Are you looking for a truck camper awning? You may not have as limited of options as you might think.
Whether you want a power or manual awning, or a combination of both, it’s all here. We put together this imperfect encyclopedia of the best truck camper awnings so you can decide what type or price is right for you.
Let’s get into it.
Table of contents
Do Truck Campers Have Awnings?
Most truck campers today don’t come with awnings pre-installed. While you can find models with awnings standard, like Northern Lite truck campers, many don’t. Other brands, like Host truck campers, have pre-installed side or rear awnings as an upgrade.
Truck campers have many different awning options, and generally, you can get creative with adding awnings where you’d like. New awning technologies offer features such as motorized deployment, wind sensors, and adjustable support legs.
This article touches on several options available to you for your truck camper awning to get you started.
Can You Replace Your Truck Camper Awning?
Yes, you can! If you can’t find the exact model to replace like for like, you can explore some of the options below if your awning fails beyond repair.
If your awning fabric needs replacing, this is an easy fix! Many awnings eventually wear out due to sun exposure and weather conditions, and replacing the fabric is much easier than a full awning redo. Learn how to replace your awning fabric (and get 5% off!)
Can You Add An Awning to a Truck Camper?
You can add an awning to your truck camper for shade wherever you go. Adding it yourself can take time and a little work, but if you like to hang around your campsite in shade, you may find it worth it.
You have several options for adding an awning to your truck camper. Your budget and desired project involvement factor into what type you choose. You can add it to the side, rear, or both.
Side vs. Rear Awnings on Truck Campers
Some truck campers have doors on the rear, and others have doors on the side. But the door isn’t the only determining factor for where you should place your awning. You can put one on the driver’s side, passenger side, or the rear.
According to a poll by Truck Camper Magazine, rear and passenger side awnings are the most popular with truck camper owners, with rear ones most popular overall.
Rear ones help shade your entry door and keep it protected from the elements, and can help keep your rig cool in the summer.
Passenger side ones can shade your campsite where your picnic table or fire pit would be. Some truck campers have both side and rear awnings, so you don’t have to choose.
Pro Tip: Extend the longevity of your awning by reading How To Open An RV Awning The Right Way.
More Truck Camper Articles You’ll Enjoy:
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- Does My Truck Camper Need a Title, Registration, and Insurance?
Truck Camper Awning Options
Let’s get into the juicy stuff: awnings for your truck camper. Here are the most popular solutions from power, manual, and makeshift ones.
Dometic Truck Camper Awnings
Dometic makes several vehicle-mounted awning models that are available in 8-foot lengths. You can select motorized or manual, and some come with wind sensors to automatically retract. Prices range from around $600 to upwards of $2000 depending on style and features.
Most of these awnings have to be ordered through a dealer of Dometic products.
Carefree Truck Camper Awning
Carefree of Colorado manufactures a variety of RV awning options, including awnings for truck campers.
You can choose both manual or power and roof or wall-mounted options. You can even get a short option to provide shade over your entry door.
This company makes custom orders so that you can choose the length and style. Prices vary, but you can expect to pay upwards of $1,500 depending on the type, size, and style.
BunduTec BunduAwn
The BunduTec BunduAwn is a popular option in the Overlanding community. It comes in many sizes and works great for a truck camper.
This awning can cover two sides of your vehicle, so you don’t have to choose from a side or rear awning.
While this is an excellent truck camper awning, reports state it’s best for pop-up campers because it has manual deployment.
On a standard height truck camper, it’s really difficult to reach. The BunduAwn mounts to the wall and comes in lengths of 96, 108, and 116 inches, or any custom length up to 157 inches.
Pricing for this unit ranges from $1,500 to $1,700.
ARB Awnings
ARB manufactures 4×4 accessories and has awnings that attach to most vehicles. People mostly use them for overlanding rigs and campervans, but it can work well on a truck camper, too.
The ARB self-retractable awnings fit onto the side of most roof racks or roof bars. You can configure it to mount on the sidewall of a truck camper with a bit of ingenuity.
It comes in models 4, 6.5, and 8.2 ft long. They have manual deployment, so you’ll likely need a ladder for a standard height truck camper.
ARB awnings range in price depending on size, style, and options, but you can expect to pay around $500.
Thule HideAway Awning
The Thule HideAway awning mounts to car roof racks. You can configure it to fit on a truck camper. This lightweight awning comes in lengths of 8.5 or 10 ft.
The Thule awning deploys via a hand crank and has spring-loaded tension arm supports. It’s said to be wind resistant, but we don’t recommend testing it in high winds.
The price for the HideAway awning ranges from $999 to $1,099 for the 8.5 and 10 ft versions. It works best for a side mount as they don’t make lengths short enough for a rear-mounted one.
Tuff Stuff Rooftop Awnings
Tuff Stuff 4×4 manufactures products for overlanding, including rooftop awnings for overlanding vehicles. You can install the Tuff Stuff awnings on a truck camper, too.
They come in lengths of 4.5 and 6.5 ft. You could have one on both the side and rear of your truck camper.
Tuff Stuff awnings operate via manual deployment, so if you have a standard height truck camper, this may present some challenges. They have add-on accessory options like shade walls, clamshell rooms, and more.
They cost $269 and $299 for different size options. You can mount them via a roof rack or to a truck camper with a few modifications.
Is It Difficult to Add an Awning to a Truck Camper?
Adding an awning to your truck camper can pose a challenge, but it’s a pretty simple DIY project that takes a couple of hours.
Carefree awnings come ready to mount on an RV, while some of the other options might require a bit of modification to install directly onto your camper.
Installing an awning requires minimal tools, and each product comes with installation and deployment instructions from the manufacturer. Be sure to practice safe techniques for lifting and attaching the awning, as you’ll most likely be using ladders and step stools to reach your mounting points.
Pro Tip: After investing a lot of money into the perfect awning for your travel set-up, you’ll want to maintain it’s quality so it lasts for years. This is How to Take Care of Your RV Slide Out Awning.
Truck Camper Awnings Are Definitely Worth It
Some truck camper enthusiasts are happy without truck camper awnings, but we think they’re fantastic.
They provide the ability to sit outside your camper and enjoy your campsite in rain or shine. We think they’re worth the cost and installment.
Our recommendation is a motorized awning for easy deployments, but we think you’ll be happy with any of the choices on this list. While this is an imperfect list of your options, we hope you’ve now at least got a good idea of where to start!
Do you have an awning on your truck camper? Drop a comment below!
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