Gear Hub: MoonShade Portable Awning + MoonWall
Photo Courtesy of MoonShade
We are fortunate enough to have purchased our first little camper van the same time the MoonShade arrived. My wife, our dog and I hit the road for our mini adventure in Ophelia, our Ford Transit Connect camper van. We had all the elements to put our MoonShade to the test.
Arriving to the campsite just before dinner, we set up our MoonShade off the passenger side of the van. We hadn’t yet opened the yoga mat sized bag until that moment, and within five minutes the shade was on and our outdoor living room was in full effect.
There are three ways you can attach the MoonShade to your vehicle: carabiners, heavy-duty suction cups and hi-powered magnets. I went with the magnets. The nine-foot side ran the length of our van and I secured the shade and magnets with the carabiners. Every MoonShade comes with telescoping strut poles and tensions poles that are similar to most tents. Setup is a snap.
Photo by Kim Fuller
Later that evening, some storm clouds rolled in and it rained all night. It allowed us to enjoy our meal in our dry makeshift living room. We left the MoonShade up that evening and the underside was dry. With the guy lines on, our shade was still attached in the morning after some big gusts that night.
The MoonShade is durable, light-weight and compact. It’s the awning you need for an affordable price with no permanent installation necessary. We have used our MoonShade a few times since and it is absolutely perfect for many applications.
The MoonWall is a welcome addition to the MoonShade setup. It’s available in short and long, depending on which side of the MoonShade you want to attached it to, and it’s best used in a setup where you can make your top canopy parallel to the ground — ideal with SUV’s, Jeeps and small travel trailers. It’s all a perfect fit with our Ford Transit Connect camper van.
We set up the MoonShade and MoonWall to help crew for the Leadville 100 running race. It was a rainy day and we needed the extra coverage. The MoonWall does provide more sun shield and privacy, but when it comes to rain there is a gap between the Shade and Wall that isn’t ideal. We were able to cover it and stay dry all day. When the sun did come out, it was great to be able to stay shaded and comfortable under the large area beneath the MoonShade and MoonWall.
When it’s time to pack up, the MoonWall folds up to fit easily inside the MoonShade carry bag, so you can keep your full MoonShade kit in one place.
