Awnings:
RHINO-RACK BATWING 270 OVERLAND AWNING
Rhino Rack’s 270 awnings come in both full size and compact varieties and are one of the most budget-friendly options on the market.
Both utilize the same semi-pentagonal shaped canopy design, however, neither awning model is self-supporting - meaning the included adjustable-length drop-down support poles must be deployed and secured with rigging to support the canopy.
The storage case for either model uses a 580gsm PVC fabric with extra room for rigging and accessory storage.
Full-Size Batwing 270
Passenger-side Mount* or Driver-side Mount*
Canopy: 210D rip-stop water resistant fabric, tested and rated to UPF 50+ sun protection
Mounting: Non self-supporting, side-specific, universal mounting brackets and hardware included (plus 2 spare hinge knuckles)
Weight: 47.4lbs
Coverage Area: 118 sqft
Packed Size: 98in. x 9in. x 7in.
Accessories:
Awning Extension* (with additional support pole)
Compact Batwing 270
Passenger-side Mount* or Driver-side Mount*
Canopy: 210D rip-stop water resistant fabric, tested and rated to UPF 50+ sun protection
Mounting: Non self-supporting, side-specific, universal mounting brackets and hardware included (plus 2 spare hinge knuckles)
Packed Size: 79in. x 9in. X 7in.
Weight: 39.5 lbs
Coverage Area: 69 sqft
Accessories:
OVS NOMADIC 270 OVERLAND AWNING
OVS offers two models of 270 degree overland awnings - the full size and the more compact LT model which is more of a semi-pentagonal shape that’s great for smaller cars, trucks, and SUVs.
Both are self-supporting in moderate weather conditions, and are made with relatively robust materials considering their budget-friendly price. Both models use boxed aluminum arms to form the backbone of the structural support, with two adjustable-length drop-down aluminum support poles and shock-corded guylines with steel ground stakes to secure the awning when the weather takes a turn. The storage case is a nice heavy 1000gsm PVC material too.
Full Size Nomadic 270
Passenger-Side Mount* or Driver-side Mount*
Canopy: 280GSM water resistant poly-cotton ripstop with heat-sealed seams
Mounting: Self-supporting using 6 boxed aluminum arms, side-specific universal mounting brackets and hardware included
Packed Size: 88in. x 7in. x 6in.
Weight: 80lbs.
Coverage: 129 sqft
Accessories: 3-Piece side-specific zippered wall system
Wall 3 (passenger mount)* with entry door
Wall 3 (driver-side mount)* with entry door
Compact Nomadic LT 270
Passenger-Side Mount* or Driver-Side Mount*
Canopy: 280GSM water resistant poly-cotton ripstop with heat-sealed seams
Mounting: Self-supporting using 4 boxed aluminum arms, side-specific, universal mounting brackets and hardware included
Packed Size: 83in. x 7in. x 5in.
Weight: 51.5lbs
Coverage: 80 sqft
Accessories: 2-Piece side-specific zippered wall system
Wall 1 (passenger mount)* with entry door
Wall 1 (driver-side mount)* with entry door
ALU-CAB SHADOW 270 OVERLAND AWNING
Alu-cab not only makes incredibly robust overland campers, they also make one of the best self-supporting 270 degree overland awnings on the market. The Shadow 270 awning uses a light-weight box-tube aluminum support structure consisting of 4 arms with one built in drop-down support pole and 1 pop-up arm to improve watershed.
Passenger & Driver-Side Mounting Options
Canopy: Uses acrylic impregnated 315GSM polyester rip-stop fabric with a UV/heat reflective silver coating and includes a fungal resistant chemical treatment
Mounting: Self supporting using 4 box-tube aluminum arms with one built in drop-down support pole and 1 pop-up arm to improve watershed, side-specific mounting, brackets (sold separately) support a variety of mounting solutions for roof racks, RTTs, campers, and load bars.
Weight: 52.91 lbs
Packed Size: appx 103in x 7in. x 9in.
Coverage: appx 107 sqft of coverage
Accessories:
Complete wall kit with zippered entry and mosquito net equipped windows
Gutter System - for directing water away from the gap created by the mounting hardware
KINSMEN HARDWARE 270 OVERLAND AWNING
In keeping with the tradition of saving the best for last, the Kinsmen Hardware 270 is a top-of-the-line, 100% designed, sourced, and built in the USA self-supporting 270 degree overland awning. And arguably, the most durable overland awning on the market.
It utilizes a series of 4 welded and powder-coated steel trusses to support its incredibly robust canopy, and three of the support arm trusses include small pop-up arms that improve water shedding and eliminate the ponding of water that can happen other overland awnings in heavy rain.
The awning also includes a super-durable 18oz vinyl-coated polyester storage case to keep everything packed neatly away.
While support poles are not included, frankly they’re rarely needed - only in heavy snow (3+ inches), or for suspending a hammock! But each arm is designed to easily accept most aftermarket poles (we use SpringBar’s US-made galvanized steel poles with ours), and there are multiple reinforced attachment points that can be used for rigging guy lines and ground stakes in extreme weather conditions (35+ MPH winds).
Passenger & Driver-Side Mounting Options
Canopy: Heavy duty 314GSM Sunbrella marine fabric that is incredibly UV, mold and mildew, water, fade, and even salt resistant
Mounting: Self-supporting, side-specific mounting, custom application-specific brackets and hardware are included with options available for several popular roof racks, roof top tents, and camper designs
Weight: 70lbs
Packed Size: 91in. x 7in. x 8in.
Coverage Area: Appx 85 sqft
Accessories:
Full Wall Kit made of heavy-duty 500D mil-spec Cordura (or individual walls can be purchased a la carte)
For a more in-depth look at this awning check out our review of the Kinsmen Hardware 270 overland awning and why we think it’s The Best 4x4 Awning for Your Off Road Adventures.
Whether you’re looking for a simple budget-friendly awning for your weekend adventures or a deluxe 270 degree fully kitted overland awning for long-term travel, we hope this guide has helped you select the overland awning that’s right for you!
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